THRESHOLDS
IN
THE
PROSE
FICTION
OF W A L T E R DE L A M A R E
by
J O A N N A M A R Y WESTON
U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h Columbia,
B.A.,
A
THESIS
THE
SUBMITTED
IN
REQUIREMENTS
PARTIAL
FOR
M A S T E R OF
in
the
1967
FULFILMENT
THE D E G R E E
OF
OF
ARTS
department
of
English
We a c c e p t
required
THE
this
thesis
as
conforming
to
standard
UNIVERSITY
OF
June,
BRITISH
1969
COLUMBIA
the
In p r e s e n t i n g t h i s
thesis
an advanced degree at
in p a r t i a l
f u l f i l m e n t of
the U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h
the L i b r a r y s h a l l make i t
the requirements f o r
Columbia,
I agree
f r e e l y a v a i l a b l e f o r r e f e r e n c e and
I f u r t h e r agree that p e r m i s s i o n
f o r e x t e n s i v e copying of
this
that
Study.
thesis
f o r s c h o l a r l y purposes may be granted by the Head of my Department or
by h i s
of t h i s
representatives.
thesis
It
for f i n a n c i a l
is
understood that copying or p u b l i c a t i o n
gain s h a l l
written permission.
Department
The U n i v e r s i t y of B r i t i s h
Vancouver 8, Canada
Columbia
not be allowed without my
ABSTRACT
Walter
and
de
l a Mare
supernatural
concerned with
His
no
use
approach
to
show
by
by
total
makes
other,
threshold
of
a l l
the
in
prose
real,
ideal
two
and
his
for
de
crossing
The
the
real
a major
be
theme
is
the
though
seen
in
accept
de
he
imagery,
in
to
show
are
other,
and
the
they
one
the
may
the
be
between
integral
present
how
selves,
thresholds
as
i n which
self,
thereby,
a l s o how
as
whole
an
image
individual
stands
experience.
concerned
boundary
spiritual,
ideally,
to
uses
l a Mare
that
intuitive
astral
seen as
future
the
and
selves
He
memory
world
is
the
are
the
fact,
selves.
in
and m i r r o r s
shows
future
should,
which
they
rather
real
refusal
he
in
mind.
water
and
astral world.
self
by
fantasy
i s ,
psychological
infinite
the
he
of
unconscious
f i c t i o n and,
past
fiction,
and
of
understanding.
primeval
his
of
that
follows
But
once
union
between
container
unconscious
barriers
a writer
He
selves,
another.
that
happiness
present,
that
unconscious
these
than
windows,
one
command
of
doors,
of
the
as
man's
denial
in
serves
of
as
here
conscious
the media
understanding,
the
spirit,
the
of
of
his
and
of
known
proposed
formulas.
uses
of
is
been
philosophical
Freudian
but
It
lack
for
In
more
images
across
and
is
possibilities
conscious
united
one
of
uses
divided
fiction.
Jung
the
He
the
of
always
exploration
exploration
makes
has
into
the
w i t h man
world
in
of
the
p h y s i c a l human
body,
the make-up
that
the
face.
l a Mare's
It
prose
of
is
attainment
fiction.
TABLE
OF
CONTENTS
Page
CHAPTER
I
CHAPTER I I
CHAPTER I I I
INTRODUCTION:
THE
THE HOUSE
1
Footnotes
12
O P E N DOOR
14
Footnotes
32
WINDOW A N D W A T E R
33
Footnotes
CHAPTER
IV
THE L O O K I N G
50
GLASS
Footnotes
CHAPTER V
THE
PRESENT,
.
.
.
.
.
BETWEEN
.
52
.
.
68
PAST AND FUTURE
69
Footnotes
CHAPTER V I
THE
O T H E R AND
Footnotes
BIBLIOGRAPHY
87
THE
R E A L WORLDS
. . .
89
95
96
CHAPTER
I
INTRODUCTION:
THE
HOUSE
Have we, i n d e e d , a l l of u s , to the l a s t dim
c o r n e r and a t t i c , c e l l a r and c o r r i d o r ,
explored
ourselves? . . .
Age, i n time, s c r a w l s our
v e r y s e l v e s upon our f a c e s .
F a s t - l o c k e d the
d o o r o f o u r s o u l s may b e , b u t , t h e k e y h a n g s
i n the porch.''"
It
is
in
the
interest
the
lies.
house
the.soul
through
porch,
of
the
and,
its
He
the
is
such,
windows.
house
in
order
It
is
the
of
i t
as
the
theme
in
de
to
reality
true
la
The
should
show
soul
that
soul
character
Mare's
has
commerce
prose
of
the
with
beyond.
The
have
of
of
preoccupied
soul
as
threshold,
the
egress
or
souls
Of
and
this
self
and
main
exploring
contains
soul
porch
within
of
the
individualities.
self,
that
Mare's
body,
the
the
astral
individual,
fiction.
of
la
door
the
through
other
de
the
house,
character
dream
the
that
unlocking
fleshly
with
as
soul
the
makes
he
says
a
portrayal
continued
that
we
cannot
d i s m i s s w i t h a shrug of the shoulders the
belief,
l o n g a g o p r o p o u n d e d b y P a r a c e l s u s , t h a t we a r e
possessed of an a s t r a l or s i d e r e a l body, which
i s u s u a l l y c o i n c i d e n t w i t h the c o r p o r a t e
body,
b u t i s o f a m a t e r i a l i t y so s u b t i l e a s t o be i n v i s i b l e t o t h e human e y e - - a b o d y w h i c h i n s l e e p o r
t r a n c e o r when f r e e d by c e r t a i n d r u g s , may d e p a r t
i n t o the v i e w l e s s a i r on e r r a n d s of i t s own. . . .
Nor i s i t o n l y i n s l e e p a p p a r e n t l y t h a t t h i s a s t r a l
body can thus m i g r a t e .
He
equates
this
astral
self
with
the
imaginative,
creative
self,
/
-2But the r e l a t i o n between the l i f e of the i m a g i n a t i o n and t h a t o f the e x t e r n a l w o r l d i s o b s c u r e .
. . . a second s e l f l e s s easy of access than when
the e a r t h ' s sun i s i n the s k y : David and J o n a t h a n .
(P. 97)
The a s t r a l s e l f
then i s c l o s e as f r i e n d s h i p can be to the s e l f we show
t o the w o r l d , but i t i s a l s o as h i g h above and u n a t t a i n a b l e
and s t a r s .
for.
i s the m a n i f e s t a t i o n s
living in reality
of the c o n s c i o u s m i n d , r e c o g n i z i n g and
i n the known p a r t s of the house of i t s b e i n g , and
of the u n c o n s c i o u s , a s t r a l ,
s e l f moving a c r o s s the porch of the
t h a t form a p a t t e r n o f e x p l o r a t i o n f o r de l a Mare.
propose c o n c l u s i o n s , he suggests s p e c u l a t i o n s ,
t r u e t o h i s whole
p o s s i b i l i t i e s of d e v e l o p -
the b o r d e r l i n e between extremes,
between day and n i g h t ,
p a s t and f u t u r e ,
the t w i l i g h t area
o f them.
3
a l l with
This unconscious
c l e a r l y not the u n c o n s c i o u s w h i c h Freud i n v e s t i g a t e s .
for Freud's theories,
manifestations
l i f e and d e a t h ,
ence t o the c o n s c i o u s and u n c o n s c i o u s s e l v e s .
scant reverence
integral
self.
P a r t of t h i s p a t t e r n o f e x p l o r a t i o n i n v o l v e s the
of good and e v i l ,
self
He does n o t
ment, always toward u n i o n o f the two s e l v e s t h a t w i l l make the
individual
sun
I t i s the d r e a m - i d e a l which we know and r e c o g n i z e but
w h i c h must be s t r u g g l e d
It
as the
referis
De l a Mare has
though he was c e r t a i n l y c o g n i s a n t
He s a i d t h a t
The p s y c h o l o g i s t s . . . p l u n g i n g us i n t o the
i n s c r u t a b l e p i t of the u n c o n s c i o u s , have even
c i r c u m s c r i b e d what we had assumed to be man's
i n f i n i t e mind.
He c l e a r l y does not b e l i e v e t h a t s c i e n c e c o u l d be used i n e x p l o r a t i o n
of such a boundless t h i n g as the mind or s p i r i t .
Freudian explanations
-3-
are
too s i m p l e , s c i e n t i f i c methods s e t l i m i t s
to e x p l o r a t i o n .
The
s e l f i s never f u l l y e x p l o r e d because what the c o n s c i o u s s e l f knows
i s not i n d i c a t i v e o f what the unconscious s e l f can do.
De l a Mare
i s thus c l o s e r t o Jung's methods of thought s i n c e Jung i n c l i n e d t o
an i n t u i t i v e
of
approach, m a i n t a i n i n g o n l y t h a t t h e r e i s a
possibility
s c i e n t i f i c i n v e s t i g a t i o n of s p i r i t u a l e x p e r i e n c e .
Jung f e l t t h a t "the s p i r i t does e v e r y t h i n g t o a v o i d l o o k i n g
5
h i m s e l f i n the f a c e . "
T h i s i s the f a s t - l o c k e d door o f the s o u l which
de l a Mare wishes t o open:
the d e c i s i o n , or c h o i c e , of the s p i r i t t o
see i t s e l f , r e c o g n i z e i t s e l f , and remain i n r e c o g n i t i o n .
But, says
Jung,
the b e w i l d e r i n g i n t e r p l a y of good and e v i l ,
and the r e m o r s e l e s s c o n c a t e n a t i o n of g u i l t ,
s u f f e r i n g and redemption . . . /inake7 a r a z o r edged p a t h , to be t r o d d e n f o r God's sake o n l y .
...
(P. 72)
The path i s the t h i n l i n e between extremes
terms, t o the i d e a l
l e a d i n g , i n de l a Mare's
whole.
But, w h i l e Jung's i n v e s t i g a t i o n of the s o u l i s known as p s y c h o l o g i c a l , de l a Mare's e x p l o r a t i o n s are l i t e r a r y and p h i l o s o p h i c a l :
t h e r e i s no such t h i n g as the t r u t h :
6
to a l l the l i t t l e
truths."
"Surely
what m a t t e r s i s our r e a c t i o n s
Both q u e s t i o n s and answers are i n f i n i t e .
There i s no c i r c u m f e r e n c e t o the mind but o n l y boundaries between
d i f f e r e n t w o r l d s and s e l v e s .
I n a l l h i s p r o s e , whether f o r c h i l d r e n
or a d u l t s , de l a Mare d e a l s w i t h , e x p l o r e s , t e l l s o f ,
estrangement
from, or r e t u r n to one of these worlds or s e l v e s .
boundaries
between the w o r l d s appear i n d i f f e r e n t forms:
The
as d o o r s , windows, w a t e r ,
-4mirrors.
Each a c t s as a porch f o r the passage
of the s e l f from
one
w o r l d to another, or as a t h r e s h o l d f o r e x p l o r a t i o n o f the c e l l a r s
and a t t i c s of the f l e s h l y house.
The door i s the t h r e s h o l d between the house of death and
landscape o f l i f e .
But Henry Lawford
threshold.
and
Passage
from one
the
s i d e to the other i s p o s s i b l e .
i n The Return, stands almost e n t i r e l y on t h a t
He stands, w i t h death behind him,
l o o k i n g a t both
life
death.
'At death's door,' murmured Lawford under
h i s b r e a t h ; 'who was i t was s a y i n g t h a t ? Have
you e v e r , S h e i l a , i n a dream, or j u s t as one's
thought go sometimes, seen t h a t door? . . . i t s
r u i n o u s stone l i n t e l , carved i n t o l i c h e n o u s
stone heads . . . s t o n i l y s i l e n t i n the l a s t
t h i n s u n l i g h t , hanging i n peace u n l a t c h e d .
Heated, hunted, i n agony--in t h a t c o l d , greenc l a d , shadowed porch i s haven and s a n c t u a r y
. . . But b e y o n d - - 0 God, beyond!'
The door i t s e l f ,
the l i m i t of h i s two w o r l d s , i s haven to t h i s
He
i s a t the p o i n t o f u n i t y between two
to
look to h i s dead or h i s l i v i n g s e l f i s to look to i s o l a t i o n
fear.
i m p o s s i b l e extremes,
Death i s not then o n l y t h a t which awaits a l l men.
man.
but
and
Herbert
says "Death i s behind us, not i n f r o n t - - i n our a n c e s t o r s , back and
8
back, u n t i l - - " .
Death i s a l s o present and f u t u r e :
Miss M.
stumbled on the c a r c a s s of a young mole.
C u r i o s i t y vanquished the f i r s t gulp of h o r r o r .
H o l d i n g my b r e a t h , w i t h a s t i c k I s l o w l y
edged i t up i n the dust and surveyed the
white h e a v i n g n e s t of maggots i n i t s b e l l y
w i t h a p e c u l i a r and absorbed r e c o g n i t i o n .
'Ah Ha!' a v o i c e c r i e d w i t h i n me, 'so t h i s
i s what i s i n w a i t ; so t h i s i s how t h i n g s
are';
and I stooped w i t h l i p s drawn back over
my t e e t h g t o examine the s t i n k i n g mystery more
closely.
1
once
It
is
what
the
use
lies
further
Henry
in
in
Brocken,
of
his
from
de
"The
appears
In
de
of
towards
Since
of
how
us
another
this
"this
it
region
is
consoling,
those
almost
which
This
s t i l l
the
in
i.e.,
the
la Mare's
apparitions
sense,
not
but
but
as
soul.
This
not
as
stories
phenomena
of
is
the
of
but
"guilt,
particularly
that
again,
in
up
is
to
living,
towards
to
suspect
not,
it.
journey
de
la
however,
bring
one
may
apparent
consoling
can
His
message
entirely
ghosts
are
contrary,
and
emanations
projections
psychical
resentations
short
i.e.,
now,
self
. . .
i n a l l the . . . drenched,
death-stor
h o u s e s , down w h o s e c o r r i d o r s a n d s t a i r c a s e s
p a s t h i s s e s , and i n whose g r e a t m i r r o r s you
b e h i n d you a c o r r i d o r o f h i n t e d f a c e s , and
whose l o f t y beds you share y o u r s h e e t s and
mare w i t h an i n t a n g i b l e , s h i f t e d f e l l o w or
s i b i l a n t echo of a sound you w i s h had never
made, most t h i n g s t h a t happen a r ^ o r d i n a r y ,
v e r y n e a r l y o r d i n a r y , and v i l e .
De
wait",
And
natural
sets
inclination
on
are",
death.
to
spiritualism.
to
any
of
is
all."''"^
spiritualism
1
_is what
things
concept
awaits
be
departed
from being
_i£
la Mare's
to
l a Mare
tense
"this
Past
view
writings.
'dear
present
future,
inclining
the
absolve
far
the
return.
Mare
the
delineates
Death
and
of
the
novels
of
a
soul
spirit
of
extensions
suffering
clear
in
alike
the
of
and
de
ied
the
see
in
nightthe
been
or
deal
world
with
in
the
individual;
the
la Mare's
of
short
and
spiritualist
They
unconscious
redemption"
souls
are
self,
the
rep-
individual
story
"An
12
Anniversary"
in
John's
death.
Aubrey
As
story
the
which Aubrey
shows,
it
has
is
sees
convinced
Aubrey's
the
face
himself
of
that
own g u i l t y
John F i s k e ,
his
lack
of
wife
love
a year
loved
for
afte
John.
his
-6wife
and h i s
own
suspicious mind
He h a s
isolated himself
use
the
of
shut
and
of
c a n be
in
i s o l a t i o n recur
a haven,
with his
wife
and
created
the
from h i s
apparition.
true
self
by
wrong
so
sick
they
wife.
throughout
can
shut
This
is
de
la Mare's
people
to
be,
in,
prose.
as Aubrey
possibly,
his
As
is
finally
"suffering
redemption".
Windows
behind
blank
also
windows
and
isolate
looking
staring,
from which
the
like
spirit
has
serves
as
is
broken
not
Water,
comes
Even
division.
the
It
the
as
between
world.
but
in
rivers
rain
Rivers
sea
is
is
in
the
de
the
belief
pool
of
mirror
that
is
the
water.
most
mirror
Thus,
is
between
in
"The
But
an
a
soul
one
image
sense
that
i s most
of
of
a l l .
the
with
are
houses
strange
glass
threshold
itself
which
" '
of
estrangement.
of
and
to
live
of
another,
alone".
estrangement
clearly
He h e l d
seen.
the
looker-in,
It
exile-
world
millions
the
an
estrangement,
f r o m one
"mortal
are
desolate
the
" _
a highway
w h i c h we
the
empty,
them.
the
People
The w i n d o w s
a home-world
gives
convoluted
holds
in
-:
also
selves
in.
windows
self,
mirror-imagery
unconscious
the
in
works.
are
crossed.
falls
in
there
and
sometimes,
la Mare's
c o n s c i o u s and
self
adult,
unknown
eyes,
showing
seas,
that
are,
Or
la Mare's
looking
stagnant
be
and
de
outside
odd,
to
c h i l d and
in
fled.
between
order
the
or
dead
wicked, bodiless,
a barrier
people
out
faces,
of
have
imagination.
Images
doors
from h i s
that
His
of
use
primitive
as
Looking-Glass":
The c l e a r n e s s / o f t h e a i r j a s i t w e r e o f a g l a s s ,
of a l o o k i n g - g l a s s , w h i c h c o n c e a l s a l l b e h i n d and
beyond i t , r e t u r n i n g only the l o o k e r ' s wonder,
or
does
a
-7simply her v a n i t y , or even her gaiety.
Why,
f o r the m a t t e r of t h a t , thought A l i c e s m i l i n g ,
t h e r e a r e p e o p l e who l o o k i n t o l o o k i n g - g l a s s e s ,
a c t u a l l y see themselves t h e r e , and y e t n e v e r
turn a h a i r . ^
The m i r r o r
may
but
that
beyond
their
or
true
through
only
it
selves,
i t
as
game
the
w h i c h , by
De
only
the
of
lands
says
of
c a n be
unknown
It
soul
Alice
is,, for
destroying
"that
current,
frightened.
Carroll's
prose
faery
looker's
the
chess.
la Mare's
demanding
holds
Lewis
fantastic
beast
show the
the
should
willing
into
does,
is
who
the
not
l a Mare,
be
death.
then
be
taken
as
l a Mare,
to
simple
disbelief"
for
writing
Lewis
of
souls,
play
drawn
cause
of
their
looking-glass,
just
to
feeling,
see
may
suspension
De
those
To g o
de
obvious,
soul,
not
and m a g i c .
and
and
in
a
by
fantasy
entry
to
Carroll,
that
. . . the s o v r e i g n element i n the A l i c e s . . .
c o n s i s t s of what i s o f t e n p e r f e c t l y r a t i o n a l ,
p r a c t i c a l , l o g i c a l , a n d , maybe, m a t h e m a t i c a l ,
what i s t e r s e , abrupt and p o i n t e d , i n a s t a t e
a n d u n d e r c o n d i t i o n s o f l i f e t o w h i c h we m o s t
of
i
us
win admittance
14
only
w h e n we a r e
blessedly
asleep.
The
suggestion
not
necessarily exist
hours
of
may
the
Deep",
George
lands
in
this
only
"rational,
in
sleep
learned
treatment
of
practical,
and
a blessed occurance.
a n d may h a v e
logical"
admittance
He
shows
something
the m i r r o r
of
as
a
to
it
world
during
does
waking
this
clearly
in
this
concept
from
threshold
to
"Out
strange
Lilith.
l a Mare
contains
the
be
that
Macdonald's
De
in
not
is
and
also
sees
eye-mirror,
the
to
uses
soul
see
the
eye
as
of
the
person
ourselves,
a mirror.
our
As
reflected.
souls,
as
such,
Is
again,
it
others
then
it
possible,
see us?
Do
i.
-8others
see
Mare's
fiction,
show more
our
of
souls?
because
the
be
examined more
here
as
suggestions
idea
present,
It
is
the
limit
further;
it
can
from i t
step
hold
the
is
of
the
door
only
questions
with
ideas
the
past,
outset
open
animation
clearly
the
the
the
reflecting
in
of
specifically later
of
is
the
These
emerging
to him,
do
of
soul?
will
One
And
of
ease.
to
the
that
from
de
their
this
l a Mare
threshold
between
that
at
the
future.
Not
only
past
but
de
water
is
Man,
does
the
and
past
are
individual
posed
with.
that
the
the
future.
exists
e x i s t i n g on
the
l a Mare
past
la
soul
concerned
is
de
depths,
the
they
writing
the
which
in
inscrutable
paper;
la Mare's
line
of
r e f l e c t i o n and
in
de
pools
no
that
line,
memory
consistently
affirmed
that
Memories
well
not
farej
suspect,
only
racial,
personal,
and not
but
only
a s we
racial
may
but
primeval.^
In
this
statement
he
echoes
Jung:
The p s y c h e i s n o t o f t o d a y .
It reaches right
back to p r e h i s t o r i c ages.
Has man r e a l l y c h a n g e d
i n a thousand years?
Have s t a g s changed t h e i r
a n t l e r s i n t h i s s h o r t s p a c e o f time?''"
