FROM THE CRADLEFROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE Fiction & lke a apider's web, atached ever so slightly pechaps, but sill arached to life at all four earners’ wrote Virginia Woolf, the famous English novels. “This collection of short sories gives us portraits of people at intersections om the spider's web ~ fateful decisions of young peoples victories, defeats, or revelations in the Datileiclé of marriages the agonies of parents the chance to start new relanonships in aude ae. The authors ate all masters of the short-story genre, leading ws effortlessly into imaginary worlds which feel as fabiar as reality. Which of us docs nt cecogaize Angela the youthful idealist in Wauph's story, or the scheming Mrs Bixby, or Maughars's smug Colonel? “The scores by Dah and Maugham give v4 contrasting viewpoints on unsatisfactory marriages. Then we have wo ‘vid portrayals of the effects of shock, through the very ifereut styles of Sargeson and Casver. In the Botes and. Hil stories we share the small miserts and cautious hopes of Miss Treadwell and Esme Fanshaw as they tremble on the brink of new eelationships. Pictures of ordinary lives, ‘aught fer ever in the opder’s web. ‘We begin with the pleasant tinkle of teaspoons en delicate porcelain teacups, under the shaep, sardonic eye of Sak a Oxeorn Bookworms COLLECTIONACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ‘The editors and publishers are grateful for permission to se the following copyright material: "Same Time; Same Place’ from The Wild Chery Tree by HLE. Bares, published by Michael Joseph Lad. Reprinted by kind permission of the Estate of HF. Bates The Bath’ from What We Talk About When We Talk About Love by Rawmoxe Canves. Reprinted by permission of HarperCollins Publishers Lid “Mis Bixby and the Colonel's Coat from Kits Kiss by Roar Daitt. published by Michael Joseph Led and Penguin Books Lid. Reprinted by permission of Mutray Pollmger A Bit of Singing and Dancing’ by Sviax Hitt from her collection entiled A Bit of Sopany and Dancing, Reprinted by petmission of Richard Score Simon Led “The Colonel's Lady’ from Callected Short Stones Volione 2 hy W. Somenser Mavenas. Copyright © by the Royal Literary Fund. Reprinted by permssion of Willam Heinemann Lie. They Gave her a Rise! by Feank Sancason from The Stories of Frank Sargeson, Repeiated by permistion of Penguin Books (NZ) Ltd and the Frank Sargeson Memorial Teast "Me Loveday’ Lime Outing’ from Work Suspended and other stories by Evrive Waucn. Reprinted with the permision of the Peters Fraser &¢ Durlop Group Ul FROM THE CRADLE TO THE GRAVE Short Stories Eom oy Clare West Sunk ADvIRS HG, Widdowson Fenner Bassett, 54g a4 DPOBEPEHO 2008 a Oxrorp UNIVERSITY PRESSex haeadon Sr. Ok OND EDP Oifret New York ‘Chennas Dates Sstaee Del eros Hong Kone teat Kacch No stators itcepning ret by Riven Typotine OxForD Bookworms ~COLLEcTION~ Foreworp Teste ofall kinds, including eeray texts, are used as data for language teaching. They are designed or adapted aud pressed inte service to exemplify the ngage and prosice practice im reading. These are commendable pedagogic purposes. They are not, however, what authors or readers Df texts usally haven mind, The rea we read something is became we fel the writer has something if interest oF Significance to say and we only attend t0 the langage 10 the extent that st helps us to. indersund what that aight be. An important part of language leaming iv knowing how to adope this normal reader role, how to oe language achieve meanings of significance co us, and so make texts The pusposs of the Oxford Bookworms Collection Is v0 encourage students of Fnylish to adopt this coe. Kt offers samples of Eghsh Language Aion, unabridged and uunsimplieg, which have been stected and presented 0 induce enjoyment, and 10 develop sensitivity 00 the loguage through an appreciation of the literature. The intention s 29 stimulate stadeats ta nd in Bction what Jane Austen found: ‘the most thorough knowledge of human aru, the happiest delineation ofits varieties, the liveliest effusions of wit and kumour... conveyed to the world in the best hosen language” (Norebanger Abbey) HG, Widdowson Series AdvisesOxrorD Bookworms ~COLLECTION™~ None ofthe textshas been abridecd or simphiied in any 3 ‘stile sores