Aaron's Rod
aron noticed that there were only two miserable stalls. But people crowded just the same. Ther
onious light. In the bottoms, under the trees, it was very dark. But a lamp glimmered in front of the "Roya
n into the public bar on the left. The bar itself was a sort of little window-sill on the right: the pub was a small one. In this win
wn to look at the newcomer. None ent
r intonation in her complacent voice, which showe
e than eight or ten people, all told-just the benches alon
't coming," said the landla
le, probably Jewish. She had chestnut-coloured eyes, quick, in
late, am I?"
think." She Looked up at the
ng," said Aaron, w
s news, I'm sure. May
t like. But he
ree candles,
e well for once! I must say I recommend y
e bench, and took up her knitting. Aaron sat next
he said, when he had
o keep that thick good overco
"I think I'll
houlders, and the form of his legs. Her reddish-brown eyes seemed to burn, and her nose, that had a subtle, beautiful Hebraic curve, seemed t
perior type all, favoured by the landlady, who loved intellectual discussi
ce, Doctor," said the landla
iskey, please?" She rose at
she said. And she
du doctor, "and how are thi
as ever,"
dy. "And I'm afraid they will always be the
sked Sherardy, the Hindu. He spo
ndlady. "Why all acting together for the
you call the common good?" replied the
t's it." The miners were all stirrin
landlady. "That all people should study the w
udy their own welfa
e landlady. "Let them study their ow
doctor, "what is the
fficient wages to keep himself and his family comfortable, to educate hi
humoured collier. "Happen so, Mrs. Houseley. But wh
get it," she s
to educate a man over forty-not by book-lear
nother man. "What better is the manager, or th' under-ma
assented the
Kirk," said the landlady largely, "that doesn't mean
e more money than I can-that
e landlady. "And when he's made i
?-an' take it out of hisself a sight harder than I do, by th' looks o
"He not only eats and drinks. H
an read-an' I've had many a talk an' conversation with you in th
ink there would be no difference between your conversation, and Mr
e be?" asked Tom Kirk. "He'd go
better, and so should I, a great deal be
p-" said Tom Kirk. "An' puts th' bile in his
ut it any further," said the landl
it makes much difference to a man, whether he can h
-To me, there is no greater difference, than
es it come in
ed man-take Pender. What's his education for? What does he sc
es of his life," re
urpose of his life?"
the landlady, at a loss. "I should
know it-and you kn
dy, "if you know, then
e firm-and so make his own
ffled for some mome
rm in it? Isn't it his duty to do what he can f
s money we live for, and money is what our lives is worth-nothing else. Money we live for, and money we are when we're dead: that or nothing. An' it's money as is between the master
g end o' th' rope, th' m
e other will pull," concluded
o' that," said Kirk. Th
lady. "But what can be done with the money, that you never think
d of the long end of the rope, instead of the s
"I've pulled at th' short end
licy," put in
not, they
oom," said Aaron, wi
o' th' rope,
N WHAT?" crie
es," said Kirk. There was a gene
ave a narrow, selfish policy.-Instead of thinking of the chil
dog breed," said Brewitt.
an dogs, wrangling for a
i' th' bone, then, while we sit on our
what you DO with the money, when you've got it," s
esn't stop wi' us." "Ay, it's the wife as g
your wives? They have everything to do with t
ey couldn't if they tri
presence enveloped him particularly. He loved so to luxuriate, like a cat, in the presence of a violent woman. He knew that tonight she was feeling very nice to him-a female glow that came out of her to him.
opposition to his surroundings, a hard core of irrational, exhausting withholding of himself. Irritating, because he still WANTED to give himself. A woman and whiskey, these were usually a remedy-and music. But lately these had begun to fail him. No, there was something in him that would not give in-neither to the whiskey, nor the woman, n
his will he kept himself as it were geni
ofile-that fine throw-back of her hostile head, wicked in the midst of her benevolence; that subtle, really very beautiful delicate curve of her nose, that moved h
passion for her. But not tonight. Tonight his innermost heart was hard and cold as ice. The very danger and lustfulness of her, which had so pricked his senses, now made him colder. He disliked her at her tricks. He saw her
ing and swimming into oneness with the dark. But impossible! Cold, with a white fury inside him, he floated wide eyed and apart as a corpse. He tho
that he disliked his whole circumstances. A cold, diabolical co
out there in India?" he as
and attended to hi
e answered. "
med Aaron Sisso
ause they have no responsibility. The British Government takes the responsibility. And the people ha
arn their livin
n no more. That's why the British Government is the worst thing possible for them. It is the worst thing possible. And not because it is a bad government. Really
d, completely black. He was looking into the ice-blue, pointed eyes of Aaron Sisson. The
y all accepted as serious. For Aaron was considered a special man, a
ctor, how can it be so bad for
tion of a second, as he watched the oth
ple of India. They would probably make the greatest muddle possible-and start killing one another. But it wouldn'
to the eyes of the other man, and an
indeed," said the landlady. "They h
angry. The little greenish doctor e
y live till they die, either way." And he smiled faintly. He had not really listened to the doctor. The
d for a moment. Then he
for themselves. How can any people be responsible for another race of pe
rds: always the human good speaking, and always underneath, something hateful, something detestable and murderous. Wise speech and good intentions-they were invariably maggoty with these secret inclinations to destroy the man in the man. Whenever he heard anyone holding forth: the landlady, t
y looked at
d coldly. For she too knew that Aaro
porate. The landlady helped Aaron on with his coat. She saw the curious whi
tchen with us, for luck?" she sai
ned laughi
d, "I must be
house. Watching him, the landlady's f
d aloud, attributing Aaron's mood to the doct
ered in the road near the closed door. Aaron found
irection. There seemed a wall in front of him. He veered. But neither could he take a stride in the opposite direction. So
f under trees, at right angles to the highroad, up to New Brunswick Colliery. He veered towards the off-chance