The Bottomless Well . . . terrific story marred by anti-semitism at end. British occupied Arab land. Legend of Aladdin (different one) building into the heavens. God, angry, throws him into well as deep as the building was to be high. Brits have golf course, clubhouse, etc., near the well. And then--murder. Famous general (Hastings) killed, apparently by his wife's lover. Enter Fisher: He figures out that a revolving bookcase holds the secret as to how the death occurred. Also the (lack of) use of the bottomless well as a place to throw the body plays into the solution. Very clever, and then, some nasty anti-semitism which blames Jews for involving England in places they shouldn't be, all for money. G.K.--I didn't know!
February 1895 (Alice died in 1892) Money problems, jealousy of Wilde; time spent with Lord Wolseley1; off to Ireland to lick his wounds; Irish unrest--Irish landlords boycott all social events; much time spent with manservant Hammond (homosexual attraction again); fancy dress ball, appalling to James, who is only happy in company of Hammond, though Hammond remains a servant and no more; little girl alone on the grounds--inspiration for Turn of the Screw?; conflict with Webster who alludes to Wilde's successful play and HJ's failure; Wolseley was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Army . He became one of the most influential and admired British generals after a series of successes in Canada, West Africa, and Egypt, followed by a central role in modernizing the British Army in promoting efficiency. He served in Burma, the Crimean War , the Indian Mutiny , China, Canada and widely throughout Africa—including his Ashanti campaign (18...
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