(Couldn't decide on which music would b best suited to this revolutionary chapter. So much to choose from!...but--
decided finally that Justice Tonight/Kick it Over by the Clash was IT!
chapter 8
Vive le Resistance!
The sun was sinking low over a chill and pale grey day in Pankhurst as Alice and Emmeline were gathered for post-supper coffees in the parlor. Their heads were bent over the late edition of the Courier, the evening's only sounds the rustling of pages , the crackle of the fire and MacGregor's soft snoring until Emmeline let forth a yelp of 'Lord and Lady help us all! Oh, I simply can't believe this! I don't want to, no I do not!Ohhh..'she moaned.
'What is it, Em!?' Alice sat up alarmed.
'Alice...it's too awful! Alright:this is news from London, then: it seems that several suffragettes were arrested after demonstrations throughout the city ended in violence. There were claims of rocks and bricks tossed through the windows of MPs, vandalism, etc...'
'That's not right.' said practical Alice.
'No, it isn't, but--just hear--then, it seems, after the women were arrested, they engaged in a hunger strike at the prison, which lasted only two days until, they were force-fed with a stomach tube, which causes one to retch! And if that did not work, it was then forced down the nose! Oh, it's too awful, Alice! Some of the older women were so abused that they had fainted and some with heart conditions were found to be near-death!' Oh, Alice!'Emmeline rose and took a handkerchief from her bag,'It's too horrible! England is supposedly a civilized country! And women only want the same rights as men! To be on the same level as any other human being! They wish to treat us as animals! Property! Chattle! Sub-humans!'Emmeline paced the room, blowing her nose a tearful plangent.
'Oh, Em, that is too awful...the poor old dears! Oh my.'Alice took the scandal-sheet, as they'd both come to view the Pankhurst Courier, turning to the article. 'It does say that those with pre-existing medical conditions were allowed release.'
With one last blast to the hanky, Emmeline 'put her big-girl pantaloons on' as it were, and drying her eyes, spared a glance at the clock on the mantlepiece. 'It's nearly time to be ready for tonight's lecture. Are you still coming, Al?'
'Of course. Shall we walk? It isn't far. Although...with things they strange way they have been of late, do you think we ought to call a hansom?'
'We shall walk.'decided Emmeline.'I won't be bullied on my own turf.I need some air.'And up and off to her room she dashed, sniffling.
Alice sighed. 'This should be quite the girl's night out.'
. . . . . .
As Emmeline and Alice approached the Town Hall, they could hear the noise before they saw the picketers. 'Oh, marvellous! It's Bishop O'Reilly's Ladies Against Women, no doubt!' Emmeline took up her parasol and thumped it meaningfully in her other hand. 'I'm ready for the brittle little pigeons!'
'Em! We aren't fighting London's Finest here! Steady on now!' Alice put a warning hand on Em's shoulder. 'You know the old saying, One Monkey Don't Stop No Show! I have friends on the Inside, as it were!' Alice took her arm and directed their steps to the side stage door and rapped with her parasol three times. Presently, it was opened by a formidable grey-haired woman who beckoned them inside. 'Alice luv! Haven't seen you since the mayor's last speech on fire and safety in Pankhurst. That ended badly it did!'she and Alice laughed heartily.Alice turned to Em, 'You remember, Em! Just as the mayor was pontificating on fire safety, a bag of flaming doggy doo came flying at him from the rafters! Some rapscallions had been hiding out waiting for him all afternoon! Got away they did too....somehow!'
Alice winked at the lady, who was introduced as Mrs. Smith. They began chortling again as they lead the way behind the curtain and down to the floor proper.
'We aren't about to let anything disrupt tonight's lecture,'said Mrs. Smith. 'If anyone tries, they shall be summarily escorted off the premises, and on to jail, if need be.'
'That is good to hear,'Emmeline remarked,'But what of Gertrude Sanger?'
'That good lady is safe and sound, never you fear. We anticipated something of this sort and had her here early;she is being well-kept. But, we are about to open.Do take seats up front,ladies. It promises to be quite an evening!' and Mrs. Smith took herself off to the room marked Private - Staff Only.
Presently, the doors opened and a goodly crowd assembled, of both men and women, but with a decidedly high-percentage of the fair sex making up most of the audience. As Emmeline craned her neck behind her, she could see a strong show of policemen were in fact, holding the protestors at bay, and
not caring if a bishop were among them. Good.
In fact, Gertrude Sanger's lecture proceded as planned, despite the barely-heard yowling that continued from the cats outside. Some rocks were heard bouncing harmlessly off the brick walls as it seemed the windows were too high to reach. Emmeline was impressed by Gertrude's visual-aids: she had a flip-chart set upon an easel on stage and would illustrate her excellent bullet points thus:
'We hear much of poverty and suffering of the poor in far-off countries such as Afrika or India,' here the tall lady in green, with her ash-blonde hair in a neat chignon, flipped over the page large enough to be seen by all, to display a close-up photo of a huddle of tiny dark children, all bones but for their distended bellies, their great huge brown eyes staring out at you, asking, 'Why?' Em knew what they were asking. Why are we here? Is life only a hell to be suffered through until death's dark, merciful release? A murmur went through the audience.
'But much closer to home, back in Ireland, we have a shared
misery with our foreign sisters.' Gertrude flipped the big page over and, incredibly, it seemed to show almost the same picture, as a gasp went through the crowd: a group of little mites were gathered, all nearly in the same pose; only slightly paler, though not by much, they were so pitifully grimey. Again, all rags and bones, and the great heartbreaking eyes asking the same question...Why?
'This need not be!'Gertrude's low, but strong and firm voice rang throughout the hall.'This need never be so! Children should all be wanted, and loved, and cared-for! They should not be a burden, to anyone, ever. That is not charity, and it is certainly not Christian, to promulgate and inforce such suffering, upon children and their poor mothers! Not only do the women suffer. The men aren't all drunken reprobates as the clerics would have you believe! No, many are hard-working or would be if they weren't worked to death, in factories and mines! Birth control would make lives bearable, liveable, for men, women and children!
Young people, the world over, would thrive, and grow, and make this a better planet for all. That, ladies and gentlemen, is civilization! That is humanity becoming humane, at last! And that is our hope, for now, and for the future!'
The hall exploded into thunderous applause, just as the doors burst open and a crowd of wild-eyed picketers oozed in past the police barricades, shouting 'Harlots!' , 'Death to the Infidels!'and 'Jesus Loves The Little Children!'of all things...
The police followed them, blowing whistles and attempting to stop the obstreporous obtrusion from turning into a riot-scene. A short, stout figure in black robes carrying a large crucifix lead the straggling crowd of harridans up to the stage proclaiming,'Gret Heuuuuur o'Babylon! Sinful scarlet woman begone! !In the name of Almighty God!'
Gertrude stood her ground, smiling slightly, and raised her
hands for quiet. 'Ah, the good bishop! Sure and we can count on his Christian charity, as well as that of these worthy ladies, to adopt all the poor and suffering multitudes of unwanted babies! Isn't that right, sir? For blessed it be to minister unto the poor and wretched, so it is...'
'You, you raging harlot! Why, I'll have your, your-- what are you doing? Unhand me, you ruffian! I'll have you know I am a man of the cloth!' --which could be heard ripping as several policemen surrounded the blustering bishop and hauled him, finally, off into the paddywagon, along with his gabbling gang of geriatric guerrillas.
As the crowd slowly dispersed, some daringly stayed on coming up to the podium and speaking earnestly with Gertrude, shaking hands and congratulating her on a job done well in spite of adversity. Alice and Em had stayed on, hoping to speak to her as well. Emmeline noticed then, a solitary nun who had entered with the bishop's crowd, yet had stayed quietly well away from the center of the fracas. She was waiting on the edge of the small group gathered about Gertrude now, as Em and Alice approached the stage.
'Hello, Sister,'Gertrude turned to her and as the nun held her hand out to shake hello, took it in both of hers. Em feared some sneaky bit of nastiness, but no. The little nun's eyes filled with tears as she spoke up with her soft voice,'I, I heard your lecture, most of it, from outside. I had to come with the bishop, but I stayed by the back door, and listened to you all the same. I have done some missionary work among the poor, and I must say that you are so very right, Miss Sanger! The suffering must cease! And I don't know that there is any other practical way other than some form of family planning! All possible forms should be employed! The pain felt by the children and their families is unknown to people like the bishop's followers! They sit there in their high castles and comfortable homes and congratulate themselves on their righteousness! It is Nero fiddling whilst Rome burns, Miss!' The little nun's eyes blazed behind their tears. 'I just want you to know, that even though I am a bride of Christ, I feel we are sisters united by the the hope for a better future.,.do not think that all within the Church are blind and bigoted.'
Gertrude held her hands and smiled, abit teary herself, as the nun turned and made her quiet exit. The crowd had all left now, except for the crew setting the chairs away, as Emmeline and Alice were the last to approach the great lady.
Alice spoke first,'Well, we can't top that, can we, Em?' she said with a smile.
Gertrude dabbed her eyes with her kerchief.'You've no idea how many nuns I have spoken to say the same things! It was brave of her. I hope she doesn't get into any trouble over it.'
'We were so moved by your presentation,'Em began,'And I must apologize for the ah, fringe element in Pankhurst getting out of hand! They are only ignorant, as you know.'
'...and bloody-minded,'huffed Alice.'Do you experience that sort of thing often, Miss Sanger?'
'Please, call me Gertrude. We are all sisters here,'she smiled. 'I'm afraid it's par for the course, alas. It is a unique lecture that is not so troubled.'
'I can't imagine how you manage to stay so, so collected, !' Emmeline's blood was up. 'Oh, when I saw that awful man coming toward you like a horrid old beetle and his plague of locusts following, Oh, what I'd like to have done!'
Alice put her hand on Em's arm,'You will excuse my young friend. She's a redhead, and no mistake!' turning to Gertrude she added,'To make amends for our small city's smaller minds, I'd like to invite you to share hospitality at my home, if you would be so inclined? Nothing fancy, but if you're up for a drink and a bite, perhaps...?'
'I'd love it!'said Gertrude.'Just allow me to gather my things first. I'll only be a minute.'
. . . . . .
Em did give in to a hansom en route home for the 3 of them. Alice had saved some Shepherd's Pie,yeast-baked poppy-seed rolls, and with fresh fruit and salad they all partook of an agreeable late repast, to which Gertrude applied herself with a healthy gusto.
Sitting by the fire in the parlor afterwards with cheese and port, they began to relax abit from the invigorating albeit somewhat stressful evening. The talk ranged from the wide scope of Miss Sanger's travels, to the current Suffragette troubles back in England, and finally the lecture itself and Bishop O'Reilly's raging ignorance, to the raging ignorance of the library's Director Dickman, the mis-appropriation of funds by Poncey Winebar and his city council cronies, and gerrymandering and croneyism in general in local politics, on into the wee hours.
'Can you stay on, Gertrude?,'asked Alice,'I have a comfy day-bed in my sitting room! We would be honored if you'd consent to grace our humble home awhile.'
'Oh, thank you ladies, it sounds wonderful, but I must get back to the inn. My compliments to you, Alice dear,the supper was just what I needed! A home-cooked meal is a rare treat when one is on the road.' She leaned back on the sofa next to Alice.'You do have a cozy retreat here, my dears.
I so appreciate your invitation to share your fireside awhile.'
Alice looked over to Emmeline, who, she noticed, had fallen asleep with MacGregor at her side, both snoring softly.
'I'll just call the hansom for you then, dear. My young friend burns out rather quickly, for all her fire, I'm afraid!'
Alice and Gertrude shared a last glass of port talking earnestly, heads bent together, as they awaited the cabbie's arrival. To see their silhouettes through the window, they did look as sisters, having the same hairstyles and profiles.
Or so thought El Juan Flubber, as he prowled silently about Alice's bushes outside.
. . . . .
And now what are we to think!? Not only did Em and Alice flaunt their dismissals of the admonitions of Jack and Aleister to wander not alone after dark, but were nearly caught in a riot, and now unbeknownst to Alice and Gertrude,there seems to be something Nasty in the Woodshed watching!
Stay awhile and be amazed, amused and hopefully not arrested except by your attention as we shall surely present the next Adventure!
...to be consumed along with strong coffee this time, perhaps with abit of poppy-bun. No more spirits for you lot!
Keep those revolutionary fires burning, lasses and lads!
Avanti, always!
'Dream a New Dream Tonight!'
Monday, January 31, 2011
Chapter 7:Stars, Sigils and Strangers In The Night
Chapter 7:
Stars, Sigils and Strangers In The Night
Aleister took a long sip of Alice's excellent brandy and stood to place himself before the hearth and address the company.(Grandstander, thought Jack). 'Indeed, another circle! And we found it in the south pasture of Crowley Estate, just last evening.'
'So it wasn't a dream!' Emmeline sat up, excited.'I thought I'd been awakened by thunder, but it dissipated so quickly, I wasn't sure. Recall, Alice I asked you if you'd heard anything?'
'I may have. Bit of a sound sleeper myself,' admitted Alice,'But do go on, doctor. --Aleister.'
Al smiled at her.'We searched the place directly after the storm and found the same glyph blasted into our field!'
'But what can it all mean?' asked Alice.
Jack spoke up,'We aren't sure, exactly. We are investigating. But, Aleister, don't you think that it is time to tell Emmeline what is the nature of the tournament trouble? That was why we were to meet in the first place.'
'Right you are, Jack!'Aleister returned to his seat.'I beg of you ladies to bear with us, and to keep those excellent minds of yours completely open to any conjecture, however as yet unproven. May I ask for a ...suspension of disbelief at present? Please know that we are simply trying to be good neighbors, to do our part for the welfare of the community. ' Aleister looked at Alice,'...and I hoped, we hoped, we could all become friends.'
Alice looked at Emmeline. 'We've certainly experienced some things lately that would stretch the limits of our imaginations! Pray continue, Aleister. Emmeline and I will make no hasty judgements, right Em?' Emmeline nodded.
'Very well. the long and short of it is this: You experienced tonight, Miss Page, the use of my 'specter-scope' and it proved what I'd suspected from my research of the area: that a certain expanse of the park where the playing field lies, was many years ago, a very old Indian burial site.'
Emmeline's eyes were wide, but she held herself in check.'Doctor...does that enclude the library itself?''
'I do not believe so. According to historical records, what we could find at least,it is all situated about the giant oak in one corner of the field. I haven't entree myself into any Native tribes here now, so what information we could find is scanty and no doubt all but erased by the white men's accounts...For Jack and myself, at least, who are familiar with the scope and have many times proven the veracity of it's findings, all the proof we needed was what we beheld with our own eyes.'
Alice had meanwhile taken all this in rather quietly, sitting and sipping her drink with MacGregor asleep next to her. She now roused herself,'...so...what has this to do with your 'exanguinating' Emmeline the other night?' she asked wickedly.
'I...what? Good Lord! Dear lady...'began Aleister, but Em interrupted,'Alice is having you on, doctor! She is an awful tease. You had best get used to it!But,yes, do tell the rest of your tale.'
'...eh, um, yes.'Aleister wasn't used to teasing, except from Jack who usually took the piss out of him in earnest. 'Alice, my dear, and Miss Page, I assure you both I took as small a sample as I dared and only in the interest of science and in being absolute in my diagnosis,in ex officio only!'taking a sip of brandy to restore himself, Al continued.'I know Jack and I are both graced with native blood, so our baselines matched up, as did yours,Miss Page.But none of the others did.Of the other samples we took from those injured on the field, none was a remote match.Quite a variance, really.
After doing a small bit of research regarding the background of those who were afflicted that we knew something of, like your library director,we dicovered, not surprisingly, that they were all of pure Aryan stock--German and Dutch families mostly. If you recall, most of the lads were fair-haired boys who were injured that day.We only needed the scope's demonstrations to evince our findings.Just why this is will, I assure you, be a study I shall undertake with enthusiasm! It could be some sort of naturally occurring opsonin in native blood...'
'My stars...'Emmeline took a long sip.'How clever, doctor! What a convoluted case.
But what now? What is to prevent this or some other similar trouble occurring again?'
'As you may recall, Miss Page, and I'll wager that you will--being the astronomer that you are--the Geminid meteor showers happened to fall upon the same general dates as the tournament. I confess I'm still rather at a loss as to explain exactly the relationship of this particular occurrence to the phenomenon we witnessed, but the night before the tournament, I chanced to examine the meteor showers with the specter-scope! The meteors I could catch through the scope bore the same lime-green type of phosphorescence that made up the specters, which lead me to hypothesize the relationship between the two. As this hadn't happened before, that we know of, I concluded that only during the December showers and in this particular place, possibly only at this point in the history of time as well,could this unfortunate accident manifest!'
'Hm...we can but hope,' Emmeline concluded.Just then the clock struck the hour of midnight.'Ah, there is the proof of your conjecture of time's influence upon us all!'
Jack and Aleister looked at one another. 'Ye-es...'Jack spoke up,'We regret having presumed so much upon your gracious hospitality, ladies!'Just then there was a light tap at the door.
'That will be Yeats, at last!'Aleister stood.'Are you certain you will be alright here tonight? How are you feeling, Alice?'he took her hands in his.
'Rather more the thing now, thank you Aleister!'She and Emmeline rose and escorted the gentlemen to the door. 'I'm certain we shall be fine.It has been a long evening and one for the books, truly! But I don't think I can remain awake much longer, despite roving backyard tornadoes!Thank you so much for your kind assistance, Aleister,and Jack.'
'Do come round soon to Crowley House and allow me to return the hospitality, dear lady. We shall be in touch! And do not, I repeat do not hesitate to let us know if anything untoward should occur! Do not take any chances, either of you, my dears.'With characteristic admonishments Aleister opened the door and exited with Yeats.
As Alice yawned and headed off to retire, Emmeline and Jack stood facing one another in the hallway.'That goes doubly from me to you, Emmeline. I know Aleister is trying not to alarm Alice, but we have intimation that the matter of these strange glyphs portends something possibly quite troublesome, and is not related to the tournament or the burial ground.Well, perhaps indirectly. Do not take any chances, no going about alone after dark. I can count on this?'
'You may be assured that I shall take your warnings to heart, Jack. Thank you! Your help and Aleister's was most timely and salutary! I know Alice much appreciates your kind attentions.'Em hesitated.'...as do I.'
Jack smiled and took her hand.'Good.Then I bid you a good-night. And sweet dreams, Emmeline.'Jack bowed and kissed her hand lightly. Then he turned away and trotted off to the waiting trap.Yeats clicked to the bay and they were off, into the dark midnight.
Emmeline closed the door.'Saucy monkey,' she said to herself. Hearing noises from the kitchen, she headed in that direction, only to find Alice busy with the tea things.'Al! I thought you were dropping with fatigue!'
'Are you?'Em shook her head.'Who in bloody blazes could sleep with a tornado making sigils in their backyard? I'm for tea. How about you?' Alice didn't wait for she knew the answer, and filled the kettle full.
Retiring to the parlor, Emmeline stoked the fire and sat next to MacGregor on the sofa. Alice soon joined them and stroked the little dog's head and smiled.'It was good of Aleister to be of service to us,'she observed,'but mercy! Such pleonastic prolixity I've not witnessed since our last staff meeting with Director Dickman.'Alice sighed.'But I believe the good doctor does mean well.'
Em was chuckling.'Alice you are the very devil's handmaid!I thought you were becoming besotted with his grandiose compliments! He seemed to be a man used to holding court, as it were.'
'Obviously...'remarked Al dryly, who rose to attend to the whistling tea kettle.'But what of you and Black Jack Van Horn, eh?'she tossed over her shoulder.
What, indeed? thought Em. Jack seemed rather intent upon her, she sighed.She didn't need complications right now.