Late
in
his
life
de
la
Mare
r e a d a book w h i c h s u g g e s t e d t h a t t h e s o u l comes
to t h i s l i f e w i t h previous experience of i t ,
so t h a t t h e r e was no s u c h t h i n g as c o g n i t i o n :
a l l c o g n i t i o n was r e c o g n i t i o n .
I n d e e d i t was
d i f f i c u l t t o see how y o u c o u l d know a n y t h i n g
i f y o u c o u l d n o t c o m p a r e i t w i t h some p r e v i o u s
experience.^
The
last
comparisons
and
problems
comment
are
made
solved
is
by
his
the
during
own a n d
he
would
unconscious mind,
sleep,
by
the
certainly
as
primeval
say
questions
memory
that
are
such
answered
without
-9-
recourse
to
direct
or
conscious
inasmuch
a s we r e c o g n i z e
and
knowledge.
use
the
The
primeval
past
thus
experience
awaits
and
us
memory.
" W h a t i s s p a c e b u t t h e a l l I am?
What
i s t i m e b u t t h e a l l I was a n d s h a l l b e . "
18
says
"I
the
am",
that
It
is
"I
is
the
the
"I
memory and
shall
memory,
The
present
to
am"
of
" a l l
The
known,
the
the
"I"
but
And
I
the
waiting,
Man
integral
unexplored,
the
as
is
the
a l l
recognizing
is
The
future.
is
was"
who,
latter
further
and
individual
capriciousness
is
Travel."
house
within.
the
of
past
God-like,
that
be".
Bird
not
of
The
"The
door
moving
name
future?
of
the
am",
entities
by
girl
the
"I
stands
self
of
am"
space
the
experience,
anticipated
contained
regions
the
and
by
present
within
the
with
and
between
personal
is
continually
identified
threshold
the
that
flesh.
unknown
contained
past
and
unconscious
becomes
but,
because
time
as
the
of
"I
the
.
.
.
primeval
"I".
of
man's
emphasized
case
of
sense
by
of
experiences
the
famous
the
dreamer
out
the
his bedside candle,
g l o b e , and awoke t o
19
who,
such
past,
future,
or
as
after
puffing
slept,
circumnavigated
f i n d the wick s t i l l
smouldering.
De
time
of
the
l a Mare
appear
boredom.
Mad
to
He
knows
go
also
quickly
the
oddness
a t moments
understands
not
only
of
of
the
'inner
intensity
Alice's
and
concept
clock'
which
slowly
of
time,
Hatter's:
"I t h i n k y o u m i g h t do s o m e t h i n g b e t t e r w i t h t h e
t i m e , " she s a i d , " t h a n w a s t i n g i t i n a s k i n g r i d d l e s
t h a t have no a n s w e r s . "
" I f y o u knew Time as w e l l as I d o , " s a i d t h e
H a t t e r , "you wouldn't t a l k about w a s t i n g i t .
It's
him."
"I d o n ' t know what y o u m e a n , " s a i d A l i c e .
in
makes
hours
but
also
;
-10-
"Of course you d o n ' t ! " the H a t t e r s a i d ,
t o s s i n g h i s head contemptuously. " I dare say
you never even spoke t o Time."
"Perhaps n o t , " A l i c e c a u t i o u s l y r e p l i e d ; "but
I know I have t o beat time when I l e a r n m u s i c . "
"Ah." That accounts f o r i t , " s a i d the H a t t e r .
"He won't s t a n d b e a t i n g . Now, i f you o n l y kept
on good terms w i t h him, he'd do almost a n y t h i n g
you l i k e d w i t h c l o c k . For i n s t a n c e , suppose i t
were n i n e o ' c l o c k i n the morning, j u s t time t o
b e g i n l e s s o n s : you'd o n l y have t o w h i s p e r a
h i n t t o Time, and round goes the c l o c k i n a
t w i n k l i n g ! H a l f - p a s t one, time f o r d i n n e r ! "
De l a Mare was c l e a r l y i n f l u e n c e d by C a r r o l l , perhaps
learning
from him t o ask q u e s t i o n s and expound the r i d d l e s of time and space
t h a t have no answers.
The q u e s t i o n of who,
beside C a r r o l l ,
de l a Mare i s answered v a r i o u s l y by h i s c r i t i c s and
influenced
commentators.
He belongs i n the t r a d i t i o n of the s u p e r n a t u r a l t h a t s t a r t s w i t h
l e a d i n g through Defoe, W a l p o l e , the Romantics, and Poe.
Seneca,
From the
Romantics t o C h r i s t i n a R o s s e t t i and de l a Mare a n o t h e r t h r e a d o f
influence i s clear.
the
And he cannot be d i s c u s s e d w i t h o u t r e f e r e n c e t o
B i b l e and t o f o l k - a n d - f a i r y
tales.
W i t h i n the p e r i o d o f h i s w r i t i n g he i s l i n k e d by i n t e r e s t s , themes,
images and concepts t o K i p l i n g :
the e n t r y t o the p a s t i n Puck o'
Pook's H i l l i s o f t e n by the r i v e r .
the
I n John Buchan's Gap i n the C u r t a i n
f u t u r e i s seen i n the pages of a newspaper.
The Man Who
Was
Thursday i s a spy s t o r y s e t i n the w o r l d of nightmare
w h i c h d e a l s w i t h profound t r u t h s of l i f e .
and L i l i t h
G. K. C h e s t e r t o n ' s
George Macdonald's
Phantastes
pass from r e a l houses t o l a n d s c a p e s of dream a c r o s s the
t h r e s h o l d s of doors and m i r r o r s .
And, i n h i s foreword t o James
Stephens' The Crock of G o l d , W a l t e r de l a Mare says t h a t
-11i t i s not a book a t a l l , but a c r a z y
patchwork
s t i t c h e d l o o s e l y t o g e t h e r - - a k i n d of
motley
o v e r a l l i n w h i c h o n e may s i t i n o n e ' s
bones
on the v e r g e of t i m e and s p a c e ^ a n d
contemplate
e v e r y t h i n g and n o t h i n g .
. . .
He
sits
in
infinite
the
size
porch
of
the
of
the
house
house
and
of
the
his
body
in
landscape.
contemplation
He
looks
out
of
the
and
By means o f t h o s e f r a i l t e n t a c l e s , o u r
senses,
we e x p l o r e t h e o u t w a r d s e m b l a n c e o f o u r
fellowc r e a t u r e s ; b u t f l e s h i s f l e s h and bone i s
bone,
a n d o n l y b y i n s i g h t a n d b y d i v i n a t i o n c a n we
p i e r c e i n w a r d to the c i t a d e l of the mind and
soul.
We c a n o n l y t r a n s l a t e t h e i r t o u c h ,
their
g e s t u r e s , the words they use, the changing
looks
o n t h e i r f a c e s i n t o t e r m s o f o u r own c o n s c i o u s n e s s
and s p i r i t . . . . N e v e r t h e l e s s , the inmost
self
of e a c h one o f us i s a l i v e l o n g r e c l u s e .
He
the
would,
understanding
individual,
infinities
and
by
far
of
astral
recluse-soul,
go
from a t t i c
man's
body
and
and
soul,
in
the
exploration,
to
astral
e a c h man.
explore
its
cellar,
to
self
He w o u l d
look
into
the
find
some
answer
which
is
unlock
dwelling-place
of
both
the
life.
house
close
door
of
of
to
the
friend
the
-12-
FOOTNOTES:
^"Walter de
(London, 1919),
l a Mare,
p. 3 0 .
Rupert
Brooke
,
Behold
this
,
Pleasures
2
P.
40,
41.
Ibid.,
3
p.
^C.
G.
G.
Jung,
Jung ed.
Psyche and
by
Violets,
6
Russell
7
Walter
de
l a Mare,
8
Ibid.,
p.
132.
Walter
de
l a Mare,
9
Brain,
^
the
Intellectual
Dreamer!
Thomas,
Phelps
and
Symbol:
de
(New Y o r k ,
The
Return
Memoirs
Henry
"Walter
(London,
of
Speculations
A
Laszlo
Imagination
1939),
de
de
l a Mare
the
Writings
(London,
a Midget
(London,
1921),
118
in
1942),
Living
1958),
1957),
p.
(London,
1940),
New Y o r k ,
/19227),
l a Mare"
p.
City,
(London,
Brocken
1947),
(London,
S e l e c t i o n from
(Garden
Tea w i t h W a l t e r
__,
"^Dylan
Gilbert
and
8.
4
C.
I
p.
p.
of
p.
125.
117.
p.
p.
15.
169.
Writers
ed.
by
7
12
Walter
Stories
de
l a Mare,
1955),
p.
(London,
1923),
P
p.
62 .
,
Lewis
,
Desert
13
Stories
,
14
^
1 9 3 0 ) , p.
16
"An A n n i v e r s a r y "
(London,
C.
in A
Jung,
Psyche
and
Other
176-216.
"The
Looking-Glass" in
Carroll
Island
(London,
and
and
Symbol,
p.
The
x i i i .
Riddle
1932),
Robinson
1.
G.
Beginning
p.
Crusoe
and
Other
60.
(New
8.
York,
111.
•13-
^ R u s s e l l B r a i n , Tea w i t h W a l t e r de l a Mare, p. 124.
I
Q
W a l t e r de l a Mare, "The B i r d of T r a v e l " i n The R i d d l e and Other
S t o r i e s , p. 155.
19
}
Behold t h i s Dreamer!, p. 68.
20
Lewis C a r r o l l , A l i c e i n Wonderland
(New Y o r k , Zn.d.7), p. 94.
21
James Stephens, The Crock of G o l d , w i t h a Foreword by W a l t e r
de l a Mare (London, 1953), p. 7.
22
W a l t e r de l a Mare, D e s e r t I s l a n d s and Robinson Crusoe, p. 11.
CHAPTER
II
THE O P E N DOOR
Between
and
the
unconscious
which
the
safest
life
selves
individual
place
and
two w o r l d s
is
death
in
is
there
self
to
be
unconscious
selves
the
unconscious
terrors
the
self
De
in
and
The
l a Mare
Return
"Out
of
the
of
self,
is
to
Deep".
in
The
open
threat,
however,
are
allowed
to
short
Both
the
go
of
between
in
the
to
an
open
symbol
the
house
the
the
between
the
conscious
self^
the
life-to-death
concept
soul:
door
room of
His
deal
door
conscious
stories.
concepts
conscious
if
conscious ,
mad.
the
of
open
between
the
the
the
an earthquake
door
invade
and
conception
spatial
or
As
stand
a haven.
and
l a Mare,
through.
individuality
his
spirit,
so
de
a
several
and
death
with
the
struggle
of
of
open
the
as mind
life,
the
conscious
is
the
self
door
shown
living,
to
retain
individuality.
Thus,
Arthur
stormy
in
the
Lawford
routine
in
haven,
c a n be
life
as
door
tomb-stone
death
between
of
at
on
the
the
peace,
Lawford
existence in
The
the
the
its
in
and
only^ f o r
can pass
shows h i s
and
unconscious
in
his
lose
life
is
a doorway,
and
may
of
on
of
no
one
longer
side,
Sabathier
life
Sabathier,
threshold,
of
split
one
between
fighting
and
no
life
the
longer
on
the
other.
and
the
death
from head
to
of
foot.
and
death
perilous
struggling
the
other
Lawford
w i t h the
is
rests
-15on the tomb and S a b a t h i e r passes through the open door i n t o the body
of Lawford.
mental.
of
He takes p o s s e s s i o n more i n a p h y s i c a l sense than a
I t i s here t h a t de l a Mare a f f i r m s h i s b e l i e f i n the s t r e n g t h
the i n d i v i d u a l s p i r i t :
immediate.
S a b a t h i e r ' s conquest o f Lawford's body i s
Lawford p r e s e n t s an e n t i r e l y d i f f e r e n t f a c e and physique
to h i m s e l f and h i s f a m i l y on h i s r e t u r n home.
the
The s t r u g g l e i s between
two i n d i v i d u a l s o u l s , between two memories, two c o n s c i o u s and
u n c o n s c i o u s s e l v e s , t o take p o s s e s s i o n o f the a l r e a d y changed body.
I t i s de l a Mare's e n t i r e l y c o n s i s t e n t c o n c e p t i o n o f mankind
t h a t the
s t r u g g l e s h o u l d occur f o r the s p i r i t ,
t h a t the f l e s h l y house s h o u l d
f a l l w i t h o u t the i n h a b i t a n t n o t i c i n g .
The body, the f a c e , i s o n l y
the
c a s i n g w i t h i n which the r e c l u s e i s h i d d e n , which o n l y o c c a s i o n a l l y
i s "the showing o f a man's own mind."
The Re turn, i s , t h e n , de l a Mare's one f u l l - l e n g t h n o v e l s t r u c t u r e d
e n t i r e l y around the problem o f the b o r d e r between l i f e and d e a t h .
The symbol o f the tomb r e c u r r s throughout the n o v e l i n the form o f
a cupboard, a room, the H e r b e r t c o t t a g e , Lawford's own house.
The
symbol i s made c l e a r i n s i t u a t i o n s where Lawford i s l o c k e d o u t , i s
s t a n d i n g i n a doorway, o r h i s m e n t a l s t r u g g l e s take p l a c e i n c l o s e d
rooms, a l o n e i n a darkened house.
The f i r s t d i a l o g u e between Lawford
and h i s w i f e , S h e i l a , on h i s r e t u r n from S a b a t h i e r ' s grave t a k e s
p l a c e through the l o c k e d door o f t h e i r bedroom, Lawford b e i n g on the
inside.
'Are you i l l ?
I w i l l send f o r Dr. Simon."
' P l e a s e , S h e i l a , do n o t h i n g o f the k i n d , I am
not i l l .
I m e r e l y want a l i t t l e time t o t h i n k
in.'
There was a g a i n a b r i e f pause; and then
a l i g h t r a t t l i n g a t the h a n d l e .
-16-
'Arthur, I i n s i s t on knowing a t once what's
wrong; t h i s does not sound a b i t l i k e y o u r s e l f .
. I t i s not even q u i t e l i k e your own v o i c e . '
' i t i s m y s e l f , he r e p l i e d s t u b b o r n l y , s t a r i n g
f i x e d l y i n t o the g l a s s .
'You must give me a
few moments S h e i l a . Something has happened.
My f a c e .
Come back i n an hour.'
1
'Don't be absurd; i t ' s simply wicked to t a l k
l i k e that.
How do I know what you are doing?
As i f I can leave you f o r an hour i n u n c e r t a i n t y !
Your f a c e !
I f you don't open a t once I s h a l l
b e l i e v e t h e r e ' s something s e r i o u s l y wrong: I
s h a l l send Ada f o r a s s i s t a n c e . '
' I f you do t h a t , S h e i l a , i t w i l l be
I cannot answer f o r the con--'^
disastrous.
The c o n v e r s a t i o n
r e v e a l s not o n l y the l a c k of communication
husband and wife
but makes c l e a r t h a t the changes i n Lawford's
are
physical:
i n h i s voice, h i s face.
i n the c o n v e r s a t i o n ,
in"
between
state
The i r o n i e s and understatements
Lawford's d e s i r e f o r "a l i t t l e
time to t h i n k
because "something has happened" and S h e i l a ' s p r o t e s t that
cannot leave him i n " u n c e r t a i n t y " or she w i l l
t h i n g s e r i o u s l y wrong", a l l u n d e r l i n e
s e r i o u s l y wrong but t h a t a l i t t l e
And Lawford, the l i v i n g
v o l i t i o n , h e has l o c k e d out l i f e
"believe there's
some-
the f a c t t h a t something i s
time w i l l not c l e a r them of i t .
symbol o f S a b a t h i e r ,
room, a tomb i n t o which h i s wife
she
i s enclosed
in a
locked
cannot pass because,of h i s own
which does not comprehend death as
he i s b e g i n n i n g t o .
Lawford's i n s t i n c t , a f t e r r e v e a l i n g h i m s e l f
consult a medical d i c t i o n a r y .
Bethany, to see Lawford.
taken p o s s e s s i o n
to S h e i l a , i s to
S h e i l a , however, b r i n g s
the v i c a r , Mr.
She has not c r e d i t e d Lawford's t a l e of being
of w h i l e out f o r an a f t e r n o o n
walk, but b r i n g s
Mr.
-17-
Bethany
scene
simply
when
because
Lawford,
in
she
doesn't
understand.
his
new g u i s e ,
There
sees Mr.
is
a
curious
Bethany:
. . . the g o l d s p e c t a c l e d v i c a r and L a w f o r d
first
c o n f r o n t e d e a c h o t h e r , the one b r i g h t l y
illumina t e d , the other framed i n the gloom of
the
doorway.
(p.
29)
Mr.
Bethany
after
stands
death,
Lawford
threshold
between
does
to
he
not,
partakes
being
of
but
of
help
A
second
who
sits
(p.
107).
will
not
question
and
comes
in
offer
any
of
sincere
death.
The
part
of
is
kind
of
him;
Bethany's
his
in
not
a
of
a
is
on
Mr.
his
whereas
identity
is
he
light.
own b e l i e f
life
Bethany
religion,
Lawford
and
the
is
foundations
religious
one,
Bethany.
importance
Mr.
is
Danton
of
that
is
which
"an
passive
hostile,
sympathy.
the
knowledge
behind
solution
only
him, and
death
the
self--his
condition
not
and
knowledge,
from Mr.
Lawford.
a
of
and Mr.
very
into
confronting
dark
life
question
confrontation
Danton
of
his
Danton and
Mr.
the
darkness
light
"congealed
feeling
has
light
knowledge,
life
the
the
that
the
to
in
between Mr.
of
our
forced
belief
in
and
old
is
also
Lawford
is
aware
in
him
fat
place
friend"
immovable
he
Sabathier
takes
hostili
sceptical,
of
the
reviles
and
barrier
the
sceptic;
'Firm, unctuous, subtle scepticism:
and to t h a t
end your body f l o u r i s h e s .
You were born f a t ;
y o u b e c a m e f a t ; a n d f a t , my d e a r D a n t o n ,
has
b e e n d e l i b e r a t e l y t h r u s t on y o u - - i n
layers!
Lampreys!
Y o u ' l l p e r i s h o f s u r f e i t some d a y ,
of sheer Dantonism.
And f a t , post mortem,
Danton.
Oh, what a b a s t i n g ' s t h e r e ! '
(p.
108)
In
order
from
the
to
be
helped
doorway,
he,
Lawford must
Lawford,
have
knows
he
sympathy
cannot
and,
find
it
facing
in
Danton
Danton.
-18-
Th e locked door appears again and again in The Return.
Sheila,
at night, locks the bedroom door, Lawford being on the inside.
She
wants to keep this embarrassing spectre from straying from his bed.
After lunch, Lawford lets himself out of his bedroom, locks the door,
and runs from the house to an open common.
He has crossed the threshold
of death, escaped from an enforced grave, and running as the physical
Lawford could not, his Sabathiered body is free to live.
1
1
He returns at twilight to find the house locked against him.
He enters by ringing the b e l l , Ada the maid answers, and he pretends
to be the doctor sent for by Sheila.
He retreats to lock himself
into his bedroom again, to struggle with the spirit who would possess
him.
This spirit of Sabathier becomes an actual, separate presence
in the house.
One early morning Lawford goes downstairs to fetch
another volume of the medical dictionary, which is in the breakfastroom.
But as he stood there with his back to the room,
just as the shadow of a bird's wing
floats across the moonlight of a pool, he
became suddenly conscious that something,
somebody had passed across the doorway, and
in passing had looked in on him.
He stood motionless, listening; but no sound
broke the morning slumbrousness, except the faraway warbling of a thrush in the first light.
So sudden and transitory had been the experience
that i t seemed now to be illusory; yet i t had so
caught him up, i t had with so furtive and sinister
a quietness broken in on his solitude, that for a
moment he dared not move. A cold, indefinite sensation stole over him that he was being watched;
that some dim, evil presence was behind him, biding
its time, patient and stealthy, with eyes fixed
-19-
unmovingly on h i m where he s t o o d .
But, watch
a n d w a i t as s i l e n t l y as he m i g h t , o n l y t h e day
broadened at the window, . . .
(p.
90)
It
is
has
neither
come
answer
doorway
live
in
realized
His
to
stands
the
Sabathier
The
nor
downstairs,
prosaic,
the
ghost
light
seeking
desire
and
with his
his
in
of
own
problem.
the
day
for
of
human r e a l i t y
and
of
conquest
Sabathier
again,.the
it
of
to
which he
the
that
has
Lawford's
is
alone
grave,
but
more
seek a
at
Lawford
rational,
him
at
t h e man who
projected
inhabit
left
to
watching
the
body
conscious.
presence behind
hall
is
is
dominant,
spirit
the
life;
shown when L a w f o r d
bedroom i s ,
spirit
The
gloom
of
soul
his
explicitly
of
form.
being
night
can
is
in
sharply
his
house.
so:
I n k y b l a c k n e s s d r i f t e d up i n w i s p s , i n smoke
b e f o r e h i s e y e s ; he was p o w e r l e s s t o move,
to
c r y o u t . . T h e r e was no room t o t u r n , no a i r t o
breathe.
