part I became frankly tired of the pecuniary crises of the Wyndhams and of their incurable inability to tell the truth.  Had Mordaunt got up and given these feckless brethren a sound hiding I should have been relieved, but he preferred to make them squirm by using his steely eyes.  In the future I suggest to Miss DELL that she should leave these strong silent men alone.  They have had their day and gone out of vogue.  The best part of this book, and indeed the best work Miss DELL has yet done, is her treatment of the romantic friendship between Christine and Bertrand de Montville.  It is handled so touchingly and so surely that I resent with all the more peevishness the banality of the steel-eyed one.

* * * * *

[Illustration:  ONE OF THE FEW HISTORIC MANSIONS OF ENGLAND WHERE QUEEN ELIZABETH DID NOT SLEEP.]

* * * * *

    “His lordship dismissed the application, with costs, and the
    jury found in his favour, assessing the damages at L1,000.”

We should like to be a Judge.  It seems to be easy and well-paid work.

* * * * *

From the synopsis of a Singapore play—­just the last scene or two:—­

“Samion, after going through Nyai Dasima’s fortune, maltreated her, and told her to leave his protection.  He also commissioned a wicked man called Puasa to murder Nyai Dasima.  Puasa murdered Dasima, and throw her body into a river.  The corpse of Dasima floated and entangled in the bathing-place of William.  William, seeing this, at once reported to the Police of Dasima’s death.  Puasa and others were arrested and imprisoned.  The Judge investigated the case, and Puasa was sentenced to be hanged.  Samion got mad and died.  Mah Buyong also got mad.”

And so home to bed.