t only am I
frequently in doubt as to whom the heroine will marry in the end but as to
which of the characters is speaking at any given moment. And not
infrequently what can only be careless proofreading leaves sentences that
contradict each other into an effect of nonsense. But just when I should be
noting all these subjects for legitimate censure I am probably devouring
page after page with giggles of delight for the wit and jollity of them.
_Bird of Paradise_ (GRANT RICHARDS) is in every respect a worthy companion
to its predecessors. There are no very severe problems in this story of a
group of Londoners, but plenty of the lightest, most airy dialogue, and
some genuine character-drawing, conveyed so deftly that you only detect it
afterwards by the way in which the persons remain in your memory. The whole
thing, of course, is modern to the last moment; tango-teas and Russian
ballets and picture-balls besprinkle the conversation. There is even a
passage about a certain famous shop that made me wonder whether the New
Advertising, familiar to readers of the afternoon journals had also invaded
the realm of fiction. You will observe that I have made no effort to repeat
the story; as it contains at least three heroines and five heroes the task
would be too complicated. But you can take it on trust as a comedy of want
of manners, brilliantly alive, exasperatingly careless, and altogether the
greatest fun in the world.

* * * * *

Once upon a time there were two highwaymen, _Charlie_ and _Crabb Spring_;
two men, not highway, _Saul Coplestone_ and _John Cole_; two marriageable
sisters, _Sarah_ and _Christina Rowland_. The highwaymen, being
pestilential and murderous, badly wanted catching; of the two potential
heroes, _Saul_ was a stout enough fellow on the surface but a poltroon at
bottom, while _John_, though less terrific in physique, was modest and
courageous to a degree. Of the sisters, _Sarah_ had most of the looks and
_Christina_ all the merits, so that at the beginning of things both _Saul_
and _John_ were concentrated upon the former, who, being a little fool,
preferred _Saul_, but, being also a little vixen, encouraged both. The
brothers _Spring_ appearing Dartmoor way, _Sarah_ promised, in an expansive
moment, to marry whichever of her suitors caught them single-handed. This
was apparently impossible, but nevertheless one of them did it. Need it be
said which? Need it be said which of