Alice returned with tea, having cleared the empty brandy glasses.'The men do like their brandy,'she observed. 'But that's not all they were warming to.Well, Em?'
Alice poured the Earl Grey.'I know you and Captain Omen have been 'together' going on 10 years now! But seeing a man once or twice a year is not togetherness, my dear...'
Emmeline took her teacup and leaned back against the pillows, a small furrow upon her brow.'Oh, Alice...I know you and Frank had a wonderful marriage...and I know you wish the same for me. Don't deny it! Every time I say as much as hello to a passing male acquaintance you begin planning the wedding!'
Alice sipped her tea with a small smile and waggled her eyebrows at Em.
'Don't!'Em began laughing,'I get tea up my nose when you make faces!Oh, Alice...'
'Enough with the 'Oh Alices!' I just want you to be happy, Em dear.'
Emmeline had that frown line again.'Where is it written that a woman absolutely needs a man, just one man, to be happy?' She set her cup down. 'Al, I know you mean well. But, I'm hardly a green girl of 20 anymore. I know my own mind, and heart. I just don't think marriage is in the cards for me! That is why we've gotten on so well, for so long, Keithcliff and myself. He did propose, long ago, you know. I simply couldn't, as much as I dearly love England...and him.'She looked at Alice who was quiet now.'Please forgive my going on. I know that you believe you are 'looking out' for me.It's not easy swimming upstream you know.By deciding to remain single, I'm going against the current. So many of my sex seem to simply be obsessed with marriage and children. But I never have been, Al!
Never! Sometimes I astonish myself! I just see so much injustice and pain in the world and I feel I must do something to help! There's so much to be done!I haven't time for...anything else.'Emmeline looked into the fire, and let her thoughts drift.
Alice poured more tea and sighed.'You are absolutely right, dear. You know your own mind, as you say.I've known you long enough to have observed that much about you. Your dates and dalliances with men have never lasted long. Oh, don't think I don't know that you do have gentlemen friends.But none have ever been anything more to you?'
'Alice, you know a bit of my background. I lost my mother at rather an early age, and my father, 'The Absent-minded Professor' as we used to call him, was quite lost without her. He began to practically live at the lab, I never saw him, we never spoke, really.It fell to me to finish school, and take care of him, the house, all the housewifely duties...'Em sighed.'Maybe I just became tired of all that early on, and wanted something else for myself.Out of the house, away, beyond it all...Maybe I'd like that option at least,and it isn't too hard to believe that other young women may want it as well.Or perhaps...perhaps I simply haven't met anyone with whom I've much in common. No man I've ever known is all that serious about improving the human condition...to the point in which it becomes their raison de'tre...'
Staring into the flames, Em suddenly sat up,'Oh my stars! I'd nearly forgotten! Tomorrow night is the Family Planning lecture with Gertrude Sanger at the town hall!'
'Oh, I've heard of Gertrude!'Alice seemed interested now.'I wouldn't mind hearing her. She has cut quite a swath with her polemic promulgations nationwide! Indeed, some of her presentations were met with picketing and near-riots! Imagine! Ladies against women! I can't fathom it myself.'
'Neither can I, Al.'Em agreed.'She only wishes to promote birth-control measures as something of benefit to womankind! One of the major causes of poverty world-wide is when one cannot support a great number of children! And some are left without a father, the mother cannot take care of them all, and then has to give some up to an institution! Or, worse, they are simply left, to starve and die! It's utterly beyond me how instigating a more humane way of coping with family matters would be a subject of immorality!'
'You know how small-minded people can be,'Alice set her jaw.'To some, it portends nothing but licentiousness and moral turpitude. Especially Bishop O'Reilly. He thinks nothing of unwanted and starving children! The only thing on his evil mind is fantasizing about people having abit of fun that he'll never know, outside of his altar boys.'
Em about lost her tea then.'Alice!'she sputtered, reaching for a napkin.'Mercy woman but you did me a turn!'Em recovered her composure.'You're right though. Oh, goddess...how can such narrow minds be reached? It's something I cannot imagine, having such an outlook.I see only unwanted, starving, dying childen, suffering greatly. While others see only evil, evil in preventing it!The whole world just seems completely upside-down, Alice!'Em sighed.The clock chimed one in the morning. 'Well,'she continued,yawning'I shall be going to the lecture, come what may. Join me, Al?'.
Alice stood and gathered the tea tray.'You can count on it! Wouldn't miss it for the world! And bring it on, if it's a tussle they want-- those fine upstanding, Sunday-church-going and Saturday-nite-doss-house patrons!'
Em put her arm about Alice's shoulders. 'I think I just love you best, Al.Especially times like this!'
'Get off me and off to bed with you! It's just MacGregor and me tonight, you daft hussy!'
'Alice you're a card and no mistake.'Em raked the coals to the back of the fireplace and made sure the screen was well set before turning off the lamps but one which she carried up to her rooms. 'I'll be leaving before 6pm tomorrow! Be ready!'
'Avanti, always,'called Alice.
......
As Yeats drove Aleister and Jack back to Crowley House, they began a discussion of their own.Yeats had informed them of his reconnaisance and the fact that he had found no further clues.
'This sounds like one of El Juan's flash-in-the-pan scare tactics,'Aleister concluded, lighting up a cigarillo. 'He just wants us to know he's followed us. Trying to keep us distracted with his stage-magic tricks.' Al talked around his cigar.'Hm. That Alice though, the redoubtable Mrs. Stein! Quite a lady, eh? Damn fine brandy as well...'
Jack wasn't convinced.'I don't know. Aleister, you do realize that WE are the reason Flubber is now here, and Emmeline, and Alice, could be in danger!'Jack coughed.'Damn your bloody cigars! And as to the brandy, now!You do like the lush life, don't you Al--accent on 'lush'?'Jack looked pointedly at Parsons.
'Lord and Lady, Jack! How often do we feast upon fresh fruit, vegetables that do not taste like wood, and brandy distilled from grapes that actually taste like grapes? I admit I'm an old hedonist, but a mild one. If I begin to sleep in past noon, as you do yourself, be sure to inform me that I have fallen into the bottomless pit of your own wicked ways..'Parsons ended dryly.
Jack sighed and crossed his arms about himself. 'I apologize, Al. I am grateful that you took the time to ah, comfort the widow.'He looked at Aleister, whose eyebrow had shot up under his hat,'But let us not get too distracted.'
Aleister took a slow pull on his smoke.'I see...looking out for Em's friend, is that it? Really Jack! Do you think I'm such a blackguard that I would befriend 'the widow' as you call her, only to partake of easy access to her brandy, etcetera? Jack, I will have you know that I am actually growing rather fond of our Alice. As a friend, of course. I hardly know the woman! But I appreciate her forthright attitude. She is, as well, a quite handsome woman...'Aleister puffed meditatively in silence awhile.
Jack looked over at his friend. Could it actually be? Could Al really have taken notice of Mrs. Stein, as a person? Jack was used to Aleister's ways with women: either he brushed them aside, dealing with them in his firm but gentle professional manner, as one would a flighty filly, or he was involved only in brief affairs with women who were not interested in settling down at all; both parties intent on a bit of fun and nothing more. 'I just don't want to see her getting hurt, Al.'
'Rest easy, my boy, you shan't. However, now that we have all made our introductions and have gotten to know one another better, I think things are well underway! Surely two ladies alone such as ours, would be glad of a bit of holiday cheer on the Solstice, from a couple of single and not-too repugnant-looking gentlemen such as ourselves, don't you think?' Aleister grinned, ciagrillo alight in his teeth, giving him a rather jack-o-lanternish appearance in the misty dark.
'You never change, Al.' Jack smiled at his friend, noting they had nearly arrived home..
Aleister would not be put off.'That's not such a bad thing, is it?'
. . . . .
Well, then. Closer looms the Solstice, and further away from reality fly the inchoate plans of Aleister and Jack! With El Juan's sigil now in Em and Alice's back yard, what of THEIR plans to hie off to the very next evening's possibly dangerous assignation with the infamous Gertrude Sanger! Be sure not to miss the next potentially dreadful penny installment of--
Emmeline Page (& Alice Stein!)-Revolutionary Librarians!
I think this chapter would go well with 'Super Taranta' by Gogol Bordello and tea. You may add brandy if you absolutely must.But not too much!If you sleep too late, you shall miss it all!
Carry On!
Stars, Sigils and Strangers In The Night
Aleister took a long sip of Alice's excellent brandy and stood to place himself before the hearth and address the company.(Grandstander, thought Jack). 'Indeed, another circle! And we found it in the south pasture of Crowley Estate, just last evening.'
'So it wasn't a dream!' Emmeline sat up, excited.'I thought I'd been awakened by thunder, but it dissipated so quickly, I wasn't sure. Recall, Alice I asked you if you'd heard anything?'
'I may have. Bit of a sound sleeper myself,' admitted Alice,'But do go on, doctor. --Aleister.'
Al smiled at her.'We searched the place directly after the storm and found the same glyph blasted into our field!'
'But what can it all mean?' asked Alice.
Jack spoke up,'We aren't sure, exactly. We are investigating. But, Aleister, don't you think that it is time to tell Emmeline what is the nature of the tournament trouble? That was why we were to meet in the first place.'
'Right you are, Jack!'Aleister returned to his seat.'I beg of you ladies to bear with us, and to keep those excellent minds of yours completely open to any conjecture, however as yet unproven. May I ask for a ...suspension of disbelief at present? Please know that we are simply trying to be good neighbors, to do our part for the welfare of the community. ' Aleister looked at Alice,'...and I hoped, we hoped, we could all become friends.'
Alice looked at Emmeline. 'We've certainly experienced some things lately that would stretch the limits of our imaginations! Pray continue, Aleister. Emmeline and I will make no hasty judgements, right Em?' Emmeline nodded.
'Very well. the long and short of it is this: You experienced tonight, Miss Page, the use of my 'specter-scope' and it proved what I'd suspected from my research of the area: that a certain expanse of the park where the playing field lies, was many years ago, a very old Indian burial site.'
Emmeline's eyes were wide, but she held herself in check.'Doctor...does that enclude the library itself?''
'I do not believe so. According to historical records, what we could find at least,it is all situated about the giant oak in one corner of the field. I haven't entree myself into any Native tribes here now, so what information we could find is scanty and no doubt all but erased by the white men's accounts...For Jack and myself, at least, who are familiar with the scope and have many times proven the veracity of it's findings, all the proof we needed was what we beheld with our own eyes.'
Alice had meanwhile taken all this in rather quietly, sitting and sipping her drink with MacGregor asleep next to her. She now roused herself,'...so...what has this to do with your 'exanguinating' Emmeline the other night?' she asked wickedly.
'I...what? Good Lord! Dear lady...'began Aleister, but Em interrupted,'Alice is having you on, doctor! She is an awful tease. You had best get used to it!But,yes, do tell the rest of your tale.'
'...eh, um, yes.'Aleister wasn't used to teasing, except from Jack who usually took the piss out of him in earnest. 'Alice, my dear, and Miss Page, I assure you both I took as small a sample as I dared and only in the interest of science and in being absolute in my diagnosis,in ex officio only!'taking a sip of brandy to restore himself, Al continued.'I know Jack and I are both graced with native blood, so our baselines matched up, as did yours,Miss Page.But none of the others did.Of the other samples we took from those injured on the field, none was a remote match.Quite a variance, really.
After doing a small bit of research regarding the background of those who were afflicted that we knew something of, like your library director,we dicovered, not surprisingly, that they were all of pure Aryan stock--German and Dutch families mostly. If you recall, most of the lads were fair-haired boys who were injured that day.We only needed the scope's demonstrations to evince our findings.Just why this is will, I assure you, be a study I shall undertake with enthusiasm! It could be some sort of naturally occurring opsonin in native blood...'
'My stars...'Emmeline took a long sip.'How clever, doctor! What a convoluted case.
But what now? What is to prevent this or some other similar trouble occurring again?'
'As you may recall, Miss Page, and I'll wager that you will--being the astronomer that you are--the Geminid meteor showers happened to fall upon the same general dates as the tournament. I confess I'm still rather at a loss as to explain exactly the relationship of this particular occurrence to the phenomenon we witnessed, but the night before the tournament, I chanced to examine the meteor showers with the specter-scope! The meteors I could catch through the scope bore the same lime-green type of phosphorescence that made up the specters, which lead me to hypothesize the relationship between the two. As this hadn't happened before, that we know of, I concluded that only during the December showers and in this particular place, possibly only at this point in the history of time as well,could this unfortunate accident manifest!'
'Hm...we can but hope,' Emmeline concluded.Just then the clock struck the hour of midnight.'Ah, there is the proof of your conjecture of time's influence upon us all!'
Jack and Aleister looked at one another. 'Ye-es...'Jack spoke up,'We regret having presumed so much upon your gracious hospitality, ladies!'Just then there was a light tap at the door.
'That will be Yeats, at last!'Aleister stood.'Are you certain you will be alright here tonight? How are you feeling, Alice?'he took her hands in his.
'Rather more the thing now, thank you Aleister!'She and Emmeline rose and escorted the gentlemen to the door. 'I'm certain we shall be fine.It has been a long evening and one for the books, truly! But I don't think I can remain awake much longer, despite roving backyard tornadoes!Thank you so much for your kind assistance, Aleister,and Jack.'
'Do come round soon to Crowley House and allow me to return the hospitality, dear lady. We shall be in touch! And do not, I repeat do not hesitate to let us know if anything untoward should occur! Do not take any chances, either of you, my dears.'With characteristic admonishments Aleister opened the door and exited with Yeats.
As Alice yawned and headed off to retire, Emmeline and Jack stood facing one another in the hallway.'That goes doubly from me to you, Emmeline. I know Aleister is trying not to alarm Alice, but we have intimation that the matter of these strange glyphs portends something possibly quite troublesome, and is not related to the tournament or the burial ground.Well, perhaps indirectly. Do not take any chances, no going about alone after dark. I can count on this?'
'You may be assured that I shall take your warnings to heart, Jack. Thank you! Your help and Aleister's was most timely and salutary! I know Alice much appreciates your kind attentions.'Em hesitated.'...as do I.'
Jack smiled and took her hand.'Good.Then I bid you a good-night. And sweet dreams, Emmeline.'Jack bowed and kissed her hand lightly. Then he turned away and trotted off to the waiting trap.Yeats clicked to the bay and they were off, into the dark midnight.
Emmeline closed the door.'Saucy monkey,' she said to herself. Hearing noises from the kitchen, she headed in that direction, only to find Alice busy with the tea things.'Al! I thought you were dropping with fatigue!'
'Are you?'Em shook her head.'Who in bloody blazes could sleep with a tornado making sigils in their backyard? I'm for tea. How about you?' Alice didn't wait for she knew the answer, and filled the kettle full.
Retiring to the parlor, Emmeline stoked the fire and sat next to MacGregor on the sofa. Alice soon joined them and stroked the little dog's head and smiled.'It was good of Aleister to be of service to us,'she observed,'but mercy! Such pleonastic prolixity I've not witnessed since our last staff meeting with Director Dickman.'Alice sighed.'But I believe the good doctor does mean well.'
Em was chuckling.'Alice you are the very devil's handmaid!I thought you were becoming besotted with his grandiose compliments! He seemed to be a man used to holding court, as it were.'
'Obviously...'remarked Al dryly, who rose to attend to the whistling tea kettle.'But what of you and Black Jack Van Horn, eh?'she tossed over her shoulder.
What, indeed? thought Em. Jack seemed rather intent upon her, she sighed.She didn't need complications right now.
Alice returned with tea, having cleared the empty brandy glasses.'The men do like their brandy,'she observed. 'But that's not all they were warming to.Well, Em?'
Alice poured the Earl Grey.'I know you and Captain Omen have been 'together' going on 10 years now! But seeing a man once or twice a year is not togetherness, my dear...'
Emmeline took her teacup and leaned back against the pillows, a small furrow upon her brow.'Oh, Alice...I know you and Frank had a wonderful marriage...and I know you wish the same for me. Don't deny it! Every time I say as much as hello to a passing male acquaintance you begin planning the wedding!'
Alice sipped her tea with a small smile and waggled her eyebrows at Em.
'Don't!'Em began laughing,'I get tea up my nose when you make faces!Oh, Alice...'
'Enough with the 'Oh Alices!' I just want you to be happy, Em dear.'
Emmeline had that frown line again.'Where is it written that a woman absolutely needs a man, just one man, to be happy?' She set her cup down. 'Al, I know you mean well. But, I'm hardly a green girl of 20 anymore. I know my own mind, and heart. I just don't think marriage is in the cards for me! That is why we've gotten on so well, for so long, Keithcliff and myself. He did propose, long ago, you know. I simply couldn't, as much as I dearly love England...and him.'She looked at Alice who was quiet now.'Please forgive my going on. I know that you believe you are 'looking out' for me.It's not easy swimming upstream you know.By deciding to remain single, I'm going against the current. So many of my sex seem to simply be obsessed with marriage and children. But I never have been, Al!
Never! Sometimes I astonish myself! I just see so much injustice and pain in the world and I feel I must do something to help! There's so much to be done!I haven't time for...anything else.'Emmeline looked into the fire, and let her thoughts drift.
Alice poured more tea and sighed.'You are absolutely right, dear. You know your own mind, as you say.I've known you long enough to have observed that much about you. Your dates and dalliances with men have never lasted long. Oh, don't think I don't know that you do have gentlemen friends.But none have ever been anything more to you?'
'Alice, you know a bit of my background. I lost my mother at rather an early age, and my father, 'The Absent-minded Professor' as we used to call him, was quite lost without her. He began to practically live at the lab, I never saw him, we never spoke, really.It fell to me to finish school, and take care of him, the house, all the housewifely duties...'Em sighed.'Maybe I just became tired of all that early on, and wanted something else for myself.Out of the house, away, beyond it all...Maybe I'd like that option at least,and it isn't too hard to believe that other young women may want it as well.Or perhaps...perhaps I simply haven't met anyone with whom I've much in common. No man I've ever known is all that serious about improving the human condition...to the point in which it becomes their raison de'tre...'
Staring into the flames, Em suddenly sat up,'Oh my stars! I'd nearly forgotten! Tomorrow night is the Family Planning lecture with Gertrude Sanger at the town hall!'
'Oh, I've heard of Gertrude!'Alice seemed interested now.'I wouldn't mind hearing her. She has cut quite a swath with her polemic promulgations nationwide! Indeed, some of her presentations were met with picketing and near-riots! Imagine! Ladies against women! I can't fathom it myself.'
'Neither can I, Al.'Em agreed.'She only wishes to promote birth-control measures as something of benefit to womankind! One of the major causes of poverty world-wide is when one cannot support a great number of children! And some are left without a father, the mother cannot take care of them all, and then has to give some up to an institution! Or, worse, they are simply left, to starve and die! It's utterly beyond me how instigating a more humane way of coping with family matters would be a subject of immorality!'
'You know how small-minded people can be,'Alice set her jaw.'To some, it portends nothing but licentiousness and moral turpitude. Especially Bishop O'Reilly. He thinks nothing of unwanted and starving children! The only thing on his evil mind is fantasizing about people having abit of fun that he'll never know, outside of his altar boys.'
Em about lost her tea then.'Alice!'she sputtered, reaching for a napkin.'Mercy woman but you did me a turn!'Em recovered her composure.'You're right though. Oh, goddess...how can such narrow minds be reached? It's something I cannot imagine, having such an outlook.I see only unwanted, starving, dying childen, suffering greatly. While others see only evil, evil in preventing it!The whole world just seems completely upside-down, Alice!'Em sighed.The clock chimed one in the morning. 'Well,'she continued,yawning'I shall be going to the lecture, come what may. Join me, Al?'.
