Knight Checks Queen. By Mrs. Lockhart Lang. (Alston Rivers. 6s.)—In
this story a coming man of science marries a budding prima donna in order to get her away from an uncongenial home where she is unable to study. Naturally enough the young couple eventually fall in love with each other, and the story is redeemed from commonplaceness by the chapters at the end which describe the heroic struggles of Anne, the heroine, to please her husband by concealing the return of her voice after an illness, so that she may lead a domestic life. The book is full of absurdities and crudities, but the author writes in high spirits and with a sense of humour, for the sake of which much may be forgiven her. There is a deliciously absurd lady who gives a very amusing account of the menu suitable to affliction, which we cannot resist quoting :— "Anne will have something upstairs, thanks ; she's rather knocked up with her journey."—" So upset she must be! Don't send her anything made of beef; no, Fred, not fillet. In sorrow, who can eat beef ? A cutlet, or some fricasse. Fricasse is much more tempting and suitable ; and not baked potatoes. Oh, no, no ! some of those nice sauté ones : she could not think of eating those great rough brown—" "Well, I should have thought that en robes de chambre would be the right thing to send her 1" grinned Fred. " Cream or jelly. No, not apple tart; apple tart is for moments of rejoicing and conviviality."
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