andquestions or bby seeds tne aden appretaton Before cach story a short Hingtaphicl woie a he author + amintmadaction to the theme and characters the story Nors Some wordy and pases im dhe teats ane marked wits an ance, and rxplenations for those ate sven athe nocee. The expressions selected ate aly culial ference or archaic and dialer wordn eli eo be owned tn dictonarce. ther diffe wards az not explated, Fh 1 because 10 ius 3 disrupt the natura reading proces. Stents shuld be teenaged by thelr engagement with the ay to afer pencral and rleeant Discussion Thess arequesionson theory then al characters designed to stimula to encoarage the india reader to think abou the sty Focus Som of these queations and tse direct the reader attention ta parcculie features of language use syle; others focus em specific meanings ad ther Those ate auggestions for creative writing ati to endeurage readers explore or develup ue deans ef he sory in various imaginative wan Questians For Disctsaon on WRITING Thee are questions (sumeuimes umes the healing Ideas for Companion Acuvties) wath seas for discussion or wring which compare and contrast, ‘number of sores inthe solame. Curgenr Tirtes From the Cradle ra the Grave The Eye of Childhood aime Neves Pays And All for Love « A Window on the Universe A Tangled Web Conrents TEA sabi Mr Lovepay!s Lirrue Ours Fielyn Waugh Te Cononet’s Laoy Nomerses Maughan Mxs Breny anp tise Couonst's Goat Roald abl Tury Gave WER A Rise Frank Sargeson Trem Barn Raymond Carver Sawe Tine, Sanin Peace HE, Bates A Bir OF SINGING AND DANCING Swan HlTEA THE AUTHOR Hector Hugh Mana, the British novelise and short-story series leroarn as Saki, was bora in Burra in 1870 and ‘eaughe up in England He traveled widely and became a succesful jourtalists for si years he oeted as cortespondent for The Morning Post in Poland, Russia, and Paris, He is best known for his shart etaret, which re humorous, sometimes with a touch of black hutrows, and ful of biting wit and bizaree situations Some of his shore. wory collections ae Reginald Kusita anid Other Sketches, The Chromcles of Clovis, and Reaste and Sperboaste, We alo publishcd Wo novels, The Unbearable Bassington and Whew Willams Carve, Sai was killed i France during the ise World War, in 1916, Tur Srony 1 wa sruth universally acknowledged that a single man In possession of good fortune must be ia want ofa wife” Thus wrote Je Austen as the remcal first words of ber fanny novel Pride and Prenedice, and in the Edwardian England of Sakis day ie was sill ehought thae a maa, of ood family hod a duty to marry. Tw please himself, of ‘ours, but als ro please his family andl co sity the soil conventions of the times Jomes Cushat-Prinkly i Single man in possession of a oud fornane, and his female relations and fiend decide that he needs a wile. CushatPriakly is a dutiful sn, bother, nephew, and the idea af marriage is not Aisageceable ws biTEA snes Cushat-Prinkly was a young man who had always had a led conviction that one of these days he would marcy: up to the age of thirty-four he had done nothing to justify that conviction. He liked and admired-a great many wornen collectively and dispassionaely without singling out one for expecial matrimonial consideration, just as one might admire the Alps ‘without feeling that ope wanted any particular peak 2s ono’s private property. His lack of initiative in this matter aroused a Sectain amount of impationce among the sertimentally minded women-folk of his home Grcles his mother, his sisters, an auntan-residence, and two or thee intimate matsonly friends regarded his dilatory approach to the married state with a doapproval hat was far from being inarticulate. His most mnocent Areations were watched with the straining cagerness which a group bof unexercised terres concentrates on the slightest movements of «human being who may be reasonably considered ely to take them for a walk, No decent-souled mortal can long resist the pleading of several puics of walk-beseeching, dog-eyes; james CishaePeiakly was not sufficiently obstinate or incifferent c© home influences to disregard the abviously expressed wish of his family that he should become enamoured of some nize ‘varviageable girl, and when his Uncle Jules departed this life and beaeathed him a comfortable lite