Alice stood and gathered the tea tray.'You can count on it! Wouldn't miss it for the world! And bring it on, if it's a tussle they want-- those fine upstanding, Sunday-church-going and Saturday-nite-doss-house patrons!'
Em put her arm about Alice's shoulders. 'I think I just love you best, Al.Especially times like this!'
'Get off me and off to bed with you! It's just MacGregor and me tonight, you daft hussy!'
'Alice you're a card and no mistake.'Em raked the coals to the back of the fireplace and made sure the screen was well set before turning off the lamps but one which she carried up to her rooms. 'I'll be leaving before 6pm tomorrow! Be ready!'
'Avanti, always,'called Alice.
......
As Yeats drove Aleister and Jack back to Crowley House, they began a discussion of their own.Yeats had informed them of his reconnaisance and the fact that he had found no further clues.
'This sounds like one of El Juan's flash-in-the-pan scare tactics,'Aleister concluded, lighting up a cigarillo. 'He just wants us to know he's followed us. Trying to keep us distracted with his stage-magic tricks.' Al talked around his cigar.'Hm. That Alice though, the redoubtable Mrs. Stein! Quite a lady, eh? Damn fine brandy as well...'
Jack wasn't convinced.'I don't know. Aleister, you do realize that WE are the reason Flubber is now here, and Emmeline, and Alice, could be in danger!'Jack coughed.'Damn your bloody cigars! And as to the brandy, now!You do like the lush life, don't you Al--accent on 'lush'?'Jack looked pointedly at Parsons.
'Lord and Lady, Jack! How often do we feast upon fresh fruit, vegetables that do not taste like wood, and brandy distilled from grapes that actually taste like grapes? I admit I'm an old hedonist, but a mild one. If I begin to sleep in past noon, as you do yourself, be sure to inform me that I have fallen into the bottomless pit of your own wicked ways..'Parsons ended dryly.
Jack sighed and crossed his arms about himself. 'I apologize, Al. I am grateful that you took the time to ah, comfort the widow.'He looked at Aleister, whose eyebrow had shot up under his hat,'But let us not get too distracted.'
Aleister took a slow pull on his smoke.'I see...looking out for Em's friend, is that it? Really Jack! Do you think I'm such a blackguard that I would befriend 'the widow' as you call her, only to partake of easy access to her brandy, etcetera? Jack, I will have you know that I am actually growing rather fond of our Alice. As a friend, of course. I hardly know the woman! But I appreciate her forthright attitude. She is, as well, a quite handsome woman...'Aleister puffed meditatively in silence awhile.
Jack looked over at his friend. Could it actually be? Could Al really have taken notice of Mrs. Stein, as a person? Jack was used to Aleister's ways with women: either he brushed them aside, dealing with them in his firm but gentle professional manner, as one would a flighty filly, or he was involved only in brief affairs with women who were not interested in settling down at all; both parties intent on a bit of fun and nothing more. 'I just don't want to see her getting hurt, Al.'
'Rest easy, my boy, you shan't. However, now that we have all made our introductions and have gotten to know one another better, I think things are well underway! Surely two ladies alone such as ours, would be glad of a bit of holiday cheer on the Solstice, from a couple of single and not-too repugnant-looking gentlemen such as ourselves, don't you think?' Aleister grinned, ciagrillo alight in his teeth, giving him a rather jack-o-lanternish appearance in the misty dark.
'You never change, Al.' Jack smiled at his friend, noting they had nearly arrived home..
Aleister would not be put off.'That's not such a bad thing, is it?'
. . . . .
Well, then. Closer looms the Solstice, and further away from reality fly the inchoate plans of Aleister and Jack! With El Juan's sigil now in Em and Alice's back yard, what of THEIR plans to hie off to the very next evening's possibly dangerous assignation with the infamous Gertrude Sanger! Be sure not to miss the next potentially dreadful penny installment of--
Emmeline Page (& Alice Stein!)-Revolutionary Librarians!
I think this chapter would go well with 'Super Taranta' by Gogol Bordello and tea. You may add brandy if you absolutely must.But not too much!If you sleep too late, you shall miss it all!
Carry On!
Monday, January 24, 2011
Chapter 6 Foiled By Flubber
As Yeats drove them back to Alice and Emmeline's house, Jack and Aleister tried to salvage the situation;this hadn't turned out at all the way they'd hoped...Em was supposed to have been more trusting of them after seeing the specters in the field, not less. Aleister tried to reassure Emmeline of their instruments' veracity.'Miss Page, do forgive us our presuming upon your good will. In all honesty, we hoped that you would be more inclined to see things our way after, well, actually seeing what we saw, the way we saw it!'
Em said not a word and kept staring straight ahead.
Jack could see this was not going well. 'Miss Page, Emmeline...'
'--Miss Page.' Em countered.
'Ah, at last she's talking to us!' Jack was encouraged, poor lad, thought Aleister, who had given up and now sat back in the carriage, thinking only of the brandy decanter awaiting them at home now. What a night...
Jack pressed on:'I realize you do not know us well. But if Aleister was not a medical doctor, how could he possibly know of your Indian ancestor?' Aleister sat up, alert now that he believed Jack had put his big foot in his mouth in the worst possible way. 'Jack, maybe Miss Page isn't aware of...?'
'Oh, I am aware that I am in fact, part Cherokee!' Emmeline admitted. 'And, I feel that I benefit greatly by my native blood! Although my great grandmother
was never known to me, she is revered by all in my family. However, I need not tell you gentlemen that not all in Pankhurst are so open-minded. DAR I am not.'
'Miss Page!' Aleister and Jack fought for her attention. Jack won, for once,'I would, we would, never be so small-minded as to think that you were anything but proud of your heritage! Aleister and I can claim at least a drop of Indian blood as well. We're aware too, of the evil-mindedness of small town yahoos that can be racist. I assure you that Aleister and myself will keep this matter between us, only. Yeats you may trust as well.'
Emmeline still remained silent as they pulled up before Alice's gate. 'Emmeline...please,'Jack began, but just then the front door flew open and Alice rushed out to them. 'Emmeline, Jack! I don't know what just happened! But I am very glad you're back!'
'What is it? Alice, what's happened?'Emmeline asked as Jack helped her from the carriage and they, along with Aleister, approached the gate. Alice opened it and beckoned them inside. 'I was reading in bed, just about 10 minutes after you'd gone. Suddenly I noticed the sky grew dark and MacGregor began barking like mad! I looked out of the window and saw...well, I'm not sure what, exactly...'Alice looked inquiringly at the doctor.
Emmeline took Alice's hands in hers, 'Alice, this is Doctor Parsons, a friend of Jacks, and mine,'she added. 'Let's go inside and you can tell us all you know.'
Aleister instructed Yeats to spend awhile at the town tavern and come back to call for them later. Jack knew that Yeats would be otherwise occupied, as the three of them had an idea of what was now at Emmeline's doorstep.
Emmeline took Alice into the parlor and sat her on the sofa while Jack built up the fire. Aleister sat on the other side of the distraught Alice. 'Mrs. Stein, if I may? I'm a medical doctor and if I can be of any assistance please don't hesitate to ask.'
'Oh, I'm fine, myself, doctor,'Alice seemed more bewildered than anything else.
'I just had abit of a turn, is all. Em, could you fix some tea for me please? And
offer some to these gentlemen as well, dear.'
As Em headed to the kitchen, loud barks and scratchings came from the sitting room door. 'MacGregor is none too happy, shall I free him, then?' and opened the door to allow a rush of black fur on short legs to scurry into the room. MacGregor, a Scottie, rushed up to his mistress Alice and sniffed her skirts, to be sure that she was well and whole since his absence from her.
'Ah who's this then?'MacGregor allowed Aleister and Jack a pet or two,'I've always been fond of Scotty-dogs!'Aleister smiled.'Had one as a boy, old Toby...'
'Oh, this is my paladin and protector, so he is,'Alice scratched MacGregor's tufted head. 'You couldn't ask for a better burglar alarm.'
Emmeline returned with the tea and pouring a round for all, sat at Alice's side and handed her a cup. 'Now, dear. Just tell us your, impressions, I guess?'
Alice took a long sip of tea and sighed.'Well, it was the oddest thing, really!
It wasn't quite twilight yet, but everything went dark, almost as if the lamp went low just then, as well as a gathering dark outside. MacGregor here set up a row, and I looked out through the window...' she paused and set her cup down.
'Oh, Em...you know I'm the most practical of women and not at all prone to silly fancies...'
Emmeline looked at Jack. 'Alice, I assure you, you're not the only one who saw something odd tonight.'She noticed Jack breathe a sigh of relief as he took his cup of tea.'Go on, dear.'
'Alright then. Well, I could swear I saw what seemed to be a dark cloud, moving
by itself! Sortof floating along, independently! It stopped over the back yard and, and well, a kind of beam of light shot out of it to the ground!' Alice looked up defiantly. 'I'm not making things up!' she asserted with a firm set to her jaw. 'Well, MacGregor went wild! I don't know what that thing could do to him, so I rushed outside to get him from harm's way. When I got out back, the cloud or whatever it was, had gone. But it left, something.' Alice looked at them. 'Come see. Then maybe you'll believe me!'
Em looked at Jack and the doctor. 'Dear, we don't doubt you now! But yes, let us all look at once! I'll fetch the lantern!'
As Em took the lamp from the wall, Alice led them all out the back door, MacGregor at their heels. 'It was about...here! There, in the grass. Do you see it?' Emmeline held the light over the area indicated by Alice. 'It's like a mark of some sort, etched into the lawn.'
Alice snatched up MacGregor as Jack and Aleister bent down to study the markings more closely. 'Another circle, it looks like, Jack,'Parsons traced it around with his finger.'And, there in the middle...'
'A triangle.' Jack and Aleister stood and looked at each other. '...Aleister--'
'Ladies,'the doctor interrupted,'Indeed this is a strange sign and no mistake. But, my young partner and I have seen such things before. If I may suggest we
return to the fire, perhaps we can shed abit of light on Mrs. Stein's unfortunate
upset here tonight.Madame?'Parsons escorted Alice back into the house with Jack and Emmeline following close behind.
The friends arranged themselves about the parlor, Alice still seeming abit at sea, absently stroking MacGregor's head on her lap. 'My dear lady, are you certain you feel well enough? Would you prefer that Jack and I take ourselves off home,perhaps?' Parsons enquired, with a hand on her arm.
'No! No, Doctor, I'll be fine. I'm relieved you all are here, actually! It's been rather an odd night and no mistake. However. I believe I could use something a bit stronger than tea, Em, do you mind?' Alice waved Emmeline over to the crystal decanters on the sideboard sparkling with amber libations. 'Gentlemen, please do join us in a brandy, would you? I have a feeling it will help wash down
whatever explanation may be offered for such a, ah, singular phenomenon as what is now in my back yard!'
As Emmeline offered the brandys all round, Doctor Parsons spoke up,'I'm afraid your phenomenon is not all that singular, Mrs. Stein...'
Alice took a sip of her heartening potion.'It's 'Alice' please, doctor!'
'Alice!' Parsons smiled her way,'And I must insist that you call me Aleister! This brandy is a welcome respite, I must say. It has been rather an unusual past few weeks.'
Jack cleared his throat and gazed hard upon Parsons. 'Do we really wish to further discommode these lovely ladies with your tales just now, Doctor?'
'Jack,'Emmeline began,'I think that we, all of us now, are rather involved already! I also think that if you know more about what is happening here in our own back yard!--that you should come straight out with it forthwith! '
Jack sighed and handing the floor over to the doctor with a flourish of his arm, took a seat, brandy in hand, and glowered into his glass.
'You're quite right, Miss Page!'Aleister took a small sip and continued,'These ladies would seem to have attributes other than feminine beauty...'
'...thank you, Aleister!' Alice interjected, warming to the doctor as well as the brandy.
'You're welcome, Alice.'he continued,'And they seem not lacking in wit or daring, if I may say! Dear lady,'Aleister turned to Alice,'It was admirable of you to rush to the aid of your faithful companion! But, it could have been something not so benign as a simple mark left in your lawn! Do promise me that you will take more care in the future, should anything seem amiss and we are not nearby!'
'Ah,well, now. I'm quite used to being on my own,these years since Mr. Stein's passing.'Alice sat up straight.'But, outside you actually mentioned, 'another' circle, did you not?'
. . . . . . .
Ho, ho! What now Dear Reader? Not only has the troublesome tornado struck the Crowley estate but our Emmeline's back yard as well! What could this portend?
And not only has the enigmatic Jack Van Horn been seemingly bent upon captivating
Em, but now the dubious doctor appears to be hard at engratiating himself into Alice's good graces! - to what end, we wonder?
Be sure to pick up the next penny-dreadful installment of the Adventures of Emmeline Page - Revolutionary Librarian!
this chapter could use abit of brandy to wash it all down. (in the inimitable style of Elizabeth Peters I can't help but imitate her fondness for washing down
strange sphinx-like mysteries with a whiskey, in all but choice of beverage.)
I'd suggest some Pink Martini to go with - perhaps the 'Hey Eugene' cd.
(or as Caesar said when he walked into a bar: 'I'll have a martinus!'
the bartender answered, 'You mean, a martini?'
Caesar saith, 'Hey, if I wanted a double, I'd ask for it!'
Til next time, luv. Cheers!
Em said not a word and kept staring straight ahead.
Jack could see this was not going well. 'Miss Page, Emmeline...'
'--Miss Page.' Em countered.
'Ah, at last she's talking to us!' Jack was encouraged, poor lad, thought Aleister, who had given up and now sat back in the carriage, thinking only of the brandy decanter awaiting them at home now. What a night...
Jack pressed on:'I realize you do not know us well. But if Aleister was not a medical doctor, how could he possibly know of your Indian ancestor?' Aleister sat up, alert now that he believed Jack had put his big foot in his mouth in the worst possible way. 'Jack, maybe Miss Page isn't aware of...?'
'Oh, I am aware that I am in fact, part Cherokee!' Emmeline admitted. 'And, I feel that I benefit greatly by my native blood! Although my great grandmother
was never known to me, she is revered by all in my family. However, I need not tell you gentlemen that not all in Pankhurst are so open-minded. DAR I am not.'
'Miss Page!' Aleister and Jack fought for her attention. Jack won, for once,'I would, we would, never be so small-minded as to think that you were anything but proud of your heritage! Aleister and I can claim at least a drop of Indian blood as well. We're aware too, of the evil-mindedness of small town yahoos that can be racist. I assure you that Aleister and myself will keep this matter between us, only. Yeats you may trust as well.'
Emmeline still remained silent as they pulled up before Alice's gate. 'Emmeline...please,'Jack began, but just then the front door flew open and Alice rushed out to them. 'Emmeline, Jack! I don't know what just happened! But I am very glad you're back!'
'What is it? Alice, what's happened?'Emmeline asked as Jack helped her from the carriage and they, along with Aleister, approached the gate. Alice opened it and beckoned them inside. 'I was reading in bed, just about 10 minutes after you'd gone. Suddenly I noticed the sky grew dark and MacGregor began barking like mad! I looked out of the window and saw...well, I'm not sure what, exactly...'Alice looked inquiringly at the doctor.
Emmeline took Alice's hands in hers, 'Alice, this is Doctor Parsons, a friend of Jacks, and mine,'she added. 'Let's go inside and you can tell us all you know.'
Aleister instructed Yeats to spend awhile at the town tavern and come back to call for them later. Jack knew that Yeats would be otherwise occupied, as the three of them had an idea of what was now at Emmeline's doorstep.
Emmeline took Alice into the parlor and sat her on the sofa while Jack built up the fire. Aleister sat on the other side of the distraught Alice. 'Mrs. Stein, if I may? I'm a medical doctor and if I can be of any assistance please don't hesitate to ask.'
'Oh, I'm fine, myself, doctor,'Alice seemed more bewildered than anything else.
'I just had abit of a turn, is all. Em, could you fix some tea for me please? And
offer some to these gentlemen as well, dear.'
As Em headed to the kitchen, loud barks and scratchings came from the sitting room door. 'MacGregor is none too happy, shall I free him, then?' and opened the door to allow a rush of black fur on short legs to scurry into the room. MacGregor, a Scottie, rushed up to his mistress Alice and sniffed her skirts, to be sure that she was well and whole since his absence from her.
'Ah who's this then?'MacGregor allowed Aleister and Jack a pet or two,'I've always been fond of Scotty-dogs!'Aleister smiled.'Had one as a boy, old Toby...'
'Oh, this is my paladin and protector, so he is,'Alice scratched MacGregor's tufted head. 'You couldn't ask for a better burglar alarm.'
Emmeline returned with the tea and pouring a round for all, sat at Alice's side and handed her a cup. 'Now, dear. Just tell us your, impressions, I guess?'
Alice took a long sip of tea and sighed.'Well, it was the oddest thing, really!
It wasn't quite twilight yet, but everything went dark, almost as if the lamp went low just then, as well as a gathering dark outside. MacGregor here set up a row, and I looked out through the window...' she paused and set her cup down.
'Oh, Em...you know I'm the most practical of women and not at all prone to silly fancies...'
Emmeline looked at Jack. 'Alice, I assure you, you're not the only one who saw something odd tonight.'She noticed Jack breathe a sigh of relief as he took his cup of tea.'Go on, dear.'
'Alright then. Well, I could swear I saw what seemed to be a dark cloud, moving
by itself! Sortof floating along, independently! It stopped over the back yard and, and well, a kind of beam of light shot out of it to the ground!' Alice looked up defiantly. 'I'm not making things up!' she asserted with a firm set to her jaw. 'Well, MacGregor went wild! I don't know what that thing could do to him, so I rushed outside to get him from harm's way. When I got out back, the cloud or whatever it was, had gone. But it left, something.' Alice looked at them. 'Come see. Then maybe you'll believe me!'
Em looked at Jack and the doctor. 'Dear, we don't doubt you now! But yes, let us all look at once! I'll fetch the lantern!'
As Em took the lamp from the wall, Alice led them all out the back door, MacGregor at their heels. 'It was about...here! There, in the grass. Do you see it?' Emmeline held the light over the area indicated by Alice. 'It's like a mark of some sort, etched into the lawn.'
Alice snatched up MacGregor as Jack and Aleister bent down to study the markings more closely. 'Another circle, it looks like, Jack,'Parsons traced it around with his finger.'And, there in the middle...'
'A triangle.' Jack and Aleister stood and looked at each other. '...Aleister--'
'Ladies,'the doctor interrupted,'Indeed this is a strange sign and no mistake. But, my young partner and I have seen such things before. If I may suggest we
return to the fire, perhaps we can shed abit of light on Mrs. Stein's unfortunate
upset here tonight.Madame?'Parsons escorted Alice back into the house with Jack and Emmeline following close behind.
The friends arranged themselves about the parlor, Alice still seeming abit at sea, absently stroking MacGregor's head on her lap. 'My dear lady, are you certain you feel well enough? Would you prefer that Jack and I take ourselves off home,perhaps?' Parsons enquired, with a hand on her arm.
'No! No, Doctor, I'll be fine. I'm relieved you all are here, actually! It's been rather an odd night and no mistake. However. I believe I could use something a bit stronger than tea, Em, do you mind?' Alice waved Emmeline over to the crystal decanters on the sideboard sparkling with amber libations. 'Gentlemen, please do join us in a brandy, would you? I have a feeling it will help wash down
whatever explanation may be offered for such a, ah, singular phenomenon as what is now in my back yard!'
As Emmeline offered the brandys all round, Doctor Parsons spoke up,'I'm afraid your phenomenon is not all that singular, Mrs. Stein...'
