The Price of the Pearl, and other Stories. By Baroness
Pauline von Hugel. (Catholic Truth Society.)—This is a booklet of short stories, all of them having a religious character, but written in a tone far removed from the commonplace moral story-book. The characters are gracefully and vividly drawn, the narrative flows, and some of the situations are strong in dramatic interest. The story which gives its name to the book, is referred to the year 1588, when Elizabeth's laws against Roman Catholics were in full force, and when the Spanish Armada supplied ground for a special activity of persecution. Ruth and Audrey Travers are betrothed to men who are both of them seized as Popish recusants and disaffected subjects ; but Hugh Bannerman is to be condemned for his conversion to the Roman Catholic Church, which was a capital offence; Guy Oldham, for having spoken in favour of the Spaniards. Circumstances give Rath Travers the power of saying which of the two may go free,—but only one can escape, and she is betrothed to Hugh Bannerman. She has heard, however, Oldham regret that he cannot die, like his companion, for faith, but only for politics ; she shrinks from purchasing her own happiness at the expense of her cousin Audrey's; she dreams unhappily of robbing a martyr of his crown, and at length, in desperation, pronounces not for her own, but for her cousin's lover. That is a choice certainly not in
conformity with latter-day fashion. But we are bound to say, after some study of contemporary records and narratives pub- lished by the late Rev. J. Morris, S.J., it is quite in keeping with the ideas and characters revealed in the writings of the Roman Catholics of those days. Altogether, Baroness Pauline von Hiigel's stories are attractive in style and elevated in tone.
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