High Noon In Tuscany

In the international sense Morris West has come a long / since Kundu (about the Highlands of New Guinea), and lows on the Sand (about Queensland’s Barrier Reef), al ugh in the literary sense, then as now, he was mostly con ned with human motives.

iR the fanfares of praise that eeted The Devils Advocate year ago, he has returned to or Daughter of Silence, and gainst a background steeped in sin, plays out a modern psy drama in the best traditions iham Greene—and at times, as incomprehensible. knows Italy, the scene of literary triumphs, and loves it s any artist in words might of ry where man and nature have d to meet along the line of (and only man is responsible squalor). vas bright noon,” he says, summer, in the upland valleys :any: a torpid time, a season and languor, of stripped flax ks in the wheat-stubble, and nes coming to vintage in the of the elder gods.” of West’s main characters are one is French and one Aus- The last, Peter Landon, is tly a tribute to the land of own birth; Landon’s nation unimportant and he might as ve been American, English or er British colonial, ensions between three of the characters supply the leit- Valeria, spoiled daughter of father who collects lovers as omen collect china tea-cups; Ascolini, her Machiavellian /ho takes a vicarious interest flairs and is the most accom and successful lawyer in md Carlo, who feels equally he as Valeria’s husband and lini’s junior partner.

Anna Albertini, by shooting the local mayor because of a vow she made as a child of eight, supplies the modus operandi whereby Carlos, tak ing her obviously hopeless case’, can prove himself a greater advocate’than his distinguished father-in-law. Peter, also driven by ambition, supplies the psychiatry and Ninette, the young French artist, a love interest for Peter.

There are plenty of side issues such as ,he unhealthy bonds that grow up between Carlos and his clien ‘. and the real state of Anna's

mmd. But West is a great believer in the redemption of immortal souls and this is the dominant theme in this as well as most of his other novels It is fortunate for Mr. West’s interna tional reputation that this soul grap pling is done with great sophistica tion and it is for this reason that we can these days describe him as a writer”, and forget about the qualify ing adjective “Australian”. (DAUGHTER OF SILENCE. Published by Hememann. Australian price, 20/-.) (Over)