The Inner Shrine (novel)


The Inner Shrine is a 1909 novel by the Canadian-American clergyman and author Basil King. Originally serialized anonymously in Harper's Magazine, it created a literary sensation upon its release and became the best-selling book in the United States for the year 1909.
The novel deals with the collision of French and American social mores, focusing on a young widow who must rebuild her reputation and life in New York City after a scandal in Paris. It is noted for its psychological depth and its exploration of the "inner shrine" of personal integrity and truth.

Plot summary

The story opens in Paris, where Diane Eveleth is the young, vivacious wife of George Eveleth, a wealthy American. Diane is innocent but reckless with her reputation, allowing the attentions of the Marquis de Bienville to spark gossip. The Marquis, a cynical French aristocrat, falsely boasts that Diane is his mistress to cover his own debts. George Eveleth challenges the Marquis to a duel to defend his wife's honor but is killed.
Left a widow and financially ruined by her husband's hidden debts, Diane faces social ostracism in Paris. She decides to flee to New York with her mother-in-law to start a new life, hoping to leave the scandal behind. In New York, Diane lives humbly, supporting herself by working as a companion for the daughter of Derek Pruyn, a prominent and wealthy widower.
Diane and Derek eventually fall in love, but the past resurfaces when the Marquis de Bienville arrives in New York. He repeats his slanderous lies to Derek, claiming he had an affair with Diane in Paris. Derek, a man of rigid moral codes, is torn between his love for Diane and his belief in the Marquis's word.
The conflict is resolved through a dramatic confrontation in which the Marquis is forced to admit his falsehood—not by external evidence, but by being shamed into recognizing the "inner shrine" of Diane's purity and truth. His confession clears Diane's name, allowing her to marry Derek with her honor restored.

Characters

Diane Eveleth: The protagonist; a French-Irish widow whose frivolous behavior in Paris leads to tragedy, but who matures into a woman of strength and integrity in New York.Derek Pruyn: A wealthy, somewhat rigid New York widower who falls in love with Diane.The Marquis de Bienville: The antagonist; a French aristocrat whose lies destroy Diane's first marriage and threaten her second.George Eveleth: Diane's first husband, who dies defending her honor.Dorothea Pruyn: Derek's daughter, for whom Diane acts as a companion.Mrs. Eveleth: George's mother, who stands by Diane despite the tragedy.

Themes

The title refers to the "inner shrine" of the human heart—a place of absolute truth that exists beneath social appearances. King contrasts the cynical, artificial society of Paris with the earnest, if somewhat puritanical, morality of New York. The novel suggests that true nobility comes not from rank or reputation, but from the honesty found within this inner spiritual sanctuary.

Reception

The novel was a massive commercial success, holding the number one spot on the The Bookman bestseller list for 1909. Its initial anonymous publication fueled speculation about the author's identity, with guesses ranging from Edith Wharton to Margaret Deland before Basil King was revealed as the writer.

Adaptations

The novel was adapted into a silent film, The Inner Shrine, produced by the Lasky Feature Play Company and distributed by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Frank Reicher and starred Margaret Illington as Diane and Elliott Dexter as Derek.