A n d y e t t h e r e was a l o w , c o n t i n u o u s ,
n e v e r - v a r y i n g s t i r as o f a n enormous wheel
w h i r l i n g i n the gloom.
Countless infinitesimal
f a c e s a r c h e d l i k e g l i m m e r i n g p e b b l e s the huge
d i m - c o l o u r e d v a u l t above h i s head.
He h e a r d a
v o i c e above the monstrous r u s t l i n g of the w h e e l ,
clamouring, c a l l i n g him back.
He was h a s t e n i n g
h e a d l o n g , m u t t e r i n g t o h i m s e l f h i s own f l a t
m e a n i n g l e s s name, l i k e a c h i l d r e p e a t i n g as he
runs h i s errand.
And then as i f i n a charmed
c o l d p o o l he awoke and opened h i s eyes a g a i n
on the g a t h e r i n g d a r k n e s s of the g r e a t bedroom,
and heard a q u i c k , importunate,
long-continued
k n o c k i n g o n t h e d o o r b e l o w , a s o f some o n e who
had already knocked i n v a i n .
Cramped
the
room and
awhile:
l i t t l e
tically
the
He
and h e a v y - l i m b e d ,
l i t
eyes
open.
A l l
s t i l l .
sluggish
the
a
his
is
held
on
bed
of
faces
from
two m e m o r i e s
his
felt
candle.
He
f i x e d on
the
in
The
air.
he
the
stood
door
across
listening
that
hung
burned
dim,
a
fantas-
enisled
in
172).
coffin within
shimmer
way
room seemed a c u t e l y
flame
(p.
his
on
the
the
vault
arched roof
of
of
the
his
dead.
grave.
The
The
-20rushing
wheel
infinitely
The
of
small
who
the
locked
front
as
dead
door
has
Lawford's
of
the
Lawford
bedroom-grave
is
at
c a l l e d the
ownership
calls
voice
knocking
one
while
time
his
to
for
his
remain
taking
Mr.
enlarged
down
and
for
there.
Bethany,
he
ensuing
the
stairs.
house
the
to
who
anxiously
the
the
But
him headlong
Bethany
during
way
house
to
is
Mr.
Lawford
the
is
door
life.
suddenly
is
name
front
fights
body
him back,
life.
represents
waits
struggle
outside
for
Lawford's
is
possession of
the
grave,
which
Sabathier
fighting.
' Y e s , I am c o m i n g ,
said Lawford.
He s h u t h i s
mouth and h e l d h i s b r e a t h , and s t a i r by s t a i r he
descended, d r i v i n g s t e a d i l y before him the crouching,
g l o a t i n g m e n a c i n g s h a p e , d a r k l y l i f t e d up b e f o r e
h i m a g a i n s t t h e d a r k n e s s , c o n t e n d i n g t h e way w i t h
him.
1
'Are you i l l ?
Are you hurt?
Has a n y t h i n g
h a p p e n e d , L a w f o r d ? ' came t h e a n x i o u s o l d v o i c e
a g a i n , s t r i v i n g i n v a i n to be r e s t r a i n e d .
'No, n o , ' muttered Lawford.
' I am c o m i n g ;
coming
slowly.'
He p a u s e d t o b r e a t h e , h i s h a n d s
trembling,
h i s h a i r l a n k w i t h sweat, and s t i l l w i t h eyes wide
open he descended a g a i n s t the phantom l u r k i n g i n
the d a r k n e s s - - a n adversary t h a t , i f he should but
for
one moment c l o s e h i s l i d s , h e f e l t w o u l d m a s t e r
s a n i t y and i m a g i n a t i o n w i t h i t s e v i l .
'So l o n g
as you d o n ' t get i n , ' he heard h i m s e l f
muttering,
' s o l o n g a s y o u d o n ' t g e t i n my f r i e n d . '
1
'What's
that
querulous
you're
voice;
'I
saying?'
can't
came
for
the
up
the
life
muffled,
of
me
hear,
my b o y . '
'Nothing,
foot
of
nothing,'
the
stairs.
came
'I
softly
was
only
the
answer
speaking
from
to
the
myself.'
D e l i b e r a t e l y , w i t h c a n d l e h e l d r i g i d l y on a l e v e l
w i t h h i s e y e s , L a w f o r d p u s h e d f o r w a r d a p a c e o r two
i n t o t h e a i r l e s s , empty d r a w i n g - r o o m , and g r a s p e d
the handle of the door.
He g a z e d i n a w h i l e , a
-21-
b l a c k o b l i q u e shadow f l u n g a c r o s s h i s
face,
h i s eyes f i x e d l i k e an a n i m a l ' s , then drew
the door s t e a d i l y towards him.
And suddenly
some p o w e r t h a t h a d h e l d h i m t e n s e s e e m e d t o
fail.
He t h r u s t o u t h i s h e a d , a n d , h i s f a c e
q u i v e r i n g w i t h fear and l o a t h i n g , spat d e f i a n c e
as i f i n a p a s s i o n of triumph i n t o the gloom.
S t i l l m u t t e r i n g , he shut the door and turned the
key.
I n a n o t h e r moment h i s l i g h t was g l e a m i n g
out on t h e grey p e r t u r b e d f a c e and b l a c k n a r r o w
shoulders of h i s v i s i t o r .
(p.
173-174)
Lawford's
to
the
lock
house
ative
Then,
of
of
not
the
the
Lawford himself
.
into
another
"airless,
of
is
one's
a
standing
is
of
evil
that
Sabathier
teaching
therefore,
church's
of
the
believe
in
the
what
w i l l ;
board;
Lawford
to
be
in
in
in
entry
the
is
room
representof
door
one
or
of
course,
of
the
love
represents.
by
his
consecrated s o i l :
he
teaching.
church
the
Ironically,
life-beyond-the-grave
aura
death
child
you
empty"
himself
i n man a l i v e .
Christian
the
of
gain
symbolically,
l i f e - e v e r l a s t i n g , beyond
black
we s a y ;
dies — supposing
that
front-door
in",
that
But
the
he
he
died
does
troubled
in
being
own
is
some
sense.
of
Lawford.
says
.1
that
the
cannot,
spiritual
i
himself
violates
light
"get
He m u s t ,
Bethany's
grave
not
there.
and b e l i e f
the
should
live
represents
though Mr.
outside
Sabathier
and
can open
also
and h i s
that
being
love,
Sabathier
enter
his
he
goodness,
hand
is
out
life,
Bethany
grave,
and
of
Sabathier
grave.
Mr.
struggle
was most
shutting
against
the
one m i g h t - - s u r e l y
affirming
has
try
to
not
supposing,
one h a t e d
brings,
kicking
know,
what
that
it
resurrection of
and
get
only
happened
frightfully
the
a
awful
poor
door
(p.
in
and
man
inaction
devil
a
up
dark
like
cup-
quietly,
101)
Christian belief
him,
body;
against
one m i g h t - - j u s t
out? '
to
the
when a
in
but
using
also his
the
Creed
underto
state
-22his
understanding
the
experience.
trying
to
One
which
at
of
is
noticed
the
die
the
the
again."
The
return
their
by
acknowledging
this
trying
to
time
within
the
curious
there
cottage
and
the
the
garden
other
is
the
'Elderly
is
side
one
people
of
in
of
be
no
say
perhaps,
the
grave
is
Herbert's
hedge.
seem t o
"But
go
through
into
the
garden
are
Widder
runs
house.
It
the
land
through
seems
forward
and
the
as
the
Royal
beyond
perpetually
everyone
into
river
into
the
a l l
in
crosses
death
on
in
of
future
three
Pilgrim's
side
is
the
sound
a
you'll
come
then
comes,
he
that
the
will
wicket-gate
refers:
and
have
the
The
walls
river
part
of
river
of
they
the
are
everlasting.
of
the
river
the
of
and
the
past,
appears
The
last
to
its
the
time
of
is
and
everything
them
last
something
Progress:
life
the
303)
cottage
f a l l i n g water;
making
sea.
(p.
cottage
which bears
death,
the
of
and
The
against
time
Duveen"
i t ;
day
garden
grave.
right
of
rivers,
a l l
the
the
never
used--well,
Herbert's
and
river
"Miss
The
other
by
garden
Perhaps
Christian
door
their
of
into
filled
be
Wandle
the
the
the
to
grave
Monkeys.
and
wicket-gate
has
into
perhaps I won't say u s e d - - w e ' r e not s u r p r i s e d
o r d i s t u r b e d b y v i s i t s f r o m t h o s e who h a v e
gone b e f o r e .
We l i v e , i n a s e n s e , a m o n g t h e
tombs; . . .
a s one g e t s n e a r e r and n e a r e r
t o the w i c k e t - g a t e t h e r e ' s o t h e r company . . .'
To g o
also
cottage,
know of
disappear
some
Sinnet
to
of
church.
Lawford
seems
wicket-gate,
me a r e
is,
of
when L a w f o r d
the
implications
sphere
one
to which Miss
like
reborn
tall
Herberts
that
religious
the
a
and
can only
understanding
to
images
before
which Herbert
the
in
a wicket-gate
cottage
of
to
again,
the most
finality
not
is
Sabathier,
reached
end
he
Three
river
rivers
which
of
-23-
The
door
that
opens
Mare's
short
stories.
on
other
side
the
the
of
d e a d who w a n t
poems,
but
it
behind
the
the
room;
door
of
she
died
of
the
.
.
.
very
out
at
tormented,
gible
The
shell
E.F.
and
of
does
it
not
seems
E.F.
is
his
short
de
l a Mare
Feckless
death
the
being
want
one
story
of
Dinner
it
Party"
calling finally,
signifies
terrifying
a
desire
passage
for
is^
is
publishes
the
it
was
only
which haunts
the
room
narrow
girl,
panelled
E.F.,
door
who
involved
her
But
she
poems.
ghosts
to
haunts
was
and
and
passes
the
through
demand,
.
spirit
.
.
stayed
there
pleading
within
matters.
the
who
who
cross
that
The
bearer
of
from death
and h i s
pass
in
poem " T h e
from
gay
ironically,
through
it
la
intan-
'intangible
husk'
s p i r i t , which
is
of
a l l ,
attention.
people
the
the
Room"
Perhaps
de
death
love-affair
within
only
Riddle"
people
in
the
that
in
214)
is
only
Alan
transfixed--the
longer
those
"The
depicts
no
living.
of
a
life
self
(p.
matter,
to
shows
him
Green
spirit
forms
explicit
"The
through
dangerous
husk.
In
various
she w a n t e d .
known
watch
in
fairly
the
strychnine,
to
the
is
living
is
affair
from death
gazing
that
enters
much
of
it
from
s t i l l
and
appears
threshold.
that
her
Nothing
hopelessness
the
the
something
bedrooms
haunt A l a n .
death
Usually
was n o t
acknowledgement
to
to
the
death.
butler
security
of
life.
But
in
Feckless Dinner
s o c i e t y move
for
supposed
life
to
In
through
Party"^
"The
darkness
"Toomes".
the
both
The
tomb a f t e r
to
name
the
darkness.
'The b a n i s t e r ' s g o n e !
' I t ' s deep; keep c l o s e ! '
' W e ' r e g o i n g down and d o w n ! '
'What f u n !
'Damp!
Why, my s h o e s . . . "
' I t ' s s l i m y . . . Not
1
1
'I'm
freezing
cold!"
'Let's
run.'
moss!'
-24" . . .
Behind
'That
'She
said,
•'
us.
'
Lead.
•
In
the
"The
open
gives
into
no
the
asked
de
sented
of
la
'My
and
Mare
'I
We've
seven
carved
for
are
the
The
skull
1
'I'm
God!
the
death.
A i !
mad.'
destination
chest
'Oh!'
Where?'
Riddle""'
l i d
.'
.
.'
'The
'I'm
'Where's
w i l l
say!
dying!'
'Oh,
children
chest.
the
Toomes!
silks
our
meaning
'Toomes!'
1
pass
the
fine
L e t me
.
.
from
array"
.
.
.'
out!'
.
life
story
seven c h i l d r e n ,
never
Toomes?'
to
itself
they
death
through
de
Mare
simply
la
a l l
climb
seen again.
But
Edward Wagenknecht
of
and
was
the
indications
in
.'
back!'
Prout!'
and
way!'
In
.
'Stand
crack!'
'"Our
lost
catacombs.
alone! '
'TOOMES!
Nathan!
'My
.
.
here?'
<
"Where?
'She's
giddy.
'Who's
'Stifling!'
'Sir
ilm
shout."
story
told
the
story
itself
Ann,
and
Matilda,
that
are
i t
those
once
repre-
of
continuity.
So
these
James,
seven
William
Dorothea,
mother.
"So"
older
the
the
places
it
with
give
i t
her
continuum
Edward
box
of
and
the
connects
with
Mr.
of
de
and
their
grand-
which
their
grand-
the
childhood
was
Georges.^
folk-tales;
sense
the
of
grandmother
overlapping
and
the
house
sequences
within
time.
in
his
la
Mare
chest;
of
the
e x p l i c a t i o n of
chest with
room of
fingering
the
of
added
empty
Fox's
that
careful
inside
an
in
Harriet
with
since her
the
of
the
Henry,
live
time
Wagenknecht,
technique
Henry's
lived
in
single
English,
had
to
house
built
than
and
came
The
mother
The
children,
dead
uses
the
in
"The
Bluebeard's
brides.
He
each entry
carvings
friendship
and
that
Riddle"
room,
points
into
the
draws
with
to
the
in
the
College
Pandora's
variety
chest:
memories
Harriet
evoked
and
by
William
-25-
together
James
the
1
into
the
chest;
cheek;
and
the
the
irrelevant
cosmic
stage
detail
of
the
scratch
a c r o s s w h i c h Ann moves
on
to
enter
is
that
chest.
Aside
from
the
connections
with
the
folk
tale,
there
g
between
"The
de
la Mare's
Riddle",
first
life-to-death
life.
The
by
blind
the
spirits
alive
with
de
for
the
side
of
the
of
blind
sounds
of
opens
before
Kipling's
which
story
of
her
"'They'".
Review
"'They'"
are
her
entered
in
children
thought
of
none
woman
and
The M o n t h l y
Kipling's
woman who h a s
this
in
story
c h i l d r e n who h a v e
l a Mare
that
Riddle"
published
children
of
"The
in
is
'stolen'
la
great
Mare's
empty
that
she
wants
to
closed behind
the
children
1900,
the
real
' them.
carved
life
chest
f i l l i n g
hear.
The
for
the
The
house,
is,
is
death-to-
from
own a n d w a n t s
de
Surely
come
it
door
which
Kipling,
one
them.
9
In
"Odd
him
into
a
the
shop
will
Shop"
shop
which
the
comes
seem t o
be
street
one
o ' c l o c k and
atmosphere
the
the
to
way
thick mist
i i i the
shop
reality
is
or
and
is
sounds
the
to
a
situation
and
ask his
real
to
is
one
of
dialogue,
to
the
Customer
life.
The
wares
sold
one
door
through
other
and
of
The
from which
worlds.
the
The
railway
from
unreality,
The
that
of
before
later.
rising
fantasy.
sharpened
opens
detail
thresholds
otherworldliness'
in
enters,
that
and
discussed in
be
foggy
door
memories
Customer
the
1
of
the
the
by
writing
nightmare.
comes
station.
It
nearby
river.
a
is
quality
are
the
the
dialogue
The
in
Shopkeeper
Customer
having
realities
the
leads
two
story
from
almost
The
of
characters
as
a
does,
play
in
-26-
fact,
have
in
a dark
is
a
of
of
little
sense
sense
some
of
the
shop
there
quality
in
Through
being
importance
of
Alice's
the
Looking
s o m e t h i n g more
underlying
the
discussion with
Glass.^In
than
the
words
the
both
Sheep
there
convey,
a
conversation.
" T h i n g s f l o w a b o u t s o h e r e I" / _ A l i c e _ 7 s a i d a t
l a s t i n a p l a i n t i v e t o n e , a f t e r she had s p e n t
a minute or so i n v a i n l y p u r s u i n g a l a r g e
bright
t h i n g , t h a t l o o k e d sometimes l i k e a d o l l and
s o m e t i m e s l i k e a w o r k - b o x , and was a l w a y s i n
t h e s h e l f n e x t above t h e one she was l o o k i n g a t .
"And t h i s one i s t h e m o s t p r o v o k i n g o f a i l but I ' l l t e l l you what
" she a d d e d , as a
sudden thought s t r u c k her.
" I ' l l follow it
to the v e r y top s h e l f of a l l .
I t ' l l puzzle
t o go t h r o u g h t h e c e i l i n g , I e x p e c t ! "
up
it
But even t h i s p l a n f a i l e d :
the ' t h i n g ' went
through the c e i l i n g as q u i e t l y as p o s s i b l e ,
as i f i t were q u i t e used to i t .
"Are you a c h i l d or a teetotum?"
the Sheep
s a i d , as she t o o k up a n o t h e r p a i r o f n e e d l e s .
" Y o u ' l l m a k e me g i d d y s o o n , i f y o u g o o n t u r n i n g
round l i k e t h a t . "
(p.
232-233)
The
underlying
from C a r r o l l ' s
are
transported
De
l a Mare
subjects
are
this
matter
scene
and
book.
From
in
to
a
river.
is
c o n c e r n e d w i t h memory,
the
space
in
this
shop A l i c e
sound,
and
brief
and
time
in
Shop"
. . . i t i s n o t so much what a sound i s i n
i t s e l f , or even what causes i t , t h a t m a t t e r s .
But i t s e f f e c t s .
What i t does t o the l i s t e n e r .
The t a p p i n g o f t h e b e e t l e f i r s t r e m i n d e d y o u
of a s o l i t a r y c h i l d i n a nursery, knocking
a n d k n o c k i n g t o be l e t i n t o i t s own i m a g i n a t i o n ,
t o i t s own p r o f o u n d f a n c y o f i t s own s m a l l
w o r l d of the d o l l ' s house.
When y o u knew i t
f o r what i t a c t u a l l y w a s , I w a r r a n t y o u saw
quite a different picture, sir.
Some d e f i n i t e
t r a g i c memory, p e r h a p s .
the
the
scene
Sheep
"Odd
-27Whereas
Carroll
is
content
his
concern with
and
time-everlasting,
short
story.
in
the
in
de
dark
la Mare's
The
as h i s
pass
dark
at
from the
symbolize
the
chaos
to
stand
the
pure
sight
has
of,
been
small
away
or
in
brief
sound
with
cannot
that
him
the
Customer•takes
the
and
s p a c e by
As
the
world
house,
real
house
and
the
symbol,
is
full
tapping
on
the
peers
railway
is
de
deals
with
time-flee,ting
subjects , throughout
Glass
to
goes
quickly,
relate,
l a Mare's
the
life,
the
and
because
this
age,
his
the
incident
conversation
the
just
age
watches
fog.
Shop
objects
of
from
of
Odd
natural
station.
than
story
thickening
sounds
memories
The
and
that
rising
world
caged and
Thus,
as A l i c e
egg
it
;
with him
is
as
its
losing
The
has
Customer
bought
wrapped
finds
Humpty
a
appears
contents
is
fog.
i t ,
an
fog
man
and
the
to
that
a
bear
the
Dumpty,
present,
so
contained
sound.
outside
the
world,
so
real.
But
house,
of
more
l a Mare
pages
the
actual
natural
really
time
Jimmie's
into
advancing
the
she buys
fog-shrouded
of
metaphorically
eight.
of
contact with
egg
in
is
end
shop
and
Looking
two
recognize,
of
to
the
takes
the
de
quickly
underlying
takes
shop
to
for
in
shop
Shopkeeper
Customer
portray
space and m a t t e r ,
Dream-time
Sheep's
to
like
in
Shop
"Out
walls
of
Jimmie's
Jimmie's
terrors.
basement
Odd
Jimmie
is
that
the
is
of
searches
looking
for
a
Deep"''"'''
world
mind,
of
the
symbolically
the
world
entirely
which
the
it
house
within
is
the
daily,
sepulchral
at
That high cupboard i n the corner
c e r t a i n b o d i l e s s shapes had been
and stoop at him cowering out of
outside
from which
wont to i s s u e
his
dreams;
the
enlarged
goes
butler,
he
-28t h e c r a b - p a t t e r n e d p a p e r t h a t came a l i v e a s y o u
s t a r e d ; the window c o l d w i t h menacing s t a r s ; the
mouse-holes, the rusty grate—trumpet of
every
wind t h a t b l o w s — t h e s e o b j e c t s a t once l u s t i l y
s h o u t e d a t h i m i n t h e i r own o r i g i n a l t o n g u e s .
(p.
He
does
his
'round'
of
the
the
house
of
his
(p.
243)
He
goes
from room to
sell
from
the
he
will
his
mind,
and
by
the
The
child
the
and
the
house
butler
Jimmie
his
"His,
house
is
also
in
"Out
too,
was
in
the
same way h e
a wretchedly
room e x p l o r i n g ,
which h i s
full
the
of
of
that
the
uncle
things
Deep"
man h e w a n t s
personality.
house
daily,
active
finding
has
left
left
by
goes
mind".
the
things
him.
his
round
Like
Aunt
Charlotte,
Soames.
struggle
destroyed
in
mind:
house
237)
to
He m u s t
represent
their
is
really
become.
