pretentious, it must yet . be acknowledged that the author's
purpose outstrips his powers of execution. The story is meant to be a serious novel of the Viceregal Court at Simla, and a little frontier war is an incident of the book. The principal personage is a mysterious and saint-like figure called "Mr. Sorel," who is a sort of unorthodox Christian Scientist. His pose of being with- drawn from the cares and temptations of the world is somewhat impaired by the fact that he is a millionaire, always lives in the best suite of rooms in the hotel, and drives magnificent motor-cars. The reader can hardly help being reminded by Mr. Sorel's attitude of Becky Sharp's dictum : it would be very easy to be good if one had £5,000 a year. Why Mr. Sorel has not long since got rid of his superfluous wealth is not even hinted at, and such a course seems not to have entered his mind. The book differs from the average run of novels in its obvious intention to instruct as well as to amuse ; but it must be confessed that the characters are rather wooden, the heroine is conventional, and the figure of Sorel himself does not convince the reader of its truth to life.
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