Alice took a sip of her heartening potion.'It's 'Alice' please, doctor!'
'Alice!' Parsons smiled her way,'And I must insist that you call me Aleister! This brandy is a welcome respite, I must say. It has been rather an unusual past few weeks.'
Jack cleared his throat and gazed hard upon Parsons. 'Do we really wish to further discommode these lovely ladies with your tales just now, Doctor?'
'Jack,'Emmeline began,'I think that we, all of us now, are rather involved already! I also think that if you know more about what is happening here in our own back yard!--that you should come straight out with it forthwith! '
Jack sighed and handing the floor over to the doctor with a flourish of his arm, took a seat, brandy in hand, and glowered into his glass.
'You're quite right, Miss Page!'Aleister took a small sip and continued,'These ladies would seem to have attributes other than feminine beauty...'
'...thank you, Aleister!' Alice interjected, warming to the doctor as well as the brandy.
'You're welcome, Alice.'he continued,'And they seem not lacking in wit or daring, if I may say! Dear lady,'Aleister turned to Alice,'It was admirable of you to rush to the aid of your faithful companion! But, it could have been something not so benign as a simple mark left in your lawn! Do promise me that you will take more care in the future, should anything seem amiss and we are not nearby!'
'Ah,well, now. I'm quite used to being on my own,these years since Mr. Stein's passing.'Alice sat up straight.'But, outside you actually mentioned, 'another' circle, did you not?'
. . . . . . .
Ho, ho! What now Dear Reader? Not only has the troublesome tornado struck the Crowley estate but our Emmeline's back yard as well! What could this portend?
And not only has the enigmatic Jack Van Horn been seemingly bent upon captivating
Em, but now the dubious doctor appears to be hard at engratiating himself into Alice's good graces! - to what end, we wonder?
Be sure to pick up the next penny-dreadful installment of the Adventures of Emmeline Page - Revolutionary Librarian!
this chapter could use abit of brandy to wash it all down. (in the inimitable style of Elizabeth Peters I can't help but imitate her fondness for washing down
strange sphinx-like mysteries with a whiskey, in all but choice of beverage.)
I'd suggest some Pink Martini to go with - perhaps the 'Hey Eugene' cd.
(or as Caesar said when he walked into a bar: 'I'll have a martinus!'
the bartender answered, 'You mean, a martini?'
Caesar saith, 'Hey, if I wanted a double, I'd ask for it!'
Til next time, luv. Cheers!
Chapter 5 - Night of the Creeping Phantoms
Aleister headed to the stable behind Yeats and Jack who had dashed out immediately after the storm's end. As he entered he saw Jack tearing a canvas off of a large box labeled DANGER - EXPLOSIVES.
Jack had produced a set of keys and was busy unlocking the box when Aleister approached him, hand stroking his salt & pepper goatee. 'Jack, let's not be too hasty, especially with all that. We may not need black roses or lillies yet.'
Jack didn't look up from his task. 'You think not? You think THAT was just some freak weather anomaly!?'Aleister's hand was on his arm then. 'A posteriori, Jack.'
Jack sighed and stood up facing Aleister finally. 'What, then. We can't simply sit here...'Aleister held up his hand. 'I'm not suggesting we do nothing. But, let us not go haring off into the dark of night like a pair of anserine rookies! And leave that crate locked until we're sure of it's absolute need. Come on. Let's take a look at where that beam of red hit the ground.'
Yeats was ready with electric torches from their cache of anachronistic implements that could be used without attracting too much attention, at least in more private circumstances. Jack slung the canvas over the sinister crate and stalked outside behind the others, as they headed off toward the south pasture.
The moon cast a wan, cold light as they searched the area most likely to have been the target of the weird nocturnal phenomenon they'd just witnessed. As their torches swept the ground, nothing seemed to be amiss, until Yeats cried out, 'Here's something, see? The grasses have been flattened here.'
Jack and Aleister crept slowly toward the spot indicated by Yeats. As their torch beams swept the area, there seemed to be a sort of pattern in the flattened grass. 'So it seems, Yeats! See here Jack, almost a crop-circle there, eh?' Aleister's torch outlined a circular route in the dry yellow grasses.
'That's not all,' Jack's torch found a center within the circle,'Look there, a triangle, is it?'
'Bloody hell yes.'Aleister stood back aways to take in the entire glyph now that it had been isolated. 'Some damned new escutcheon of El Juan's now I suppose?'
'It would seem so. And it's just like him, to be so 'flash' as they'd say now.The man's maniacal egotism knows no bounds.' Jack's features betrayed his sour thoughts. ' I'd love to destroy the damned thing, but I suppose we should wait and study it come daylight.'
Aleister looked around them, and studied the sky. 'That's probably best, let's be out here at first light and take some still shots of it at least. I'll analyze the grasses' molecular structure. Let's head back to the house, and try to get some sleep then. Tomorrow could be a long day.'
. . . . . .
Emmeline arose rather late, even for a Saturday, with a vague feeling of unease. What had happened last night? She'd had that odd dream, or had it all been only a dream? She seemed to recall a building of sorts, all very familiar,with a sense of nostalgia, yet it was somewhere she couldn't place. But that strange storm that happened and then suddenly dissipated as though it had never been, that was no dream, surely.
She noticed with pleasure that Alice had been up before her and, true to her word, had been busy conjuring up a spice-laden gingerbread exotic as any from Alladin's magic lamp. Settling down to hot Earl Grey and with gingerbread melting in her mouth, the trials and mysteries of the night gradually faded into a cool but sunny afternoon.
She was deep in study of Mr. Engels's new book when Alice came in through the front door,carrying a bundle of letters. 'Mail's in!' she announced. 'And there's something here for you that you should find of interest, I'll warrant!'So saying she handed a short stack of letters to Em, with the envelope of note on top bearing foreign postage.
'Ah, a letter from Liverpool! And about time, too!' Emmeline tore open the envelope and extracted the tall,thin A6 stationery.'That Keefcliff has been uncharacteristically silent for some weeks, the rascal.' As Em bent intently over her letter, Alice hung up her coat on the hallway coathooks and joined her friend in the parlor, studying Emmeline's face for 'clues'...'Well, what's he say then?'
'Oh, Alice, you know it will take awhile to decipher his chicken-scratches, blast him!' but she was smiling. 'The main thing I've managed to de-code, is that he will be here, well, in San Francisco that is, on the Solstice!'
'Well, well! How serendipitous!'Alice sat down and began unlacing her boots.
'Yes,indeed. But don't worry, Al! We shall still make our show at Mendation's! He is coming to San Francisco for a short stop en route to Mexico, after which their ship will be returning to B.C. for awhile. He promises to stop again in the City on the way back and to spend more time here then. This Solstice stop-over is to be a quick one: "Mr. Orez and I earnestly request the pleasure of your company and Mrs. Stein's, in joining us for luncheon at Neptune's Palace in San Francisco on the 22nd." Let's see, when was this sent? October, so he was thinking ahead, bless him.Well, Alice? Do you think we should throw all rational thought to the winds and join these peripatetic reprobates...?'
Alice sighed and smiled as she kicked off both boots.'Why not?'She leaned back on the sofa and relaxed. 'It has been awhile since we've graced those rascals' presence...let's see...last summer I believe, wasn't it? Mercy! San Francisco hasn't heard the like since, I'll wager.'
'Oh, dear...between Captain Omen's broad Liverpudlian and Mr. Orez's flaming Portugese, if we hadn't been there to 'translate' they'd both have wound up in a Buddhist temple instead finding the 'buddha'- that is 'butter'- they were after!'
Em smiled and held the brittle sheets at arm's length and then peered closely at the intriguing cryptograms thereon. 'At least that's about all I'm able to puzzle out at the moment. I'll study this at a later date...Well! Our Solstice excursion will be a busy one!' She folded the crackling foreign sheets back into the envelope. 'By the way, Alice, did you hear thunder last night?'
Just then came a rather loud series of knocks upon the front door. 'I don't know about last night,' said Alice, 'But did it sound something like that? Who the blazes could this be?'
'Don't fash yourself, Al, I'll get it!' Emmeline rose to see who was at the door, suprised to find the short winter afternoon already growing dark. She looked prudently through the peep-hole before opening, and was rather discomfited to be met by the unanticipated arrival of Mr. Van Horn.
'Mister Van Horn!' Emmeline opens the door to find Jack standing, hat-in-hand as it were. 'What brings you here?'
'Miss Page, greetings! I realize that this is very short notice, but I thought that you would want to be notified of Dr. Parsons's findings regarding the matter of the injured lads from the tournament. I do hope I'm not interrupting anything major...?' Jack raised an eyebrow as he looked beyond Em's shoulder, attempting to judge how private their conversation should be.
'Oh, no, not at all...'Em recovered herself and cast a glance at Alice, who was busy hiding her boots neath the sofa whilst she exchanged them for a pair of embroidered Chinese slippers.'Do come in, Mr. Van Horn, please.'
Emmeline led Jack to the parlor, and introduced him to Alice with, 'This is Jack Van Horn, Alice!--the gentleman whose friend Dr. Parsons exsanguinated me the other evening!'
'My dear Miss Page!Mrs. Stein! It wasn't like that, I assure you...'Jack flustered.
Alice rescued him with a smile and a hearty hand-clasp. 'I'm Alice Stein, Emmeline's friend and housemate. Don't worry, Mr. Van Horn, I'm sure she deserved it, whatever it was!' ('Al!' Em protested, hands on hips.) Alice stood, 'I would love to hear more, but just now my dogs are barking and I'm taking to my bed, with a hot cuppa. Emmeline will offer you the same, no doubt, at some point...?' Alice finished with a wicked glance Em's way as she sashayed into the kitchen,'Delighted to have met you, Jack.'she finished and took her exit.
Emmeline sighed, and offered Jack the sofa. 'Do have a seat, Jack. And don't mind Alice, this is her home and lord love her she will do as she wilt herein! We've been friends forever and she delights in teasing me to distraction. Now, would you care for tea, or coffee perhaps?'
Jack smiled, 'I rather like Alice.' he seemed almost shy suddenly.'Actually, I was hoping to tempt you with the offer of coming with me to Crowley House. I, that is we, would be pleased to show you Aleister's mad scientist's lair and explain the results of his rather intriguing analysis of the case in question.If, that is, you aren't too busy this evening?'
'Evening, already!' It had all come round too quickly for Em,who was not usually such a late riser. 'No, of course I'm not too busy! I have had the 'case' as you call it, much on my mind. Give me but a minute to change into boots, and to take along afew things...I'll just tell Alice we're going.Do make yourself comfortable and I'll be right back'
Jack perched on the edge of the sofa and looked distractedly about the parlor. His gaze beheld a stack of letters on the tea-table before him, with one large envelope on top postmarked 'Royal Mail' from Liverpool, England.Addressed from a certain Captain Keithcliff Omen. Hmmm. Some sea-faring uncle or other, no doubt, thought Jack dismissively.
'All ready then!' Emmeline reappeared, hatted, booted and ready to ride, 'I'll just grab my coat.. I shall be glad of the Solstice soon, and we shall have longer days at last.'
Jack opened the door for her.'Ah yes, the Solstice! Do you celebrate, Miss Page?'
'Every year, Jack.Indeed we do!'and with that they were off into the darkening chill of a winter's eve.
. . . . . .
Back at Crowley House, Aleister is straightening up his laboratory. thinking it will pass muster even to the discerning feminine eye.He hears a small commotion upstairs that announces the return of Jack, and he thinks, the succesful appropriation of Miss Page as well...this is confirmed by the clatter of booted feet upon the stairway as Jack and Emmeline descend upon his scientist's sanctum.
'Miss Page!' Aleister whirls to greet her. 'How kind of you to grace my humble
Newtonian lair on such short notice!'
'Thank you for your invitation, Doctor! I promise to keep my elbows close and not to knock anything about...'Emmeline grinned mischeviously.
'Not to worry, my dear. Anything non-replaceable I have stored safely away...Now!'
Parsons brought forward a tube-like leather carrying case. 'I would like to show you this instrument. It is one of my own design. Indeed, I could be guilty as charged for it's invention, interalia...'He added suggestively and then opened the case and extracted the telescoping instrument that he and Jack were using the night that they had investigated the tournament playing field.
Emmeline viewed the object, made of brass with copper joinings and polished glass lenses, but having an odd sort of bulge in the middle in which several rotating rings were placed in a chamfer so that they may be swivelled and locked into various placements.
'It would seem to be a sort of telescope?' she looked inquiringly at the doctor. 'but what this has to do with blood samples I confess quite escapes me, Doctor Parsons.'
'All will be made clear, dear lady!' Parsons returned the scope to it's case. 'But first of all, let me assure you that any danger is now passed, regarding the unfortunate outcome of the library's tournament.'
'How so, doctor?' asked Em.
'Rather than bore you with lengthy explanations, I would prefer to simply show you how we came to our deductions. If you would permit, Miss Page, I will demonstrate to you just what this singular instrument is used for!'
'I am intrigued, indeed! But surely you can tell me something of...'Emmeline began.
'No, no...you must see it to believe it, as the saying goes. Forgive my country manners, or the lack! Jack, do take Miss Page to the parlor and get her a cup of something hot! Let us pack a thermos as well, to take with us.'
'...pack a, what?' asked Em,'And wherever are we going with it?'
Jack took Emmeline's arm and directed her to the stairs, casting a warning eye at Parsons. '...another of the good doctor's inventions...it is a vacuum-sealed mobile pitcher for keeping hot potables hot. Would cocoa be agreeable to you, Emmeline?'
As they ascended into the kitchen, Emmeline allowed as how cocoa would be agreeable indeed. 'But enough of this mystery, gentlemen! Just what are your plans, pray tell?'
Aleister bustled about setting a pan of milk onto the burner and readying for their mystery trip. 'No mystery, Miss Page. We are heading to the library.'
. . . . . . .
The doctor suited action to words and before long he, Emmeline,& Jack arrived at the Central Branch and Yeats pulled them up at the rear entrance. 'We'll park the trap here and walk over to the esplanade,'Jack reached up to hand Emmeline onto the street. Loading a small satchel with him, Jack took Emmeline's arm and joined the doctor who was heading onto the field, taking the odd scope from it's carrying case.
The moon was high by this time, and the trio left short, pale shadows on the green as they advanced to the middle of the field. The doctor consulted his pocket-watch, glanced up at the moon, and then began scanning the area with his scope. Adjusting the odd rotating middle-section to some specifications known only to him, Parsons swept the field slowly until he paused with a soft,'Aha!'
With a look of satisfaction, visible even in the moonlight, he handed Emmeline the scope's narrow end. 'Just peer through this lense, my dear. Focus on the oak tree there near the edge of the field. Tell me what you see.'
Emmeline complied, holding the instrument to her eye.Being accustomed to her own telescope, the doctor's seemed rather heavier. At first, she could see nothing save a close-up view of the old oak, but as she slowly moved the lense sideways, she thought she could perceive a sort of greenish mist that seemed to coalesce into a shape of some kind. Emmeline gave a gasp of surprise as the figure appeared to make deliberate movements, bending, standing, and finally moving away behind the tree...
'You see it then, Miss Page,'the doctor enquired, casting a glance over at Jack, who had remained thus far in silence, content to observe.
'I, I see something!' Em answered, 'But what manner of phenomenon is it, exactly, doctor?' Emmeline gazed through the scope, trying to track the insubstantial quarry.
'You could, I suppose, call this a spectre-scope. And the phenomenon that it registers, Miss Page, is indeed, a spectre.' The doctor answered.
At this, Emmeline took the eyepiece away from her view and looked at the doctor without a trace of humor. 'You are surely not serious, Dr. Parsons.'
Jack decided it was time to intervene. 'He is serious, Emmeline.'She looked from Jack to the doctor,unable to decide if this was all some elaborate ruse or not.'Please believe we would not presume inveiglement upon your good will.'
'Do pour us some of that cocoa, won't you Jack?' Parsons took Em's arm and they walked over to a small copse of willow nearby. 'I had hoped, that if you saw this with your own eyes, you would be more inclined to believe us. I realize that we are perhaps, asking much of your capacity for the hetetofore untried...'
Jack pressed a mug of the hot drink into her gloved hands. Emmeline took a sip, drinking down the warming liquid along with the hogwash, she decided...what manner of men were these, to go to such lengths for a gruesome jest? Not at all in good taste....damn, and they seemed so sane, at first. Well, mostly so.
Jack sighed. 'She believes us to be perpetrators of a tasteless jape, Aleister.'
Aleister had his back to them. He had retrieved his scope and was watching the spot near the oak tree again. 'Ah, here they come now. Take a look, Jack!'he said, handing the instrument over.
Seizing the scope, Jack fixed it upon the oak in the distance. 'It looks like, 4, no 5 or 6 altogether this time.' he looked at Emmeline. 'When Aleister and I came out here after the tournament, there were even more.'
Emmeline was curious in spite of herself. 'Let's see, then.' Jack handed it to Em who again focused where she had seen the apparition before. Oh my stars, she thought, whatever are those...things?...It seemed as though greenish figures had gathered into a conclave of their own strange fancies...were we as odd to them as they were to us? she wondered. 'Can they see us?' she asked, more inclined to believe, now that she had seen so many figures. Surely such a gathering could hardly be manipulated like some ectoplasmic side-show.
'They can, and do.'the doctor answered.'But fear not, they mean no harm to us.'
Emmeline lowered the scope and addressed Aleister.'How do you know this?'
'Because, my dear Miss Page, both Jack and I have some Native American blood, as do you yourself.'
A sigh escaped Emmeline. She handed the scope back to Parsons. 'Doctor, I am very confused. Just now, I do not know whether to be frightened, furious or just numb with bewilderment! I believe I must insist on being returned home at once,' '
. . . . . .
Ah, what now, dear readers? Our Em seems to be immersed ever deeper into some dark & dubious plot of the dodgy duo of Jack and Aleister. And what of the advent of this wandering native of perfidious Albion, Captain Omen? A singularly suspicious and sensational Solstice is in the near future, that is certain! Be sure to pick up the next penny installment of - Emmeline Page, Revolutionary Librarian!
This particular chapter could be made more agreeable with a fine mug of hot cocoa added with whatever spice your fancy demands, along to the tune of 'Sweet and Lowdown'- music from the Woody Allen motion picture;composed by Dick Hymen with fine solo guitar by Howard Alden. Cheers!
Jack had produced a set of keys and was busy unlocking the box when Aleister approached him, hand stroking his salt & pepper goatee. 'Jack, let's not be too hasty, especially with all that. We may not need black roses or lillies yet.'
Jack didn't look up from his task. 'You think not? You think THAT was just some freak weather anomaly!?'Aleister's hand was on his arm then. 'A posteriori, Jack.'
Jack sighed and stood up facing Aleister finally. 'What, then. We can't simply sit here...'Aleister held up his hand. 'I'm not suggesting we do nothing. But, let us not go haring off into the dark of night like a pair of anserine rookies! And leave that crate locked until we're sure of it's absolute need. Come on. Let's take a look at where that beam of red hit the ground.'
Yeats was ready with electric torches from their cache of anachronistic implements that could be used without attracting too much attention, at least in more private circumstances. Jack slung the canvas over the sinister crate and stalked outside behind the others, as they headed off toward the south pasture.
The moon cast a wan, cold light as they searched the area most likely to have been the target of the weird nocturnal phenomenon they'd just witnessed. As their torches swept the ground, nothing seemed to be amiss, until Yeats cried out, 'Here's something, see? The grasses have been flattened here.'
Jack and Aleister crept slowly toward the spot indicated by Yeats. As their torch beams swept the area, there seemed to be a sort of pattern in the flattened grass. 'So it seems, Yeats! See here Jack, almost a crop-circle there, eh?' Aleister's torch outlined a circular route in the dry yellow grasses.