Strangers
destroy
or
tyranny.
between
get
But,
rid
as
Jimmie
formed
of
and
the
Peter
the
objects
Penzoldt
says,
L i k e leeches they c l i n g to h i s unconscious mind,
f e e d i n g on h i s s u b s t a n c e , and when he p u l l s t h | - . .
b e l l - r o p e they m a t e r i a l i z e as part of
himself.
The
of
butler
the
who
insinuates
bell-rope
looks
himself
into
like
Jimmie,
door
that
the
as
bedroom on
does
the
Jimmie's
girl,a"small
pulling
odd-
13,
looking
child".
noiselessly
feels
door
a
to
herald
The
upon
kindness
them as
Jimmie
for
girl
challenge
her
the
exit.
.
.
a
kind
of
its
.
a
the
In
he
of
lies
and
" c r i e s and
answer
heard
as
to
if
lolloping
clumsy-clawed,
uncustomary
marble
lets
in
in
bed watching
bed,
opens
and
closes
them.
But
he
through
the
open
25)
that
out
of
shouts
and
screamings"
his
(p.
challenge
from beneath
disquietude
but
people
leaps
up
and behind
and
persistent
a w k w a r d way
staircase.
these
the
the
sound
animal
him
as
pushing
soap-polished
-29-
I t was t o be t i t f o r t a t , t h e n .
The m i s e r a b l e
menage h a d l e t l o o s e i t s m e n a g e r i e .
That.
They
were going to experiment w i t h the
mouse-cupboardand-keyhole t r i c k e r y of h i s childhood.
Jimmie
was v i o l e n t l y s h i v e r i n g ; h i s v e r y t o e s w e r e
c l i n g i n g t o t h e mat on w h i c h he s t o o d .
S w a y i n g a l i t t l e , a n d c a s t i n g a t t h e same t i m e
a s t r a i n e d whitened glance round the room i n which
e v e r y o b j e c t r e s t e d i n t h e l i g h t as i f so i t h a d
r e s t e d from a l l e t e r n i t y , h e stood mutely
and
ghastly listening.
Even a l a r g e bedroom, f i v e times the s i z e of a
small boy's a t t i c , a f f o r d s l i t t l e scope for a
f u g i t i v e , and s h u t t i n g your eyes,
darkening
y o u r o u t w a r d f a c e , i s no e s c a p e .
I t had been a
s i l l y b o a s t , he a g r e e d — t h a t c h a l l e n g e ,
that
" d a r e " on t h e s t a i r c a s e ; t h e b o a s t o f an i d i o t .
F o r t h e " c o n g e n i a l company" t h a t h a d now managed
t o h o o f a n d s c r a b b l e i t s way up t h e s l i p p e r y
marble
s t a i r c a s e was a l r e a d y on t h e t h r e s h o l d .
A l l was u t t e r l y s i l e n t now.
T h e r e was no o b v i o u s
m a n i f e s t a t i o n of danger.
What was p e e r i n g s t e a d i l y i n upon him out of the o b s c u r i t y beyond the
d o o r , was m e r e l y a b l u r r e d w h i t i s h b e a s t - l i k e
shape w i t h s t i l l , p a s s i v e , almost stagnant eyes
i n i t s immense f i x e d f a c e .
A perfectly
ludicrous
o b j e c t — o n paper.
Y e t a c r e a t u r e so nauseous
to s o u l and body, and w i t h so obscene a greed
i n i t s m o t i o n l e s s p i g l i k e g r i n t h a t w i t h one
v e r t i g i n o u s s w i r l J i m m i e ' s c a n d l e s had swept
up i n h i s h a n d l i k e a l a t e r a l r a c e o f
streaming
p l a n e t s i n t o o u t e r d a r k n e s s . • (p.
257-8)
This
horrific
enough,
come
member
through
If his
one o f
Jimmie
in fac
The
fact
occupies
that
Jimmie has
the
the
"Night
doorway.
staff"
It
does•not,
waits
on
the
interestingly
threshold
and
wet g r o p i n g f i n g e r s had not then
encountered
the carved pedestals of h i s u n c l e ' s bedstead,
would have f a l l e n ; Jimmie would have found
t , the t h i n g ' s p h y s i c a l l e v e l .
(p.
258)
the
places
of
white
it
already,
very
creature
does
definitely
because
he
as
wanted
not
enter
part
to
of
the
the
defend
room w h i c h
subconscious
the
girl,
Jimmie
which
defeated.
-30-
It
cannot
The
creature
formless
now
the
exists
shadows
threshold
in
the
which
from
house
unconscious
of
Jimmie has
his
mind,
subdued
and
to
conscious
mind.
but
relegated
to
against
the
w h i c h he
is
armoured.
The
by
cross
the
her
to
of
him,
girl
is
Jimmie's
destroyers
of
go,
white
as
the
without
becomes
need
lost
Jimmie's
soul,
'anima'
personality.
creature
of
the
has
existence
stunted
Only
gone,
is
separate
when
she
in
growth
Jimmie
able
from him.
to
Then
can
tell
become
part
the
house
empty
. . . Jimmie had f e l t i n f i n i t e l y c o l d e r and
i m m e a s u r a b l y l o n e l i e r . . . and:-.he w a s s o e m p t y
a n d c o m p l e t e l y e x h a u s t e d t h a t h i s one
apprehension
h a d b e e n l e s t ' h e s h o u l d be u n a b l e t o a s c e n d t h e
s t a i r c a s e to get to bed.
T h e r e was no d o u b t
of
i t :
h i s ultimatum had been i n s t a n t l y e f f e c t i v e .
The w h o l e h o u s e was now . p r e t e r n a t u r a l l y
empty.
I t was n e e d l e s s e v e n t o l i s t e n t o p r o v e
that,
(p.
270)
Jimmie,
but
to
finally
the
c a n go
to
bed,
truckle-bed
of
his
At
the
he' b r a n d i s h e d
last
smiling
is
door
all
the
first
room
memories
.
c a n move
.
.
and
last
uncle's
his
of
big Arabian
On h i s
way
uncle's
guttering
up h e
bed,
pauses
bedroom
candle
farewell:
actuality,
brooded
(p.
through
the
contented
the
open
unhindered;
uncountable
life.
bell-rope.
/of
his
gesture
symbolizes
can pass
stone,
or
his
in
a
and h e l d
on.
271)
Jimmie's
of
to
childhood.
door
and7
(p.
It
wide-open
not
on
in
faces
doors
a l l
of
of
but
his
the
mind
wide-open
through
which
the
the
dream--that
the
gesture,
enormous
past--in
he
had
history
paint,
glanced
of
at
his
269)
emptiness
without
Jimmie's
fears
answering
the
-31The
image
of
an
open
not
only
the
door
but
also
the
threshold
of
has
the
between
subconscious
come
from
door
the
is
physical
between
self.
grave,
used by
the
l i f e
and
life
of
Lawford has
through
de
to
l a Mare
death
the
as
symbolize
in
The
Return
conscious and
struggle
which he
to
with
the
l i f e
d i s c o v e r s what
is
life
which
the
. . . vague thought that behind a l l these y e a r s ,
h i d d e n a s i t w e r e f r o m h i s d a i l y l i f e , / h a d lain7
something not yet quite reckoned w i t h . ^
He h a d
not
of
dreams
the
reckoned with
overlaid
grave,
Sabathier,
and
find
to
world
of
the
l i f e
and h a s ,
value
himself,
he
to
go,
and
to
If
the
subconscious
conscious,
of
emptiness
the
is
fearful
control
latter
of
between
l i f e
the
the
the
is
of
and
his
self
is
death
c r o s s i n g of
the
of
the
of
that
is
his
life
existence,
from
l o c k e d out
the
grave
to
then
being
mind.
cross
of
the
Sabathier,
of
the
with
emptiness
the
former.
threshold
haven
for
that
for
to
another
clear
to
tell
only
by
threshold
struggle
overpower
l a Mare
the
desirable
haven
de
him,
the
Jimmie's
Thus,
is
inhabited
subconscious would
the
his
and w i t h
destroy
a house
permitted
symbol
is
He
house
against
the
The
locked into
leeches
the
years.
of
key.
dominate,
of
routine
with himself
is
emptiness
larger
whole
the
of
himself.
He
the
self
Jimmie's
as
of
in
the
house
grapple
within
of
unloving
leaves
being
allowed to
the
the
find
creatures
freedom
is
gain
dull
knows.
unconscious being
to
The
in
struggle
1
his
by
makes h i m
that
Jimmie s
the
of
The
is
them
himself.
into
lost.
him,gain
balances
the
Lawford.
In
danger
lies.
the
house,
emptiness
Jimmie,
as
both
the
using
and
the
cases
threshold
it
-32-
FOOTNOTES:
^Walter
de
l a Mare,
Memoirs
II
of
a Midget
(London,
1921),
Return
(London,
1922),
p.
Room"
Cm t h e
Edge
p.
285.
2
1930),
p.
The
,
"The
,
C o l l e c t e d Poems
1923),
p.
_, " T h e
289-294
^Edward Wagenknecht,
English,
7
P.
Green
in
12-13.
(London,
201-246.
4
(London,
,
Nov.
x i ,
Walter
de
Riddle"
"Walter
(1949/50),
l a Mare,
p.
"The
de
(London,
in
The
1942),
Riddle
l a Mare's
'The
and
p.
43.
Other
Stories
Riddle'",
College
and
Stories,
74.
Riddle"
in
The
Riddle
Other
289.
g
Rudyard
335.
Kipling,
Traffics
and
Discoveries
(London,
1904),
p.
303-
9
Walter
(London,
de
"^Lewis
in
12
P.
214.
de
p.
"Odd
Shop"
in
A
Beginning
and
Other
Stories
232-272.
Through
fn.dj),
Walter
Stories,
p.
Carroll,
Wonderland,
(New Y o r k ,
1 1
l a Mare,
1923),
p.
"Through
the
the
Looking-Glass" in Alice's
Looking-Glass,
The
Hunting
of
Adventures
the
Snark
165-310.
l a Mare,
"Out
of
the
Deep"
in
The
Riddle
and
Other
232-272.
Peter
Pentoldt,
The
Supernatural
in
Fiction
(London,
1952),
13
Walter
Stories,
14
p.
de
l a Mare,
"Out
of
the
Deep"
253.
,
The
Return,
p.
2.
in
The
Riddle
and
Other
CHAPTER
III
WINDOW A N D
De
la Mare's
dealing
with
and h i s
conception of
an
the
use
individual.
clear
material
chosen not
serve
as
He
shows
to have,
can
be
that
of
he
the
separate,
evident
both
It
de
is
he
from
a
l a Mare
is
between
two
image
non-communication:
each
other
but
on
no
one
or
sees
again
of
himself,
imaginative
images
cannot
of
part,
windows
that
as
w h i c h he
understand.
and m i r r o r .
water,
life
The
boundary
glass,
of
to
to
a
of
the
has
Windows
greater
to
and
exploring
selves
faces
understanding
terrifying
is
the
into
individual
knowledge
understanding,
looker
the
between
peer
of
the
and
he
window
any
selves
is
two
and mouth
understanding
primitive
possible
possible.
occasion:
and
the
imaginative
their
Thus
or
so
individual,
real
them.
and
The
life-beyond-death.
back
personal,
between
the
in
individual
threshold
reflect
sees.
the
spirit,
divisions
the
shows h i m
from understanding
a
w h i c h he
surface
boundaries
of
of
can cross water
that
and
these
that
can also
lacks.
soul
is
by w a t e r
But water
denial
imagery
threshold.
the
He
borne
or
and
through
unconscious.
the
separated
through which
barrier
pass
window, and w a t e r
individual
Water-imagery
can
of
WATER
unions
Fanny
again
and
are
the
a visible-invisible
people.
at
reflection
It
each other
and M i s s M.
is
an
through
confront
-34-
Curtain
the
withdrawn,
cold,
in
the
attempt
The
at
pallor
dark
in
these
M.
as
and M i s s M.
The
lack
having
instance
the
between
them,
gone."
(p.
Much
as
her
a
the
kindness
a
at
an
face
adores,
great
is
if
exaggerated
but
looked
I
almost
shuddered,
shook
1
back.
have
an understanding
refusal
as her
quality
that
a dream,
I
eyes,
as
she
own.
in
is
to
that
that
each
accept
The
Miss
above
she
thwarted
"Terrified
of
cannot
by
the
barrier
would
^Fanny7
she w o u l d
e x i s t e n c e an
open window has
be
not
order
Fenne.
M i s s M.
falling
full
(p.
this,
cross
sits
on M i s s
in
out
to
on h e r
Fenne,
communicate
tiny
and
served
with
balcony,
refuses
to
29)
on M i s s M . ' s
last
night
at
Lyndsey,
obscure vacancy
of
the
she
glance
behind
me
though
the
of
corner
seems
having
The
storm
Lyndsey.
into
the
persuaded
rain
of
my
drove
in
the
to
me
balcony.
to hold
treated
me
the
the
further
and
(p.
33-34)
shadow of
lady
skies
remain where
sits
r e f l e c t s her
room
was,
further
Miss
unkindly
I
Fenne,
help
own
to
into
and h e r
keep Miss
storm
of
in
accept
storm:
room
leaving
skin,
on F a n n y ' s
a nightmare
in
offered.
the
outside.
based
be
1
light
One
feelings
drew
to
i n Miss M. s
Miss
after
empty
She
seem t o
she
as
which
godmother,
watching
her
contortions.
through
206).
threshold
Just
The
person
and,
each
gloom--her
with
never
M i s s M.
earlier
darkness,
the
seems
for
of
The
a human c a p a b i l i t y as
has
understand
lips,
each at
the
a r t i c u l a t i o n , murmured w o r d s ,
my h e a d v i o l e n t l y .
other.
in
c a t c h no m e a n i n g .
idiotic
Fanny
looked
glass
night-spread
congealed.
could
we
dividing
own
M.
feeling
-35-
Later
hell
as,
Thinking
the
that
same
night
alone
in
the
it
be
Pollie
to
she makes what
house,
she
hears
returning
amounts
to
knocking at
without
a key,
a
descent
the
into
front-door.
M i s s M.
descends
stairs;
. . . s t a i r s which I had v e r y r a r e l y ascended
or descended except i n her arms.
. . .
To l e a p
f r o m s t a i r t o s t a i r was f a r t o o f o r m i d a b l e a
means o f p r o g r e s s i o n .
I s h o u l d c e r t a i n l y have
d a s h e d o u t my b r a i n s .
So I must s i t and jump
s i t t i n g , m a n i p u l a t i n g my c a n d l e a s b e s t I c o u l d ,
(p.
36)
The
a
person
final
For
knocking
flight
a being
creatures
aroused
laughing.
the
Miss
drawn
The
"Why
to
stairs,
tiny
and
at
the
sees Adam,
The
darkness,
M.
thus
curtains
windows
of
couldn't
and
to
into
early
a
become
she
can only
who
lives within
and
retire,
a
of
learns
eyes
154)
to
for
that
boards
total
communication with
cage
is
has
to
descend
k i t c h e n swarming w i t h cockroaches.
shown
And
boy,
to
be,
the
from t h i s
peering
horror,
macabre
that
cockroaches
revulsion
are
she
is
up
the
recluse?
of
after
she
herself.
to
live
others.
Mr.
she
the
the
glass,
mocking
as
gazes
barriers,
she
go
laugh
But
M i s s M.
does
at
of
seems
She
cannot
put
unloving
up
and
her
but
mind?"
aware
found h e r s e l f :
into
behind
Beechwood.
one's
has
steals
that
unshuttered
Wanderslore
unknowing,
Anon,
through
and
are
watch others,
in
in
nightmare.
windows
through which
seclude herself
the
is
farm
one
her
put
the
loneliness,
can hide
(p.
find
and M i s s M.
window.
she
one
back door
revulsion.
she
situation
the
a s M i s s M.
horror
a noise
There
turn
as
of
by
of
goes
that
the
the
being
shutters
darkened
mind
to
because
it
-36-
is
unshuttered,
because
she
unlike
fails
Wanderslore
canon.
There
to
is
is
Wanderslore.
comprehend
not
the
the
house
his
only
in
She
resents
understanding
deserted
"The
him u n t i l
Bird
house
of
of
in
too
late
her.
the
de
la
Mare
Travel":
The w h o l e p l a c e l o o k e d a s i f i t h a d s e t t l e d i t s
e y e l i d s and compose^ i t s mouth f o r a p r o t r a c t e d
and stagnant s l e e p .
This
the
house
house
does
of
not
"The
dream;
Princess"
it
is
has
already
different
become
a
recluse.
But
again:
Was i t o c c u p i e d ?
Most of the windows were
s h u t t e r e d ; a few of the upper ones were o n l y
curtained.
Who a n d w h a t , I w o n d e r e d , m i g h t
not have t a k e n up a l o d g i n g h e r e ?
There was
a l o o k of n e g l e c t , of the d i s t r a u g h t , but
it
was n o t e x t r e m e .
M o s s , damp, d i s c o l o u r a t i o n ,
w e a t h e r and s e a s o n w o u l d a c c o u n t f o r much o f
that.
And you c o u l d t e l l a t a g l a n c e t h a t the
place had never been a h a p p i l y peopled house;
not a t any r a t e i n r e c e n t y e a r s .
In a word,
it
looked abandoned.
And the v e r y e f f e c t of the
a i r s u r r o u n d i n g i t changes when a house had
been abandoned.
Humans a r e l i k e t h a t t o o . ^
The
windows
and
so
it
always
is
with
give
the
the
eyes
first
of
hint
a human.
of
the
The
character
of
the
Princess herself
house,
says
" W e l l , t h e r e a r e two k i n d s of g h o s t s .
We m a y
compare them t o a n u t .
The one k i n d i s t h e
kernel.
The o t h e r i s t h e h u s k .
A t t h i s moment
you are c o n t e m p l a t i n g the husk.
Do I l o o k i t ?
Do I l o o k t h a t k i n d o f g h o s t ?
Do I
look—well,
dead?"
God o n l y knows I h a d n e v e r e n c o u n t e r e d a human
b e i n g b e f o r e t h a t i n some r e s p e c t s l o o k e d l e s s
dead, and y e t so p e r i l o u s l y near i t .
(p.
73)
The
Princess'
the
spirit
Miss
ghost,
has
M.
her
deserted
says
that
soul,
the
has
house.
abandoned
the
husk
of
herself,
as
-37-
There
I
a l l
express
what
I
I
for
that
a man
to
De
was
never
one may
cellar
however,
with
face
And
was,
loved
to
absolutely
wearied
and
the
of
is,
then,
unshuttered
house
who
refuse
He
to.
to
put
and
those
implies
that
shutters
chooses to
know o r
not
to
Certainly
there
are
know t h e i r
on
denial
or
calcification
of
that
Percy Maudlen
not
ladder,
be
them".
(.
324)
it
be
at
will
see
beauty
which
difficult
. . .
a man
of
his
him
to
have
house
of
his
for
the
drawing
the
social
to
of
is
showing
is
into
up
to
It
own
to
whose
mind—
that.^
mind
enter
and
want
but
kind
"unshuttered
being,
windows",
know h i m
from
attic.
l a Mare
chooses
mean,
show h i s
see
another
my h e a r t .
content
merely
calcify
into
those
to
the
in
selves.
self,
leading
for
love,
but
expense
be h e r
husk
of
of
so
attain
of
that
the
Bowater
able
to
she w a n t s
(p.
100)
Fanny,
Fanny
That
refuses
in
house".
do
to
not
been
built
another,
will
marry
on
the
down
society
/.which/
phantom
one
.one
"sneer
"phantom w i t h i n her
beauty".
as
have
those
choice:
can climb higher
be
place
and
d e s t r u c t i o n of
Fanny
she
shuttered
f i c t i o n who
seem t o
to
selves.
comfortable,
of
therefore,
prose
lives
that
one
thei : "fleshly
ultimately
outer
may
rooms
the
themselves
is
one's, house,
Their
their
be
who k n o w
l a Mare's
into
secure,
between
self-knowledge
the
de
parallel
people
of
true
Fanny
the
know
a
on
but
seemed
self
acknowledge
will
its
existence.
In
Hard
the
Times'^
to marry
Mr.
same w a y
the
true
calcifies. Louisa s
1
Bounderby
she
self
of
Dickens'
imagination
submits
to
is
Louisa
starved
calcification,
Gradgrind
but
only
in
in
choosing
dimly
-38-
r e c o g n i z i n g what she has
chosen when she meets Harthouse.
Finally
L o u i s a i s l e f t s t a r i n g i n t o the f i r e , l i k e an u n r e l e a s e d C i n d e r e l l a ,
now
aware of where her c h o i c e had brought h e r :
s p i r i t had
fled,
t o a p o i n t where the
l e a v i n g o n l y the husk t o e x i s t .
Fanny r e c o g n i z e s her c h o i c e f a r more d e f i n i t e l y than L o u i s a ,
but the hardness of her c h a r a c t e r , her d e t e r m i n a t i o n ,
do not
imply
t h a t she w i l l r e g r e t the emptiness of her house.
