The Call of the Blood

A foggy London afternoon finds Hermione Lester rereading letters from her friend Emile Artois, who has come from Paris to hear about Monsieur Delarey. Their conversation opens a novel in which affection, independence and the habit of analyzing other people pull against one another. Hermione's crowded room, full of books, music and correspondence, establishes the thoughtful social world from which the story moves toward Sicily.

In the island scenes, Maurice seeks pleasure by the sea while Gaspare offers warnings and Salvatore keeps watch over Maddalena. Money complicates these encounters: Maurice resents the fisherman's supervision, while Salvatore welcomes the spending of visiting strangers. Letters announcing Hermione's expected return with the recovering Artois make Maurice increasingly uneasy. Robert Hichens gives readers a study of personal freedom and divided loyalties, with intimate conversations, coastal life and the growing tension between what people tell themselves and what others perceive.