Old Bestseller Review: The Belovéd Vagabond, by William J. Locke

Old Bestseller Review: The Belovéd Vagabond, by William J. Locke

by Rich Horton

William J. Locke (1863-1930) was a quite popular writer of the early 20th Century. His first novel appeared in 1894, but his best known novels are all from the 20th Century, and he continued publishing until his death. He was born in British Guiana (now Guyana), moved to Trinidad shortly later, and was sent to England for his education at a very young age. His best known novels are the two I've read: this one, and The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne (reviewed here). (I should add that at least five on his novels were among the top ten bestsellers of the year, according to Publishers' Weekly -- but not those two!)  Many of his stories have been filmed, notably including Stella Maris, a 1918 silent starring Mary Pickford, and Ladies in Lavender, a 2004 movie starring Judi Dench and Maggie Smith. The Belovéd Vagabond itself was filmed at least twice, a silent verison in 1923, and a musical in 1936, a somewhat faithful adaptation (but perhaps not very good) starring Maurice Chevalier (Cary Grant having turned down the role) and Margaret Lockwood (proof that one aspect of one character's appearance was entirely altered!)

My copy of this novel is an A. L. Burt edition -- Burt was a reprint publisher, sort of the mass market paperback equivalent of its time. The book was originally published in 1906 by John Lane. (A. L. Burt often used the original plates, acquired from the original publisher. I'm not sure if that's the case here.)

The Belovéd Vagabond is narrated by Asticot Pradel, who was born Augustus Smith to a London washerwoman, but adopted and renamed at the age of 10 or so by a man he calls Paragot. Paragot -- the vagabond of the title -- is a strange man, given to philosophical expostulation, to heavy drinking, and to lots of reading. As the novel opens he is the main attraction at a London drinking establishment, but when that changes hands, he and Asticot head to France, and wander for a while. Asticot has learned that there is a secret tragedy in Paragot's past, involving a beautiful woman named Joanna. 

Eventually Paragot finds himself replacing the suddenly deceased violinist in a duet who played at weddings and suchlike. One of Paragot's hidden talents is for the violin, and as a result, his little group is a success, and he more or less adopts the zither player, a young woman named Blanquette, and along the way also a mongrel dog, while he makes Asticot play the tambourine, though the boy's only real talent is art. But this leads to an engagement in Aix Le Bains, and an unexpected encounter with Joanna, who is now the Comtesse de Verneuil, married to a repulsive French nobleman. Paragot wants no contact with the couple, but Asticot makes Joanna's acquaintance, and in an adolescent way becomes infatuated.

Soon Paragot's ménage proceeds to Paris, with Blanquette acting as housekeeper, Paragot taking up again a position as philosopher-in-residence at a drinking establishment, and Asticot getting some formal training as an artist, and beginning to make a bit of a name for himself. (This is later established as roughly the time of the emergence of Impressionism, the mid-1870s, though Asticot is not an Impressionist. And there was an earlier reference to La Bohème, from the mid-1890s, and also to the 1880 popular song "Funiculì, Funiculà",so perhaps Locke just didn't care about the precise time frame.) And all are fairly happy -- until Asticot encounters Joanna again, and she begs him to have Paragot meet her. There are, of course, secrets about Joanna and Paragot (or Gaston de Nérac, as she knew him) which come clear, and revelations about her husband, and the lives of everyone are again upended. But -- what is really best for all the people involved? The conclusion is honest as to admitting to the real nature of the characters, and what would work for them.

It's an enjoyable novel. For me, after reading this book, and The Morals of Marcus Ordeyne, I'd class Locke as one of those writers of whom one can say one sees why they were popular, and admires them for that, without necessarily believing they need, nor will ever get, a revival of any sort. Locke wrote pretty well, and told engaging stories. Having said that -- the stories are a bit implausible, and the characters are not exactly wholly believable -- they are not two-dimensional, exactly, but more 2.5 dimensional than three. The plot is likewise a tad implausible. But if you see a William J. Locke novel in an antique store or something, and if you like old books -- his books will probably work for you.