Page:Marie Corelli - the writer and the woman (IA mariecorelliwrit00coat).pdf/283

 respect to our subject, and write as he thinks, combining, as it appears to us, a happy knack of lucid expression with a calm and temperate judgment.

A text from St. Paul as follows, "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places," prefaces and in a measure explains this very remarkable book. The hero of the story is a king reigning in these latter days over a Christian country that never once throughout the book receives a name. The omission, however, is not likely to be very early noticed by the reader, so intense is the interest aroused by the narrative, so rapid and sustained is its action. The king, married to a beautiful but cold consort who has borne him three sons, suddenly awakes to the fact that he is not doing his duty to his people, and resolves to go amongst them to see things for himself. He accordingly does so in disguise, and actually joins a society of Socialists. Hearing what is said about his Ministers he tests them and vetoes a declaration of war which is being brought about in the interests of certain capitalists and through the agency of a corrupt Press. Another conspiracy he contends with and defeats is a Jesuit one, during which an attempt is made upon his life, an attempt foiled by a beautiful woman of the people, who receives the knife-thrust in his place. One of the main themes of the book is the love of the king's eldest son Humphry for Gloria, a poor but beautiful girl. He has secretly wedded her, and the fact coming to the king's knowledge he upbraids his son and tells him that, the marriage with Gloria being of necessity morganatic, he must make a speedy alliance with a princess of a neighboring state. Then ensues a fine