The House of Souls

aw the sunlight bright in the room, sparkling on the varnish of the new furniture. He turned and found his wife's place vacant, and with some confusion and wonder of th

l the mechanical drudgery that had lasted for ten years, there still remained about him the curious hint of a wild grace, as

n to his fried bacon he kissed his wife seriously and dutifully. She had brown hair and brown eyes, and though her lovely face was grave a

l, and the Reynoldses were sorry for many things that had been said, when the coal merchant saved money and took up land on building leases in the neighbourhood of Crouch End, greatly to his advantage, as it appeared. Nobody had thought that Nixon could ever do very much; but he and his wife had been living for years in a beautiful house at Barnet, with bow-windows, shrubs, and a paddock, and the two families saw but little of each other, for Mr. Reynolds was not very prosperous. Of course, Aunt Marian and her husband had been asked to Mary's wedding, but they had sent excuses with a nice little set of silver apostle spoons, and it was feared that nothing more was to be looked for. However, on M

ternoon, as he was coming home in the 'bus, and while he revolved that difficult question of the ten pounds, the unseemly emptiness of the spare room suddenly came into his mind, and he glowed with the idea that now, thanks to Aunt Marian, it could be furnished. He was busied with this delightful thought all the way home, but when he let himself in, he said nothing to his wife, since he felt that his idea must be matured. He told Mrs. Darnell that, having important business, he was obliged to go out again directly,

Road, and walked the rest of the way, and was delighted to see Wil

gate; 'come in. Oh, I forgot,' he added, as Darnell still fumbled with the handle,

as soon as he arrived from the City. He wore a straw hat with a neat pugaree protecting

l. It's a trick of my own, and I shall have it patented. You see, it keeps undesirable characters at a distance-such a great

ors?' said Darnell.

window. She's out now; gone to call on some friends. The Bennetts' At Home day, I think it is. This is the first Saturday, isn't it?

ck things for? You look hot. Look at me. Well, I've been gardening, you know, but I feel as cool as a cucu

uppose,' said Darnell

ip from Jameson-you know him, "Jim-Jams," in the China trade, 39 Eastbrook-and he said he didn't want everybody in the City to kn

Darnell, who had never boug

have a

garded Wil

drooped lamentably over his calves, and in prominent position

uppose, at least,'

d his father's got something to do with a big business in Conduit Street. But

stonished at

know where to go for shoe-leather? Oh, I thought everybody was up to th

pointed out the flowers in the beds and borders. There we

id row of stunted plants; 'those are Squintace?; this is a new int

y come out?'

much about his plants, since he saw that Darnell cared nothing for flowers; and, indeed, the visitor could hardly dissemble vague recollection

know we've got a spare room, and I'm thinking of putting a few things int

t touch the latch. Indeed, Wilson handled it so briskly that the bell rang a wild alarm, and the servant, who was trying on her mistress's things in the bedroom, jumped madly to the window and then danced a

he back of the house. Here there was a patch of turf, beginning to look a little brown, with a background

Well, Lockie, what are ye doing now? A

Indeed, he seemed eager to e

ve sent Fergus and Janet to the bad place. That's in the shrubbery. And t

Not bad for a youngster of nine, is it? They think a

igned as a back kitchen and washhouse, but Wilson had draped the 'copper' in ar

r chairs. 'I think out things here, you know; it's quiet. And what a

is ten feet by twelve, with a western exposure, and I thought if we could manage it, that it would seem more cheerful furnished. Besi

h do you wan

e justified in going much beyond

t the door of the bac

o me in the first place. Now you'll just t

Hampstead Road,' said Darn

of going to those expensive shops in the West End? You don't get

ey get a brilliant polish on their goods in those s

st finish, for six pound ten. What d'you think of that? China included, mind you; and a square of carpet, brilliant colours, will only cost you fifteen and six. Look here, go any Saturday afternoon to Dick's, in the Seven

urnishing. He pointed out that the times were change

I was thinking of furnishing at the time, and I thought the things might come in handy; but I assure you there wasn't a single article that I cared to give house-room to. All dingy, old mahogany; big bookcases and bureaus, and

d that artists liked the

? I hate all that rot myself. It isn't healthy, you know, and I don't believe the English people

d Darnell a small, worm-eaten Bible, wanting the first five chapters o

holes. And you see it's "imperfect," as they call it. You've noticed

is tea. He thought seriously of taking Wilson's advice, and after t

one on each side of the grate (which was concealed by a pretty cardboard screen, painted with landscapes), and she rested her cheek

more than ten pounds in the long run. There are so many things to be considered. There's the bed. It would look shabby if we got a c

her conclusion would be. For a moment the delicate colouring of her face, the grace of her form, and the brown hair, drooping over he

