The glittering dialogue of Alfred de Musset has suffered a
sea-change in crossing the channel, piloted by Mr. Maurice Baring. Brilliance is not always achieved by an abrupt staccato, and dogged determination is often just dog. As thus : "Did I do wrong to address her ? Yet it was necessary, since I mean to win her in my disguise. Yes, I did well to address her. Yet she answered me curtly. Perhaps I should not have spoken so eagerly. But the answer was not agreeable. Can it be that she has a false and hard heart ? It would be a good thing to investigate the matter cleverly." Not every schoolboy would do it so badly or so baldly. The format of Fantasio (Pleiad Press, 30s.) is pleasant without being strikingly original, and the volume may be chiefly commended for the amusing lithographs of Mr. Fernand Gianque. * * * *
Previous page
