Behind the Seen

Behind the Seen

THE CLAIRVOYANT--Ernst Lothar-- Kinsey ($2.50). First publication of a new House, Ernst Lothar's book lands firmly on its literary feet. As an example of the modern Teutonic school of novel-writing, which lines clouded realism with silvery romance, it deserves good marks. Rustic Sebastian Trux comes to the big city to become a banker's lawyer, but Fate opposes. Millionaire Rafael Bassan, who owns racing-stables and tries to own his beautiful bad wife Fedora, has just been robbed of a fortune in stocks & bonds. Ambitious Rustic Trux calls attention to himself by prophesying, from a bit of the man's handwriting, who the thief would turn out to be. Though his clairvoyant accusation carries no legal weight, subsequent tests confirm his prophetic powers. He is taken up as a curiosity by Millionaire Bassan, falls in love with vampirish Fedora, prophesies her husband's death. Bassan dies, not according to prophetic schedule, but largely because of Fedora's diablerie, ahead of time. Prophet Trux, for vanity's sake and feline Fedora, for caution's, hide the discrepancy. On the strength of their mutual deceit they become lovers.

Sebastian's propheteering publicity leads to an engagement with international Impresario Bimeter. All goes well until the clairvoyant discovers that his divine powers have some devilish effects. A man commits suicide because of his prognostications; Fedora's handwriting reveals to Sebastian what she really is. With the discovery that he had accused the wrong man of the Bassan robbery, Sebastian throws up his prophesying in disgust. He returns to Agnes, a country girl who has kept loving him in spite of his career, and whom he has gotten with child. Anxiety before the child's birth makes him try his hand at prophecy again--to his horror he foresees a stillborn babe. When all-loving Agnes presents him with a bouncing boy, he renounces prophecy for good; goes back with her to his home farm to learn again the rustic mystery of making hay, rain or shine. The Clairvoyant is the March choice of the Book League of America. The Author. At the University of Vienna, where his lawyer-father insisted on his taking a law-degree, Moravian Ernst Lothar spent more time writing poetry than in study. After graduation he pursued both law and literature, made both contribute to his successful trilogy, Power Over All Men. Now, more & more literary, more & more lawless, he attempts in his novels to hybridize fancy with realism, intuition with not necessarily legal truth.

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