AMONG THE BOOKS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2525, 6 August 1902, Page 71

AMONG THE BOOKS.

THE WAY OF ESCAPE. JBy -Geaha ji "Travebs. Edinburgh and London : cEackwood and Sons. A passport to interest in this book is provided at once, in the fact, that it is by the same author as "Mona Maclean, TVledical Student," which book achieved a wide popularity. Jn many respects "The -Wayof Escape'" is much superior to its predecessor : more matured in judgment, wider in sympathy, and more finished in execution. Giles Willoughby, the hero, is a; young Scotchman who, having just passed his "final" with all imaginable brilliancy.' hus come abroad (for the first time in his life) to enjoy -a well-earned holiday before settling down to the practice of his pro.fe&sion. He is a tall and good-looking young fellow, whose : blight, "boyish face." curly golden .hair, and tfrank, happy eyes, make an instantly favourable impression. ; At college "they all liked :him, .the fellow?.; ; the worst Df them at least respected his, • biceps. He hadjproved — if, indeed, in Edin- } buigh so patent a fact needed — that • a young man may .teach in Sunday School, and. go to -prayer meeting, and^yet be -able* in case of need to punch another man:s--head."

Siich, then, as he is, Giles (Willougliby, i freed for the first time from all The conventional surroundings of life which have' hitherto seemed to him to be life'.iteelf, cttt' adrift from his family circle, his "place of* worship," and his admirable young fiancee,is> plunged into the warm, pine-scented stUl-\ ness of a retired "Pension on the shores of the Mediterranean, and brought into contact with human nature -as Titterly new to him as is ;this nature which surrounds .him. .. A learned ol<3 -professor .and Jiis clever andcL arming daughter are the only other tEnghsh guests afrthe ;P«nsion. Yera ,Carruthers; >s young and .pretty, the charm <-of vivid life, piquantly seasoned nvith'the.*auce of that Hedonism winch she jhas imbibed fiom her father, whom she frankly describes 1 as an "old heathen. Shocking? It is his one redeeming feature. So am I." . . . The young man's manner was cold >as ice. '"I ought to appologise for the oldfashioned qiiestion," he said, '^but do you ■ mind telling me what you take to be man's chief end?" •

"I don't mind in the least ; bnb I never thought about it. Man's chief end — man's chief end — Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow -we diev"

Given, then, the mnn, tire maiden, constant companionship, and tlie sweet sunny solitudes of a "health resort in-a.ll the loneliness of the ''off season," and there is no need to- a Solon to forecast the .result. Giles Willoughby leaves his letters .from home unanswered, and forgets his betrothed in the dream \of love which he dreams with Vera Carruthers.

To be awakened by tlie arrival of his sister, who; 'letters and telegrams alike having remained unanswered, has come to-sum-mon him to the bedside of their .dying father !

The real beauty of the story, the real skill ana the excellent working out in pleasant social surroundings of a high and beau-, tifdl ideal, lies from this point. The e-volu-, tion of a noble woman, "the ripening 'of a steadfast and upright man from the boy and girl wlio 4oved, "not wisely, but 'too "well," in their heedless youth, is si vrotk of-cbarac-,-ler-oj.awing worthy >of all .praise. The tragedy wJiich rings down die cur-^ tain is in 'accordance with the 'newest 7 fashion in 'novels, which apparently decrees that we pay for the jpleasure of our novelreading witli the price of a sigh. *