legacy it ceally seemed the ortect thing to do to set about discovering somsone to share it With him, The process of diseavery wat carried on mote by the ‘orcs of suggestion and te weight of public opinion thaa hy any ‘nitive of his owns a dear working majority of his female ‘elatives and the aforesaid matronly friends had pitched on Joan Sebistable ac the most suitable young woman in his cange ofFrom the Cradle to the Grave ‘acquaintance «o whom he might propose marrage, and James tecame gradually accustomed 10 the idea thar he and Joan woald go together through the prewribed stages of congratulations, Presenceceiving, Norwesian or Mediterranean hotels, and rentual domeseity. Te was necescary, however, 10 ask the lady what she thought about the matter; the family had so far conducted dnd dieected the firtation with ability and disereion, but the actual proposal would have to be an individual efor. Chat Priakly walked across the Park towards the Sebastable residence in frame of mind that was moderately complacent. AS the thing was going to be done he was glad to feel that be was poing to gett seed and off his mind that afernoon, Proposing frariiage, even to a nice git ke Joan, was a rather irksome brsines, but one could pot have a honeymoon in Minorea and a sulbaequeat ie of married happiness without uch pretiminary. He wondered what Minorca was realy like asa place to stop i; in fis mund’s eve i was an island sn perpetual half-moseningy with black or white Minorca hens ranning all ove Probably i would not be a bit lige that when one came to examine t. Feople Who had een in Russia had told him that they did not remember having seen any Muscovy ducks” there, so was possible tha there would be no Minorca foyt-on the island. His Medicrrancan musings were interrupted by the sound of 4 clock striking the halthoer. Halt-past four. A frown of Glusatsfuction seed on his face. He would arrive at the Sebastable tuansion stat the hour of afternoon tea. Joan would be seated at low table, spread with an array of silver kettles and cream jugs ‘and delicate porcelain teacups, behind which her voice would tinkle pleasantly in a series of lide friendly questions about weak ‘or strong tea, how much, ifany, sugar, milk, cream, and so forth. ‘Js it one lump? 1 forgot. You do take milk, don'e you? Would you like some mote hor water, if it’s too strong?” Tea 1B Cushat-Prinkly had read of such things in scores of novels, and hhandeeds of actual experiences had told him that they were true 1 life Thousands of wormen, at this solemn afternoon hour, were sitting behind dainty porcelain and silver fittings, with thei voices ‘inkling pleasantly in a cascade of solicitous litte questions GusharPeinkly detested the whole system of afternoon tea According to his theory of life a woman should lie on a divan or couch, talking with incomparable charm or looking umutterable thoughts, or merely silent 35 a thing to be looked on, and from behind a silken curtain a small Nubian page* should silently bring ima tray with cups-and dainties*, to be accepted silently. as.a matter of course, without drawn-out chatter about cream and sugar and hot water. If one’s soul was really enslaved at one’s msuiess’s* feet, how could one talk coherently about weaksned tea! Cushat-Prinkly had never expounded his views on the subject to his mother; all her life she had been accustomed to tinkle pleasantly at tea-time behind dainty porcelain and silver, and if he had spoken to her about divans and Nubian pages she would have urged him to take a week's holiday at the seaside, Now, as hhe passed through a tangle of small streets that led indirectly to the elegant Mayfair* terrace for which he was bound, a horror at the idea of confronting Joan Sebastable at her tea-table seized on him. A momentary deliverance presented itself, on one floor of a rateow little house at the aoisier end of Esquimault Stceet lived Rhoda Ellam, a sort of remote cousin, who made a living by rearing hats out of costly materials. The bats really looked as if they had come from Paris; the cheques she gor for them unforwnatcly never looked as if they were going to Paris. However, Rhoda appeared to find life amusing and to have a fairly oud time in spite of her straitened circumstances. Cushat-Prinkly decided to climb