A man is forced to sacrifice either his career or his wife’s happiness.
Lady Florence Bell (1851-1930) wrote only a few novels late in the Victorian period; this one features an interesting dilemma and vivid characters.
“In spite . . . of a flavour of improbability, the story is brightly written and full of that sort of incident which goes home to the English novel-reader. . . . The characters are all clearly drawn society people of a typical sort.” Manchester Guardian, November 13, 1901
“Mrs. Hugh Bell combines an original plot with a very clever study of some of those cross-relations and duties of family life to which she has given so much critical attention. Her story has also the charm of the unexpected. . . . There is a quiet, but very pleasant, readableness about the whole of this novel.” Spectator, December 7, 1901
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https://archive.org/details/thearbiteranovel24794gut
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