'That's not all,' Jack's torch found a center within the circle,'Look there, a triangle, is it?'
'Bloody hell yes.'Aleister stood back aways to take in the entire glyph now that it had been isolated. 'Some damned new escutcheon of El Juan's now I suppose?'
'It would seem so. And it's just like him, to be so 'flash' as they'd say now.The man's maniacal egotism knows no bounds.' Jack's features betrayed his sour thoughts. ' I'd love to destroy the damned thing, but I suppose we should wait and study it come daylight.'
Aleister looked around them, and studied the sky. 'That's probably best, let's be out here at first light and take some still shots of it at least. I'll analyze the grasses' molecular structure. Let's head back to the house, and try to get some sleep then. Tomorrow could be a long day.'
. . . . . .
Emmeline arose rather late, even for a Saturday, with a vague feeling of unease. What had happened last night? She'd had that odd dream, or had it all been only a dream? She seemed to recall a building of sorts, all very familiar,with a sense of nostalgia, yet it was somewhere she couldn't place. But that strange storm that happened and then suddenly dissipated as though it had never been, that was no dream, surely.
She noticed with pleasure that Alice had been up before her and, true to her word, had been busy conjuring up a spice-laden gingerbread exotic as any from Alladin's magic lamp. Settling down to hot Earl Grey and with gingerbread melting in her mouth, the trials and mysteries of the night gradually faded into a cool but sunny afternoon.
She was deep in study of Mr. Engels's new book when Alice came in through the front door,carrying a bundle of letters. 'Mail's in!' she announced. 'And there's something here for you that you should find of interest, I'll warrant!'So saying she handed a short stack of letters to Em, with the envelope of note on top bearing foreign postage.
'Ah, a letter from Liverpool! And about time, too!' Emmeline tore open the envelope and extracted the tall,thin A6 stationery.'That Keefcliff has been uncharacteristically silent for some weeks, the rascal.' As Em bent intently over her letter, Alice hung up her coat on the hallway coathooks and joined her friend in the parlor, studying Emmeline's face for 'clues'...'Well, what's he say then?'
'Oh, Alice, you know it will take awhile to decipher his chicken-scratches, blast him!' but she was smiling. 'The main thing I've managed to de-code, is that he will be here, well, in San Francisco that is, on the Solstice!'
'Well, well! How serendipitous!'Alice sat down and began unlacing her boots.
'Yes,indeed. But don't worry, Al! We shall still make our show at Mendation's! He is coming to San Francisco for a short stop en route to Mexico, after which their ship will be returning to B.C. for awhile. He promises to stop again in the City on the way back and to spend more time here then. This Solstice stop-over is to be a quick one: "Mr. Orez and I earnestly request the pleasure of your company and Mrs. Stein's, in joining us for luncheon at Neptune's Palace in San Francisco on the 22nd." Let's see, when was this sent? October, so he was thinking ahead, bless him.Well, Alice? Do you think we should throw all rational thought to the winds and join these peripatetic reprobates...?'
Alice sighed and smiled as she kicked off both boots.'Why not?'She leaned back on the sofa and relaxed. 'It has been awhile since we've graced those rascals' presence...let's see...last summer I believe, wasn't it? Mercy! San Francisco hasn't heard the like since, I'll wager.'
'Oh, dear...between Captain Omen's broad Liverpudlian and Mr. Orez's flaming Portugese, if we hadn't been there to 'translate' they'd both have wound up in a Buddhist temple instead finding the 'buddha'- that is 'butter'- they were after!'
Em smiled and held the brittle sheets at arm's length and then peered closely at the intriguing cryptograms thereon. 'At least that's about all I'm able to puzzle out at the moment. I'll study this at a later date...Well! Our Solstice excursion will be a busy one!' She folded the crackling foreign sheets back into the envelope. 'By the way, Alice, did you hear thunder last night?'
Just then came a rather loud series of knocks upon the front door. 'I don't know about last night,' said Alice, 'But did it sound something like that? Who the blazes could this be?'
'Don't fash yourself, Al, I'll get it!' Emmeline rose to see who was at the door, suprised to find the short winter afternoon already growing dark. She looked prudently through the peep-hole before opening, and was rather discomfited to be met by the unanticipated arrival of Mr. Van Horn.
'Mister Van Horn!' Emmeline opens the door to find Jack standing, hat-in-hand as it were. 'What brings you here?'
'Miss Page, greetings! I realize that this is very short notice, but I thought that you would want to be notified of Dr. Parsons's findings regarding the matter of the injured lads from the tournament. I do hope I'm not interrupting anything major...?' Jack raised an eyebrow as he looked beyond Em's shoulder, attempting to judge how private their conversation should be.
'Oh, no, not at all...'Em recovered herself and cast a glance at Alice, who was busy hiding her boots neath the sofa whilst she exchanged them for a pair of embroidered Chinese slippers.'Do come in, Mr. Van Horn, please.'
Emmeline led Jack to the parlor, and introduced him to Alice with, 'This is Jack Van Horn, Alice!--the gentleman whose friend Dr. Parsons exsanguinated me the other evening!'
'My dear Miss Page!Mrs. Stein! It wasn't like that, I assure you...'Jack flustered.
Alice rescued him with a smile and a hearty hand-clasp. 'I'm Alice Stein, Emmeline's friend and housemate. Don't worry, Mr. Van Horn, I'm sure she deserved it, whatever it was!' ('Al!' Em protested, hands on hips.) Alice stood, 'I would love to hear more, but just now my dogs are barking and I'm taking to my bed, with a hot cuppa. Emmeline will offer you the same, no doubt, at some point...?' Alice finished with a wicked glance Em's way as she sashayed into the kitchen,'Delighted to have met you, Jack.'she finished and took her exit.
Emmeline sighed, and offered Jack the sofa. 'Do have a seat, Jack. And don't mind Alice, this is her home and lord love her she will do as she wilt herein! We've been friends forever and she delights in teasing me to distraction. Now, would you care for tea, or coffee perhaps?'
Jack smiled, 'I rather like Alice.' he seemed almost shy suddenly.'Actually, I was hoping to tempt you with the offer of coming with me to Crowley House. I, that is we, would be pleased to show you Aleister's mad scientist's lair and explain the results of his rather intriguing analysis of the case in question.If, that is, you aren't too busy this evening?'
'Evening, already!' It had all come round too quickly for Em,who was not usually such a late riser. 'No, of course I'm not too busy! I have had the 'case' as you call it, much on my mind. Give me but a minute to change into boots, and to take along afew things...I'll just tell Alice we're going.Do make yourself comfortable and I'll be right back'
Jack perched on the edge of the sofa and looked distractedly about the parlor. His gaze beheld a stack of letters on the tea-table before him, with one large envelope on top postmarked 'Royal Mail' from Liverpool, England.Addressed from a certain Captain Keithcliff Omen. Hmmm. Some sea-faring uncle or other, no doubt, thought Jack dismissively.
'All ready then!' Emmeline reappeared, hatted, booted and ready to ride, 'I'll just grab my coat.. I shall be glad of the Solstice soon, and we shall have longer days at last.'
Jack opened the door for her.'Ah yes, the Solstice! Do you celebrate, Miss Page?'
'Every year, Jack.Indeed we do!'and with that they were off into the darkening chill of a winter's eve.
. . . . . .
Back at Crowley House, Aleister is straightening up his laboratory. thinking it will pass muster even to the discerning feminine eye.He hears a small commotion upstairs that announces the return of Jack, and he thinks, the succesful appropriation of Miss Page as well...this is confirmed by the clatter of booted feet upon the stairway as Jack and Emmeline descend upon his scientist's sanctum.
'Miss Page!' Aleister whirls to greet her. 'How kind of you to grace my humble
Newtonian lair on such short notice!'
'Thank you for your invitation, Doctor! I promise to keep my elbows close and not to knock anything about...'Emmeline grinned mischeviously.
'Not to worry, my dear. Anything non-replaceable I have stored safely away...Now!'
Parsons brought forward a tube-like leather carrying case. 'I would like to show you this instrument. It is one of my own design. Indeed, I could be guilty as charged for it's invention, interalia...'He added suggestively and then opened the case and extracted the telescoping instrument that he and Jack were using the night that they had investigated the tournament playing field.
Emmeline viewed the object, made of brass with copper joinings and polished glass lenses, but having an odd sort of bulge in the middle in which several rotating rings were placed in a chamfer so that they may be swivelled and locked into various placements.
'It would seem to be a sort of telescope?' she looked inquiringly at the doctor. 'but what this has to do with blood samples I confess quite escapes me, Doctor Parsons.'
'All will be made clear, dear lady!' Parsons returned the scope to it's case. 'But first of all, let me assure you that any danger is now passed, regarding the unfortunate outcome of the library's tournament.'
'How so, doctor?' asked Em.
'Rather than bore you with lengthy explanations, I would prefer to simply show you how we came to our deductions. If you would permit, Miss Page, I will demonstrate to you just what this singular instrument is used for!'
'I am intrigued, indeed! But surely you can tell me something of...'Emmeline began.
'No, no...you must see it to believe it, as the saying goes. Forgive my country manners, or the lack! Jack, do take Miss Page to the parlor and get her a cup of something hot! Let us pack a thermos as well, to take with us.'
'...pack a, what?' asked Em,'And wherever are we going with it?'
Jack took Emmeline's arm and directed her to the stairs, casting a warning eye at Parsons. '...another of the good doctor's inventions...it is a vacuum-sealed mobile pitcher for keeping hot potables hot. Would cocoa be agreeable to you, Emmeline?'
As they ascended into the kitchen, Emmeline allowed as how cocoa would be agreeable indeed. 'But enough of this mystery, gentlemen! Just what are your plans, pray tell?'
Aleister bustled about setting a pan of milk onto the burner and readying for their mystery trip. 'No mystery, Miss Page. We are heading to the library.'
. . . . . . .
The doctor suited action to words and before long he, Emmeline,& Jack arrived at the Central Branch and Yeats pulled them up at the rear entrance. 'We'll park the trap here and walk over to the esplanade,'Jack reached up to hand Emmeline onto the street. Loading a small satchel with him, Jack took Emmeline's arm and joined the doctor who was heading onto the field, taking the odd scope from it's carrying case.
The moon was high by this time, and the trio left short, pale shadows on the green as they advanced to the middle of the field. The doctor consulted his pocket-watch, glanced up at the moon, and then began scanning the area with his scope. Adjusting the odd rotating middle-section to some specifications known only to him, Parsons swept the field slowly until he paused with a soft,'Aha!'
With a look of satisfaction, visible even in the moonlight, he handed Emmeline the scope's narrow end. 'Just peer through this lense, my dear. Focus on the oak tree there near the edge of the field. Tell me what you see.'
Emmeline complied, holding the instrument to her eye.Being accustomed to her own telescope, the doctor's seemed rather heavier. At first, she could see nothing save a close-up view of the old oak, but as she slowly moved the lense sideways, she thought she could perceive a sort of greenish mist that seemed to coalesce into a shape of some kind. Emmeline gave a gasp of surprise as the figure appeared to make deliberate movements, bending, standing, and finally moving away behind the tree...
'You see it then, Miss Page,'the doctor enquired, casting a glance over at Jack, who had remained thus far in silence, content to observe.
'I, I see something!' Em answered, 'But what manner of phenomenon is it, exactly, doctor?' Emmeline gazed through the scope, trying to track the insubstantial quarry.
'You could, I suppose, call this a spectre-scope. And the phenomenon that it registers, Miss Page, is indeed, a spectre.' The doctor answered.
At this, Emmeline took the eyepiece away from her view and looked at the doctor without a trace of humor. 'You are surely not serious, Dr. Parsons.'
Jack decided it was time to intervene. 'He is serious, Emmeline.'She looked from Jack to the doctor,unable to decide if this was all some elaborate ruse or not.'Please believe we would not presume inveiglement upon your good will.'
'Do pour us some of that cocoa, won't you Jack?' Parsons took Em's arm and they walked over to a small copse of willow nearby. 'I had hoped, that if you saw this with your own eyes, you would be more inclined to believe us. I realize that we are perhaps, asking much of your capacity for the hetetofore untried...'
Jack pressed a mug of the hot drink into her gloved hands. Emmeline took a sip, drinking down the warming liquid along with the hogwash, she decided...what manner of men were these, to go to such lengths for a gruesome jest? Not at all in good taste....damn, and they seemed so sane, at first. Well, mostly so.
Jack sighed. 'She believes us to be perpetrators of a tasteless jape, Aleister.'
Aleister had his back to them. He had retrieved his scope and was watching the spot near the oak tree again. 'Ah, here they come now. Take a look, Jack!'he said, handing the instrument over.
Seizing the scope, Jack fixed it upon the oak in the distance. 'It looks like, 4, no 5 or 6 altogether this time.' he looked at Emmeline. 'When Aleister and I came out here after the tournament, there were even more.'
Emmeline was curious in spite of herself. 'Let's see, then.' Jack handed it to Em who again focused where she had seen the apparition before. Oh my stars, she thought, whatever are those...things?...It seemed as though greenish figures had gathered into a conclave of their own strange fancies...were we as odd to them as they were to us? she wondered. 'Can they see us?' she asked, more inclined to believe, now that she had seen so many figures. Surely such a gathering could hardly be manipulated like some ectoplasmic side-show.
'They can, and do.'the doctor answered.'But fear not, they mean no harm to us.'
Emmeline lowered the scope and addressed Aleister.'How do you know this?'
'Because, my dear Miss Page, both Jack and I have some Native American blood, as do you yourself.'
A sigh escaped Emmeline. She handed the scope back to Parsons. 'Doctor, I am very confused. Just now, I do not know whether to be frightened, furious or just numb with bewilderment! I believe I must insist on being returned home at once,' '
. . . . . .
Ah, what now, dear readers? Our Em seems to be immersed ever deeper into some dark & dubious plot of the dodgy duo of Jack and Aleister. And what of the advent of this wandering native of perfidious Albion, Captain Omen? A singularly suspicious and sensational Solstice is in the near future, that is certain! Be sure to pick up the next penny installment of - Emmeline Page, Revolutionary Librarian!
This particular chapter could be made more agreeable with a fine mug of hot cocoa added with whatever spice your fancy demands, along to the tune of 'Sweet and Lowdown'- music from the Woody Allen motion picture;composed by Dick Hymen with fine solo guitar by Howard Alden. Cheers!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Ch. 4 - Emmeline's Dream
...the Temple again. Emmeline has been here before. Many times. It is as familiar to her as her own room. But it definately has no 19th-century trappings.Just what century this is,would be somewhat difficult to ascertain.
...Always the sound of the fountain, of water, water everywhere...The fountain pools outward into a pond surrounding the temple like a moat. The landscape seen in the distance through the open vistas is one of hills and trees, and a waterfall cascades down from a high peak where some snow is still visible on it's regal dome.
Inside the temple, slender columns of pale pink marble encircle the fountain. A wide marble stairway leads down into a conservatory. Here, columns of lapis lazuli and malachite are studded amidst a profusion of green;ferns, palms, creepers, bromeliads, splendid in nature's bountiful effusion. Em wanders through here slowly as always, enchanted with the the comforting verdant atmosphere and imbibing the delicate brush of ferns on her skin, the fountain's gentle splashing, the soft sounds of birdsong in the distance as though it was an elixer of the very stuff of life, something she desperately needed, and had long lacked.
'It is our Anara, retuned at last!'
Emmeline turns and finds her mentor, standing behind a large palm. She smiles, glad to see her teacher after so long an absence from this healing place.
'I hope my propinquity is more welcome than startling. It has been long and long since you have paid us a visit, Mermaid!'her sensei smiles and holds out her slender arms in greeting.
'O, Thelene! How good it is to see you again, at long last!' Em eagerly clasps her beloved mentor in a close embrace and rests her head on Thelene's shoulder.'You don't know how I have missed you! How I've missed this gentle place, and how I wish never to have to leave here again!'
Her tall teacher rests her chin on her petite student's head. 'Mermaid, believe me I know of your heartache. If I could take this burden from you, I would.' She holds Anara at arm's lenth and studies her face. 'You look well. Although I sense that you are troubled, more so than usual. Come, walk with me. Let us not waste the precious time that we have here now.'
Together student and teacher leave the atrium and descend several stairways onto a promontory overlooking a natural cove where the sea laps gently onto the shallow steps. Em, now Anara, is barefoot and wearing a knee-length gown of a somewhat Grecian style which allows her to wade into the sea-water where she pauses, and stares out across the bay, breathing deeply of the clean ocean air.She then turns
to Thelene who is seated above on a low ebony bench beside the stairs.
'I am troubled, greatly, Thelene. I do not know know how much more I can survive.'
She turns again and gazes into the blue distance. 'It is like being in prison, and
made to endure an ever-increasing torture.'Anara lets her head drop. 'I feel I am failing.Failing in body, in spirit, in mind, and in my mission.'
Thelene studies her young apprentice. 'Come to me, Mermaid. I know you long to swim away and join your sisters and brothers and forget the pain you endure.' Thelene reaches into a straw bag she has brought with her. 'Join me in a cup of forgetfulness, little fish.'
Anara sighs, and a small smile steals upon her as she ascends the stairs, joining her teacher on the bench. 'Oh, to forget. To truly forget, all of it...'
'You will forget, enough. Enough to endure for another day. Pas a pas, remember?
One step at a time! Do not despair, my treasure. I once carried the burden myself and I survived, as you see.'Thelene took a stoppered bottle from her bag and uncorking it, poured a cup to the brim and handed it to Anara. A small token measure she took for herself.'This will give you strength, and forgetfulness. And healing, I can tell that is what you most need.' Anara took the cup given her.
'"and unless this cup be taken from me..."'she quoted, looking into her sensei's
dark eyes.'Thelene, I would have expired from sheer despair without this; without these healing retreats, without this respite from, what I can only feel is hell on earth.' She bent to drink and closed her eyes letting the clear, cold liquid refresh her throat with a clean taste redolent with hints of fruit, green chlorophyl perhaps, and some fresh mountain spring. 'You have long endured my juvenile repining...I know what I must do, and why. It is a hard thing sometimes.'
She handed Thelene her empty cup.
'Sleep now, little fish. Leave all worlds behind. We will meet again soon. Return to your mission now. You volunteered and were chosen for a reason. Soon, you will know. Soon...soon...'her teacher's voice seemed to fade into the waves as they
cascaded onshore, ever rhythmic, never-ceasing, like mother ocean, calming her,
soothing her into a tender dream, someplace far away...such a distant shore, yet familiar somehow...Emmeline sighed in her dream, and seemed to be floating in a sea. 'The Sea of Tranquility' she thought, and seemed to be hearing waves crashing, and a sortof music behind it, like kettledrums...no, not drums, like thunder! Thunder!
A booming thunderclap suddenly sounded in the night sky. Emmeline woke and sat up, heart pounding, bewildered. She could see through her second storey window the once clear night panorama now showed storm-clouds gathered in a particular area of the sky. It seemed to be off to the east, in the direction of Crowley House.
...Always the sound of the fountain, of water, water everywhere...The fountain pools outward into a pond surrounding the temple like a moat. The landscape seen in the distance through the open vistas is one of hills and trees, and a waterfall cascades down from a high peak where some snow is still visible on it's regal dome.
Inside the temple, slender columns of pale pink marble encircle the fountain. A wide marble stairway leads down into a conservatory. Here, columns of lapis lazuli and malachite are studded amidst a profusion of green;ferns, palms, creepers, bromeliads, splendid in nature's bountiful effusion. Em wanders through here slowly as always, enchanted with the the comforting verdant atmosphere and imbibing the delicate brush of ferns on her skin, the fountain's gentle splashing, the soft sounds of birdsong in the distance as though it was an elixer of the very stuff of life, something she desperately needed, and had long lacked.
