Victorian Romance

GENTLEMEN--THE REGIMENT!--Hugh Talbot--Harper ($2.50). Weather-wise scanners of the literary skies say the prevailing winds are swinging into the romantic quarter. Anthony Adverse provided a whole bale of straws. And historical romances are now the order of the day. Though Author Talbot's Gentlemen--The Regiment! contains one or two scenes that certainly would not have amused Her Britannic Majesty, its general tone is dashingly Victorian. In mid-19th Century, when well-bred wives called their husbands "Mr." even in bed, the English county town of Harwick centred proudly in its two famed infantry regiments, one known as "The Fathers." Both were family affairs: one was officered mainly by the plodding Chappells, the other by their livelier cousins, the St. Quentyns. Alastair Chappell, the last of his line, was a little too sensitive for his own comfort. When he rebelled against the more brutal traditions of the regiment it looked as if he would never make a soldier. Alastair made an almost unforgivable blunder when he turned down the chance of marrying his colonel's daughter and fell in love with his cousin, Katherine St. Quentyn. Worse, he took advantage of Katherine's pity to spoil her good name. Luckily the Crimean War had begun or the St. Quentyns would have certainly called him out. Alastair tried his best to be killed before Sevastopol but only succeeded in losing an arm, while every St. Quentyn who might have pistoled him went down to death and glory. Home again as a hero, Alastair found himself friends with Katherine. Like a sensible Chappell he decided to marry a soldier's career. He had no room for regrets when the Queen herself gave him a medal, and looking at his empty sleeve, said, "We are grateful, Mr. Chappell."

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