The
F r u i t Merchant i n "The
Tree"
c r e a t i v e , a s p e c t of h i s p e r s o n a l i t y .
has
the
denied h i s a r t i s t i c
s e r v i n g Mammon.
self
Thus, he comes t o c o l l e c t
£ 100.0.0. from h i s b r o t h e r , P. P.^ a f t e r twelve y e a r s and
his
imaginative,
He has made h i s l i v i n g from the
f r u i t of t r e e s , but he i s of the c i t y , has
i n o r d e r t o become as B e l i a l ,
a l s o denied
stands o u t s i d e
b r o t h e r ' s r u n - t o - s e e d - g a r d e n " l i k e an obese minute B e l i a l on
ramparts of Eden."
not j u s t one
(p. 220)
He i s the D e v i l of the New
of the sons of the Old Testament, and he
the
Testament,
stands l o o k i n g
i n t o Eden, an Eden he has chosen t o i g n o r e .
He
peers through the window of the h o v e l t o see P . P .
drawing the Tree i n a l l the v a r i e d g u i s e s of the seasons.
endlessly
The
window
i s a symbol of b o t h the t h r e s h o l d and b a r r i e r between the h a l f
brothers, for P.P.
i s the a r t i s t of the Tree, the r e p r o d u c e r of
the i m a g i n a t i o n t h a t must e n d l e s s l y c r e a t e .
and
the F r u i t Merchant may
Through the window
communication.
t h r e s h o l d between the h a l f b r o t h e r s
s h a r p l y drawn d e m a r c a t i o n l i n e .
room f o r one man,
one
P.P.
see each o t h e r , and might communicate,
but the g l a s s of the window prevents
The
life,
i d e a , one
i s therefore also a
P.P.'s house i s o n l y a h o v e l , w i t h
conception
of beauty.
He has
starved
-39-
his
body
spirit
the
of
for
food
so
long
spiritual.
aging
for
twelve
that
So h i s
and unkempt,
years
the
lived
f l e s h l y house
half
through
and has
brother,
the
the
window,
is
lost
Fruit
and
in,
and
in
on,
the
his
burgeoning
Merchant, sees
looks
into
P.P.'s
of
him
eyes,
but
These were not e y e s - - i n t h a t abominable c o u n t enance.
Speck-pupilled, greenish-grey,
unfocused,
u n d e r t h e i r p r o t u b e r a n t mat of e y e b r o w , t h e y r e mained s t i l l as a s a l t and s t a g n a n t s e a .
And i n
t h e i r u p l i f t e d depths, s t r e t c h i n g out i n t o endless
d i s t a n c e s , the F r u i t Merchant had seen r e g i o n s
o f a c o u n t r y whence n e i t h e r f o r l o v e n o r money he
c o u l d e v e r h a r v e s t one f r u i t , one p i p , one c a n kered bud.
And b l o s s o m i n g t h e r e b e s i d e a
g l a s s y stream i n the m i d - d i s t a n c e of
farmountained sward--a tree . . .
(p.
230)
It
is
the
he
has
Tree
of
Life
in
c h o s e n Mammon,
the
window
into
in
as
"kernel" ghost,
the
the
dream
the
spirit's
Fruit
Merchant
which
but
he
Garden
P.P.
of
Eden
can only
lives
and,
peer
shuttered
and
because
through
the
secluded
is
. . . f r i g h t e n e d and e l a t e d ; mute and b u r s t i n g
with words.
The a c t o f G o d !
Rather than even
remotely resemble that old scarecrow i n h i s
second childhood pushing that t i n y - b l a d e d k n i f e
a c r o s s t h e s u r f a c e o f a f l a t o f w o o d , he w o u l d - - .
An empty and d e s o l a t e l o o k s t o l e i n t o the
gazing eye.
Not t h a t he p r o f e s s e d t o u n d e r s t a n d .
He k n e w
nothing.
H i s h e a d was c o m p l e t e l y empty.
The l a s t
s h r e d of rage and v i n d i c t i v e n e s s had v a n i s h e d
away.
He w a s g l a d h e h a d c o m e , f o r n o w h e w a s
going back.
(p.
228)
a
:
His
glimpse
shutter
of
will
h i s ;£l00.0.0.
then
i t
is
the
life
of
the
fade
with
time,
If
life
in
profitless
to
imagination
it
has
a hovel
want
rid
through
him
of
is
a l l
his
either
the
money
any
the
desire
money has
or
chink
the
to
gained
life.
in
the
reclaim
for
P.P.
-40-
Windows
of
do n o t
separation.
always
To S e l i n a
figure
in
in
de
la
"Selina's
Mare's
prose
as
images
Parable"^
. . . every window i n her s m a l l p r i v a t e w o r l d
had a c h a r m , an i n c a n t a t i o n a l l i t s own.
Was
i t not an e g r e s s f o r h e r eye t o a scene of
some b e a u t y , o r l i f e , o r o f
forbiddingness;
w a s i t n o t t h e w a y o f l i g h t ; e i t h e r h e r own
outward, or the w o r l d ' s inward?
(p.
90)
"Selina's
Parable"
thinking.
Selina
her
face.
Perhaps
and
that
aware
out
of
in
is
positive
definitely
it
a
a more
is
one
because
freedom
she
her
house,
of
the
various
to
in
the
experiences
positive
experiences
usually
of
aspect
those
is
has
let
not
of
she
order
The
shows
of
whose
a child
from
of
Selina
the
are
by
its
la
mind
and
possessed
views
de
as
Mare's
shows
yet
unimprisoned
adults.
windows
in
She
and
is
looks
world.
not
present
in
de
la
g
Mare's
evil
each
other
good
or
Seaton,
an
short
as
"Seaton's
thresholds
weak.
but
story
his
Withers,
of
an
evil
Seaton's
narration
excellent understanding
of
his
of
Aunt".
that
Window and w a t e r
reaches
out
friend,
does
not
dealing
with
Seaton
Seaton's
to
want
relationship
balance
draw
to
and
with
in
the
understand
his
this
aunt
give
vampire-
aunt.
When W i t h e r s
arrive
at
noon,
goes
having
to
spend
stopped
the
to
half-term
buy
some
holiday
rat-poison
with
in
Seaton,
the
. . . and e n t e r e d the gates out of the hot
dust
beneath the g l i t t e r of the d a r k - c u r t a i n e d windows.
S e a t o n l e d me a t o n c e t h r o u g h t h e l i t t l e
gardeng a t e t o show.me h i s t a d p o l e pond, swarming w i t h
what (being m y s e l f not i n the l e a s t i n t e r e s t e d i n
low l i f e ) I c o n s i d e r e d the most h o r r i b l e
creatures
— o f a l l s h a p e s , c o n s i s t e n c i e s , and s i z e s , but
w i t h whom S e a t o n s e e m e d t o b e o n t h e m o s t
intimate
they
village,
-41-
of terms.
I can see h i s absorbed face now as
he s a t on h i s h e e l s and f i s h e d the slimy
t h i n g s out i n h i s s a l l o w palms.
(p. 99-100)
Seaton i s thus seen l e a n i n g over the water, f i s h i n g and p e e r i n g a t
the
c o n t e n t s of the pond through the window of i t s s u r f a c e .
As the boys meander towards the house Seaton's aunt i s seen
at
an open upper window.
She must have s t o o d , I t h i n k , u n u s u a l l y s t i l l ,
w i t h eyes f i x e d on us, though t h i s i m p r e s s i o n
may be due t o Seaton's sudden warning and t o
my c o n s c i o u s n e s s of the c a u t i o u s and subdued
a i r t h a t had f a l l e n on him a t s i g h t of her.
I know t h a t without the l e a s t r e a s o n i n the
w o r l d I f e l t a k i n d of g u i l t i n e s s , as i f I
had been "caught."
(p. 100-101)
The
of
"caught" i s not only s c h o o l - b o y s l a n g , i t p i c k s up the i m p l i c a t i o n
a " c a t c h " made w h i l e f i s h i n g .
Seaton's aunt appears a l r e a d y as
a huge m a l e v o l e n t face p e e r i n g down from a h e i g h t a t the " t a d p o l e s "
she has caught.
F o r r e s t Reid p o i n t s out t h a t the pond w i t h i t s t a d p o l e s symbolizes
9
the
house which i s swarming w i t h " s p i r i t u a l
larvae".
He
describes
Seaton as
a l i t t l e r a t swimming round and round i n a
w a t e r - t r a p , and we watch him growing f e e b l e r
and f e e b l e r but s t i l l swimming, swimming, w h i l e
h i s Aunt's b i g face l e a n s i n g l o a t i n g i n t e r e s t
over the abominable s p e c t a c l e .
(p. 221)
Looking a t each image one can o n l y be aware t h a t water and f a c e are
both abominable
spectacles.
The face takes on the a l l - e n c o m p a s s i n g
p r o p e r t y o f a g l o w e r i n g sky, Seaton takes on t h a t of the s m a l l ,
struggling soul.
of
the p a r a s i t i c
Seaton w i l l be sucked i n t o that sky to become p a r t
evil.
-42-
In
that
a
"The
F a c e " de
l a Mare
sets
r e f l e c t i o n seen i n water
primitive
belief
i s more
is
simple
out
most
clearly
the
soul
of
than
de
the
la Mare's
the
primitive
looker.
use
of
The
belief
actual
i t :
In Saddle I s l a n d , Melanesia, there i s a pool
' i n t o w h i c h i f a n y one l o o k s , he d i e s ; t h e
m a l i g n a n t s p i r i t t a k e s h o l d of h i s l i f e by
means o f h i s r e f l e c t i o n on t h e w a t e r . '
We
in
c a n now u n d e r s t a n d why i t was a m a x i m b o t h
a n c i e n t I n d i a and a n c i e n t Greece not to l o o k
at one's
regarded
r e f l e c t i o n i n w a t e r , and why t h e G r e e k s
i t a s a n omen o f d e a t h i f a man d r e a m e d
of s e e i n g h i m s e l f so r e f l e c t e d .
They f e a r e d
that the w a t e r - s p i r i t s would drag the person's
r e f l e c t i o n or s o u l under water, l e a v i n g him
10
soulless
In
"The
the
dark
to
Face"''"''" N o r a
water
"I
in
pit,
and
it
at
me;
but
see
thing
. . .
a
it
they
me.
me,
would
evening
falls
never
end.
say,
just
memories
There
were
horrible
I
was
just
. . . "
(p.
116)
s t r a n g e phantom
black
eyes
No,
not
at
breathe
clutching at
face had
over
But
And when
to
leaning
that
shouting.
across.
and,
in.
an enormous
and managed
l i t t l e ,
one
face,
into
and v o i c e s
again,
and.
that
Ponds"
see her
falling
together,
came u p
to
to
"The
seemed
to
at
to
be
as
back
staring
I
to
wasn't,
came
goes
order
seemed
it
perish.
last
and
:<i
any-
appeared.
She had f o u n d h e r s e l f g a z i n g s t r a i g h t up i n t o
i t ; though whether, w i t h the water streaming
from h e r h a i r , h e r eyes were open or s h u t , she
c o u l d not remember.
I t was t h r o u g h t h o s e few
e v e r l a s t i n g moments t h e f a c e had s t a y e d t h e r e ,
l i t f a i n t l y a s i f b y some l i g h t o f i t s o w n ,
s m i l i n g , s e r a p h i c , unchanging, the eyes f a i n t l y
luminous, . . . (p.
104).
Nora
has
through
gone
the
down
surface
"And
as
that
into
a
of
the
face
you might
dreadful
pit
of
the
water.
unconscious,
On c o m i n g
there--smiling
say,
tunnel,
I
and
had
gone
come
out
at
in
soul
back
me.
It
under
a
the
down w i t h h e r
other
seemed,
dark
side."
(p.
117)
-43She
has
"dark
come
back w i t h
dreadful
tunnel"
through
and
gained
explain
the
face
are
the
knowledge
she
explains
i t ,
but
it
ation
her
any
the
or
knowledge
saw t o
is
of
her
Valley
from.
soul.
of
The
Death
Nora's
fiance,
the
doubtful
whether
George
for
which
she
difficulty
her
better
"black pit",
has
now
is
s t o l i d George.
understands
the
passed
to
She
the
explan-
if.
"Haven't y o u - - d o n ' t you c a r r y about any p i c t u r e
of y o u r s e l f b e t t e r than the r e f l e c t i o n s of what .
you see i n a g l a s s ?
And even t h a t ' s o f t e n b e t t e r
than r e a l .
You d o n ' t t h i n k , George, s u r e l y ,
i t ' s
j u s t your face I love--and looking l i k e
that
either!
Why, i t ' s y o u ; y o u ; w h a t p e r h a p s n o b o d y
e l s e sees at a l l . "
(p.
122)
This
is
de
la Mare's
individual:
self
The
each
person must
within himself
face
love
is
not
clearest
and
often
which can cross
a
statement
of
surely
aware
others,
true
the
as
be
the
mirror
threshold
of
his
above
that
belief
of
the
regarding
better,
quotation
better
between^the
truer
suggests.
self,
husk
the
and
and
it
is
kernel
selves.
Miss
water
M.
sees her
around her.
soul
only
briefly
E x i l e d by M r s .
in
Monnerie
the
looking-glasses
to Monk's
House,
of
she
would l e a n over the c o l d mouth of the w e l l ,
j u s t able to d i s c e r n i n the c o l d m i r r o r
of
w a t e r , f a r b e n e a t h , the f a c e I was a l m o s t
astonished to find r e f l e c t e d there.
'Shall
I come t o o ? '
I would m o r b i d l y w h i s p e r , and
dart away.-^
Her
fortunes
looks
is
into
too
becomes
far
are
the
down
caught
at
a
low
level
"inscrutable
for
up
her
again,
to
pit
see
for
a
and
of
she
is
depressed.
She,
too,
the
unconscious",
but
the
a clear
r e f l e c t i o n of
her
soul.
short
while,
water
She
i n worldly, considerations.
-44Then
(p.
she,
symbolically,
305)
made
by
She
that
display
at
She
go
from
far
are
not
calm.
that
rivers
minor
Miss
to
self
into
"a
down-tilted
a worldly
she
sees
display
and
washes
stand
untrue,
from
The
shamed
i t ,
seem t o
outer,
The
disastrous
desolate,
actions
up
u£
challenge,
is
the
one
looking-glass."
up
into
a
that
will
go
mirror
on
fair.
that
drinks
the
looking
world.
the
After
There,
is
looks
for
self;
Miss
fevered,
her
she
face
in
absorbing,
and
M.
returns
stays
i t ,
communing
near
sits
bodily,
with
to
Wanderslore.
a
pool
beside
her
her
it.
soul;
true
of
water.
The
washing
self.
away
She
cannot
pool.
that
run
streams,
Simcox
in
t h r o u g h many
they
"At
are
First
wide
of
or
Sight"
de
la Mare's
deep,
13
narratives
swift-running,
watches
her
rarely
reflection
and
A l r e a d y i n the waning l i g h t her face appeared
a l i t t l e d u s k i e r , i t s g r a v e s c r u t i n y f i x e d on
t h a t p r o f o u n d l y l u s t r o u s and f l u i d l o o k i n g glass.
She s p e c u l a t e d how deep i t a c t u a l l y
w a s ; s m i l e d i n w a r d l y a t the t h o u g h t o f how
s h a l l o w i t need be.
(p.
187)
She
intends
to,
and w i l l ,
for
Cecil.
She
decides
too
innocent,
her.
Cecil,
freedom
if
she
in
had
and
the
commit
that
burden
through her
his
mind,
chosen
to
but
love
his
of
suicide.
world
freedom
him.
is
not
cannot
for
responsibility
renunciation
the
She
As
it
of
him,
would
is,
have
at
her:
will
will
he
fall
find
been
their
accept her
is
perhaps
t o o much
on
a measure
of
that
much
parting
. . . the water g u r g l e d as i f i n echo of a
never-ending lullaby.
A t l e a s t t o some e a r s
i t might sound s o , though f o r C e c i l i t resemb l e d the monologue of a hopeless v o i c e
b a b b l i n g of e v e r l a s t i n g darkness.
(p.
193)
love
greater
-45-
The
lullaby
darkness
The
of
river
gained,
is
for
Miss
saying
will
but
Simcox.
good-bye
divide
Cecil
presages
them,
but
does
the
Cecil
not
light
gains,
yet
of
not
realize
his
a l l
that
mental
the
freedom.
he m i g h t
have
something.
14
The
young
Duveen.
Miss
eccentric
grows
in
"Miss
Duveen
is
slightly
mad.
gardening
from
resolute
accustomed
between
the
Over
of
but
river
her
cribes
a
two
her.
lands
period
sister
the
to
to
of
has
stayed
body
is
not
described,
body
is
clearly
to
and
also
her
finally
river
to
Miss
talks
lack
separates
the
to
Arthur,
across
Duveen
the
the
who
Arthur
but
in
a
of
not
living
Caroline
of
the
almost
des-
to,
though
the
the
seems
though
hears
that
she
has
been
put
away
. . . the news, i n s p i t e of a vague
sorrow,
g r e a t l y r e l i e v e d me.
I s h o u l d be a t e a s e
i n the garden a g a i n , camesthe
thought--no
the
drowned
bedraggled
to
Duveen,
. . .
we s o m e t i m e s w a v e d t o o n e a n o t h e r a c r o s s
the w a t e r , b u t n e v e r i f by h i d i n g m y s e l f
I
c o u l d evade her i n t i m e .
The d i s t a n c e s e e m e d
t o c o n f u s e h e r , and q u i t e s i l e n c e d me.
I
b e g a n t o s e e we w e r e r i d i c u l o u s
friends,
e s p e c i a l l y a s s h e came now i n e v e r
dingier
and a b s u r d e r c l o t h e s .
She e v e n l o o k e d
h u n g r y , and n o t q u i t e c l e a n , as w e l l as i l l ;
and she t a l k e d more t o h e r phantoms t h a n t o
me w h e n o n c e we m e t .
(p.
88)
When he
boundary
She
i s ,
Miss
and
childhood,
Because
Arthur
her
rain.
her
lake.
vividly.
them a g a i n ,
the
Miss
Wandle,
crosses
very
understanding
from
watches
river
in
manages
reader.
Arthur
however,
to Arthur
drowned
own m i n d
while
separates
with
Arthur,
imaginable
imagination
the
in
she
who was
body
picture
is
converse
time
Caroline
drowned
It
Duveen"
lack
so
that
-46longer
The
be
with
her
company
crossed.
The
young
consciousness
Rivers
they
that
be
bridges
one
land
the
river
and Nod
and,
not,
are
of
is
another.
in
both
of
a l l ,
In
in
are
separation,
only
a
just
hot
saddled
(p.
89)
threshold
Miss
that
Duveen
entering
barriers
between
Duveen
lands:
the
forms,
rivers
be
cannot
cannot
the
communicate
confines
of
mores.
however,
two
grow
or
stream.
obviously
thresholds
between
the
over-imaginative
who
social
and
as
two
the
river's
one
tow
and
current
journey
as
to
a river
lands,
de
l a Mare
of
underground,
also
people
Thumb,
Valleys
or
thresholds
They
bears
bearer.
the
person
Wandle.
Royal Monkeys^
boundary
c a r r i e d by
people,
c r o s s e d the
Three
their
between
serve
from
uses
Thimble
Tishnar
and
out
into
the
themselves.
The
great
of
cross
Valleys
image
elderly,
ridiculous,
was m e n t i o n e d ,
beside
c r o s s e d as M i s s
to
last
an
Arthur
are
another,
may
look
neighbour
becomes
the
to
our
Wandle
with
as
fear
when
last,
black,
symbolic
talisman,
for
the
part
of
their
journey
Nod
picture
of
the
whole.
a night,
to
the
Water
She
is
lovely
representative
the
F o l k - t a l e , wants
to
be
Tishnar,
of
loved,
to
Prince
of
when he
to
the
Valleys
of
Tishnar.
Royal
Monkeys
go
into
The
three
river
protected
under
the
by
ground,
who
Tishnar
have
promises
one
that
loses his
Midden
understanding
comes
is
a
to
darkness
in
like
soul.
friends
of
the
Water
Midden.
floating
on
the
river
they
do
the
the
the
Nod,
remember
on
the
his
river.
Mermaid
the
of
loving,
Water
Midden
underground
How l o n g
not
a
Wonderstone,
lives
who,
makes
know.
they
They
are
lose
-47consciousness
tainted
and,
The
the
of
met.
in
they
float.
the
But
The
as
through
all
underground
monkeys
side
there
in
Three
from Seelem;
river
Royal
Tolkien's
from B i l b o ,
and
sails
out
across,
so
these
two.
of
as
continuity:
set
out
on
the
has
not
reached
one
cannot
to
as
sea
in
finality
and
eternity.
when
finally
in
"Mr.
Kempe",
de
la Mare's
the
clings,
of
their
the
is
and Nod
hobbits
the
the
la Mare's
the
end
journey
is
three
of
a l l
in
over;
quest
t a k e s up
same
the
Frodo
mental
same
for
pattern
another
monkeys
rivers,
to
the
river
therefore,
finished.
c e r t a i n l y appears
Curtis,
the
show the
royal
be
quite
up
the
is
other
to
sea which
of
circle,
which
the
appears
Frodo
King Arthur
on
on
never
becomes
sleep.
death
took
Earth
other
is
a heavy
quest
be
of
water
Tishnar
quest
Middle
the
and
beyond
work
Miss
time
lands
de
their
learns
and
complete
sea, which
of
into
Valleys
of
stories
For
f a l l
Even
are
will
to
air.