up to her floor and defer by.haif-an-hour or so the important business which lay before hi; by spinning out his4 From the Cradle to the Grave visit he could contrive to reach the Sebastable mansion after the last vestiges of dainty porcelain had been cleared away Rhoda welcomed him into @ room that seemed to do dury as workshop, sitting:room, and kitchen combined, and to be wonderfully clean and comfortable at the same time. ‘Vm having picnic meal,’ she announced. “There's caviar in that jar at your elbow. Begin on that brown bread-and-butter while Tcut some more, Find yourself a cup; the teapot is behind you. Now tell me about hundreds of things.” She made no other allusion to food, but talked amusingly and nade her visitor talk amusingly too, At the same time she cur the bread-and-butter with a masterly skill and produced red peppee and sliced lemon, where #0 many women would merely have produced reasons and regrets for not having any, Cushat-Prinkly found that he was enjoying an excellent tea without having t0 answer as mary questions about it as a Minister for Agriculture ‘might be called on to reply co during an outbreak of cattle plague. ‘And now tell me why you have come to see me,’ said Rhoda suddenly, ‘You arouse not merely my curiosity but my business instincts. I hope you've cone about hats. 1 heard thar you had come into 2 legacy the other day, and, of course, i¢ struck me that it would be a beautiful and desirable thing for you to celebrate the event by buying brilliantly expensive hats for all your sisters, ‘They may not have said anything about it, but I feet sure the same idea has occurred to them. Of course, with Goodwood" on us, I ‘am rather rushed just now, but in my business we're accustomed to that; we live in a series of rushes — like the infant Moses*.” 41 didn’t come about hats,’ said her visitor. “In fact, I don’t think 1 really came about anything. | was passing and 1 just thought 'é ook in and see you. Since I've beea siting talking t© you, however, a rather important idea has occurred to me. If you'll forget Goodwood for a moment and listen 10 me, I'l tell you what iti." mee Some forty minotes later James CoshatPrinkly returned to the teosom of his family, bearing an important piece of news. 'm engaged to be married, he announced. [A apturous outbreak of congratulation and sel- applause broke “bh, we knewet We saw it coming! We foretold it weeks ago!” Til bot you didn't’ said Cusha-Prinkly “If anyone had told me atlunch-time today that | was going to ask Rhoda Ellam to marcy ‘ne and that she was going to accept me, I would have laughed ‘The romantic suddenness of the affair in some measure compensated James's women-folk for the cuthless negation of all their patient effort and skilled diplornacy. It was rather trying £0 have to delle their cothusiasm at a moment's norice from Joan Sehostable to Rhoda Ellam; but, afterall it was James's wife who eas in question, and is tastes had some claim to be considered, On a September afternoon of the same year, afier the troneymnuoa in Minosca had ended, Cushat-Prinkly eame into the diamingoom of his new house in Granchester Square, Rhoda was seated ata low table, behind a sevice of dainty porcelain and seaming silver. There was a pleasant tinkling note in het voice as she handed him a cup. “You like ie weaker than that, don't you? Shall | pur some more hot water tie? No?!From the Cradle to the Grave Notes Muscovy dack (p12) ype of duck which comes from South America (act Moscow) [Nebian page (p13) 2 Sudanese oF Egypsian boy servant, usually Black aiaties (p13) small, delicate cakes mistress (p13) ‘woman jored and courted by a man, but in modem wse a woman who has 4 cexval relationship outside marrage Mayfair (p13) 1 ashionable ard expensive district of London Goodwood (p14) ‘course in the south of England, popular with fashionable society of the ti ‘wanted to wear a new hat the infant Moses (p14) 1 Biblical character who at & baby was put ins basket and hidden among any wom of that society going to Goodwood would have the bulrushes on the banks of the Nile Discussion 1 Whac impression does the author pive of James Cushat Prinkiy's chacacter ia the frst paragraph? How important is his character in the development of the = 2 Did you find the ending predictable? If