SOME-RECENT FICTION

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 305, 18 September 1920, Page 11

SOME-RECENT FICTION

"The Duchess of Siona." The background of Mr. Ernest Godwin's.. I fine romance, "Tho Duchess of Sibna" ' ;■••■■..:• c(

{London, W. Collins, Sons and Co.), is Tuscany, the period being that of tlio sixteenth century. The young duchess, Beatrice, euccceds, as ruler of the littio stare of Siona. a valiant prince who, however, hail been forced into vassalage to a stronger potentate, the wicked Prince Mnlcstnla of Mossonn. By her father's dictate tlio young and beautiful Beatrico is not tobo forced into marriage for Slain purposes, but is to exercise full free will in selecting a spouse. On the other hand every man who presents himself at Siona is to be "given a chance." and to ba accorded ''access to your ear, entertainment in tlio castle, reasonable opportunity, fair hearing, venturing your obstinacy against his proper importunity, for a month, at any rato." The young duchess has not long been in her father's seat ere a handsome, adventurer, Pedro, puts in an appearance and claims his Tight to become a suitor. But Pedro is a mere nobody, a "lance knight." He has fought and travelled afar, even into the land of Proster John, and borno himself manfully and well. But he is not of noblo blood, he is not in his first youth, and the haughty young duchess professes herself so insulted by his suit that she delivers him up to the rabble of the city. He is sorely ill-treated by tlio mob. but finds a friend and patron in a young nobleman of highest degree who, in his turn, conies a-eourting to the fair little city on the Tuscan plain. How Pedro's patron proffers his suit, is encouraged but never accepted, how the wicked Malestata trios to force his profligate son, Goronimo, upon the duchess as her future spouse, now, when the son is refused, the father invades the city, how in tho moment of sorest peril,' when on the vergo of being compelled to wed with the hated Geronimo, tho fair Beatrico finds in the despised and reieoted and villainously ill-used Pedro a prompt and resourceful: and gallant champion, how the tables are- turned and Malestala is forced to plead for mercy and to ac-cept-terms rattier than dictate them—all this, and the ultimate triumph of Pedro's love, is set forth by Mr. Godwin in a spirited story which is replete with a fine, romantic flavour, and the interest of which never flags for even an odd page or two. Mr. Godwin's name may be remembered, by some of my readers as that of the author of that capital story "The Caravan Man." By his latest cf-. fort lie proves' himself ft writer of no small versatility. A second ' story in the same vein as "The Duchess of Siona" is assured of a hearty welcome. "The Temptation of .Carlton Earle." "The Temptation of Carlton Earle," j bv Stella M. During (Ward, Lock and Co., per Whitcombo and Tombs), is a woll-told story, tho principal characters in which are' a country doctor, who - has served a sentence for manslaughter, and the wife of a brutal and dissipated squire. The doctor had, at tho request of a friend, doomed_ to a'horrible end from an incurable disease, administered so powerful a dose of a soothing drug as to cause death, Having served his sentence he settles down in a country district under an assumed name, and becomes the intimate friend of-the squire's wife. The squire, a drunken, brutal follow, dies very suddenly, tho causo being set down as heart Tho doctor suspects the wife, whom 'ie sec retry loves, of- having administered the fatal- draught, and tho wifo on her side is convinced that the doctor is tho culprit. The author provides in tho end a ■very ingenious explanation. of the mystery, one which proves tlio imipconrn of doctor and wifo alike, and tho story closes with the promise of tho long and sevcrely-trited pair making each other' Supremely happy.' Tho author is specially successful', in'her presentation-and analysis of the conflicting emotions of suspicion and love by' which tho doctor and the woman ho loves, but whom he .wrongly, judges 'to have. poisoned her husband, are torn until the actual truth is made ,known as to how the unspeakable Hoystou camo to his end, A powerful, Well-told story, well .worth' reading.