Thimble
stories
The
that
the
tunnel"
there
journey.
presume
to
they
river
Thumb,
return,
the
i t ,
good
fairy-tale
there
The
she
and
of
the
come
Monkeys
quest
make-up
is
dreadful
folklore
in
drink
They
"dark,
lack
"The
to
represent
Picnic'^ faces
truth
of
her
blind
love.
f l y - l i k e ,
to
the
cliff
above
The
the
the
both
sea
narrator,
sea and
says
16
that
"It
narrow
path
Monkeys
It
is
world,
The
was
in
also
is
line
neither,
like
edging
along
that
a
on
it
one
side
hovers
leads
cliff
carries
threshold
itself
but
the
between
edge
the
between
and
the
this
is
like
traveller
two w o r l d s
land,
dangerously,
ultimately
world
to
this
it
and
the
the
river
f r o m one
in
that
world,
bounds
a different
is
both
next."
of
the
place
the
on
to
sea,
the
worlds,
landscape.
The
Three
Royal
another.
or
the
next
other.
falls
into
-48Henry
his
Brocken's
imaginative
alone
the
on h e r
sea
one,
His
first
journey.
island.
forever
a huge
experience
in
He
desire
seeing
for
the
he
l i t t l e
r e f l e c t i o n of
takes
boat,
his
her,
on
the
and h i s
island
and
is
the
refuses
loneliness
sea
seems
end
to
of
of
stay
rowing
a vastly
on
empty
sky.
loneliness
sea,
Criseyde's
repudiates
Rather
his
on
is
different
from Miss M . ' s .
She,
on
says
F l a t , bow-shaped, h a z e d , remote, and of a blue
s t i l l i n g my e y e s a s w i t h a d r e a m - - I v e r i l y
b e l i e v e t h e s a l t e s t t e a r s I e v e r s h e d i n my
l i f e s m a r t e d o n my l i d s a s t h e s p i r i t i n me
f l e d a w a y , t o be a l o n e w i t h t h a t f a r l o v e l i n e s s .
A d e s i r e a l m o s t beyond e n d u r a n c e d e v o u r e d me.
" Y e s , " c r i e d h i d d e n s e l f t o s e l f , "I c a n n e v e r ,
n e v e r l o v e h i m ; b u t h e s h a l l t a k e me a w a y —
away—away.
O h , h o w I h a v e w a s t e d my d a y s ,
s i c k for home."
Her
Hills
and
words
of
Beulah,
longing
Paradise.
him".
of
the
In
to
take
questioning
that
would
between
flee
to
it
and
other
very
of
it
good
both
its
cake and
de
or
that
in
It
dream
is
man,
"I
i t ,
for
divine
"home",
says
eat
of
the
own
human s e l f
her
from
and
c a n be
itself
regarding
evil
demonstrates
best
Tishnar.
thought
selves,
He
the
the
discontent
Eldorado
can never
too,
to
or
love
give
a l l .
two
shows
be
have
these
He
which
to
for
of
Miss M.'s
like
Miss M.'s
a cry
Valleys
self
And yet
and
like
the
She w o u l d
nothing
his
sound
hide
there
is
the
in
showing
grimacing
la Mare's
f l e s h l y house
i t .
them
at
He
explores
separated
each other
a narrow
c r o s s e d and walked
c h a r a c t e r s we
line,
along.
expressed
and
the
the
relationship
spirit
by window and
through
these
a breakable
He
see
by
water.
barriers.
"something",
demonstrates
that
it
-49-
is
love between two
people,
and
the understanding
of h i m s e l f , which can pass the t h r e s h o l d s
of one
of window and
individual
water.
-50-
FOOTNOTES:
^"Walter
de
l a Mare,
Memoirs
,
Stories
(London,
1923),
"The
p.
,
(London,
1955),
p.
Dickens,
Walter
p.
de
of
(London,
Travel" in
The
1921),
p.
Riddle
206.
and
Other
145.
"The
,
Charles
Bird
a Midget
Princess"
i n A Beginning
and
Other
Stories
64-65.
4
5
of
III
Memoirs
Hard
l a Mare,
of
Times
"The
a Midget,
(New Y o r k ,
Tree"
in
The
p.
285.
1961).
Riddle
and
Other
Stories
212-231.
7
Stories,
p.
o
Stories,
p.
,
"Selina's
Parable"
,
"Seaton s Aunt"
in
The
Riddle
and
Other
90-96.
in
1
The
Riddle
and
Other
97-141.
9
Forrest
1
0
J .
G.
'^''"Walter
p.
Reid,
Walter
Frazer,
The
de
de
l a Mare
Golden
l a Mare,
"The
Bough
Face"
(London,
1929),
p.
217.
(London,
1963),
p.
253.
in A
Beginning
and
Other
Stories,
96-124.
12
,
13
(London,
1930),
p.
14
Stories,
15
p.
69-89.
Memoirs
, "At
117-200.
of
First
,
"Miss
,
The
a Midget,
Sight"
Duveen"
Three
in
in
The
p.
On
299.
the
Riddle
Royal Monkeys
Edge,
and
Short
Stories
Other
(New Y o r k ,
Knopf,
1960),
-51-
^Walter
Stories
de
(London,
^Walter
de
l a Mare,
1926),
p.
l a Mare,
"Mr.
Kempe"
in
The
Connoisseur
13.
Memoirs
of
a Midget,
p.
196.
and
Other
CHAPTER
IV
THE L O O K I N G
"Did'st
is
the
thou
soul
ever
the
grass;
l i t t l e
turf
of
heads,
like
her
miserable
prison
see
in
a
GLASS
lark
body:
in
this
and
the
of
the
only
small
l a Mare
uses
this
of
a Midget.^
novel:
an
individual
seeing
o'er
her
our
gives
us
a
of
our
at
the
. . . "
Memoirs
body,
like
compass
John
De
Such
is
heaven
looking-glass,
knowledge
a cage?
world
the
sky
quotation
It
gives
an
imprisoned
in
her
as
an
Webster
epigraph
indication
with in
mirror
as
the
the
of
the
small
vision
beginning
themes
compass
of
the
of
of
the
her
free-soaring
soul.
and
The
sky
also
acts
can,
be.
It
shows
cosmic
consciousness
barrier
total,
of
tion
de
of
pass
pass
sky
it
a
l a Mare
can
possibly
the
mirror:
a mirror
the
of
true
the
is
the
looker-in:
it
into
through
used water
the
the
and
once
this
the
at
so
the
of
and
from w i t h i n
is
through
the
surface
the
into
and
containing
of
same w a y
the
is
ought
time
the
sky
lies
the
been
self
the
is
possible.
microcosmic
very
a
much
the
of
reflec
as
self
on~looker
consciousness
to,
crossed,
returns
which
the
one
same
has
the
eye
and
vision
the
self
contains
In
person
threshold
perception
individual
unconscious.
surface
is
Between
cosmic mirror
reflects
has
self
frightening,
the
showing
good.
misunderstanding:
and
As
as
the
may
other
-53individual
De
and
gain
understanding
of
him.
l a Mare
uses
man-made m i r r o r s
raise
questions
that
he
fact,
a man-created
one
individual
outline
of
the
of
his
self
and
does
barrier
not
physical
hidden
by
The
appreciation
an
individual
o c c a s i o n a l l y he
features,
but
the
of
that
self
and
precludes
And
r e a l i s a t i o n c a n come
only
when
the
individual
in
me?'.
'who
The
image,
sky
has
with
by
its
of
awe.
the
than
a
At
and
people
Her
book
her
built
as
she
positions.
is
the
for
the
of
her
for
up
clear
allows
the
of
landscape
there
the
vast
sky
at
of
her
her
pervasive
is
often
Lyndsey,
at
mirror
time
the
high
she watches
conscious
touched
no
most
from her
too
glimpse
realisation.
the
eighteen,
the
this
above
body:
enough
window
storm
and
stage
her
not
to waken
is
yet
more
soul.
from
the
is
view
dimensions
shows M i s s M.
becomes
is
From
prison-house"
flitting
takes
and
s t i l l
feeling,
is
she
catch a
full
between
and
can answer
a Midget
Miss M.'s
sky
she
mirror
The
of
because
M.'s
of
Until
size.
sky-mirror
Beechwood
day
her
awareness
busy,
By
to
of
daytime
Memoirs
view
concern
"shades
the
and h o u s e s .
size Miss
slight
The
night
in
changing.
Perhaps
tiny
have
the
and
balcony,
her
one
self
an uninterrupted
sunshine.
of
the
as m i r r o r
subtle
obscured
she
is
principally
clothes
may
its
also
himself,
glimpse
full
which
is
and
sees h i s
for
question
images
The m i r r o r
individual
features,
these
barrier
answer.
between
another.
as
an
one
nights
often
revelation
object
study
more
of
are,
of
love
the
of
than
of
man
and
stars,
course,
not,
to
throughout
another.
attention
learning
her
for
their
At
her.
names
favourites,then
she
slips
sky.
from
She
The
By
clouds
are
the
his
is
she
dreams
once
to
Later
M.
is
drinks
the
the
is
equal
with
green
syrup
the
occupation:
stature
to
that
her
of
a l l
of
aspiration.
p r a c t i c a l nature
of
man,
in
Fenne
rain
his
a
a glass-jar with
of
glass
a distorted
outside
storm
jar:
image.
Thus
a hairy
tapping
the
the
miseries.
c o n s t r i c t i n g as
image
those
disastrous
in
this
and watch
souls
as
an
in
those
falling
shut
unmistakably
at
Wanderslore
reflecting
and M i s s
communicate
on,
the
Miss M.,
she
is
desire
Miss
that
This
the
the
unfeeling,
Bowater
68)
stars,
sky represent
for
hard,
towards
diminutiveness
sky r e f l e c t s
Mrs.
(p.
for
the
c a n become,
mirror
of
of
of
challenges,
the
ation
to walk
sense
reaching
lights
day
It
house
loses her
soul's s e a r c h ,
men.
the
on
prisoned
the
combinglass,
soul
and
of
outside.
birthday
dinner
given
by M r s .
Monnerie,
and
A h o r r i f y i n g t r a n s p a r e n c y b e g a n t o s p r e a d o v e r my
mind.
I t seemed i t h a d become i n t h a t i n s t a n t
e m p t y a n d r a d i a n t a s a dome o f g l a s s .
A l l sounds
hushed away.
T h i n g s n e a r f a d e d i n t o an i n f i n i t e
distance.
E v e r y f a c e , g l o s s e d w i t h l i g h t as i f
v a r n i s h e d , became l i f e l e s s , b r u t a l , and i n h u m a n ,
the g r o t e s q u e c a r i c a t u r e of a shadowy c o u n t e n a n c e
t h a t h u n g somewhere r e m o t e i n memory, y e t was
i n v i s i b l e and i r r e v o c a b l e .
(p.
293)
The
great
caricature"
of
show M i s s M.
playing.
drunken
one
She
dome
a l l
also
is
of
M i s s M.
the
underta
glass
has
sky d i s t o r t s
come
to
from Mrs.
retires
blue
part
Monnerie's
to Monk's
humanity
believe.
" l i f e l e s s . . . inhuman"
banished
c o l l a p s e and
afternoon
the
House.
sky and h e r s e l f
It
into
a
distorts
that
she
has
society after
There,
feeling
after
happier
"grotesque
it
to
been
her
wandering
with
life,
-55-
Fanny
and
comes
to
reality
"The
empty
for
air
looking-glass
had
said
(p.
326)
At
point
sky
or,
skies,
(p.
but
357)
light
for
she
Mr.
turns
had
that
time
its
will
will
be
Anon.
her
M.
M.
was
and
was
to
the
lesson
"The
east;
dark
of
moon
I
our
at
last
light
the
to
on
loses
of
its
It
was
if
account
end
of
her
glassily
sky
the
truth
of
the
knowledge
to
and
until
that
we
. . . "
story,
loneliness,
says:
enormous
all
no
the
she
Its
of
wait
colour
until
voices.
shone
must
mirror
appalling
skies
of
indifferent.
coming
see
sky
such h a t r e d ,
sound
suffered,
the
the
to
the
her:
in
the
beneath
tragic
for
able
from
is
last
break
The
up
matter,
Miss
bitterly;
withered
placid
aspect
Day
her
swallowed
daybreak
Miss
M.,
remained
learning
changes
reviles
Miss
for
this
of
her,
the
the
in
night
the
cold
morning."
and
her
in
the
lack
of
her
clear
of
love
own
failure
begin
systematically, laboriously, a frenzied
search.
Leaf, pebble, crawling nightcreature--with
slow,
a n i m a l - l i k e c a r e , I t u r n e d them o v e r one by o n e ,
s e e k i n g and s e e k i n g .
(p.
361)
She
of
has
to
turn
grass",
mortified
The
short
for
her
sky
her
her
back
view
beyond
as
stories.
on h e r
of
the
her
mirror
naked
capacity
to
hunt
soul
has
t o ..face
it.
in
appears,
briefly,
Thus,
the
of
last
the
" l i t t l e
shocked,
cosmic mirror
as Ann,
her
frightened,
i n many
children
turf
of
to
de
la
enter
Mare's
the
o
oak
chest,
stood
over
moment
Vega
is
the
the
in
"The
against
reader
Riddle,"
the
is
brightest
sleep-walked,
window
above
the
".
slate
.
.
Vega,
roof,"
aware
of
the
wider
implications
star
of
the
constellation Lyra
(p.
of
the
farshining
293)
the
which
for
a
story.
is
one
of
the
-56-
oldest
or
a
northern
Mercury.
star,
Thus
with
swiftly
c o n s t e l l a t i o n s and
de
l a Mare
connotations
brought message
named
for
brings,briefly,
of
of
is
music
and
the
the
sorrow,
lyre
far
with,
of
bright
Orpheus
hope
perhaps,
of
a
furthe
hope.
3''
In
the
same w a y ,
/
at
the
end
of
"The
Looking
Glass",
Not u n t i l the e v e n i n g of t h a t day d i d the sun i n
h i s d i u r n a l course f o r a w h i l e i l l u m i n e the garden,
and then v e r y b r i e f l y :
to g i l d , to l u l l , and t o
be g o n e .
The s t a r s w h e e l e d o n i n t h e t h i c k - s o w n
waste of s p a c e , and even when M i s s L e n n o x ' s s m a l l
share of the e a r t h ' s w i l d l i v i n g c r e a t u r e s had
s t i r r e d and sunk a g a i n to r e s t i n the ebb of n i g h t ,
t h e r e came n o w a t c h e r - - n o t e v e n t h e v e r y g h o s t o f
a w a t c h e r - - t o the garden, i n a watch-gown.
So
that what p e c u l i a r s e c r e t s found r e f l e x i n i t s
d a r k m i r r o r no human w i t n e s s was t h e r e t o t e l l .
(p.
It
is
the
in
this
cosmic mirror
case A l i c e ,
distorted
of
de
of
the
la Mare's
boundary
selves,
that
The
at
vision
the
time
end
of
may v i e w a n d
she
has.
In
characters,
that
boundary
of
w h i c h r e f l e c t s human b e h a v i o u r ,
interpret
this
looking
e x i s t s between
symbolized
soul-nakedness
her story i s
by
and
mirror,
at
true
outward
mirror
shame
shown e a r l i e r
Alice,
their
their
the
according
in
that
its
of
which
to
the
68)
the
true
huma
or
M i s s M.
and
many
selves,
are
aware
and
inner,
sky
or
M i s s M.
real.
glass.
experiences
physical aspects
h a d s l i p p e d a c r o s s f r o m o u t o f my b a t h f o r a p i n c h
of the ' c r y s t a l s ' which Mrs. Monnerie had presented
me w i t h t h a t a f t e r n o o n ; f o r m y n o s e , a l s o , w a s
accustoming i t s e l f to an a r t i f i c i a l l i f e .
An
immense c h e v a l l o o k i n g - g l a s s s t o o d t h e r e , and a t
o n e a n d t h e same i n s t a n t I s a w n o t o n l y my own
slim, naked, hastening figure r e f l e c t e d i n i t s
p l a c i d d e e p s , b u t , b e h i n d me, t h a t of F l e m i n g ,
shadowily engrossed.
W i t h a s h o c k I came t o a
s t a n d s t i l l , h e l p l e s s l y meeting her peculiar stare.
Only seven yards or so of dusky a i r d i v i d e d us.
when
-57Caught back by t h i s unexpected e n c o u n t e r ,
for
one i m m e a s u r a b l e moment I s t o o d t h u s , a s i f she
and I were mere shapes i n a p i c t u r e , and r e a l i t y
but a thought.
. . . s u d d e n l y I f l u n g m y s e l f on
my k n e e s , a n d p r a y e d - - t h o u g h w h a t a b o u t a n d t o
whom I c a n n o t s a y . The
image
Miss
M.'s
open
to
of
an
narration
analysis.
role.
The
who
is
Fanny?
The
actual
and
In
his
the
as
looking-glass
than
It
questions
identities,
in
actual
does
poses
a l l
who
is
the
reflected
in
last
the
Introduction,
real
self?
M i s s M.
by
says,
the
rather
the
obvious
part
than
self:
and what
is
role
played
who
the
less
cosmic
is Miss
real
to
in
is
acting a
seem s o m e t i m e s
quoted
received
a more
But
concern
selves
passage
letter
sky.
questions
raised
the
the
plays
M.?
self?
switch
their
above.
Sir
Walter
regarding
Pollacke,
her
included
story,
"I have t r i e d t o t e l l n o t h i n g but the t r u t h
about
myself.
B u t I r e a l i z e t h a t i t c a n n o t be t h e w h o l e
truth.
F o r w h i l e so e n g a g e d ( j u s t as when one
peers i n t o a l o o k i n g - g l a s s i n the moonlight) a
s o m e t h i n g h a s a t t i m e s l o o k e d o u t o f some s e c r e t
den o r n i c h e i n me, and t h e n has v a n i s h e d . "
(p.
ix)
Regardless
of
Miss
M.
showing
that
few
is
the
people
ghost-story
rather
present
to
her
implications
awareness
the
real
of
that
world
the
the
their
peering
self
true
is
figure,
'selves',
self.
We m a y n o w a n d a g a i n , t o o , e n c o u n t e r i n o u r w a l k s
abroad a f e l l o w - c r e a t u r e touched w i t h a c e r t a i n
c a s t of s t r a n g e n e s s and a l o o f n e s s .
We s c a n t h e
f l e s h l y house, but the windows are darkened.
. . .
by slow and i n f i n i t e degrees . . . t h a t
human b e i n g h a s . . . become . . . w i t h d r a w n and
i n s u l a t e d , a n d l i v e s o n , e n r i n g e d evermore a n d
more i n a c c e s s i b l y w i t h b a r r i e r s
. . .
It
out
is
this
in Miss M.'s
'withdrawn
mirror.
and
Thus,
insulated'
the
first
recluse
real
that
de
l a Mare
i n t i m a t i o n we h a v e
seeks
of
-58-
her
diminuitive
while
she
appears
across
is
at
father's
by
de
again
her
a
early
tripped
over
Thus,
into.a
watching her
on h i s
father
dressing-table.
Miss M.
a hairbrush,
to
is
of
frightens
mirror,
picture
o u t w a r d M i s s M.
from a m i r r o r
memory
pomatum p o t
window and
watch."
l a Mare
This
nearby
table,
my
is
seated on
the
the
size
and
window,
"I
1 1
f e l l
nature
reflect Miss M.'s
clearly described a
A
leapt
time
"fleshly
few
jackdaw
up,
sprawling
and
shave
ran
beside
are
combined
house".
pages
later,
image:
I c a n p e r f e c t l y r e c a l l my c h i l d i s h f i g u r e a s I
s t o o d w i t h e n d l e s s s a t i s f a c t i o n s u r v e y i n g my
r e f l e c t i o n i n a l o o k i n g - g l a s s on the C h r i s t m a s
m o r n i n g a f t e r my n i n t h b i r t h d a y .
My, f r o c k was
o f a f i n e p u f f e d s c a r l e t , my s l i p p e r s l o o s e a t
heel, to match.
My h a i r , d e m u r e l y p a r t e d i n t h e
m i d d l e , h u n g s t r a i g h t o n my n a r r o w s h o u l d e r s
(though I had a l r e a d y learned to p l a i t i t )
and
s o f r a m e d my f a c e ; t h e e y e b r o w s f a i n t l y a r c h e d
(eyebrows d a r k e r and c r o o k e d e r now); the nose
i n p r o p o r t i o n ; the l i p s r a t h e r narrow, and of a
lively red.
My f e a t u r e s w o r e a p e n e t r a t i n g e x p r e s s i o n i n t h a t
r e f l e c t i o n b e c a u s e my k e e n l o o k w a s s e a r c h i n g
them p r e t t y c l o s e .
But i f i t was a s h a r p l o o k ,
i t was n o t , I t h i n k , a b o l d o r d e f i a n t ; and t h e n
I s m i l e d , a s i f t o s a y , ' S o t h i s i s t o b e my
companion, t h e n .
(p.
