SOME RECENT FICTION.

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2426, 3 April 1915, Page 5

SOME RECENT FICTION.

A DROP IN INFINITY. It is exceedingly aivkward, to say the least of it, for a .young man ivlio is doing a pleasant "loaf" on the Cornish seashore to find himself—plus the young lady he loves and whom ho thinks he lias forever lost —transported in the twinkling of an eye to an inaccessible valley, the exact "eograp'hieal position of which is not made clear, but which is apparently far away from all civilisation. And yet this is what happens to John Thorpe and JJarjorio MattlioH's through tho uncanny magic of a- mysterious and hiilf-nwl amateur scientist, who hub "Cousiuered tho fourth dimension"—:

whatever that may mean —and the much perplexed pair have simply got to make tlio best of it. How they do mako tliu best of it, by forming a little "community settlement," at first consisting of themselves, but later on including two more victims of tho "Hubblo Bubble's" enchantments, how they marry, and what happens to them matrimonially and in many other ways, is all set forth by Mr. Gerald Grogan in a very original and curious story, entitled "A Drop in Infinity" (London, John

Lane). It is all vastly preposterous, but the story makes none the less very good reading. A DEVIL WORSHIPPER. Satanism is not a particularly pleasant subject for a novel, and in "An Unholy Alliance" (John Long), by that wellpractised story-teller, Violet Tweedale, there is little of that semi-scientific and historical treatment of tho subject which was the strong point in Huysman's famous novel, "La 13as." Mrs. Tweedale's "Satanist" is a selfish and worldly clergyman—a canon no less I —who would fain make his communion with the powers of evil the means by which he can secure the hand of a wealthy and handsome young lady. Of course in the long run the Evil One cheats his worshipper, and the end of the self-degraded canon is terribly tragic. The author has evidently gono to a good deal of trouble to enlighten us upon the inner workings of a "cult" which, she assures tis, "is making great headway in Europe." As a foil to the objectionable Canon Gilchrist we are introduced to some very pleasant people, but the story is rather uneven, and Mrs. Tweedale would do well to leave such an unpleasant subject as Devil Worship severely alono in future. SPORT AND HUMOUR. That always lively writ-er, Dorothea Conyers, gives us a round dozen or so of short stories, mainly of Irish oountry life and sport, in her latest volume, "A Mixed Pack" (Methuen and Co.). In one or two of the stories there is a supernatural interest, but aB a rulo the humorous vein predominates. Towards the close of the book Miss Conyers strikes out into what is, for her, quite a new line, and relates, in four chapters, tho curious experiences and adventures of a naturally timid and retiring city clerk, tho employee of a firm of diamond merchants, who entrust him with the care of immensely valuable jewels, to be carried to Paris and other places for their customers. In discharging this duty _ Mr. Jones, who is considered by his intimates—including his wife—a ."born fool," displays a readiness of wit and an ingenuity in getting out of a tight corner, which at first surprises and finally delimits Messrs. Mosenthal and Co. These "Jones" stories are told with decided vigour and are very humorous. THE REALIST. A welcome addition to John Long's Shilling Library is a volume of short stories by Mr. E. Temple Thurston, collected and now reprinted under the title of "The Realist." The title story is a gruesome, but powerfully written, study of artistic life, the leading incident being tho deliberate murder of a ruffianly Italian, who serves as a mo3e! for a picture of Christ on the Cross, which is being painted by an artist so wrapped up in his art that he condones and hides tho crime in his enthusiasm ' for the dramatic effect he is able to . produce from the wretched victim's agonies.