Aaron's Rod

tinual complaints of the stodgy dullness of the English. It would be quite as just to c

happens that dull people invariably meet dull people, and odd individuals always come across o

Shottle House, where the Bricknells lived; the Bricknells were odd, also. Alfred Bricknell, the old man, was one of the partners in the Colliery firm. His English w

, fumed, and stank sulphur in the nostrils of the Bricknells. Even war-time efforts had not put out this refuse fire. Apart from this, Shottle Hou

ughter was unhappily married, and away in India weeping herself thinner; another was nursing her babies in St

fine grey canvas, it had a large, silvery grey, silky carpet, and the furniture was covered with dark green silky material. Into this reticence pie

rationing. The finest coal was arranged to obtain a gigantic glow such as a coal-owner may well enjoy, a gre

e hairs glittered. His chin was sunk on his breast, so that his sparse but strong-haired white beard, in which every strand stood distinct, like spun glass lithe and elastic, cur

ely-drawn eyebrows, and her colour was brilliant. She was hot, leaning back behind the shaft of old marble of the mantel-piece, to escape the fire. She wore

stretched his long legs far in front of him. His chin too was sunk on his breast, his young forehead was bald, and raised i

ent Jim Bricknell drank beer for choice. He wanted to get fat-that was his idea. But h

a wine-purple dress, her arms seemed to poke out of the sleeves, and she had dragged her brown hair into straight, untidy strands. Yet she had real beauty.

Julia's husband, Robert Cunningham, a lieutenant about to be demobilised, when he would become a sculptor once more. He

rom the rear-"anybody have a dri

here?" said Jim, without moving, t

there is,"

open it yet,

, Josephine?"

said Josephine,

went round with the cigarettes. Jose

odd movement, suggesting a snake's flicker. She put her cigarette between her lips, and waited. Her movements were very quiet a

lia?" said Rob

cigarettes, not at her. His face had the blunt voluptuous gravity of a young lion, a great cat. She kept him standing for some moments impassively.

looking up and smiling once more. He turned calmly

ried laugh. "We aren't used to such luxurious living, we aren't-ARE WE DEAR-No, we're not such swells as this, we're not. Oh, ROBBIE, isn't it a

m greedy, Julia

eedy?-no you're not greedy, Robbie, you

happy," h

omplishment! Oh, my word!" Julia puckered her eyes a

h the matches. Julia

Robbie, if you ARE

ing," he

bert returned to his red wine. Jim Bricknell suddenly roused up, looked round

produce it by some sleight of hand. Then he wheeled round to the table, and was soon pouring beer down

hs of his sprawling. "Isn't there somet

laughed-it sounded

ional of that sort?" said Josephine in her disti

ling his powerful length together. He sat on the edge of his chai

You make me uncomfortable." She gave an odd little grunt of a laugh, and the tip of

" said Jim, his smile b

, when I tell you

e state of the bottles. The fat

you all put away your glasses an

towards his father, spra

e night, Dad.-You can sleep any time-" his grin widened

of his father, and smiling fixedly. The father, who was perfectly sober, except for the contagion from the

e long." The old man rose to his full height, rather majestic. The four younger people also rose

a little bewildered. He was seeking a responsible eye.

long, Mr. Bricknell

said Jim, as his fa

window. She had rather

g in the room. She pushed back the thick grey-silk curtains. "

-bank on fire," said Rob

!-Why is it

t it. It is the refuse from the mines. It has been burn

?" Josephine now turned the handle o

heard her voice ex

hand gently, protectively

the night together!" she said, sm

ic things," replied Cyril Scott. He was twenty-

m?" she said, gently removing her hand fro

ly. One only needs to be su

oesn't one!"

ells?" said Robert, pokin

Do you?" re

d in his chair in an explosion of sudden, silent laughter, showing his mouthful of pointed te

hen he felt the air on his almost bal

acted, following them with her eyes. With almost supernatura

hat be AWFULLY ROMANTIC!"-s

the distan

ard Josephine's

ic?" said Jim as he lurched up and

llumination of the grounds of the

say it," remonst

at it would be pretty to put candles on one of the grow

how sweet of y

Scott

cried Jim. "Why not carry it out-eh? Why not? Most att

"It all sounds so silly now. No.

