any copies survive outside a few libraries. This novel deals exclusively with the unfortunate experience of a young girl who falls in love with and marries a homosexual. Now while the word is never mentioned in any form, the author's carthy, journalistic style leaves no doubt whatever as to what he had in mind. It must be recalled that this was six years before the Oscar Wilde scandal, and must have represented to readers something incredibly daring and shocking. And now for the story.

The daughter of a wealthy and socially prominent family, Elsie Bouverie, is repelled by the artificial and mannered behavior of men toward women as well as by silly displays of affection in public. Accordingly, she is inevitably attracted to Arthur Ravener, a beautiful young man of 25, of exquisite complexion, whose behavior toward her is simple and friendly, like that of a brother. Arthur is forever to be seen in the company of one Capt. Jack Dillington, an unattractive man of 35 with puffy face and repulsive personality; the two are known as the Damon and Pythias combination, are generally disliked and cold-shouldered, and are the subject of certain whispers...Although disliking Capt. Jack, Elsie finds

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the friendship admirable as proof of Arthur's capacity for friendship. Then Arthur proposes to Elsie. Mother is quickly won over. The ceremony soon follows...to be followed in turn by some rather odd incidents.

Arthur convinces Elsie that a honeymoon is strictly for the bourgeois birds, and not really fashionable at all, so they move right into their new house, where Arthur and Elsie have suites at opposite ends. The very first night Arthur excuses himself and goes off to London "on business," and when he returns he is accompanied by Capt. Jack as a house guest. Various "scenes" follow, in which Elsie tries both tears and indifference, but to no avail: Arthur continues courteous and friendly, and even goes on walks in the country with her, but is always prompt to repulse the slightest physical advances from Elsie. She even tries to make Arthur jealous of an attractive young man of the neighborhood, Hector Dasy, but Arthur reacts with delight at her finding such pleasant company. In desperation, Elsie finally decides to tell all to her mother. To the cynical old lady the answer is quite obvious: another woman, and Capt. Jack is merely the go-between. The two women then proceed to hire a private detective to follow Arthur on his frequent nocturnal expeditions and discover the hussy's identity, but Elsie is too impatient to await the detective's report: she breaks into Arthur's studio and there discovers rent receipts for a private house. The detective readily confirms the address, and Elsie goes off into the night on her way to the hussy's abode. On the subway she overhears by chance a young man of society telling a friend that one should not carry "that type of gossip" about men, especially in view of the mistake that had been made about Arthur Ravener. To this the friend replies testily that there has been no mistake about Arthur, for he is using his marriage merely as a cloak ...and poor Elsie sees in this Elsie sees in this a confirmation of the suspicions that her marriage is only a cover for Arthur's philanderings. Stealing into the house, she suddenly breaks into the bedroom to discover Arthur, not with a hussy, but with you guessed it – Capt. Jack. The latter quickly masters the situation, and taunts her by saying that she would not be able to name a co-respondent if she were to carry out her threat of suing for divorce. With a sudden inspiration, Elsie decides to make an empty, high-sound. ing bluff: "It is with you, Capt. Dillington, and with no other, that I have business," and then threatens to name him as co-respondent. At this unwitting bullseye Capt. Jack gasps and turns purple and Arthur practically faints. In fact, Arthur turns ill and is taken

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