so, did that lessen your appreciation of the ory? 3. Of the three main characters, Janies Cushat-Prinkly, Joan Sebastable, and Rhoda Ellam, who do you think got the best bargain? Why A. What do you think of the tide of the story = Tea? I the story really about fea, or tea being used as a symbol foc something che? I so wha? LanGuace Focus 1 Sakis humorous style atten produces complicated, formal, even [pompous expressions. Can you pur the following into ordinary direct English? Tea 7 sthuaye ad 2 sotled conviction (pl) fs homme circle (p11) bie dilatury spproach to the manried state (p11 tor frome being inartcxlate (911) become enamored of (p11) departed this Ife (91 bequeathed bins 4 comfortable hte legacy (pl) {2 lear working majonty of his female relatives (p12) the actaal proposal would have to he an dividual efort (p12) saitened circumstances p13) the bosom of bis fanaly (pAS) Bo you find the following quotations amusing? Why (or why motl? Explain the “surtace’ meaning, that xs, what the character (James oF his celacions) thinking. What other interpretations do you think the author is inviting sco take? Do any words or phrases sipest to yom the idea of mockery? nosing marriage, mien to a nice gl ke Joan, was a rather trksorse business, (P12) © If one’s soul une relly ondlaved at owe’ mistress feet, how could fone (alk coherently abot seeakened teat (p13) oc i he had spoken 19 ber abou! divane and Nubian pages the would have urged hin to take a week's holiday at the seaside (13) bt, after al tts James's wife who was 4m question, and his taster bad zome claim to be considered, (p18) ACTIVITIES: Imagine you arc one of the “aforesaid matroaly friends" and have just heard the unexpected news of James engagement to Rhoda Fllam. Write a letter so your best fiend ro pass onthe snformation. “The story is told mostly from James's point of view. Describe his visi to Rhowa, but this rime from her point of view. You might begin like hus That afiernoon Rhoda received an unexpected visitor. James Gushai-Prinkly appeared at her frome dour at about tea-tine. Thowgh pleased ta cee hin, she wondered ubat the reason was for bis vist. ANq Mr Lovepay’s LitTLE OUTING Tue AumHoR Fvelyn Waugh was horn in London in 1903, and in the 1930s was acknowledged as Englan’s leading satirical novelist, Readers laved the wity and sophisticated style of hs ear novels, fr example, Decline and Ful, Vile Bodies, and. A Handful of Dut, which satirized the social excesses of tupperciass bfe in the 1925 and 1930s. His humour hesame blacker in his liter novels, and after becoming. 4 Roman Cathoite he alo dealt with religious themes, an Prsdeshond Revisited. He died in. L965. Tue Story How do you define madness? ‘The definition changes secordhing ¢6 the century oF the society. Some peaple think thu chere more sanity in the ‘normal’ world than inside 1 mental hospital. We joke about mmaciness we call Somebody ‘mad’ when often what we really mean is that swe don't agree with them, But madness ean also bea serious and frightening subject, Lady Muping and her daughter Angela are nor mad. Lord oping, Angela's father, bas shown signs of madness, and he is locked up in the local mental hospital. Oa a visi u» him, Angela meets another iamate, Mr Loveday, a kind rele old man who is helping 10 look alter her father. Angela thinks she has discovered a great injustice, and she caubarks on a wellmeaning campaysnMr Lovepay’s LITTLE OUTING it Exeu will ot find your father greatly changed remark Yee ieee te car sumed ee th ai He counry Asm’. vil he be wearing» uniform? asked Angel ‘Ne, dear,of curse not. He is rectvng the very bes ates Ieee Angeli’ Ast mst and i€ was being. made at her own suggestion aaivers had passed since the showery day in Inte summer ene ead Mop had been esken away: a day of confused but ve memories fr er the day of Lady Moping’s annual yseden par: always bier, confused that day by the caprie of the ser which, rensining cleat and brliant with promise unt see sof he Segui, ha suddenly blackened into 2 sal “Thon had heen «see oe cover the marguee ha cipmiceds frantic carrying of cushions and chaits, a tableoyT THE COLOoNEL’s Lapy Il this happened two or three years before the outbreak of the war The Peregrines were having breakfast. Though they were alone and