Soldiers' Pay (1926)

Summary

E. Hartley Grattan. “A Book of Hatred.” New York Sun, April 3, 1926, p. 8.

This novel revolves about the almost silent and very sinister figure of Donald Mahon. He has been shattered physically and mentally in the world war. On his face is a horrible scar. On his spirit is a slaying apathy. About him are clustered a group of major figures and several minor. The major figures are his father, a rather extraordinary Episcopal minister; Joe Gilligan, an ex-private; Mrs. Powers, wife of a soldier killed in France; and Cecily Saunders, Mahon's fiancee (an alliance contracted before the war). The scene of the action is a small Southern town, but it is the peculiar quality of this novel that the characters and their interactions dominate the book almost exclusively. Scene is reduced to minimal importance.

These characters are thrown together in a fashion rather reminiscent of, say, Dostoievsky. That is to say, haphazard. And in consequence one feels that their being together is so fortuitous as to be almost inexplicable. Joe Gilligan is introduced drunk on a train bound West from Buffalo. Donald Mahon suddenly swims into his consciousness, and he enlists in Mahon's service to the extent of taking Mahon home and spending several months in close attendance upon him. Mrs. Powers comes upon Gilligan, Mahon and a third character only fleetingly and occasionally in the action, while walking through the train, and attaches herself to the party, becomes Mahon's other attendant and eventually marries him.

Januarius Jones ambles casually into the book shortly before the party arrives at Mahon's home. He has but little direct connection with Mahon and his satellites. His function will be indicated later. Cecily's relation to Mahon is obvious.