The Aftermath. By Noel Dene. 2 vols. (Hurst and Blackett.)
—The style of the lady who calls herself "Noel Done" leaves something to be desired, but it has not the fatal defect of being tiresome ; and The Aftermath is a fairly readable novel of a very conventional type. The title refers to the renewal of the love of a husband and wife who have been separated for years by one of those particularly ridiculous and prolonged misunderstandings which are as common in the pages of minor fiction as they are happily rare in real life. Lord and Lady Osmory are a young coup13 who are devoted to each other; but he is somewhat of an Othello, and as a feminine Iago appears on the stage in the person of a certain Annette Stirling who has vainly aspired to Othello's hand, the usual mischief follows, though the Desdemona of the story is not smothered but only banished. Why she submitted to her banishment is not explained at all clearly; but if a novel of this kind is to be enjoyed even moderately, it must be read without asking inconvenient questions. The incredible separation, having been effected, might have lasted for ever had not the wicked Annette been frightened by a dangerous illness into a plenary confession of her deceit, and the separated couple are united again, to live happily ever afterwards. Amongst much that is exasperatingly absurd, it is decidedly refreshing to find that Noel Dene's heroine is not unduly hurried in her forgiveness of the husband who has so gratuitously made a fool of himself and of her. The reconciliation comes soon enough, but Lord Osmory has some preliminary bad half-hours which he well deserves.
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