the table was long they sat at opposite ends of it From tie walls George Peregrine’s ancestors, painted by the fashionable painters of the day, looked down upon them. The butler brought 1 the morning post. There were several letters for the colonel, business letters, The Times, and a small parcel for his wife Evie, He looked at his letters and then, opening The Times, began to cend it. They finished breakfast and rose from the table, He noticed that his wife hadn't opened the parcel “What's that?’ he asked. Only some books, “Shall 1 open it For you? “HE you Like, He hated to cut string and so with some difficulty untied the knots. But they"re all the same," he said when he had unwrapped the parcel. ‘What on earth d'you want six copies of the same book foe” He opened one of them. ‘Poetry.’ Then he looked at the title page, When Pyramids Decay, he read, by EK. Hamilton. Eva Katherine Hamilton: that was his wife's maiden name, He looked at ber with sm are a slybooss? “I didn’t chink it would interest you very much. Would you like 4 copy? Well, you know poetry isn’t much in my line, but ~ yes, 1 like «copy, Il read it T'l rake it along wo my study. Pye got a lor co surprise, ‘Have you written a book, Evie? You do this morning,From the Cradle 00 the Grave He gathered up The Times, his lewers, and the book, and went out. His study was a large and comfortable room, with a big desk, leather armchairs, and what he called ‘trophies of the chase’ the wall On the booksees were works of erence, books on farming, gardening, ishing, and shooting, and books on the last war, in which he had won an MC and a DSO. For before his marriage he had been in the Welsh Guards. At the end of the Wat he retired and setied don tothe life of a country gentleman n the spacious house, some twenty miles from Sheifeld, which one of his forebears had built in the reign of George Ill. George Peregrine had an estate of some fiteen hundred acres which he managed with ability he was a Justice of the Peace* and Performed his duties conscientiously. Doring the season he rode to hounds two days a week. He was good shot, a golfer, and though now a litte over fifty he could still play 1 hard game of tennis. He could deseribe sportsman He had been putting on weighe lately, but was still ine figuee of a man; tall, with grey curly hair, only just heginning to grow thin on the crown, frank blue eyes, good features, and a high colour. He was a publiespirited mas, chairman of any number of local organizations and, 3s became his class and station, a loyal ‘member of the Conservative Party. He looked upon it as his duty fo ce to the welfare of the people om his estate andl it was 4 satisfaction to him to know that Evie could be trusted to tend the sick and succour the poor. He had buile a cottage hospital on the ‘outskits of the village and paid the wages of a nucse out uf his wit pocket, All he asked ofthe recipients oF his hounty was thar ar elections, county or general, they should vote fr his candidate He was a friendly man, affable to his inferiors, considerate with his tenants, and popular with the neighbouring gentry. He would have been pleased and at the same time slightly embatrassed if himself with propriety as an all-round ‘The Colonel's Lacy someone had told him he was 2 jolly good fellow. That was what he wanted to be, He desited no higher praise. Ic was hard luck that he had no childeen. He would have been an excellent father, kindly but strict, and would have brought up his sons as gentlemen’s sons should be brought up, sent them to Eton®, you know, taught them to fish, shoot, and ride. As it was, his heir was a nephew, son of his brother killed in a moter accident, nota bad boy, but not a chip off the old block, no, sit, far from it; and would you believe it, his fool of a mother was sending him to a co-educational school. Evie had been a sad disappointment to him. Of course she was a lady, and she had a bit of money of her own; she managed the house uncommonly ‘yell and she was a good hostess. The villoge people adored her She had been a pretty litle thing when he married her, with a creamy skin, light brown hair, and 3 trim figure, healthy coo, and not a bad tennis player; he couldn't understand why she'd had no childrens of course she was faded new she must be