Linnet

Book excerpt: Linnet, by Grant Allen (1900). This is a romance of the Tyrol and its scenery and people are described in a manner both effective and pleasing. Two young English tourists come to a little mountain village where they find the Tyrolese in all their native simplicity; the young men, with the pride and aspirations of the hunter, who dance wildly and make love fiercely, and the maidens of easy virtue who tend their cows in the summer and serve a master in the village through the long winter. One of these is Linnet, the heroine, an innocent, modest girl among her bold associates, who possesses a marvelous voice. Both tourists are charmed with the lovely singer, but while one is selfish and conceited and pays her meaningless compliments, the other, who is quiet and undemonstrative really wins her love. His friend, however, being more wise in worldly affairs than himself, persuades him of the folly of his course, and takes him away from the place. Linnet has other lovers among whom is the taciturn inn-keeper, who is a musician and travels with minstrel troupes of his own training, and who means to marry her as a matter of business. He takes Linnet with him on his next tour and while she is rapidly becoming famous she again meets her “Englander” and the love which began in the Tyrolese mountain again assumes its sway. The love story is told with much charm and grace, and when the scene changes to London the contrast in character and national traits between that city and the land of the Tyrol is strikingly shown.