9)
1
For
a moment
mirror
of
hidden
self
has
aware
that
already,
a n d we a r e
a recluse, her
Later
self
"for
true
M i s s M.
. . .
self
sake,
I
made
peered
hidden
developed
company's
characters.
(P.
the
the
and
habit
and make
out
at
nine,
the
shadows
M i s s M.
is
in
the
something
undisplayed.
of
believe
as much,-and
from
talking
I
was
as many,
to
her
a dozen
of
myself
mirrored
different
as
possible."
53)
But
she
protests
against
this
everchanging
self
to Mrs.
Bowater,
-59-
and M r s .
in
the
Bowater
last
gives
v i s i t
to
the
answer
that
M i s s M.
herself
will
f u l f i l l
Wanderslore:
"What i s the use of
always
changing?
being
one's
self,
if
one
is
" T h e r e c o m e s a t i m e , m i s s , w h e n we d o n ' t c h a n g e ;
o n l y the o u t e r w a l l s c r u m b l e away m o r s e l by m o r s e l ,
so t o s p e a k .
But t h a t ' s not f o r you y e t .
S t i l l ,
t h a t ' s the r e a s o n . " (p.
238)
These
barriers
light
of
the
Before
daughter.
Miss
But
M.
that,
loves
refusing
is
to
of
eventually
sky's mirror.
with
an
curiously
have
hard.
f r o m M i s s M.
will
Fanny
is
change
She
given
sees
beyond
no
Bowater,
an enigma,
idolatory
aspirations
Wuthering
M.
comes
to Miss M.,
her
crumble
Miss
however,
Fanny,
Fanny
writes
will
her
harsh
Bowater's
a reality
with
the
more.
Mrs.
usually
life
under
and
only
a
to
step-
dream.
the
mysterious.
uncompromising
own c o m f o r t
and
clarity,
security.
She
Heights;
" I t i s a mad, untrue book.
The w o r l d i s n o t
like
Emily Bronte's conception of i t .
It is neither
dream nor n i g h t m a r e , M i d g e t i n a , but w i d e , wide
awake."
(p.
44)
And
she
says
reason.
My
Her
to
herself
reason,
too
its
I
proper
retain
Miss
for
her
M.
tell
you."
(p.
and
reality
fact
and won't
truth,
place
in
her
being.
(p.
87)
own."
too,
but
and
Fanny
Fanny
hates
over
and
see
begins
refusing
but
with
to
to
sound
admit
as
her
if
my
fact,
"the
secret
There
would
be
tearing
M i s s M.
want
for
again
to
see h e r s e l f ,
showing
in
a
her
she
is
dreaming
In
doesn't
over
things
208)
in
secret,
sees
can't
is,
her
Fanny
"I
on
much,
remained
barriers
to
herself
insistence
protesting
self
of
of
down
she
of
wants
herself.
a man-made
looking-glass.
-60-
Fanny
comes
always
Fanny
to
she
is
to v i s i t
looks
effects
De
la
of
viewing
of
active
on
in
Mare
the
the
a
104)
poem,
of
how wide*.,a f i e l d
of
are
surely
and
her
(p.
said
her
to
the
.
solitude
.
.
and
house
and
mantel-piece.
much
mind,
she
and
loved
to
observe
96)
c o n t e x t s as
"A p a s s i v e
preen
a
way
looking-glass
"itself
in
dream's
aspiring Miss M.,
dreams.
"Consciousness
echo
in
called
this
admit
the
in various
is
is
Bowater's
"however
vain."
Reality
not
that
or
Mrs.
over
that
mirror
Daydreams
who w i l l
reading
says
she was n o t
to
in
mirror
looking-glass
self.
of
the
room
the
reflections".^
Fanny
in
her
M i s s M.
refers
(p.
in
but
others,
looking-glass":
perhaps
herself
beautiful,
watch h e r s e l f
her
at
M i s s M.
De
la
Mare
becomes
a
says
and
also,
passive
beauty."
(p.
mirror
108)
g
In
a
The
Re t u r n
struggling mirror
glass,
have
not
his
own
supplanted
his
the
of
human c o n s c i o u s n e s s o f
"echo
familiar
and
Arthur
s o l i t u d e " when he
face,
but
the
features
Lawford
sees
of
in
becomes
his
looking-
Sabathier
which
own.
He s a t t h e r e a n d i t s e e m e d t o h i m h i s b o d y w a s
t r a n s p a r e n t as g l a s s .
I t seemed he h a d no b o d y
a t a l l — o n l y t h e memory o f a n h a l l u c i n a t o r y
r e f l e c t i o n i n the g l a s s , and t h i s inward v o i c e
c r y i n g , arguing, q u e s t i o n i n g , threatening out
of the s i l e n c e - - ' W h a t i s i t r e a l l y — r e a l l y —
really?'
A n d a t l a s t , c o l d , w e a r i e d o u t , he r o s e
once more and l e a n e d b e t w e e n t h e two l o n g c a n d l e f l a m e s , and s t a r e d o n — o n — o n ,
i n t o the g l a s s .
(p.
He
is
he
has
it
is
alone
yet
a
with
a body he
owns
but
which resounds
with
echoes
simpler
consciousness
against
of
problem
man,
M i s s M.
adversary
not
of
than Miss M . ' s :
another
a recognizable
does
know,
another.
\«:..
In
Lawford must
seeks
is' e a s i e r
13)
whose
some
expel
for
herself.
than
looking
consciousness
respects,
the
Struggling
for
an
unknown.
-61-
Therefore,
possessed
is
when L a w f o r d
by
unclear,
reality
is
In
the
the
of
a
in
the
another
threshold
just
The
soul
looks
mirror
man.
between
real
sees
that
which
What M i s s M.
sees
in
and
he
unreal
is
is
her
mirrors
transparent
and
thought.
Three
Royal
Monkeys
Andy
Battle
gives
Nod,
servant
of
9
Tishnar,
the
mirror
we d o
not
It
with
has
might
the
in
The
Return
images,
but
the
discussed.
It
clear
before
on
this
been
tainly
Anon
at
cruelty
can represent
between
scorned
two
with
With Mr.
to
and
the
Fanny
is
of
de
l a Mare
image
that
the
if
Yet
of
is
the
it
is
the
Thus
unreal
already
that
of
objective
were
Bowater
of
and
not
concerned
the
door
change
the
as
in
other
Lawford
characters
so v i s i b l e
has
a very
great
tenable
skill,
her
explained
grasp
mind;
explanation
great
reader,
own b u s i n e s s
p r a c t i c a l sense
to
been
p r a c t i c a l i t y , her
understand
unable
of
animosity
un-understanding
is
agent
glass.
they
i t .
Miss M.'s
people.
by M i s s M.
own m i n d
the
that
that
change;
It
looking
i t .
notable
seamstress
unable
Wanderslore,
love
my
Fanny's
in
of
to
dominant
a Midget
of
piece
real
accept
h e a r t . ^
is
a
subjective;
to
reality
Miss M.,
philosopher,
is
objective
of
Miss M.'s
that
the
able
Memoirs
objective
being
in
sees
have
In
the
Nod
place
built
unknown",
f r o m man
know what
is
been
endless
passes
mirror
takes
is
"the
are
heart
the
Thus
Mr.
Anon
is
him
she
says
"--I
beyond
of
Anon
of
Fanny
minor
Cer-
M i s s M.
that
Mr.
dwells
communion
warped,
mis-shapen,
am,
you might
as
being
Mr.
affairs.
M i s s M.
spiritual
as
of
dour,
say,
in
him."''"''"
Anon M i s s M.
is
most
at
ease,
she
talks
"without
fear"
-62of
what
she
should
not
say,
certainly
say
and
do,
but
she
his
company
her
experiences,
i s most
truly
she
hurts
herself
both
in
good and
him
his
by
things
she
company.
And
Forrest
Reid
bad
as
her
size,
does
in
points
12
out,
come
c l o s e s t to
Miss
M.'s
related
of
an
to
poetry.
experiences
her
sight,
ordinary-sized
carcass,
she
Through her
reflection
goes
eyes
that
we
see
views
these
in
or
she
in
of
things
sees
in
London,
things,
those
of
view
Thus,
private
see
because
vision
mortal.
to
we
her
are,
her
smallest
of
closely
than might
detail
she
view
more
the
be
mole's
scrutinizes
of
people.
them becomes
a l l mirrors;
that
the
the
eyes,
13
those"strange
The
eye
and
that
It
see
is
is
not
only
which
the
the
devices
of
the
by
that
in
Memoirs
that
informs
eyes
image
that
looker,
in
both
them
the
the
large,
to
help
her
don her
explore
the
house
the
Pollie's
ance
of
the
i
and
dance
New Y e a r ' s
the
a
are
of
at
the
the
faint
before
last
they
of
me
that
and
the
seen—."
which
the
contains
looker.
a human b e i n g ,
the
soul
s o u l w i t h i n may be
seen
in
threshold
the
of
that
mirror.
Sometimes,
w h i m s i c a l i t y to
both
as
a
leave
the
image,
looking-glass
Lyndsey.
As
they
time
imperturbable
image
or
at
from
for
an
face
wore
instant
reflected
in
I
her
the
appear-
surprised
round
blue
y
Whimsicality
at
eyes
seer
also
looked
reflected
is
make-belief;
whole
eye. -
is
P o l l i e u s e s M i s s M.
new h a t
Even
be
The
mirror,
landscape
there
bovine
for
the
/
it
person
same
o r may
a Midget,
as when
into
divide
looks:
the
These
person,
of
alone
which
look
there.
other
that
unkindness
Eve
prompt
Fanny's
Parish
concert.
suggestion
The
that
recluse
Miss
in Miss
M.
M.
-63-
has
no
financial
public,
and
the
need
as
yet
suggestion
t o make
is
herself
greeted
by
an e x h i b i t i o n
for
the
silence:
The t w o g e n t l e m e n ' s f a c e s s m o o t h e d t h e m s e l v e s
out,
and b o t h , I knew, t h o u g h I gave them no h e e d ,
sat
gazing, not at their hostess.
But Fanny h e r s e l f
w a s l o o k i n g a t me n o w , h e r l i g h t e y e s q u i t e
s t i l l
i n the flame of the c a n d l e s , w h i c h , w i t h t h e i r
r e f l e c t i o n s i n M r s . Bowater's p i e r g l a s s , were not
two, but f o u r .
I t was i n t o t h o s e e y e s I g a z e d ,
yet not i n t o , only at.
(p.
78)
Miss
hard,
the
is
M.
bright^
mirror
see
only
into
those
reflect,
a barrier
light-coloured
in
between
the
these
mirror,
two:
eyes:
they
M i s s M.
The
communication,
are
glass
true
of
vision,
impossible.
the
and M i s s
mirror
differences
of
and
is
Fanny
of
cannot
one
and
fascinated
with
two
"there
is
(P.
64)
whose
the
full
red
herrings
are
self.
them
of
across
M.
their
any
there,
under
a
as m o t i o n l e s s
than
a
of
small
loving
their
with
first
fixed,
flowering
and
few
to myself
as
to
.
.
the
to
white
apparently,
(p.
148)
quote
he
full
Anon:
black
not
in
these
not
mirror
superior
attention
language
is
remained
He w a s
not,
eyes."
in
Mr.
and
one
with
in
of
with
face
I.
But
part
pattern
meeting
and
between
in
The
other's
written
quote
But
as
love
the
as
is
blackthorn,
intent
inches,
.
of
in
barriers
not.
problems.
people
exchanges.
are
and
as w e l l
that
explanation
records
Standing
height
two
invisible
person
philosophic
so c l o s e l y woven
of
one
between minds
these
by
and M i s s M.
of
and
complexity
more
those
the
world
always
Anon
intention
are
hair,
Mr.
are
a commerce
Miss
separated
undivided
commerce
images
imagery.
the
between
person's
The
M.
to
show
draws
and
eye
-64To t h i s d a y I s o m e t i m e s s t r i v e i n v a i n t o s e e ,
q u i t e c l e a r l y i n my m i n d , t h a t f a c e , a s i t
appeared, at that f i r s t meeting.
A different
memory o f i t o b t r u d e s i t s e l f ; y e t how m a n y ,
many t i m e s have I s e a r c h e d h i s f e a t u r e s
for
news o f h i m s e l f , and l o o k e d p a s s i n g l y - - a n d once
w i t h f i n a l i n t e n s i t y — i n t o those l i v i n g eyes.
But I r e c o l l e c t that h i s c l o t h e s looked s l i g h t l y
out of k e e p i n g and g r o t e s q u e amid the
green
t h i n g s of e a r l y s p r i n g .
I t seemed he h a d w a s t e d
i n them.
So, too, the cheek had wasted over i t s
b o n e , and seemed p a r c h e d ; the t h i n l i p s , t h e e a r s
s l i g h t l y pointed.
And then broke out h i s low,
hollow voice.
S c a r c e l y r i s i n g or f a l l i n g ,
the
m e r e s o u n d o f i t seemed t o be a s f u l l o f m e a n i n g
as the words.
He l o o k e d a t m e , a n d a t a l l I p o s s e s s e d , a s i f
p i e c e by p i e c e — a s i f he had been a l o n g time
s e a r c h i n g f o r them a l l .
Y e t he now seemed t o
a v o i d my e y e s , t h o u g h t h e y w e r e s e r e n e l y a w a i t i n g
his.
I n d e e d f r o m t h i s moment a l m o s t t o t h e l a s t ,
I was n e v e r a t a l o s s or d i s t r e s s e d i n h i s company.
He n e v e r c a l l e d me o u t o f m y s e l f b e y o n d a n
e a s y a n d h a p p y r e t u r n , t h o u g h he was t o c r e e p i n t o
my i m a g i n a t i o n a s e a s i l y a s a s i n g l e b e e c r e e p s
i n t o the t h o u s a n d - c e l l e d darkness of i t s h i v e .
Whenever I p a r t e d f r o m h i m h i s remembrance was
l i k e t h a t o f one o f t h o s e s t r a n g e f i g u r e s w h i c h
t h r u s t themselves as i f out of the
sleep-world
i n t o the mind's w a k e f u l n e s s ; v i v i d l y ,
darkly,
impress themselves upon c o n s c i o u s n e s s , and then
are gone . . .
( p . 148-149)
This
of
Mr.
of
will
the
too
.
Anon
is
M i s s M.
"fright,
He
latter
to
see
kept
[face]
self
that
brooded
.
(p.
150)
.
always
is
louring
always
belongs
young man's
the
like
dark
the
stare"
his
face
and
house
(p.
172)
when
she
in
light
of
of
prophetically,
the
neglected
engrossed
beside
dark
the
Wanderslore
its
thinks
statement
wild,
me
i t — i t s
for,
bright
itself,
shuttered
of
those
as he
demesne,.; so Mr.
because
melancholy,
colours
with
windows.
windows.
lives
Anon
and
the
Miss
She
M.
makes
spiritually
returns
to
die
there.
-65-
It
is
nightjar;
one
put
Anon
place
also
one
boards
has
reach
a
done
him
up
he
is
threshold
of
his,
"pretty
(p.
glass
"her
in
jar
a
of
the
and
the
the
Lawford's
of
of
the
struggle
her
G r i s e l but
eyes
are
them b a c k ,
the
not
She
one's
once
"Why
mind?"
(p.
154)
It
is
couldn't
Mr.
Miss M. s
life
perhaps,
Miss M.'s
heart.
is,
96)
the
permeates
is
Fanny
(p.
and
says
able
1
to
reach
p e r s o n a l i t i e s , whereas
imprisonment
with him,
but
intentions,
with
d e s c r i b e d as
"reflecting
He
nightshade
s e e s M i s s M.
as b e i n g
Fanny
who
while
a
across
living
in
a
Anon
and
in
a
pin-cushion"
c r u e l l y knocks
Mr.
the
between her
as
"pin
cannot
creeps
on
in
the
to
share
grass."
somehow,
with
of
imprisonment,
wicket-gate.
but,
M i s s M.
that
always.
workbox.
Arthur
it
own,
house",
Miss M.'s
shares
light
deadly
p e r s o n M i s s M.
a barrier
of
for
shutters.
doll's
of
Wanderslore
and h e r
large
shadow,
the
one
turf
sincerity
his
sunshine
l i t t l e
almost
side
is
l i t t l e
122)
of
in
through
there
deep
this,
Certainly
Fanny
of
the
Sheila
there
she
She
is
appears
reader
to
too
as
truly
encourage
trust
sceptical
Lawford's
world",^
receiving
they
solitary
an element
cannot
and h e r
a c c e p t i n g them,
finally,
belongs
"glassy".
outside
i s ,
are
of
doubt
on
the
It
friends
xts
false
is
is
his
to
a
however,
Lawford's
mirror
and
vision
giving
and
struggle.
The
eye
which r e f l e c t s
and
records
a wrong
impression
is
very
16
simply
a
story
recorded
of
in
de
blindness
la Mare's
of
sight
short
and
story
"The
comprehension.
Picnic."
The
the
his
not,
impressions
to
as
in
that
then
Grisel
other
Lawford
her.
mind
also.
theme
It
is
is
-66-
explicit
in
the
first
There
Miss
by
The
with
Miss
him
(as
His
as
vision
sees
the
look
stood
on
there,
shop-door
that
five
that
story:
of
of
the
years
the
.
solitary,
.
.
(p.
man
she
before,
blind
for
285)
f e l l
only
he
in
he
had
a
love
was
companion,
none.
the
smiling at
is
Newhampton
s o l i t a r i n e s s was
has
she
unblinded)
her
at
of
pensive
face
yet
of
holiday
Curtis
She
the
lines
an empty,
Curtis's
emptiness
on h e r
blind.
was
three
man
her
s i t t i n g at
with
a
the
window
of
a house,
and
she
sees
look
a s n a t u r a l a s a c h i l d who l i k e s t h e l o o k o f a
s t r a n g e r - - o f any s e x — a n d of course d o e s n ' t
mind showing i t .
There w a s n ' t i n fac't the l e a s t
symptom of the c h e e k y , of the f a s t , i n t h a t
smile.
I t was q u i e t , and f a r - a w a y ;
lonely-t h a t was t h e w o r d .
(p.
296)
She
looked
are
told
have
he
at
that
if
wondered
"had
holiday
and,
on
she had
about
simply
Finally
her
him
the
smiled
Miss
not
third
been
vagueness
on."
Curtis
waiting,
the
sure
(p.
sits
that
a
day,
she
l i t t l e
of
his
smiled
back,
short-sighted
expression,
the
and
she
we
might
fact
that
297)
outside
he
will
his
house
on
the
come o u t
to
her.
last
He
day
of
does.
Then, w i t h that v a s t w e s t e r n l i g h t f o r h e l p ,
she
had l o o k e d u p — s t r a i g h t i n t o the unknown o n e ' s
face, straight into his eyes.
And though they
w e r e f i x e d i n h e r d i r e c t i o n t h e y h a d made no s i g n .
N o n e — j u s t none.
How c o u l d t h e y ?
For though they
were w i d e open t h e y were v e i l e d by a p e c u l i a r f i l m ,
and even i f the unknown o n e ' s hand had n o t been
r e s t i n g on h i s c o m p a n i o n ' s arm, she w o u l d have
r e a l i z e d a t once t h a t he was b l i n d — j u s t
blind.
(P.
305)
The
indifferent
mirror
of
the
sky
shows h e r
the
truth,
she
sees
her
-67-
own
blindness,
and
in
the
thing"
the
mirror
on h e r
distortion
of
the
breaking
which
blind
her
s h e made
man's
in
companion
tea-flask
in
shock
her
who
at
own m i n d ' s
calls
the
her
mirror,
"poor
revelation,
. . . she f e l t the f u l l d e s t r u c t i v e n e s s of
that
'poor t h i n g . '
To s e e o u r s e l v e s a s o t h e r s
see
us and not t h r o u g h the d i s t o r t i o n of
selfd e c e p t i o n , r a p t u r e , and r o m a n c e — ' P o o r
thingI'
(p.
306)
It
is
the
vision
the
as
in
of
la
Mare's
stories.
the
soul's
cage
and
he
accepting
the
true
from
facing
mirror.
may
be
and
There
sky's
self
mirrors,
de
the
of
may
others
looking-glass
be
disillusionment
He
shame
such
that
explores
seems
to
see
the
find
reflection
for
the
as M i s s
self,
us,
is
reflected
the
raison
of
that
only
Curtis';
there
M.
is
of
of
in
many
escape
possible
other
as M i s s
eyes,
d'etre
possibilities
escape
in
self
found;
always
in
through
the
there
struggle.
-68-
FOOTNOTES:
1
Walter
(London,
de
l a Mare,
1923),
p.
Memoirs
, "The
289-294.
of
IV
a Midget
(London,
Riddle"
, in
The
Looking
Glass"':
1921),
Riddle
and
Other
in
The
Riddle
p.
247.
Stories
3
Stories,
p.
,
55-68.
4
1930),
p.
"The
_,
Memoirs
of
a Midget,
,
Desert
,
Memoirs
of
,
Behold
This
Islands
and
Robinson
and
Crusoe
Other
(London,
13.
6
"^Doris
McCrosson,
''"''"Walter
de
The
Return
The
Three
Walter
l a Mare,
de
Memoirs
a Midget,
p.