ELY IDEA!" cried Julia. "Let's get

d Jim. "Let's,

rt. "Shall we illuminate one

cried Julia. "I'll

put on warm cloa

hen, lighted by a bicycle lamp, they trooped off to the shed to twis

ke a pilot on a stormy night! Oh, I say-!"

kground, in a very large overcoat, smoking a large pipe. The young man

cycle lamp sent a beam of strong white light deep into the uncanny foliage, heads clustered and hands worked. The night

em," asked Robert, "or save them

cott, who had lacerated his finge

ang alight among the dark foliage. The candle

We ought to worship the tree,"

l have a little more il

more than one cand

with arms slung asunder was sliding, waving, crouching in a pa

in the background, broke into

ried. "What? Oh, God's

Josephine, amuse

further, only stood like a

veral little tongues of flame clipped sensitive and ruddy on the naked air, sending a faint glow over the needle foliage. They gave a strange

s of flame pricked upward from the dark tree. Pale candles became evident

suddenly l

me her long n

a black overcoat stood o

it?" cr

intruder; a man in a bowler hat, with a black overcoat buttoned to his throat, a pale, dazed, blinking face.

ng?" asked Robert, f

who addressed him. To him, they we

repeated Robert, mili

fell on the ground and writhed with laughter. He was in that state of intoxication when he could find no release from maddening self-consciousness. He knew wha

. It was a contagion. They laughed helples

, looking at the doubled up figure of Jim

in Cyril Scott. He tw

laughing in spite of herself. "No-it

hook quite weakly with laughter. His face was red, his e

ng the old man down." Then h

oped Jim, sub

k, and lay silent. The other

id Aaron Sisson, b

except Jim, who lay on his back

aughing at?" r

ground," replied Josephine. "I t

n, standing mut

thing?" Robert en

inertia kept him rooted. The young people looked at

aid Cyril Sc

ould go away. Th

d the sepulchral voice of Jim. He st

to him and pull

'll take cold. Get up no

ckon stars are?

milingly staring at the scene, like a boy out

hine. "We've had enough.

bicycle lamp and st

-you're off your track," he said. "Yo

road," said Aar

o peer at the stranger, poking

e not half a bad sort of chap

skey," sa

e the only sober couple in

k him by the arm affectionately. The stranger looke

he said, jerking h

m, seeming thoroughly sober now.

thers followed in silence, leaving the tree to flicker the n

p," said Jim

. Jim took his bowler hat and gave him a chair. He sat without looking round, a

ish overcoat. He did not want to drink. His hair was blond, quite tidy, his mouth and chin handsome but a little obstinate, his eyes inscrutable. His pallor was not n

ite well?" Jose

d at her

es, I'm all right." Then he dropped

ame," said Jim

anger l

sson, if it's anyth

gan to

ty present. But the stranger hardly heeded, though his eyes lo

r way home?" ask

fted his head a

r road-" He indicated the directio

?" inquir

es

again, as if he did no

es with the smile which wasn't a smile, and the continual dropping

?" Robert asked,

hine. She had loo

d Aaron. He had emptied his g

as attending fixedly, with curi

Josephine,

with remote bitterness. Then he lowered his head ag

fe?" said Robert-t

nd kiddies? You're a m

f the stranger rest

" he

aid Robert, trying to keep his t

ct they

er be getting al

time on the flushed subaltern. The look

e're all civvies here. We're all right, aren't we?" he said loudly,

rief laugh of

have you?" sang Jul

hr

s or

ir

ear little th

t-youngest n

going home to them, aren't you?" said Josephine, in whose eyes the tears had alread

night,"

're wrong!" c

s head and be

ing at last with a bored excl

also rising. "You'll f

r. The four people remained in the room, quite silen

ht out. You stop here tonight," Jim s

his head and looked

He seemed to b

d your children! Won't they be awfully bo

turning up his face to her. She co

me to them?" she

e replied quietl

ou're wrong!" And so she hurr

se to put him in?" asked

ied Jim, ironically-he did not like

om?-it's a good couch, big enough, plenty

ed at him,

the two set off, rather stumbling, upstai

t the fire was safe. Then he went to fasten the window-doors securely. Outside he saw the uncanny glimmer of candles across the lawn. He had h

through the drawing-room door, as he had come. The housemaid said that while she was cleaning the grate in the dining-room she heard someone go into the dr

lm of snow, a lovel