'It is our Anara, retuned at last!'
Emmeline turns and finds her mentor, standing behind a large palm. She smiles, glad to see her teacher after so long an absence from this healing place.
'I hope my propinquity is more welcome than startling. It has been long and long since you have paid us a visit, Mermaid!'her sensei smiles and holds out her slender arms in greeting.
'O, Thelene! How good it is to see you again, at long last!' Em eagerly clasps her beloved mentor in a close embrace and rests her head on Thelene's shoulder.'You don't know how I have missed you! How I've missed this gentle place, and how I wish never to have to leave here again!'
Her tall teacher rests her chin on her petite student's head. 'Mermaid, believe me I know of your heartache. If I could take this burden from you, I would.' She holds Anara at arm's lenth and studies her face. 'You look well. Although I sense that you are troubled, more so than usual. Come, walk with me. Let us not waste the precious time that we have here now.'
Together student and teacher leave the atrium and descend several stairways onto a promontory overlooking a natural cove where the sea laps gently onto the shallow steps. Em, now Anara, is barefoot and wearing a knee-length gown of a somewhat Grecian style which allows her to wade into the sea-water where she pauses, and stares out across the bay, breathing deeply of the clean ocean air.She then turns
to Thelene who is seated above on a low ebony bench beside the stairs.
'I am troubled, greatly, Thelene. I do not know know how much more I can survive.'
She turns again and gazes into the blue distance. 'It is like being in prison, and
made to endure an ever-increasing torture.'Anara lets her head drop. 'I feel I am failing.Failing in body, in spirit, in mind, and in my mission.'
Thelene studies her young apprentice. 'Come to me, Mermaid. I know you long to swim away and join your sisters and brothers and forget the pain you endure.' Thelene reaches into a straw bag she has brought with her. 'Join me in a cup of forgetfulness, little fish.'
Anara sighs, and a small smile steals upon her as she ascends the stairs, joining her teacher on the bench. 'Oh, to forget. To truly forget, all of it...'
'You will forget, enough. Enough to endure for another day. Pas a pas, remember?
One step at a time! Do not despair, my treasure. I once carried the burden myself and I survived, as you see.'Thelene took a stoppered bottle from her bag and uncorking it, poured a cup to the brim and handed it to Anara. A small token measure she took for herself.'This will give you strength, and forgetfulness. And healing, I can tell that is what you most need.' Anara took the cup given her.
'"and unless this cup be taken from me..."'she quoted, looking into her sensei's
dark eyes.'Thelene, I would have expired from sheer despair without this; without these healing retreats, without this respite from, what I can only feel is hell on earth.' She bent to drink and closed her eyes letting the clear, cold liquid refresh her throat with a clean taste redolent with hints of fruit, green chlorophyl perhaps, and some fresh mountain spring. 'You have long endured my juvenile repining...I know what I must do, and why. It is a hard thing sometimes.'
She handed Thelene her empty cup.
'Sleep now, little fish. Leave all worlds behind. We will meet again soon. Return to your mission now. You volunteered and were chosen for a reason. Soon, you will know. Soon...soon...'her teacher's voice seemed to fade into the waves as they
cascaded onshore, ever rhythmic, never-ceasing, like mother ocean, calming her,
soothing her into a tender dream, someplace far away...such a distant shore, yet familiar somehow...Emmeline sighed in her dream, and seemed to be floating in a sea. 'The Sea of Tranquility' she thought, and seemed to be hearing waves crashing, and a sortof music behind it, like kettledrums...no, not drums, like thunder! Thunder!
A booming thunderclap suddenly sounded in the night sky. Emmeline woke and sat up, heart pounding, bewildered. She could see through her second storey window the once clear night panorama now showed storm-clouds gathered in a particular area of the sky. It seemed to be off to the east, in the direction of Crowley House.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Chapter 3
Chapter 3: In Which More is Revealed as to Jack and Aleister's True Concerns, Emmeline and Alice Make Plans for a Journey, and Pankhurst is Beset By Bizarrely Delineated Heavy Weather.
(...to be pondered whilst listening to the excellent Hot Club of San Francisco and perhaps enjoyed with a cup of dark coffee with even darker chocolate.This is good 2:
'All My Troubles are Many,
But you're my needle & thread.
You got me walkin
On the tip of my toes
With my hat on the side
of my head.,,
Freddie Cole)
'It will take some time I fear, while I study and compare the results of all the samples in toto,'Dr. Parsons assured her that definate confirmation and solutions were imminent.' I am deeply grateful to you, Miss Page for your trust in me. I shall not disappoint!' and with that, the doctor applied a cotton patch to her
arm where he had drawn her blood, gave her hand a pat and taking his testubes and physician's accoutrements with him, headed back to the laboratory below.
'My friend, Aleister, does mean well, I assure you,'Jack sighed.'His bedside manner,however, could use some polish. How are you feeling, Miss Page? At all lightheaded?' Jack rose and went to pour tea for them both, returning with cups and biscuits.
'I, I am quite alright.It has been a long day, and a strange one.' Emmeline felt rather beside herself. Things had happened so fast and unexpectedly. She seemed to feel as though she had just awoken from a confounding dream. Crowley House. Yes, how odd it seemed to find herself here, inside...
Jack realized she still wasn't quite herself.'Do take some tea, Emmeline, and a bite of biscuit. You need the sugar, and hydration. Please,' he adjured.
Em obeyed,still feeling adrift.The refeshment helped somewhat.
', I must confess I would be interested in seeing this 'alchemists workshop' you have secreted below sometime,' she admitted with a small smile.
'Sometime. However, I believe you have had enough excitement for one day! We have
a small trap here I will take you home in, if I may.'
Emmeline allowed as how that would probably be best.
It was nearing twilight, the last glow of early December still lambent in the West as Jack led the handsome bay gelding to the light trap that was to convey them back to Emmeline's humble residence, a top floor suite of rooms she rented from her friend Alice Stein, who had inherited the house upon her husband Frank's tragic passing.
'But do let me know as soon as you have any news...those unfortunate victims of that ill-conceived venture!It is incumbent on the library now to see this whole wretched affair settled somehow.Ohh...that Director Dickman! And that rapscallion Poncey Winebar, who is in league with him! What I could do to them both...'she fumed.
Jack barked out a laugh. 'Poncey...what?' He took Emmeline's hand helping her up and into the carriage. 'You seem to be feeling more yourself. I am fond of ladies with abit of ginger in their comportment, as well as their hair...'he smiled as
he eyed her straying locks, now scarlet in the glow of sunset.
Em was having none of that. She was too deeply concerned in this whole unfortunate matter. 'Oh, Percy Winebar, the City Councilman...'Poncey' we call him, those of us who know what he really gets up to, with city funds!...Now isn't the time or place for political digression. I admit I have had quite a day, Jack...'She caught herself. 'Mr. Van Horn.'
'Jack.' he insisted as she settled into the carriage and he took his place on the driver's seat beside her. And thus they traveled ,off into the sunset...
. . . . . . .
Meanwhile, back at Crowley House...
Aleister Parsons was just making his ablutions after setting his lab back in order. He heard Jack return upstairs and smiled to himself...this was going to be easier than we'd thought, thanks to our Jack he mused. Ah, what it is to be young. 'Picayune balderdash, as they would say...' he decided at last, and removing his labcoat, extracted a thin cigarillo from his breastpocket as he headed back up to the parlor.
'I say, Jack, had enough of tea? Join me in a celebratory brandy.' Parsons advanced upon the cutglass decanter and poured them each a snifter and set them on the mantlepiece to warm.
Jack entered the parlor scratching his hair, muttering something that sounded like 'poncey winebar..' and laughing to himself. 'What's that Jack?' asked Aleister, striking a lucifer and puffing on his cigarillo.
'Oh, nothing. Aleister, I say old son, you are getting the hang of the lingo of this era, although I'm not sure they ran baselines back then, before electronics held sway over steam power...' his tone was low and he hoped expressed enough of a warning edge.
'Oh, yes, well, I doubt if our Emmeline will be much troubled by it for the nonce,' Parsons cocked an eyebrow whilst he took a sip of brandy. 'how's that? I am trying my best.You are to be our liaison here, while I am to be our...hm, Sherlock Holmes, shall we say?'he puffed, quite chuffed at his self-congratulatory comparison.
Jack flopped down onto the sofa, 'Doctor Watson, more like, and yes I allude to the Nigel Bruce character.'Jack grinned wickedly.
'I should serve this to you over your swelled head, young rake.'Aleister took up the glasses and offered one to Jack. 'But, instead join me in a toast to our
successful mission! It is practically assured at this point, you'll agree!'
'Oh, really?'Jack took the proffered brandy.'And what do you base this eager assumption on?'
'On YOU, dear boy. To victory! By the solstice we shall have what we came for and can then return to our own temporal universe...Sol Invictus!' Parsons clicked glasses with Jack and drank deep of the amber libation.
Jack took a cautious sip.'You can't be serious. This will take time, Aleister!
Emmeline Page is not just some young slip of a guileless girl.She is rather worldly, in her way. In her time. She isn't to be easily persuaded...'
'Indeed not? I found her so...'Parsons took the seat by the fireside that Emmeline had vacated earlier. 'Oh, she is intelligent alright! And forward-thinking for a small town lady. But hardly worldy-wise as yet? I think she is fond of you, Jack. Of us, I'll venture to say.' Parsons puffed and flicked his ash into the fire, satisfied with his tidy presumptions.
'I'm not so sure...'Jack stared pensively into the fire.'She seems reluctant to, well, to get to know me better. To warm to me.'
'You're simply used to modern girls Jack.' Parsons flicked again, dismissively.
'No, it isn't that. I don't think.'Jack sighed and raised his glass, then paused,
'I hope she's not involved with anyone at the moment. That could complicate matters.'
'"Poncey Winebar"...?'Aleister grinned wolfishly, the cigarillo clamped in his jaws.
'God, no!'Jack laughed.'You wouldn't believe the small-town political villainy
here in little old Pankhurst! Lord, but people never change...only for the worse.'Jack swallowed the rest of his drink.
'That's partly what we have come here to change, old boy.'Parsons stood and began to pace the room slowly.' If all goes well tonight, and I believe it will, we shall have the answer to Emmeline's quandry as well as her blood sample.I like to think I handled that endeavor quite neatly.'
'It was a risk!I couldn't believe you just waltzed in here demanding the girl's blood for crapssake!'Jack sat up and leaned his head into both hands, rubbing his eyes with his palms as if to drive out all memory of the doctor's rashness.
'It worked. You have to remember the zeitgeist of this era. A man's word, a doctor's word, carried some weight with women back then!'Parsons stabbed his cigarillo in the air. 'We got the bloody sample. That's the main thing.'
'You're getting your ash on the rug,'Jack said and exited the parlor.
. . . . .
Back at Alice's...
The two friends are sharing cheese and port in Alice's sitting-room. Alice is availing herself of some dark Belgian chocolates as well, surreptitiously she believes, as she has instructed Emmeline to be firm with her in her ah, addiction. It could be nothing else, decides Alice, for surely she was at the mercy of Belgians and their nefarious chocolatiers...Alice munched rapturously, contemplating such foreign intrigue...'perhaps, with just a hint of ginger...'Alice gulped. Had she actually said that aloud?
'What? Ginger? Et tu, Alice?...'Em smiled lazily and took a sip of the tawny port, staring into the fire beginning to burn low now.
Alice leapt up and placed another log on the fire, 'A touch more port?' she enquired, hoping to distract Em from Alice's chocolate faux pas.
'I'm fine, Al.' Emmeline sighed and leaned her head on her hand.'I'm sorry, what were you saying? Something about ginger?'
Blast it.Quick now Alice, something about a new recipe...'Oh, I was just contemplating making some gingerbread. It's a fine tradition for the holiday season. What do you think? I rather fancy a triple-ginger treat: powdered, grated raw and candied, all added in the mix!"
'Sounds delicious. Something for the Solstice, what?'Em finished the rest of her port and frowned. 'Such a day. It seems odd to be thinking of traditions and celebrations...everything has been such a ruddy mess of late.'
'We do what we can,'replied Alice.' You and I, both. And now your friends, Mr. Van Horn and Dr. Parsons are here to help as well. Step by step, pas a pas, n'est ce pas, mi amiga? Meanwhile, life goes on. And the holidays are soon on our doorstep.At least we'll be closed then and can take a well-deserved break from the madness at work.'
Em smiled at her friend.'That's Oc, French and Spanish all in one scentence...a new record even for you, Alice cher.'She sighed and stretched.'We need a break, that's sure.Oh, you know, there was something here in the paper, where was it?'Emmeline reached for the Pankhurst Courier and began leafing through the pages. 'Here it is! What do you think Alice!' Emmeline gave her friend a mischevious smile.'Listen to this: 'Direct from the Music Halls of London! Don't miss the Comedy and Musical Stylings of the Dashing, the Debonaire, the Daring-- Jackie (the Cavalier Canary!) Changeling!--Along With the Internationales!Now playing at Mendation's Theatre in San Francisco!'
'Emmeline!'Alice stopped with her cheese bit in mid-air,'You can't be serious!
Jackie Changeling is a, a masher! Tres' scandalous, ma chere!And Mendation's is a
theatre of some, ah, questionable repute...!' Alice bit into her cheese forcefully.
'Exactly.'Em leaned back and studied the paper with a satisfied air.'It will be just the break we need. Alice, admit you long to get away for awhile! I know I do. Just to shake the dust of this provincial town from my boots and kick up my heels a bit. Just a bit,' she finished, looking at Alice, her eyebrow raised hopefully.
Alice leaned forward and took the paper from Em.'Let me see that.When is it playing again? Hm...it will be playing through the Solstice. Perfect for us.
A full-moon the 21st you know!'Alice snuck another chocolate from her pocket and chewed thoughtfully.
Emmeline hadn't noticed. She was staring into the fire contemplatively. 'You know you want to, Al. We haven't been to the City in donkey's ears. It'll be fun!
I've heard Jackie's show is a riot! I could certainly use a laugh.'
Alice sighed and folded the paper.'I, as well. Oh, fine then, you have me convinced. But if we see anyone we know there, we're finished!'
'Oh truly? And if we see anyone we know, they're finished as well!' Em and Alice
laughed together, relaxing finally as they contemplated an end to the encroaching cabin-fever of wintertime, the fire hissing softly as the embers fell and night approached stealthily on little bat-feet.
. . . . . .
As the half-moon rose over the city's esplanade, two figures were silhouetted against the dusky skyline. One seemed to be carrying something and would pause occasionally as he lifted it to eye-level and brought it to bear upon the playing field. It would seem to be a sort of telescope, and he swept it across the park slowly, finally stopping, and handed it over to the other man, who repeated the exercise. They both seemed to focus upon one area in particular and
gave soft exclamations whenever their gaze happened to alight on whatever it was they alone seemed to view through the instrument.
This odd behavior continued for several minutes until a patrolman appeared at the park's opposite end, making his rounds it would seem, and began to head their way. Upon seeing the officer, the two men fit the scope back into it's carrying case and exited the scene, walking briskly across the street to the library building where their carriage had been waiting.A burley gent sat hunched over the driver's seat and urged the horse forward to meet them. They sprang up into the trap and away they went toward the outskirts of town, albeit seemingly not in any great rush to do so.
Down Crowley Lane the little trap headed and at Crowley House it found it's home.
While Yeats took the cart to the stable, Jack and Aleister entered the house and
went into the parlor where Parsons set the instrument case down on the side table while Jack stoked the now-dying fire.
'Cold as the devil's ankles out!' Parsons declared,'Damn glass kept fogging. But, you could see them, and no mistake, eh?'
'I always assumed the devil had hot...ankles,'Jack said poking the fire.'But, oh yes. The scope works beautifully. I'm glad we brought it along.' He took a seat near the hearth. 'You've been awfully close about things, Al. Why don't you 'fess up now that you've finally proven what until now was just your hypothesis, I assume?'
Parsons was rubbing his hands and hovering over the fire. He smiled to himself, but said nothing. He looked toward the back of the house as he heard a door shut.
'That'll be Yeats. I'll just get us all some coffee brewing...'
'Aleister...'began Jack, shaking his head.He looked into the fire and smiled. He knew Parsons loved to play the scene to it's fullest and relished the suspense he knew he generated. The bastard, thought Jack, with admiration.They'd been friends many years and Jack knew Aleister well.Al would drag out the denouement as long as he thought he could get away with it.
Presently Parsons returned to the parlor, bearing a coffee pot and mugs toward the hearth. Pouring for them both, he took a long drink of the bracing beverage and wandering over to the French doors, pulled the curtains aside. 'Beastly weather,as the natives might say.Now it seems to be gathering storm-clouds...is there to be snow next..?' Aleister seemed to be talking to himself .so pensive the tone.
Jack was having none of this small talk. 'Al, will you just come out with it? What was it that we saw in the park? And what does it have to do with those injured at the tourney? I don't want to hear about the weather.'
'You should. My gods! Oh bloody hell! This looks like...Dammitol! I feared this might happen but not this soon! Jack, yalla!' Parsons waved him over to the window, lapsing into the Moroccan Arabic that they both were familiar with in
happier times.
'What is it now?' Jack pulled apart the curtains and beheld the oddest sight that the challenging day had impressed upon them yet: in place of the formerly star-studded heavens, the sky was filling with dark, roiling thunderheads that appeared to move as if speeded up with time-lapse photography.A sickly sort of lime-green hue pervaded their edges and the distant echo of low thunder could now be detected.'Aleister...you don't think that,-is it-?'
Just then, the clouds became adumbrant of a certain deliquescence. A clap of thunder exploded above them, as the sky, dehiscent with a center of rosy cerise,
suddenly shot forth a crimson vortex to the ground below, just scant kilometers from the house. Another thunder-clap, and all went dark. Jack and Aleister looked at each other in a state of numb shock. Then, slowly, the sky began to return to a semblance of normalcy. The stars were out, with no clouds present. There was no sign of the other-worldly tempest that had just delivered such a sneak-attack on the senses.
At this juncture, Yeats appeared at the parlor door. 'I am assuming we will all be adjourning to the stable now?'
Jack looked round, his eyes reflecting moonlight like a statue. 'yes and bring the black roses.'
Parsons had but one word. And that word was: 'Flubber!'
. . . . .
O yes ! Perhaps by this point:
The Players, Chapter 3
goodguys:
Miss Emmeline Page,All-American Revolutionary Librarian!
Jack Van Horn - Time Traveler/Inventor
Alice Stein - widow of late Frank N.- Em's Colleague & Best Pal
Dr. Aleister Parsons - Jack's colleague and partner in Time;Head of Crowley House
'Yeats' - Dr. Parsons's Bodyguard, Valet & all-round Gentleman's Gentleman
badguys:
Director Dickman - Pankhurst City Library
Percy (Poncey) Winebar - City Councilman
El Juan Flubber - ArchNemesis, Villain & All-Round Nogoodnik *('You will call me:
El Juan!')
(...to be pondered whilst listening to the excellent Hot Club of San Francisco and perhaps enjoyed with a cup of dark coffee with even darker chocolate.This is good 2:
'All My Troubles are Many,
But you're my needle & thread.
You got me walkin
On the tip of my toes
With my hat on the side
of my head.,,
Freddie Cole)
'It will take some time I fear, while I study and compare the results of all the samples in toto,'Dr. Parsons assured her that definate confirmation and solutions were imminent.' I am deeply grateful to you, Miss Page for your trust in me. I shall not disappoint!' and with that, the doctor applied a cotton patch to her
arm where he had drawn her blood, gave her hand a pat and taking his testubes and physician's accoutrements with him, headed back to the laboratory below.