. And, my dear, we must have some ornaments on the mantelpiece. I saw some very nice vases at eleven-three the other

ing up against his scheme, and though he had set

r twelve pounds th

you said?), and we should want a piece of linoleum to go under the

x-room already. They're a bit old-fashioned, perhaps, but that doesn't matter in a bedroom. And couldn't we use some photographs? I saw a very neat frame in natural oak in the City, to hold half a dozen, for one and six. We might p

t's very old-fashioned, isn't it? He looks so queer in his

hion of 1750, and he very faintly remembered some old tales that his father had told him about this an

ut of date. But I saw some very nice pri

l, we will talk it over, as you

ed two pipes of honeydew, and they went quietly to bed; Mary going first, and her husband following a quarter of an hour later, according to the ritual established from the first days of

to him as he ca

able bed at anything under one pound ele

to the woods from the summit of the hill. Darnell seemed to see some reflection of that wizard brightness in the room; the pale walls and the white bed and his wife's face lying amidst brown hair upon the pillow were illuminated, and listening he could almost hear the corncrake in the fields, the fern-owl sounding his strange note from the quiet of the rugged place where the bracken grew, and, like the echo of a magic song, the melody of the nightingale that

arnell was on the very eve of dre

e heard her words through the murmur of the water, dripping

y about her head on the pillow, and she looked steadily into the room at the 'duchesse' toilet-table, the coloured ware of the washstand, and the two photogravures in oak frames, 'The Meeting' and 'The Parting,' that hung upon the wall. She was half dreaming as she listened for the servant's footsteps, and the faint shadow of a shade of a thought came over her, and she imagined dimly, for the quick moment of a dream, another world where rapture was wine, where one wandered in a deep and h

nt, and she remembered how Edward hated any fuss or discussion about household matters, more especially on a Sunday, after his long week's work in the City. She ga

ely bedizened creature, dressed in purple, with a shiny face, who would appear on the Sunday afternoon, bringing in an early tea, because it was her 'evening out.' Alice's hair was black and her skin was pale, almost of the olive tinge, and she lay as

ion. Mrs. Darnell went back to her room and dressed slowly while her husband still slept, and it was only at the last moment, as she fa

n or twelve shillings; and it annoyed him all the more to reflect that if he had put it by, it would have gone far towards the purchase of an 'Orient' carpet in brilliant colours. Then there had been other expenses of his youth: he had purchased threepenny and even fourpenny cigars, the latter rarely, but the former frequently, sometimes singly, and sometimes in bundles of twelve for half-a-crown. Once a meerschaum pipe had haunted him for six weeks; the tobacconist had drawn it out of a drawer with some air of secrecy as he was buying a packet of 'Lone Star.' Here was another useless expense, these American-manufactured tobaccos; his 'Lone Star,' 'Long Judge,' 'Old Hank,' 'Sultry Clime,' and the rest of them cost from a shilling to one and six the two-ounce packet; whereas now he got excellent loose honeydew for threepence halfpenny an ounce. But the crafty tradesman, who had marked him down as a buyer of expensive fancy goods, nodded with his air of mystery, and, snapping open the case, displayed the meerschaum before the dazzled eyes of Darnell. The bowl was carved in the likeness of a female figure, showing the head and torso, and the mouthpiece was of the very best amber-only twelve and six, the man said, and the amber alone, he declared, was worth more than that. He explained that he felt some delicacy about showing the pipe to any but a regular customer, and was willing to take a little under cost price and 'cut the loss.' Darnell resisted for

house-room. Mary kept down the housekeeping bills to the very best of her ability, but meat was always dear, and she suspected the maid of cutting surreptitious slices from the joint and eating them in her bedroom with bread and treacle in the dead of night, for the girl had disordered and eccentric appetites. Mr. Darnell thought no more of restaurants, cheap or dear; he took his lunch with him to the City, and joined his wife in the evening at high tea-chops, a bit of steak, or cold meat from the Sunday's dinner. Mrs.

ated the expense of the bed and bedding, the linoleum, and the ornaments, and by a great deal of exertion the total e

did so it might lead to no end of expense. People would hear of it and be sure to fish for invitations. You kno

argument and gave way. But

ery nice, wouldn't it

was a good deal cast down. 'We must think of so

one of a kind mother, though she

I must get ready for c

heart, and preferred to lounge under the shade of the big mulberry tree that stood in the middle of their patch of garden-relic

ous chancel, were reasonably proportioned; and, to be quite serious, the only feature obviously wrong was the substitution of a low 'chancel wall' with iron gates for the rood screen with the loft and rood. But this, it might plausibly be contended, was merely an adaptation of the old idea to modern requirements, and it would have been quite difficult to expl

mersmith), they sat for some time in the garden, partly sheltered by the big mulberry tree from the ob

ur office,' she said at length. 'Some

nt. I must bring some of th

ssary to provide whisky. One couldn't ask the g

Mary. 'I think they might hav

l, there's Harvey; "Sauce" they call him behind his back. He's mad on bicycling. He went in last year

n. You wouldn't care for him. I al

finding her husband a little fran

tells a tale we never know how much to believe. He swore the other day he'd seen one of the governors

the humorous recoll

ou know. Dickenson lives close by, in Notting Hill, and he said one morning that he had

he?' said Mrs. Darnell. 'I

hotographer. He often shows us photos he's taken of his children-one, a little girl of

ooked down and

smoked his pipe. 'I say, Mary,' he said at length

ver thought of it. Wh

take them, and make money of it too. I dare say it would add ten pounds a year to our income. Redgrave, the cashier,

said; 'it would be inconvenient in many ways.' She hesitated for a moment. 'And I don't think I should car

nfronted with a doubtful hieroglyph, either wholly wonderful or altogether commonplace. Next door children were playing in the garde

