Aaron's Rod

Soho, one Sunday evening. They had a corner to themselves, and

ly four years old. The widow had opened a shop: Aaron was her only child. She had done well in her shop. She had wante

?” said

ll you. I felt

iated education. On purpose he kept the midland accent in his speech. He understood pe

d out what sort of wife Aaron had — but, except that she was the daugh

end her money

er so much a week out of the money in the bank. My

hat I say, do you

t mind,” h

of Robert: blond, erect, nicely built, fresh and English-seeming. But there was a curious cold distance to him, wh

left your wife and childre

the girl. She had had her hair bobbed, and it h

For no particular reason. Th

pallor of suffering under its freshn

ve your little girls

ept I wanted to have some free r

ve?” flashed Josephine,

I don’t know what I wan

ially when other people

orced to feel — I feel if I go back home now, I shall

re than your wife coul

her mind she loves me, and sh

r love her?”

lover any more. To her or to anybody. That’s the top and bottom of it. I don

hovering near. Josephine let him re

ine,” she sa

ench waiters and foreign food — he noticed them in his quick, amiable-looking fashion — but

d coffee a

times — so dreadfully alone: not in a silly sentimental fashion, because men keep t

got relatio

ts and cousins in America. I suppose I shall see the

married?” he said

-five. How

ty-th

I don’t get married. In a way, I hate earning my

e you do

y — rather fun — I enjoy it. But I

what

almost a

n’t know. And it doesn’t matt

, anyhow? We live till w

I feel dreadful sometimes — as if every minute would be the last. I keep going on and on

elf,” he said. “You should

,” she said. “I mu

occasion,

udden grunting, unhappy lau

more than anything would be an end of the w

red his drops of br

for wishing

It’ll just go on and on — Doesn’

her and sho

rn me,” he said. “So long

u SATISFIED

eling and caring, and being forced

r hostess of the evening,” she

ht,” he said. “You

I think I’m nothing when I’m alone. Sometimes I

ok his

No. I only want

to do with anybody?” s

o any

and then she bub

unny,” she said.

ou see it.— Jim Bricknell’

f-conscious and selfish and hysterica

aid Aaron. “You’d both of you l

it came he wou

ld y

ng to be in it. I’d give heaven and earth f

get it, when you

die and leave all this

do

don’t

sn’t really

me feel I

’t see

” said Josephine. “How do you like

sharp,”

more tha

got his finge

plums in any of them,”

does h

stories

akes i

dark night. She folded her wrap round her, and hurried forward with short, sharp steps. There was a certain Parisian chic and mincingness

is bowler hat d

bus?” she said in a high

ather

woul

crammed with people. Her heels clicked sharply on the pavement, as they walked ea

the corner, she

Don’t come any furt

with you: unless

o you want

no b

t seemed dark and deserted, dark like a savage wilderness in the heart of London. The wind was roarin

he square garden with her key,

!” she shrilled. “Shall we

up to a seat. He sat beside her. They sat in silence, looking at the darkness. Rain was blow

t, and purred to a standstill. There was a light of an open hall door. But all far away, it seemed, unthinkably far away. Aaron sat still and watched. He was frightened, it all seemed so sinister, this dark, bristling heart of London. Wind boomed and tore

w her nose and wiped her face. But he had not realized. She hardly realized hers

nd,” she said to

arm, living grasp. She wept mo

ou crying?

lied, rather matter-of-

o more, but sat with her cold

ool,” she said. “I d

r nothing, can’

t it’s not ve

ghed s

ble!”

strange man

took no

nd to marry Jim Br

of c

magine it,

y n

t of mid-London, the phantasmagoric old Blo

shouldn’t mar

not? I

hink y

ndeed

ot say a

? she persisted.

n he was

me life, haven’t

? W

see

not vicious.— I’ve seen some life, perhaps —

n’t th

u mean? What ar

ng. No

o irritatin

nd she became silent als

?” came her voice

his voice sounded gently, h

“he

y n

’t wan

t?” she

, but did

he darkness her face was set and sullen. Sometimes a spray of rain

in now,”

ffended, are

. W

in the darkness

onde

ome little way. Then

k it is rath

aid. “Not i

lowed her

ey, and they crossed

said, turning and

th me — or lunch — will you? Wh

rtain — I’m very busy jus

ht on the pair of them a

ping back, and she hastily op