'My friend, Aleister, does mean well, I assure you,'Jack sighed.'His bedside manner,however, could use some polish. How are you feeling, Miss Page? At all lightheaded?' Jack rose and went to pour tea for them both, returning with cups and biscuits.
'I, I am quite alright.It has been a long day, and a strange one.' Emmeline felt rather beside herself. Things had happened so fast and unexpectedly. She seemed to feel as though she had just awoken from a confounding dream. Crowley House. Yes, how odd it seemed to find herself here, inside...
Jack realized she still wasn't quite herself.'Do take some tea, Emmeline, and a bite of biscuit. You need the sugar, and hydration. Please,' he adjured.
Em obeyed,still feeling adrift.The refeshment helped somewhat.
', I must confess I would be interested in seeing this 'alchemists workshop' you have secreted below sometime,' she admitted with a small smile.
'Sometime. However, I believe you have had enough excitement for one day! We have
a small trap here I will take you home in, if I may.'
Emmeline allowed as how that would probably be best.
It was nearing twilight, the last glow of early December still lambent in the West as Jack led the handsome bay gelding to the light trap that was to convey them back to Emmeline's humble residence, a top floor suite of rooms she rented from her friend Alice Stein, who had inherited the house upon her husband Frank's tragic passing.
'But do let me know as soon as you have any news...those unfortunate victims of that ill-conceived venture!It is incumbent on the library now to see this whole wretched affair settled somehow.Ohh...that Director Dickman! And that rapscallion Poncey Winebar, who is in league with him! What I could do to them both...'she fumed.
Jack barked out a laugh. 'Poncey...what?' He took Emmeline's hand helping her up and into the carriage. 'You seem to be feeling more yourself. I am fond of ladies with abit of ginger in their comportment, as well as their hair...'he smiled as
he eyed her straying locks, now scarlet in the glow of sunset.
Em was having none of that. She was too deeply concerned in this whole unfortunate matter. 'Oh, Percy Winebar, the City Councilman...'Poncey' we call him, those of us who know what he really gets up to, with city funds!...Now isn't the time or place for political digression. I admit I have had quite a day, Jack...'She caught herself. 'Mr. Van Horn.'
'Jack.' he insisted as she settled into the carriage and he took his place on the driver's seat beside her. And thus they traveled ,off into the sunset...
. . . . . . .
Meanwhile, back at Crowley House...
Aleister Parsons was just making his ablutions after setting his lab back in order. He heard Jack return upstairs and smiled to himself...this was going to be easier than we'd thought, thanks to our Jack he mused. Ah, what it is to be young. 'Picayune balderdash, as they would say...' he decided at last, and removing his labcoat, extracted a thin cigarillo from his breastpocket as he headed back up to the parlor.
'I say, Jack, had enough of tea? Join me in a celebratory brandy.' Parsons advanced upon the cutglass decanter and poured them each a snifter and set them on the mantlepiece to warm.
Jack entered the parlor scratching his hair, muttering something that sounded like 'poncey winebar..' and laughing to himself. 'What's that Jack?' asked Aleister, striking a lucifer and puffing on his cigarillo.
'Oh, nothing. Aleister, I say old son, you are getting the hang of the lingo of this era, although I'm not sure they ran baselines back then, before electronics held sway over steam power...' his tone was low and he hoped expressed enough of a warning edge.
'Oh, yes, well, I doubt if our Emmeline will be much troubled by it for the nonce,' Parsons cocked an eyebrow whilst he took a sip of brandy. 'how's that? I am trying my best.You are to be our liaison here, while I am to be our...hm, Sherlock Holmes, shall we say?'he puffed, quite chuffed at his self-congratulatory comparison.
Jack flopped down onto the sofa, 'Doctor Watson, more like, and yes I allude to the Nigel Bruce character.'Jack grinned wickedly.
'I should serve this to you over your swelled head, young rake.'Aleister took up the glasses and offered one to Jack. 'But, instead join me in a toast to our
successful mission! It is practically assured at this point, you'll agree!'
'Oh, really?'Jack took the proffered brandy.'And what do you base this eager assumption on?'
'On YOU, dear boy. To victory! By the solstice we shall have what we came for and can then return to our own temporal universe...Sol Invictus!' Parsons clicked glasses with Jack and drank deep of the amber libation.
Jack took a cautious sip.'You can't be serious. This will take time, Aleister!
Emmeline Page is not just some young slip of a guileless girl.She is rather worldly, in her way. In her time. She isn't to be easily persuaded...'
'Indeed not? I found her so...'Parsons took the seat by the fireside that Emmeline had vacated earlier. 'Oh, she is intelligent alright! And forward-thinking for a small town lady. But hardly worldy-wise as yet? I think she is fond of you, Jack. Of us, I'll venture to say.' Parsons puffed and flicked his ash into the fire, satisfied with his tidy presumptions.
'I'm not so sure...'Jack stared pensively into the fire.'She seems reluctant to, well, to get to know me better. To warm to me.'
'You're simply used to modern girls Jack.' Parsons flicked again, dismissively.
'No, it isn't that. I don't think.'Jack sighed and raised his glass, then paused,
'I hope she's not involved with anyone at the moment. That could complicate matters.'
'"Poncey Winebar"...?'Aleister grinned wolfishly, the cigarillo clamped in his jaws.
'God, no!'Jack laughed.'You wouldn't believe the small-town political villainy
here in little old Pankhurst! Lord, but people never change...only for the worse.'Jack swallowed the rest of his drink.
'That's partly what we have come here to change, old boy.'Parsons stood and began to pace the room slowly.' If all goes well tonight, and I believe it will, we shall have the answer to Emmeline's quandry as well as her blood sample.I like to think I handled that endeavor quite neatly.'
'It was a risk!I couldn't believe you just waltzed in here demanding the girl's blood for crapssake!'Jack sat up and leaned his head into both hands, rubbing his eyes with his palms as if to drive out all memory of the doctor's rashness.
'It worked. You have to remember the zeitgeist of this era. A man's word, a doctor's word, carried some weight with women back then!'Parsons stabbed his cigarillo in the air. 'We got the bloody sample. That's the main thing.'
'You're getting your ash on the rug,'Jack said and exited the parlor.
. . . . .
Back at Alice's...
The two friends are sharing cheese and port in Alice's sitting-room. Alice is availing herself of some dark Belgian chocolates as well, surreptitiously she believes, as she has instructed Emmeline to be firm with her in her ah, addiction. It could be nothing else, decides Alice, for surely she was at the mercy of Belgians and their nefarious chocolatiers...Alice munched rapturously, contemplating such foreign intrigue...'perhaps, with just a hint of ginger...'Alice gulped. Had she actually said that aloud?
'What? Ginger? Et tu, Alice?...'Em smiled lazily and took a sip of the tawny port, staring into the fire beginning to burn low now.
Alice leapt up and placed another log on the fire, 'A touch more port?' she enquired, hoping to distract Em from Alice's chocolate faux pas.
'I'm fine, Al.' Emmeline sighed and leaned her head on her hand.'I'm sorry, what were you saying? Something about ginger?'
Blast it.Quick now Alice, something about a new recipe...'Oh, I was just contemplating making some gingerbread. It's a fine tradition for the holiday season. What do you think? I rather fancy a triple-ginger treat: powdered, grated raw and candied, all added in the mix!"
'Sounds delicious. Something for the Solstice, what?'Em finished the rest of her port and frowned. 'Such a day. It seems odd to be thinking of traditions and celebrations...everything has been such a ruddy mess of late.'
'We do what we can,'replied Alice.' You and I, both. And now your friends, Mr. Van Horn and Dr. Parsons are here to help as well. Step by step, pas a pas, n'est ce pas, mi amiga? Meanwhile, life goes on. And the holidays are soon on our doorstep.At least we'll be closed then and can take a well-deserved break from the madness at work.'
Em smiled at her friend.'That's Oc, French and Spanish all in one scentence...a new record even for you, Alice cher.'She sighed and stretched.'We need a break, that's sure.Oh, you know, there was something here in the paper, where was it?'Emmeline reached for the Pankhurst Courier and began leafing through the pages. 'Here it is! What do you think Alice!' Emmeline gave her friend a mischevious smile.'Listen to this: 'Direct from the Music Halls of London! Don't miss the Comedy and Musical Stylings of the Dashing, the Debonaire, the Daring-- Jackie (the Cavalier Canary!) Changeling!--Along With the Internationales!Now playing at Mendation's Theatre in San Francisco!'
'Emmeline!'Alice stopped with her cheese bit in mid-air,'You can't be serious!
Jackie Changeling is a, a masher! Tres' scandalous, ma chere!And Mendation's is a
theatre of some, ah, questionable repute...!' Alice bit into her cheese forcefully.
'Exactly.'Em leaned back and studied the paper with a satisfied air.'It will be just the break we need. Alice, admit you long to get away for awhile! I know I do. Just to shake the dust of this provincial town from my boots and kick up my heels a bit. Just a bit,' she finished, looking at Alice, her eyebrow raised hopefully.
Alice leaned forward and took the paper from Em.'Let me see that.When is it playing again? Hm...it will be playing through the Solstice. Perfect for us.
A full-moon the 21st you know!'Alice snuck another chocolate from her pocket and chewed thoughtfully.
Emmeline hadn't noticed. She was staring into the fire contemplatively. 'You know you want to, Al. We haven't been to the City in donkey's ears. It'll be fun!
I've heard Jackie's show is a riot! I could certainly use a laugh.'
Alice sighed and folded the paper.'I, as well. Oh, fine then, you have me convinced. But if we see anyone we know there, we're finished!'
'Oh truly? And if we see anyone we know, they're finished as well!' Em and Alice
laughed together, relaxing finally as they contemplated an end to the encroaching cabin-fever of wintertime, the fire hissing softly as the embers fell and night approached stealthily on little bat-feet.
. . . . . .
As the half-moon rose over the city's esplanade, two figures were silhouetted against the dusky skyline. One seemed to be carrying something and would pause occasionally as he lifted it to eye-level and brought it to bear upon the playing field. It would seem to be a sort of telescope, and he swept it across the park slowly, finally stopping, and handed it over to the other man, who repeated the exercise. They both seemed to focus upon one area in particular and
gave soft exclamations whenever their gaze happened to alight on whatever it was they alone seemed to view through the instrument.
This odd behavior continued for several minutes until a patrolman appeared at the park's opposite end, making his rounds it would seem, and began to head their way. Upon seeing the officer, the two men fit the scope back into it's carrying case and exited the scene, walking briskly across the street to the library building where their carriage had been waiting.A burley gent sat hunched over the driver's seat and urged the horse forward to meet them. They sprang up into the trap and away they went toward the outskirts of town, albeit seemingly not in any great rush to do so.
Down Crowley Lane the little trap headed and at Crowley House it found it's home.
While Yeats took the cart to the stable, Jack and Aleister entered the house and
went into the parlor where Parsons set the instrument case down on the side table while Jack stoked the now-dying fire.
'Cold as the devil's ankles out!' Parsons declared,'Damn glass kept fogging. But, you could see them, and no mistake, eh?'
'I always assumed the devil had hot...ankles,'Jack said poking the fire.'But, oh yes. The scope works beautifully. I'm glad we brought it along.' He took a seat near the hearth. 'You've been awfully close about things, Al. Why don't you 'fess up now that you've finally proven what until now was just your hypothesis, I assume?'
Parsons was rubbing his hands and hovering over the fire. He smiled to himself, but said nothing. He looked toward the back of the house as he heard a door shut.
'That'll be Yeats. I'll just get us all some coffee brewing...'
'Aleister...'began Jack, shaking his head.He looked into the fire and smiled. He knew Parsons loved to play the scene to it's fullest and relished the suspense he knew he generated. The bastard, thought Jack, with admiration.They'd been friends many years and Jack knew Aleister well.Al would drag out the denouement as long as he thought he could get away with it.
Presently Parsons returned to the parlor, bearing a coffee pot and mugs toward the hearth. Pouring for them both, he took a long drink of the bracing beverage and wandering over to the French doors, pulled the curtains aside. 'Beastly weather,as the natives might say.Now it seems to be gathering storm-clouds...is there to be snow next..?' Aleister seemed to be talking to himself .so pensive the tone.
Jack was having none of this small talk. 'Al, will you just come out with it? What was it that we saw in the park? And what does it have to do with those injured at the tourney? I don't want to hear about the weather.'
'You should. My gods! Oh bloody hell! This looks like...Dammitol! I feared this might happen but not this soon! Jack, yalla!' Parsons waved him over to the window, lapsing into the Moroccan Arabic that they both were familiar with in
happier times.
'What is it now?' Jack pulled apart the curtains and beheld the oddest sight that the challenging day had impressed upon them yet: in place of the formerly star-studded heavens, the sky was filling with dark, roiling thunderheads that appeared to move as if speeded up with time-lapse photography.A sickly sort of lime-green hue pervaded their edges and the distant echo of low thunder could now be detected.'Aleister...you don't think that,-is it-?'
Just then, the clouds became adumbrant of a certain deliquescence. A clap of thunder exploded above them, as the sky, dehiscent with a center of rosy cerise,
suddenly shot forth a crimson vortex to the ground below, just scant kilometers from the house. Another thunder-clap, and all went dark. Jack and Aleister looked at each other in a state of numb shock. Then, slowly, the sky began to return to a semblance of normalcy. The stars were out, with no clouds present. There was no sign of the other-worldly tempest that had just delivered such a sneak-attack on the senses.
At this juncture, Yeats appeared at the parlor door. 'I am assuming we will all be adjourning to the stable now?'
Jack looked round, his eyes reflecting moonlight like a statue. 'yes and bring the black roses.'
Parsons had but one word. And that word was: 'Flubber!'
. . . . .
O yes ! Perhaps by this point:
The Players, Chapter 3
goodguys:
Miss Emmeline Page,All-American Revolutionary Librarian!
Jack Van Horn - Time Traveler/Inventor
Alice Stein - widow of late Frank N.- Em's Colleague & Best Pal
Dr. Aleister Parsons - Jack's colleague and partner in Time;Head of Crowley House
'Yeats' - Dr. Parsons's Bodyguard, Valet & all-round Gentleman's Gentleman
badguys:
Director Dickman - Pankhurst City Library
Percy (Poncey) Winebar - City Councilman
El Juan Flubber - ArchNemesis, Villain & All-Round Nogoodnik *('You will call me:
El Juan!')
Saturday, January 8, 2011
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Chapter 2: Emmeline Page - Revolutionary Librarian
Chapter 2: In Which Emmeline & Jack Meet Again and Dr. Parsons Reveals A Fascinating Surprise & Proposes A Conundrum
A beautiful December evening for star gazing and meteor watching, thought Emmeline as she pulled her quilt closer about her and took a sip of hot cocoa. Well, if she must be honest, cocoa laced with just a wee bit of brandy, for added warmth of liquid fire. But it was nearing zero outside...Em had been enjoying the Geminid meteor showers, but it was an early day tomorrow, albeit a Friday and the end of the work week, for her. And she may as well admit, it was now time to turn in, as she was already freezing.
Later that day, Emmeline was dreading closing time, and certainly not because it heralded the weekend. No, it was the blasted tournament scheduled for this evening.It was nothing more than preparing these lads for conscription soon to come. Em felt sick at heart to have to leave through the picket lines, but the director hadn't proscribed her rights to her own opinions. Yet.
'War For Profits! Not For People!' Em heard the chanting as she left the building. That's a good one, she thought. The protesters had moved onto the playing field. She was on her way past the greensward that had been marked off on the esplanade for war games, and was dismayed to see how many young men and boys had signed on for the tournament. Thinking she didn't want to watch the 'carnage' as she so termed it to herself, she continued on to the trolley, as she heard the whistle blow and the rush and clash as teams hurled themselves into the fray of battle. Suddenly she heard agonizing yells from some of the combatants. Whirling about,she headed back at a trot to the playing field, where she saw some boys go down, but without anyone touching them, they began to writhe and scream, some even to bleed from wounds that no one had touched..
'Whatever could this be!?' Emmeline was momentarily aghast.Getting a grip on herself she ran to the library to get help, when she heard a familiar voice - 'Miss Page! May I assist you?' It was Mr. Van Horn. Jack!
'Jack!' Emmeline forgot all decorum in the urgency of the situation. 'I must find a doctor! Something terrible has happened at the tournament!'
'My friend, Dr. Parsons is here, somewhere, yes! Aleister! Over here! Hurry! Yalla, yalla!'Jack began to sprint toward the field when he'd caught the eye of his friend.
'What is it, then?' asked Dr. Parsons as he came running , 'Oh, I see. Would you look at that--' and off he ran with Jack before him, over to the stricken boys.
Meanwhile Emmeline had found a woman she knew who worked as a nurse for a local pediatrician and had brought her onto the field to find Jack and Dr. Parsons examining the boys. Fortunately ambulances weren't far from the park,and soon the lads were hauled on board and taken to the hospital, along with, she noted curiously, Director Dickman and some city council and gun club members..
Em was left alone with Jack and Dr. Parsons, as her nurse friend had gone with the ambulance. Em ran her hand through her stray wisps of escaping hair, feeling utterly baffled and distraught over this sudden turn of events which had changed a precarious situation into the tragedy she had feared...though she certainly had not expected such an immediate and bizaare twist to things as that which had just transpired. Which was, just what ...exactly?
"What appears to be the matter with these boys?" she enquired as Dr. Parsons stood, his grave countenance not entirely without a slightly puzzled look.
It was then that Jack stepped in, "Miss Page, this is my friend and colleague, Dr. Parsons,"
"How do you do, Doctor?" Emmeline offered her hand, " I regret our meeting is not under more favorable circumstances."
"Quite," agreed Dr. Parsons, who shook her hand brusquely, after wiping the blood and grime on his handkerchief."I wish I could tell you straightaway, Miss Page,
but I must confess to some difficulty with this particular diagnosis just now. Jack, we've done all we can here. Did you get some samples from the other team as well?"
"I did," Jack answered, holding up ragged bits of torn and bloodstained cloth, presumably from the injured players. "Back to the lab with this, then?" Dr. Parsons nodded. "Why don't you join us, Miss Page?"
"Oh, I really mustn't...I..."began Em.
"Miss Page," Dr. Parsons took her elbow and escorted her from the field and back onto the boulevard, with Jack in tow, smiling slightly. "I must insist you come with us to my humble abode where you will have some excellent Oolong and restore your spirits. It has been rather a trying afternoon, yes?' As he raised an arm and hailed a carriage, Jack added his enticement, "Please do acquiesce, Miss Page, I would feel remiss to let you go off alone without the offer of tea at the very least.'
Emmeline, feeling rather shaken, had to admit that tea sounded well indeed, and she also allowed that she was very curious about the Doctor, who she now recognized as the gentleman who had bumped into her at the tea shop where she had first met Jack.
Their conveyance headed out of town, down Crowley Lane and ended up, astonishingly, at the old Crowley pile, a long-deserted Victorian manor house at the dead end of the lane. Workmen however had recently been in evidence, and restoration begun upon the place. Em's curiosity was twice-peaked now, having had more than a passing interest in the old house.There was rumor that the Page family was distant cousins of the old Crowley clan. She recalled Hallow's Eves of her childhood when she and the neighborhood children would steal away 'neath pallid moonlight and dare each other closer to the haunted mansion...invariably, no one would come any nearer than the bars of the iron fence pikes that bordered the Crowley demesne.
The iron fence was still in evidence, none the worse for wear. The craggy towers loomed darkly overhead still. Em had often wondered about what was inside the
topmost turret rooms, and had ever been strangely drawn to them. What scenes of Pankhurst's past had these old windows looked out upon?