! Come up to m

udden hush. The childr

y. She had been talking to Mrs. Parker's servant. I listened to her without any remark, as I don't think it right to

silent as if some ghast

ly, ordinary man with a grey moustache was strolling up and down on the further side of his garden. He caught Darnell's eye, and Mrs. Darn

next to each other two or three times lately. I believe he's a traveller for a leather firm i

tand that they are not very well thought of in the neighbourhood. But I must go

find the key, and something told him that before she could speak to him his own lips must be unclosed. She had gone into the house by the back kitchen door, leaving it open, and he heard her speaking to the girl about the water being 'really boiling.' He was amazed, almost indignant with himself; but the sound of the words came to his

ndering at his wife's manner when Sayce's name was mentioned, puzzling his head as to what could be amiss in the household of a most respectable personage, when his wife appeared at the dining-room window and c

and the cabbage; but she was able to show Mrs. Darnell that the fault lay in the defective contrivance of the range, in an oven which 'would not get hot.' Even with a chop or a steak it was almost as bad; the heat seemed to escape up the chimney or into the room, and Mary had spoken several times to her husband on the shocking waste of coal, and the cheapest coal procurable was never less than eighteen shillings the ton. Mr. Darnell had written to the landlord, a builder, who had replied in an illiterate but offensive communication, maintaining the excellence of the stove and charging all the faults to the account of 'your good lady,' which

a and watered the leaves. She thought the introduction a good one, for though her husband was a most am

himself to the marmalade and considered for a mo

You had "overtime," and didn

to recapitulate the misdeeds of the range, and the outrag

d the nightingale (people say there are nightingales in B

t he smelt the red wild roses, drooping from the hedge. As he came to his gate he saw his wife standing in the doorway, with a light in her hand, and he threw his arms violently about her as she welcomed him, and whispered something in

is a great nuisance, isn't it? I h

y good range with aunt's money? It would save us a

lade, and confessed that

'I am so glad you thought of it. But we must talk it over

in Oxford Street and Regent Street, on visits to the dentist. They discussed the matter at tea, an

le" will burn anything

gold medal at the Paris

en it at work in Oxford Street?' said Mary. 'They sa

and I was looking at the "Bliss" Patent Stoves. They burn

er waist. She did not repel h

at her window,' and he d

some of the places near the City, and you might do the same thing in Ox

n the seat under the mulberry, close together, and she let Darnell take her hand, and as she felt his shy, hesitating fingers touch her in the shadow, she pressed them ever so softly, and as he fondled her hand, his breath was on her neck, and

e said. 'There is a heavy de

iate him, that he might feel her dress still brushing against his ankles. But he could not find the words, and it was absurd, and she was so gentle that she would do whatever he asked, however foolish it m

they always sat on Sunday evenings. Mrs. Darnell felt a little tired and lay down on the sofa, and

o think there was something a little strang

pay any attention to servants' gossi

ce told you

the other day, when I was in

hat wa

ward. It's not pleasant. I scold

took a small, frail

e to hear about the household next door, but he remembered how his wife

't tell you, dear. I

u're my

difference. A woman doesn't li

eart was beating; he put his ear

wer with her gentle hand, and he

y have only-one room furnishe

n was bending her red lips to his own, when a violent jangle clamoured throug

She is always in in time. I

pretty handkerchief, delicately scented from a little flagon that a school friend h

subject, bringing away illustrated pamphlets, and in the evenings it was an amusement to look at the pictures. They viewed with reverence and interest the drawings of great ranges for hotels and public institutions, mighty contrivances furnished with a series of ovens each for a different use, with wonderful apparatus for grilling, with batteries of accessories which seem

re on the point of giving the order. But the 'Glow' seemed equally seductive, and it was only ￡8. 5s. as compared with ￡9. 7s. 6d.,

wood, of the fountains rising into grey vapour beneath the heat of the sun. As he dressed, an idea struck him, and he brought

ry,' he said, with triumph. 'Look at that

t's not the real mischief. It's the coal is so dear. And here you are. Look at those oil stoves. They don't burn any coa

e will talk it over in the evening, w

n anxious glan

ifully, and Mary's eyes made Darnell think of those lone

and vague images reflected from its splendour fell across his path, he was afraid, and took refuge in what he would have called the sane 'reality' of common and usual incidents and interests. His absurdity was, perhaps, the more evident,

wandering phantoms for true beings. He was sincerely of opinion that he was a City clerk, living in Shepherd's Bush