getting on for five and fortys hee skin was drab, her haie had lost its sheen, and she was.as thin as a rail, She was always neat and suitably dressed, hut she didn’t seem to bother how she looked, she wore no make-up and didn't even use lipstick; sometimes at night when lolled herself up for a party, you could tell that once she'd she been quite attractive, but ordinarily she was ~ well, the sort of woman you simply didn’t notice. A nice woman, of course,a good wife, and it wasn’t her fault if she was barren, bat it was tough von a fellow who wanted an heir of his own loins; she hadn't any tality, that's what was the matter with her. He supposed he'd been in love with hee when he adeed her to marry him, at least sufficiently in love for a man who wanted 0 marry and settle down, but with time he discovered that they had nothing much in common, She dida’t care about hunting, and fishing bored her. Naturally they'd drifted apart, He had to do her the justice toFrom the Cradle to the Grave ‘admit that she'd never bothered him. There'd been no scenes, They had no quarrels. She seemed to take it for granted that he should go his own way. When he went up to London now and then she never wanted to come with him. He had a girl there, wel, she wasn't exactly a giel, she was thirty-five if she was-a day but she was bionde and luscious and he only had co wire ahead of time and they'd dine, do a show, and spend the right together. ‘Well a man, a healthy normal man had to have some fun in his life. The thought crossed his mind that if Evie hadn't been such a ‘good woman she'd have been a better wife; but it was not the sort ‘of thought that he welcomed and he put it away from him, Gcorge Peregrine finished his Times and being a considerate fellow rang the bell and told the butler to take it to Evie. Then he looked at his watch. It was half past ten and at eleven he had ‘an appointment with one of his tenants. He had half an hour to spare Yd better have a look at Evie’s book,’ he said to himself He took ic up with a smile. Evie had a lot of highbrow books in hee siting-room, not the sort of books that interested him, but they amused her he had no objectiog to her reading them. He foticed that the volume he now held in his hand contained 0 ‘more than) ainety pages. That was-all to the good. He shared Edgar Allan Poe's” opinion that poems should be short. But as he turned the pages he noticed that several of Evie's had long lines of irregular lengeh and didn’t ehyme, He didn’t like that. At his first school, when he was a ltrle boy, he remembered learning a ecm that began: The boy stood om the burning deck, and later, at Eton, one thar started: Ruin seize thee, ruthless king, and then. there was Henry V*; they'd had to take that, one half. He stared at Evie's pages with consternation. ‘That's not what | call poctry,’ he said, Forsunarely it wasn’t all ike that. Interspersed with the pieces ‘The Colonel's Lady tam i if SEE ean stam or creche were poor, qui sory tt eae, Ick ea, oa Ear lobe rn ag Sv of ore page wei ued i he ond Soe end cu of cay he “Tod te Imes hve wee ounon of than He ea em The acne lg but be nt ute sw wot ey ee Feat He pened ol at ele ng Mor Bie feed drat moment he fare Hewat pegs whit ib the ty and pening te book fovea fey ener oer ba “ read your book, Evie he said as they sat down 10 lunch, Jolly good. Did it cose you a packet to have it printed?” "No, Twas lucky. I sent it to a publisher and he 100k i. Not much money in poetry, my dear,” he said in his good-natured, hearty way. ‘No, I don’t suppose there is. What did Bannock want to see jos dour tis aig?” Tannock was the tenant who had interrupted his reading of naked mean ay fa ain ane bay, Heo a good man and Pe ball wind fo dot! Geotge Peserine saw that Eve dit want t talk abou her bok and ne was not sory to change the abject He was lad she had sed he maiden name on te tle pages he ida suppose anyone would ever hear about the book, but he was proud of his co unusual ame and he woul have ited ei some damned seany-ainet™ had made fan of Ene’ efor none ofthe papers : ‘During the few weeks that followed he choughe it eee wo ask Evie any questions about her ver into vee and abe never stl tga igh er buen dereiahle nen a ey hd sendy agreed not to mention, But then 4 stange thing