'Oh, but this is wonderful! Dr. Parsons, I'd no idea anyone was fixing up the old
house! It has been a personal favorite of mine. I've longed for someone to see
the worthy structure beneath the desuetude of time's heavy hand...'
At this, the Doctor turned to Em and beamed, "Indeed, fair lady, I am just that Someone! You see, Jack! Not all find our cozy hideaway so distressed as do some!
Come, my dear, and I assure you we have restored the parlor remarkably well.'
Together the trio ascended the stairway leading to the front porch,now shored up with sturdy new timbers.Passing beneath the old lion's head carved above the front vestibule they divested themselves of heavy coats and hats in the darkened hallway, and entered into the parlor which, as the doctor intimated,was quite nicely turned out with comfortable chairs and sofas, and some rather fine thick Turkish rugs.The only addition to the room's decor besides several low lamps was a pair of swords upon the wall over the hearth in which Emmeline was immensely grateful to find a robust and cheery fire burning.
"Do be seated, won't you,I'll just see to the tea. Where the devvil--? Oh, I beg your pardon, Miss Page, I'm but an old country doctor you know, but I can't imagine the confounded whereabouts of Yeats?' and off stormed the doctor into what Em presumed must be the kitchen.
'Hmmm...the fire is burning well, he must not be far. Do have a seat here near the hearth,' said Jack, bringing round a chair to face the fireside, into which
Emmeline gratefully sank and smoothed her skirts, which she now realized were
rather soiled with the grime of the playing field. 'Oh, dear, I am trailing
sod onto your fine carpets, I fear...'
'Not a bother,' Jack assurred her, grabbing a firepan and wire broom and making a quick job of sweeping up the dirt they all had tracked in. He then sat opposite her in another hearthside chair and stretching his long legs before him,
reclined and sighed, his hand raking back his rather longish black hair which
Em wished hadn't made her think how well it looked on him.
'It has been rather a strange day,' she confessed. 'I cannot begin to imagine what has come over the lads at the tournament! I am hoping that's an end to the whole misbegotten games, but at what cost, I wonder?'
'I assure you, if anyone can discover the reason behind their mysterious affliction, it is Dr. Parsons,' Jack said, looking up at her. 'He is well acquainted with cases on the periphery of scientific knowledge from many years spent in India, China, Afrika, Arabia and the South Seas. In addition, he has a veritable alchemist's laboratory here in the basement of Crowley House.'
At this revelation, Emmeline cocked an eyebrow, but was distracted by the rattle of a tea-tray being wheeled toward them by a rather formidable personage who she assumed, must be the hitherto invisible valet, Yeats. With a grace that his broad physical proportions initially belied, he expertly poured tea and offered lemon biscuits, along with the news that the doctor sends his apologies for not joining them directly, but wished to take the specimens immediately to the lab and begin his studies.
'Quite understandable.Thank you very much, Yeats.' answered Jack, and asked Em if the tea was to her liking. 'It is divine!' Emmeline enthused. 'No, truly! How is it that one appreciates a simple hot cup of good tea so much more, after being out in the cold, and... adversity,' she ended, unsure of exactly what she meant, but wishing to convey her appreciation of being with like-minded folk who were all concerned with the same troubles at the moment, and who were taking a chance respite together from same.
Jack seemed to sense her sincerity despite her confusion. He took his own tea and smiled at her. 'And what do you think of Crowley House, now that you have seen the little restoration that we have made thus far?'
Emmeline set her teacup down and gazed about her, unabashedly staring at the
now-junglelike atmosphere she espied through the French doors where the back yard had yet to see the cultivating clip of shears or evem machete'...still, she was secretly thrilled to have at last gained entree into the haunted house of her
former fantasies.
'It's all so... unique! And the parlor is probably now quite a close approximation of it's original state I daresay. Oh, Jack, it will be altogether
a marvellous place when you have it restored to it's former glory!'Emmeline stopped herself, rather abashed at her fulsome evocation, not to mention becoming aghast at her forwardness and calling Jack by his Christian name,having hardly known him well. She hastily sipped some tea.
Jack allowed himself a chuckle.'Ah, so a rickety old house is what it takes to shake the proper librarian out of her reticence enough to call me by my first name, at long last! More tea,....Emmeline?' he ventured.
Em was about to excuse herself and make a hasty retreat, when pounding footsteps
echoed up from the lower floor and Doctor Parsons made his entrance, bursting into the parlor with a testube in one hand and a syringe in the other.
'It is something singular indeed it is! Just what, we shall soon see!' the doctor
flailed about looking for someplace to set down the glass tube which seemed to
be filled with a viscous red fluid.
'Here, Aleister,'Jack offered the doctor another set of testubes resting in a row
in a wooden respository seemingly constructed especially for the viterous vessels, wherein he set the specimen,then opening a drawer, removed some cotton and a small bottle of alcohol.'Roll up your sleeve, Jack, we need another baseline.The specimen is my own blood, but yours and Miss Page's should give us what we need for comparison to the samples from the stricken boys'
'Oh!, I..' escaped from Emmeline as she received this rather flagrant assault upon her social good humor.
'Indeed, Aleister, I say, is it altogether necessary that we presume upon Miss Page so?'Jack looked at her, clearly abashed by the doctor's bombastic effrontery. 'I must apologize for my colleague, Miss Page, he forgets himself in the fever of scientific inquiry.'
As Doctor Parsons expertly drew Jack's blood, Emmeline looked away and went pale.
'I do apologize, again, and probably not for the last time, my dear Miss Page,'he said, 'But I believe I am close to isolating the problem which befell our young gentlemen earlier today. I realize I am presuming upon your charity, to say the least, but I assure you that my needles are sterile and my manner professional in the extreme. Now, Miss Page, if I may...?'
While Parsons changed needles,Jack rolled down his sleeve,'Emmeline, you do not have to do this.' He shot what he hoped was a meaningful look at his friend.
Em had erstwhile gotten a grip on herself and donning her suffragist mien decided to buckle down to the job at hand and do her bit.'If it will help find what is wrong with those poor boys, of course I can spare a drop of blood. Doctor, do your work.' And she proceeded to roll up her sleeve in turn, tucking the lace out of the way.
'That's my girl, then.' the doctor turned to her and quickly dabbed the alcohol on her arm and as Em turned her face away, a quick pinch and the job was done.
. . . . . .
What's all this then? What are we to make of Jack and the good doctor now, or is he indeed a kindly country physician as we first assumed? What of our plucky heroine and her perhaps misguided attempts to render aid to the unfortunate victims of the now infamous war games? Surely as such was sponsored by the library, Emmeline must have felt somewhat responsible, however she differed in her own less than enthusiastic acceptance of her employer's part in that now regrettable debacle. And now to what pass has her good intentions brought her? Alone,with two strange, albeit intriguing men in the old Crowley mansion, the haunted house of her childhood days. Be sure to pick up the next penny installment of the continuing Adventures of Miss Emmeline Page, Revolutionary Librarian!
"Where memories of what never was becomes the Good Old Days."
--from: Steve Martin's the Crow lp --
'Truly wonderful and Just As Advertised'
To be listened to whilst reading the above novelette.One should also be imbibing
a fine strong tea as well. Served perhaps with lemon biscuits. Or lime. Or even
coffee for you patriot types.
In short: To be read in Retro-Audio-Vision-Sip-Dip-&-Flip-O-Scope, (TM)
'
A beautiful December evening for star gazing and meteor watching, thought Emmeline as she pulled her quilt closer about her and took a sip of hot cocoa. Well, if she must be honest, cocoa laced with just a wee bit of brandy, for added warmth of liquid fire. But it was nearing zero outside...Em had been enjoying the Geminid meteor showers, but it was an early day tomorrow, albeit a Friday and the end of the work week, for her. And she may as well admit, it was now time to turn in, as she was already freezing.
Later that day, Emmeline was dreading closing time, and certainly not because it heralded the weekend. No, it was the blasted tournament scheduled for this evening.It was nothing more than preparing these lads for conscription soon to come. Em felt sick at heart to have to leave through the picket lines, but the director hadn't proscribed her rights to her own opinions. Yet.
'War For Profits! Not For People!' Em heard the chanting as she left the building. That's a good one, she thought. The protesters had moved onto the playing field. She was on her way past the greensward that had been marked off on the esplanade for war games, and was dismayed to see how many young men and boys had signed on for the tournament. Thinking she didn't want to watch the 'carnage' as she so termed it to herself, she continued on to the trolley, as she heard the whistle blow and the rush and clash as teams hurled themselves into the fray of battle. Suddenly she heard agonizing yells from some of the combatants. Whirling about,she headed back at a trot to the playing field, where she saw some boys go down, but without anyone touching them, they began to writhe and scream, some even to bleed from wounds that no one had touched..
'Whatever could this be!?' Emmeline was momentarily aghast.Getting a grip on herself she ran to the library to get help, when she heard a familiar voice - 'Miss Page! May I assist you?' It was Mr. Van Horn. Jack!
'Jack!' Emmeline forgot all decorum in the urgency of the situation. 'I must find a doctor! Something terrible has happened at the tournament!'
'My friend, Dr. Parsons is here, somewhere, yes! Aleister! Over here! Hurry! Yalla, yalla!'Jack began to sprint toward the field when he'd caught the eye of his friend.
'What is it, then?' asked Dr. Parsons as he came running , 'Oh, I see. Would you look at that--' and off he ran with Jack before him, over to the stricken boys.
Meanwhile Emmeline had found a woman she knew who worked as a nurse for a local pediatrician and had brought her onto the field to find Jack and Dr. Parsons examining the boys. Fortunately ambulances weren't far from the park,and soon the lads were hauled on board and taken to the hospital, along with, she noted curiously, Director Dickman and some city council and gun club members..
Em was left alone with Jack and Dr. Parsons, as her nurse friend had gone with the ambulance. Em ran her hand through her stray wisps of escaping hair, feeling utterly baffled and distraught over this sudden turn of events which had changed a precarious situation into the tragedy she had feared...though she certainly had not expected such an immediate and bizaare twist to things as that which had just transpired. Which was, just what ...exactly?
"What appears to be the matter with these boys?" she enquired as Dr. Parsons stood, his grave countenance not entirely without a slightly puzzled look.
It was then that Jack stepped in, "Miss Page, this is my friend and colleague, Dr. Parsons,"
"How do you do, Doctor?" Emmeline offered her hand, " I regret our meeting is not under more favorable circumstances."
"Quite," agreed Dr. Parsons, who shook her hand brusquely, after wiping the blood and grime on his handkerchief."I wish I could tell you straightaway, Miss Page,
but I must confess to some difficulty with this particular diagnosis just now. Jack, we've done all we can here. Did you get some samples from the other team as well?"
"I did," Jack answered, holding up ragged bits of torn and bloodstained cloth, presumably from the injured players. "Back to the lab with this, then?" Dr. Parsons nodded. "Why don't you join us, Miss Page?"
"Oh, I really mustn't...I..."began Em.
"Miss Page," Dr. Parsons took her elbow and escorted her from the field and back onto the boulevard, with Jack in tow, smiling slightly. "I must insist you come with us to my humble abode where you will have some excellent Oolong and restore your spirits. It has been rather a trying afternoon, yes?' As he raised an arm and hailed a carriage, Jack added his enticement, "Please do acquiesce, Miss Page, I would feel remiss to let you go off alone without the offer of tea at the very least.'
Emmeline, feeling rather shaken, had to admit that tea sounded well indeed, and she also allowed that she was very curious about the Doctor, who she now recognized as the gentleman who had bumped into her at the tea shop where she had first met Jack.
Their conveyance headed out of town, down Crowley Lane and ended up, astonishingly, at the old Crowley pile, a long-deserted Victorian manor house at the dead end of the lane. Workmen however had recently been in evidence, and restoration begun upon the place. Em's curiosity was twice-peaked now, having had more than a passing interest in the old house.There was rumor that the Page family was distant cousins of the old Crowley clan. She recalled Hallow's Eves of her childhood when she and the neighborhood children would steal away 'neath pallid moonlight and dare each other closer to the haunted mansion...invariably, no one would come any nearer than the bars of the iron fence pikes that bordered the Crowley demesne.
The iron fence was still in evidence, none the worse for wear. The craggy towers loomed darkly overhead still. Em had often wondered about what was inside the
topmost turret rooms, and had ever been strangely drawn to them. What scenes of Pankhurst's past had these old windows looked out upon?
'Oh, but this is wonderful! Dr. Parsons, I'd no idea anyone was fixing up the old
house! It has been a personal favorite of mine. I've longed for someone to see
the worthy structure beneath the desuetude of time's heavy hand...'
At this, the Doctor turned to Em and beamed, "Indeed, fair lady, I am just that Someone! You see, Jack! Not all find our cozy hideaway so distressed as do some!
Come, my dear, and I assure you we have restored the parlor remarkably well.'
Together the trio ascended the stairway leading to the front porch,now shored up with sturdy new timbers.Passing beneath the old lion's head carved above the front vestibule they divested themselves of heavy coats and hats in the darkened hallway, and entered into the parlor which, as the doctor intimated,was quite nicely turned out with comfortable chairs and sofas, and some rather fine thick Turkish rugs.The only addition to the room's decor besides several low lamps was a pair of swords upon the wall over the hearth in which Emmeline was immensely grateful to find a robust and cheery fire burning.
"Do be seated, won't you,I'll just see to the tea. Where the devvil--? Oh, I beg your pardon, Miss Page, I'm but an old country doctor you know, but I can't imagine the confounded whereabouts of Yeats?' and off stormed the doctor into what Em presumed must be the kitchen.
'Hmmm...the fire is burning well, he must not be far. Do have a seat here near the hearth,' said Jack, bringing round a chair to face the fireside, into which
Emmeline gratefully sank and smoothed her skirts, which she now realized were
rather soiled with the grime of the playing field. 'Oh, dear, I am trailing
sod onto your fine carpets, I fear...'
'Not a bother,' Jack assurred her, grabbing a firepan and wire broom and making a quick job of sweeping up the dirt they all had tracked in. He then sat opposite her in another hearthside chair and stretching his long legs before him,
reclined and sighed, his hand raking back his rather longish black hair which
Em wished hadn't made her think how well it looked on him.
'It has been rather a strange day,' she confessed. 'I cannot begin to imagine what has come over the lads at the tournament! I am hoping that's an end to the whole misbegotten games, but at what cost, I wonder?'
'I assure you, if anyone can discover the reason behind their mysterious affliction, it is Dr. Parsons,' Jack said, looking up at her. 'He is well acquainted with cases on the periphery of scientific knowledge from many years spent in India, China, Afrika, Arabia and the South Seas. In addition, he has a veritable alchemist's laboratory here in the basement of Crowley House.'
At this revelation, Emmeline cocked an eyebrow, but was distracted by the rattle of a tea-tray being wheeled toward them by a rather formidable personage who she assumed, must be the hitherto invisible valet, Yeats. With a grace that his broad physical proportions initially belied, he expertly poured tea and offered lemon biscuits, along with the news that the doctor sends his apologies for not joining them directly, but wished to take the specimens immediately to the lab and begin his studies.
'Quite understandable.Thank you very much, Yeats.' answered Jack, and asked Em if the tea was to her liking. 'It is divine!' Emmeline enthused. 'No, truly! How is it that one appreciates a simple hot cup of good tea so much more, after being out in the cold, and... adversity,' she ended, unsure of exactly what she meant, but wishing to convey her appreciation of being with like-minded folk who were all concerned with the same troubles at the moment, and who were taking a chance respite together from same.
Jack seemed to sense her sincerity despite her confusion. He took his own tea and smiled at her. 'And what do you think of Crowley House, now that you have seen the little restoration that we have made thus far?'
Emmeline set her teacup down and gazed about her, unabashedly staring at the
now-junglelike atmosphere she espied through the French doors where the back yard had yet to see the cultivating clip of shears or evem machete'...still, she was secretly thrilled to have at last gained entree into the haunted house of her
former fantasies.
'It's all so... unique! And the parlor is probably now quite a close approximation of it's original state I daresay. Oh, Jack, it will be altogether
a marvellous place when you have it restored to it's former glory!'Emmeline stopped herself, rather abashed at her fulsome evocation, not to mention becoming aghast at her forwardness and calling Jack by his Christian name,having hardly known him well. She hastily sipped some tea.
Jack allowed himself a chuckle.'Ah, so a rickety old house is what it takes to shake the proper librarian out of her reticence enough to call me by my first name, at long last! More tea,....Emmeline?' he ventured.
Em was about to excuse herself and make a hasty retreat, when pounding footsteps
echoed up from the lower floor and Doctor Parsons made his entrance, bursting into the parlor with a testube in one hand and a syringe in the other.
'It is something singular indeed it is! Just what, we shall soon see!' the doctor
flailed about looking for someplace to set down the glass tube which seemed to
be filled with a viscous red fluid.
'Here, Aleister,'Jack offered the doctor another set of testubes resting in a row
in a wooden respository seemingly constructed especially for the viterous vessels, wherein he set the specimen,then opening a drawer, removed some cotton and a small bottle of alcohol.'Roll up your sleeve, Jack, we need another baseline.The specimen is my own blood, but yours and Miss Page's should give us what we need for comparison to the samples from the stricken boys'
'Oh!, I..' escaped from Emmeline as she received this rather flagrant assault upon her social good humor.
'Indeed, Aleister, I say, is it altogether necessary that we presume upon Miss Page so?'Jack looked at her, clearly abashed by the doctor's bombastic effrontery. 'I must apologize for my colleague, Miss Page, he forgets himself in the fever of scientific inquiry.'
As Doctor Parsons expertly drew Jack's blood, Emmeline looked away and went pale.
'I do apologize, again, and probably not for the last time, my dear Miss Page,'he said, 'But I believe I am close to isolating the problem which befell our young gentlemen earlier today. I realize I am presuming upon your charity, to say the least, but I assure you that my needles are sterile and my manner professional in the extreme. Now, Miss Page, if I may...?'
While Parsons changed needles,Jack rolled down his sleeve,'Emmeline, you do not have to do this.' He shot what he hoped was a meaningful look at his friend.
Em had erstwhile gotten a grip on herself and donning her suffragist mien decided to buckle down to the job at hand and do her bit.'If it will help find what is wrong with those poor boys, of course I can spare a drop of blood. Doctor, do your work.' And she proceeded to roll up her sleeve in turn, tucking the lace out of the way.
'That's my girl, then.' the doctor turned to her and quickly dabbed the alcohol on her arm and as Em turned her face away, a quick pinch and the job was done.
. . . . . .
What's all this then? What are we to make of Jack and the good doctor now, or is he indeed a kindly country physician as we first assumed? What of our plucky heroine and her perhaps misguided attempts to render aid to the unfortunate victims of the now infamous war games? Surely as such was sponsored by the library, Emmeline must have felt somewhat responsible, however she differed in her own less than enthusiastic acceptance of her employer's part in that now regrettable debacle. And now to what pass has her good intentions brought her? Alone,with two strange, albeit intriguing men in the old Crowley mansion, the haunted house of her childhood days. Be sure to pick up the next penny installment of the continuing Adventures of Miss Emmeline Page, Revolutionary Librarian!
"Where memories of what never was becomes the Good Old Days."
--from: Steve Martin's the Crow lp --
'Truly wonderful and Just As Advertised'
To be listened to whilst reading the above novelette.One should also be imbibing
a fine strong tea as well. Served perhaps with lemon biscuits. Or lime. Or even
coffee for you patriot types.
In short: To be read in Retro-Audio-Vision-Sip-Dip-&-Flip-O-Scope, (TM)
'
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