Singletree, Darnley & Co. had cautiously brought out an edition of fifteen hundred copies, but the first reviews had started a second edition of twice the size through the presses; and ere this was delivered a third edition of five thousand had been ordered.  A London firm made arrangements by cable for an English edition, and hot-footed upon this came the news of French, German, and Scandinavian translations in progress.  The attack upon the Maeterlinck school could not have been made at a more opportune moment.  A fierce controversy was precipitated.  Saleeby and Haeckel indorsed and defended “The Shame of the Sun,” for once finding themselves on the same side of a question.  Crookes and Wallace ranged up on the opposing side, while Sir Oliver Lodge attempted to formulate a compromise that would jibe with his particular cosmic theories.  Maeterlinck’s followers rallied around the standard of mysticism.  Chesterton set the whole world laughing with a series of alleged non-partisan essays on the subject, and the whole affair, controversy and controversialists, was well-nigh swept into the pit by a thundering broadside from George Bernard Shaw.  Needless to say the arena was crowded with hosts of lesser lights, and the dust and sweat and din became terrific.

“It is a most marvellous happening,” Singletree, Darnley & Co. wrote Martin, “a critical philosophic essay selling like a novel.  You could not have chosen your subject better, and all contributory factors have been unwarrantedly propitious.  We need scarcely to assure you that we are making hay while the sun shines.  Over forty thousand copies have already been sold in the United States and Canada, and a new edition of twenty thousand is on the presses.  We are overworked, trying to supply the demand.  Nevertheless we have helped to create that demand.  We have already spent five thousand dollars in advertising.  The book is bound to be a record-breaker.”

“Please find herewith a contract in duplicate for your next book which we have taken the liberty of forwarding to you.  You will please note that we have increased your royalties to twenty per cent, which is about as high as a conservative publishing house dares go.  If our offer is agreeable to you, please fill in the proper blank space with the title of your book.  We make no stipulations concerning its nature.  Any book on any subject.  If you have one already written, so much the better.  Now is the time to strike.  The iron could not be hotter.”

“On receipt of signed contract we shall be pleased to make you an advance on royalties of five thousand dollars.  You see, we have faith in you, and we are going in on this thing big.  We should like, also, to discuss with you the drawing up of a contract for a term of years, say ten, during which we shall have the exclusive right of publishing in book-form all that you produce.  But more of this anon.”