Dreamer!
(London,
Royal
l a Mare
of
4.
(New Y o r k ,
1939),
p.
13.
1922).
Monkeys
(New Y o r k ,
(New Y o r k ,
a Midget,
p.
1966),
1960),
p.
p.
133.
221.
12
Forrest
13
P.
p.
la
Mare
(London,
1929),
C o l l e c t e d Poems
,
Memoirs
of
a Midget,
1 5
,
The
1 6
,
"The
285-307.
l a Mare,
de
in
14
de
Walter
"Eyes"
171.
Walter
Reid,
Return,
Picnic"
p.
in
p.
p.
201.
(London,
1942),
40.
280.
On T h e
Edge
(London,
1930),
273.
CHAPTER V
THE P R E S E N T ,
The m i r r o r
integral
as
the
individual
"all
crossed
is
The
" a l l
the
space
ience
The
I
in
any
past,
and
(p.
155)
at
the
end
of
ation
and
the
a l l
De
on
future
threshold
from
and
of
"all
the
"I.
.
is
is
Lawford
various
novels
as
in
and
comprehends
The
and
155)
be"
of
M i s s M.
be
wholeness.
(p.
part
time
and
shall
experof
(p.
the
who
155)
self.
realizes
Return,
is
of
self
explor-
concerned
with
the
journeys
are
and
to
being
was"
.
the
space
person
I
of
threshold
memory,
The
self
of
integrity
and memory
their
la Mare's
The
name
integral
Memoirs,
self-misunderstanding
to
struggle
full-comprehension
integrity.
The
Return,
Lawford
he
to
as
himself,
combined memories
of
Sabathier
can hold
on
contact
lost
with
to
finds
are
of
and
that
conception
into
of
f i l l s .
the
identification
point
space
experience
of
into
Introduction.
understanding
the
FUTURE
merges
la Mare's
memory becomes
the
Nod,
discovery.
crossing
the
present
uses
am"
and
de
individual
I
Brocken
In
in
P A S T AND
individual
is
again,
one
recognizes
thus
shown
individual
Henry
and
the
which
of,
time
and
"all
of
am" e n c o m p a s s e s
which
herself
of
am"''"
that
I
primeval
that
image
BETWEEN
the
him,
"I
when
that
his
and
a l l
his
other
name
identity
is
a l l
of
that,
selffinally,
being
lost
between
His
name
is
Lawford.
am" w h i c h
is
methods
the
space h i s
his
body
the
only
occupies
-70-
but
which
works
is
the
De
importance
l a Mare
How c a n h e
a
person
presently
if
he
individual,
of
asks,
reach
the
over
hidden
are
led
by
name
and
himself?"
is
and
occupied
Sabathier.
or
lack
over
again,
By w h a t
behind
in
of
mask
it
our
many o f
is
implicit.
"Who
can we,
a mask?
astray
of
In
is
the
We
the
judgment.
the
mask
Thus
la
Mare's
individual.
onlookers,
take
de
know
for
i n Mr.
of
the
Bloom
2
in
"A
Recluse"
himself
is
a
built
If
his
sense
the
that
Mr.
Bloom has
created
for
up*.
house
and y e t - - I
had
suggested
wonder.
(p.
vacancy,
so
did
he;
8)
What was w r o n g w i t h t h e man?
What made h i m s o
e x t o r t i o n a t e l y s u b s t a n t i a l , and y e t i n e f f e c t ,
so e l u s i v e and u n r e a l ?
What i n d e e d c o n s t i t u t e s
the r e a l i t y of any f e l l o w c r e a t u r e ?
The s o m e t h i n g , t h e someone w i t h i n , s u r e l y ; n o t t h e mere
p h y s i c a l frame.
(p.
14)
And t h e n , as I s a t l o o k i n g at h i m — i t i s d i f f i c u l t
to put i t i n t o w o r d s - - h i s f a c e 'went out' so to
s p e a k ; i t became a f a c e ( n o t o n l y abandoned
but)
f o r s a k e n , v a c a n t and as i f u n c u r t a i n e d t o o ,
bleak
and mute as a window.
The u n s p e c u l a t i n g e y e s
r e m a i n e d o p e n , one i n e r t h a n d l a y on t h e t a b l e
b e s i d e h i s p l a t e , b u t h e , M r . B l o o m , was g o n e .
(p.
The
mask
is
finally
revealed
on what
had
been
an
empty
22)
bed
. . . on the p i l l o w - - t h e g r e y - f l e c k e d brown
beard p r o t r u d i n g over the turned-down
sheet—now
s h o w e d w h a t a p p e a r e d t o be t h e h e a d a n d f a c e o f
Mr. Bloom.
With c h i n jerked up, I watched that
face steadily, transfixedly.
I t was a f l a w l e s s
f a c s i m i l e , w a x e n , m o t i o n l e s s ; b u t i t was n o t a r e a l
f a c e and head.
I t was an h a l l u c i n a t i o n .
How
induced i s quite another matter.
No s p i r i t o f
life,
no l i v i n g n e s s h a d e v e r s t i r r e d t h o s e s o a p l i k e , s t a g nant features.
I t was a t r a v e s t y u t t e r l y
devoidwhatever i t s i n t e n t i o n — o f the f a i n t e s t h i n t
of
humour.
I t was m e r e l y a mask, a l i f e - l i k e mask
(past even the d e x t e r i t y of a Chinese a r t i s t to
r i v a l ) , a n d — t h o u g h I h a r d l y know w h y — i t was i n c o n ceivably shocking.
(p.
39-40)
-71-
Mr.
Bloom has
have
taken
over
volition.
unwanted
show
His
and
on h i s
"A
dabbled
space
name
apart
own
the
the
novels
is
and
an
physical
points
name H e n r y
ironic
de
such
his
an e x t e n t
image
that
outside
one:
the
mask
of
his
while
his
true
inner
the
his
face
self
spirits
own
blooms
does
not
face.
most
individual
because
to
now c r e a t e
from himself,
self-understanding.
the
spiritualism
from him
Recluse"
the
in
clearly
occupies.
l a Mare
is
McCrosson,
to
de
The
la Mare's
conception
dealing
with
however,
the
hints
conception
is
less
problem
at
the
of
clear
of
in
attaining
importance
of
Brocken:
. . .
a b r o c k e n i s " a n o p t i c a l phenomenon" and a
"specter".
I f one s t a n d s a t t h e r i m C o f a c l o u d f i l l e d c r a t e r w i t h the sun at one's back,
one's
shadow i s p r o j e c t e d upon the c l o u d s b e l o w ,
and
a r o u n d the shadow r a d i a t e s a g l o w i n g nimbus.
Henry,
then, i s a p r o j e c t i o n of the
author's
mind:
a mere shadow, and the v e h i c l e by w h i c h
de l a M a r e c o u l d a b s o r b , m o r e i n t e n t l y , t h e r e a l i t y
o f t h e c h a r a c t e r s who a r e h i s p r i m a r y
concern.
3
Indeed,
the
characters,
Lucy
Gray,
Jane
Eyre,
-_
have
far
more
4
substantiality
is
more
than
journey
of
his
of
a world
of
boat
the
on
individual
that
he
and w i t h
just
the
point
than
of
a
the
'/projection
view:
is
that
projected
waters
meets,
B r o c k e n i n many
imagination,
people
who
Henry
of
able
but
Doctor
not
of
the
to
of
the
cannot
from
unknown
world.
others.
Physic
exist
only
He
with
He
some
the
as
but
is
But
mind."
discovers
literature,
communicate
with
author's
i n w h i c h he
he
respects.
a
but
on
of
his
a
phenomenon
guide
his
character,
the
communicates
among o t h e r s ,
is
limitations
must
a
He
Brocken
in
own
an
characters
with
the
Yahoo
conversation
with
Annabel
have
Lee
shows how
closed around
'You
'I
are
sation
shook
'It
was
who
has
taken
a
puts
giving
side
of
his
of
a
not,
eyes
casts
as
our
to
finally,
characters
that
on
he
are
the
g i r l
of
adulthood
I
said.
answered.
flushing
darkly.
up
his
(p.
far?"
190)
in
the
must
of
has
acceptance
of
the
lies
in
unknown
Brocken has
Criseyde
Brocken's
the
With
and
that
it
is
the
optical
him
as
a
she may
and
only
conver-
as h i s
mind,
of
final
his
search
caught
it
can
that
we
in
of
no
the
cannot
is
a
find
the
that
the
one
it
but
is
the
Brocken's
shadows
self.
is
novel
and Henry
unconscious
rejection
He
phenomenon,
our
for
childhood
The n o v e l
We
optical
passed before
his
his
the
himself
cage.
phenomenon,
anything
finds
"From
cons
personality.
if
he
sad answer.
pros
an
is
her
asks him;
"
cloud-filled crater
self
love
around him
have
of
answers;
aloud,
consciousness genre.
that
projections
of
for
weigh
Brocken that
met
and
girl"
Criseyde.
imagination;
stream of
Henry
is
built
knowledge
the
"little
freedom
voyaged
questions
that.
Brocken i s
acceptance
Henry
prisonhouse
g i r l , "
she
said,
short
from
s o c i e t y have
j o u r n e y made
belonging
she
1
in
c a r e l e s s l y but
to
little
sand,'
sea and meets
regret,"
Inasmuch
add more
cue
to
"You have
mores
the
head.
l i t t l e
its
Troilus.
give
the
dreams,
continues
of
longer
of
128)
incapable
this
lonely
in
her
in
calls
Brocken
to
shades
castle?'
conversation
adult
a very
She
(P.
an
the
him:
am b u i l d i n g
'A
The
far
that
His
shadows
and
world.
much
in
common w i t h
de
la Mare's
Traveller
he
-73-
of
his
long
journeys
poem
early
Henry
journey
himself
is,
is
of
quest
in
in
man
wilderness
found
is
the
de
fact,
on h i s
through
no
a
go
real
poem
la Mare's
the
of
the
1946.
of
landscape.
unfriendly
that
swiftly
epiphany
are
But
wonder
moves
Both
imagination.
imbues
into
before
his
of
disillusionment.
of
life,
a
and
fear
for
any
bright
but
it
lacks
the
hope
journey
on,
of
in
a wasteland
Traveller
W o r l d Wars
must
lands
something
wasteland with
Traveller
tinual
but
published
through
scenes have
Brocken,
fearful
Traveller
on h o r s e b a c k
Traveller's
The
The
journey
an
much
arid
death.
The
of
and
The
Traveller
taken
through
future.
of
the
The
the
con-
self-knowledge
novels.
5
The
Three
of
quest,
to
the
out
the
one
Royal
in
function
book,
is
Monkeys,
which
of
the
written
names
each monkey.
a Nizzaneela,
of
for
the
Three
Ummanodda,
and
is
children,
under
is
another
Mulla-Mulgars
Nod
as
he
is
the
protection
story
are
tied
called
of
through-
Tishnar
which
. . . means t h a t w h i c h c a n n o t be t h o u g h t
about
i n words, or t o l d , or e x p r e s s e d .
So a l l t h e
wonderful,
s e c r e t , and q u i e t w o r l d beyond
the
M u l g a r s ' l i v e s i s T i s h n a r - - w i n d and s t a r s ,
too,
the sea and the e n d l e s s unknown.
But here i t i s
o n l y t h e B e a u t i f u l One o f t h e M o u n t a i n s t h a t i s
meant.
So b e a u t i f u l i s s h e t h a t a M u l g a r who
dreams e v e n o f one o f h e r M a i d e n s , and wakes
s t i l l
i n t h e p r e s e n c e o f h i s d r e a m , c a n no l o n g e r be
happy i n the company of h i s k i n d .
He h i d e s h i m s e l f a w a y i n some o l d h o l e o r r o c k y f a s t n e s s ,
l i g h t l e s s , m a t t e d , and uncombed, and so t h i n s and
p i n e s , or becomes a Wanderer or M o h - M u l g a r .
But
i t i s r a r e f o r t h i s t o be f o r v e r y f e w M u l g a r s
dream beyond the mere f o r e s t , as i t w e r e ; and fewer
s t i l l keep the memories o f t h e i r dream when the l i v e l o n g v i s i o n of Munza r e t u r n s to t h e i r w a k i n g e y e s ,
(p.
273)
-74Nod
i s he who i s on the border o f T i s h n a r .
He sees i n t o the unknown,
i s a b l e t o c a r r y t h e Wonderstone from w h i c h by r u b b i n g
wise,"
"Samaweeza-
(p. 15) t h a t i s c o u n t e r - c l o c k - w i s e , he c a n o b t a i n t h e d i r e c t
help of Tishnar.
Mulgars,
Nod r e p r e s e n t s t h e i m a g i n a t i o n of the Three M u l l a -
the one who i s c l o s e s t t o the s u b c o n s c i o u s ,
world of sleep.
t o the dream
He i s Nod the Shepherd, g u i d i n g h i s b r o t h e r s down
the road o f e v e n i n g .
Nod's b r o t h e r s , Thumma and T h i m b u l l a , o r Thumb and Thimble,have
names i n d i c a t i v e o f t h e i r p o s i t i o n i n r e l a t i o n t o Nod.
p h y s i c a l s t r e n g t h g r e a t e r than the other^two.
Thumb has
He i s p r a c t i c a l , and i s
f r i g h t e n e d by the powers o f T i s h n a r as i s shown by h i s r e a c t i o n t o
Nod's t r a n s f i g u r a t i o n b e f o r e t h e phantoms o f Mulgarmeerez.
He i s e a r l i e r
m o m e n t a r i l y a f r a i d on coming t o the end o f the t r a i l over the mountains
o f A r a k k a b o a , but h i s p r a c t i c a l sense calms Nod's p u r e l y
imaginery
fears.
Thimble p l a y s a l e s s i m p o r t a n t
p a r t i n the s t o r y , he i s the second
b r o t h e r , o f t e n the one o f whom l e a s t i s t o l d i n f o l k and f a i r y
he s i m p l y f o l l o w s the adventures
o f the e l d e r b r o t h e r .
does serve i n a s l i g h t l y more i m p o r t a n t
tales;
But Thimble
c a p a c i t y than t h a t :
he serves
as a b r i d g e between the p r a c t i c a l i t y o f Thumb and the i m a g i n a t i o n
of Nod.
He i s the s t i t c h i n g between two p i e c e s o f c l o t h .
His illness
i n t h e mountains o f Arakkaboa s e r v e s t o b i n d the b r o t h e r s even c l o s e r
on t h e i r
journey.
Some names i n d e ; l a Mare's o t h e r two f u l l - l e n g t h n o v e l s
on g r e a t s i g n i f i c a n c e .
take
I n The R e t u r n , L a w f o r d , Bethany, Danton, Simon
-75-
a l l have r e l e v a n c e t o the theme o f the s t r u g g l e o f l i f e and death
i n the n o v e l .
crossed:
life.
I n A r t h u r Lawford h i m s e l f a n a t u r a l l a w i s f o r d e d ,
i n him the dead c r o s s the t h r e s h o l d o f death and r e - e n t e r
Whether or n o t " A r t h u r " i n d i c a t e s t h e A r t h u r i a n c y c l e i s more
open t o doubt, though c e r t a i n l y a p a r a l l e l can be drawn between the
i n v a d i n g e v i l s t h a t K i n g A r t h u r combated and those a g a i n s t which
Lawford s t r u g g l e s .
K i n g A r t h u r was c e r t a i n l y f i n a l l y d e f e a t e d but
the p e r p e t u i t y o f the s t r u g g l e i s i n h e r e n t i n the legend o f h i s death.
So, w i t h L a w f o r d , the e s s e n t i a l b a t t l e i s won, but t h e r e i s a f e e l i n g
t h a t i t may have t o be r e - f o u g h t , maybe a t o t h e r times and by o t h e r
people.
The s t r u g g l e of l i f e and death i s c o n t i n u a l .
I n t h e name o f the v i c a r , Mr. Bethany, de l a Mare shows how
continual i s that struggle.
Bethany.
The r a i s i n g o f L a z a r u s
took p l a c e a t
The place-name i s a l s o made i m p o r t a n t by one o f de l a Mare's
6
comments i n Behold
T h i s Dreamer'.
by a Martha and a Mary.*
" A l l minds, p r o b a b l y , a r e shared
(p. 16) Here
a g a i n , he i s d e a l i n g w i t h
the d u a l i t y o f t h e i n d i v i d u a l , "the l i s t e n e r may a t any moment be
compelled
and
t o supersede t h e s e r v a n t . "
serves Lawford.
through
listens
He r e p r e s e n t s n o t o n l y L a z a r u s r e t u r n i n g t o l i f e
love, but a l s o l o v i n g service that includes l i s t e n i n g t o
the one who needs h e l p .
Crimble
(p. 19) Mr. Bethany both
I t i s i n t e r e s t i n g t o note t h a t , l i k e Mr.
t h e c u r a t e i n Memoirs o f a M i d g e t , he wears g l a s s e s . B u t ,
u n l i k e Mr. C r i m b l e , Mr. Bethany uses the added power g i v e n t o h i s eyes
to b o t h see, u n d e r s t a n d
and cope w i t h t h e l i v e s o f h i s p a r i s h i o n e r s .
In Mr. Danton de l a Mare r e c a l l s Georges Jacques Danton,
lawyer,
-76o r a t o r and
l e a d e r of the French
Revolution.
He began as an a n a r c h i s t
f a v o u r i n g the over-throw of the e s t a b l i s h e d regime, but l a t e r became
a p a r t i s a n of peace, i n d i r e c t c o n f l i c t w i t h Robespierre who
had him g u i l l o t i n e d .
of
De
l a Mare's Mr.
Danton r e p r e s e n t s the anarchy
the dead S a b a t h i e r ' s r e t u r n to l i f e
he r e p r e s e n t s the s c e p t i c who
finally-
i n Lawford.
L a t e r i n the n o v e l
wants peace i n s o c i e t y , r e f u s i n g to
b e l i e v e what has happened to Lawford.
He
p r e f e r s t h a t Lawford
should
be put i n t o a l u n a t i c asylum i n order to r e t a i n a t l e a s t the form of
peace.
all
Georges Jacques Danton had,
s i m i l a r l y , r e f u s e d to r e c o g n i z e
the f a c t s o f the case, among them the extreme measures wanted
by R o b e s p i e r r e .
De
l a Mare's Mr.
Danton thus r e p r e s e n t s not
the c r o s s i n g from monarchy to democracy of the French
but a l s o the l a c k of u n d e r s t a n d i n g
of the processes
c r o s s i n g t h a t t h r e s h o l d between the two
In Dr. Simon, who
of
into a re-birth.
types of government.
He
quite possibly represents
Lawford was
One
of the few
a b e i n g without
rock
firm
confinement,
The names g i v e n by de l a Mare to two
Memoirs of a Midget are important
and Lawford's r e t u r n to
to h i s own
life.
of the c h a r a c t e r s i n
simply because they are not names.
i s never e i t h e r more or l e s s than "Miss M.".
b e l i e v e t h a t Miss M.'s
thus
f a c t s g i v e n of Dr. Simon i s t h a t he
h i m s e l f i s a d i f f i c u l t r e b i r t h from the grave
to
la
shaken i n t o b e l i e f by n e a r - d e n i a l of h i m s e l f , and
had h e l p e d a t one v e r y d i f f i c u l t
Miss M.
involved i n
the change from the house b u i l t upon sand to the
b e l i e f t h a t Peter came to be.
foundation u n t i l
Revolution
i s o n l y on the o u t s k i r t s of the novel,de
Mare h i n t s a g a i n a t C h r i s t i a n i d e a s .
Simon P e t e r and
only
r e a l name i s "Miss
McCrosson seems
Thomasina of Bedlam"
7
-77-
relying
solely
on
the
i n c i d e n t when M i s s M.
introduces
herself
under
8
this
name.
But
quarrelling
also
fails
poem "Tom
for
the
tors
for
to
take
in
Also,
that
as
people
more
than
Miss
M.
in
idle
thus,
c o n c e n t r a t e more
by
her
narration.
is
her,
feminine,
"Me"
or
that
the
And,
in
which
Miss
is
the
not
M i s s M.
probably
moments
or
not
identified
by
narrator
She h a s
no
real
only
M i s s M.
i s ,
literally,
cannot
of
complete
truly
a Midget,
enough
the
royalty
and
the
as
name h i m s e l f ,
that
stands
reader
cannot
dealing with
a name
to
other
name
at
time,
her.
is
forced
c h a r a c t e r as
of
the
the
for
title
"Midget",
as Mr.
his
truly
a
revealed
easily
enforces
give
"M."
calls
anonymous
to
in
ances-
equally
further
fondness
among h e r
bearer
stand
anonymous
intense
Bowater
The
been
McCrosson
M's
b y w h i c h we c a n
almost
is
thus
on her
that
l a Mare
he
the
through
Fanny
and
"M." can
then,
de
us
sarcasm.
stated
name.
label
tells
The
as
she has
and h e r
for
sometimes
"Midgetina",
and
shows M i s s M . ' s
hunting
do
after
r e c i t a t i o n of
goes
incident
as
Memoirs
Anon.
argument
be
himself.
self-discovery
space
"I
am"
which
occupies.
Mr.
Anon
is
given
given
that
he
has
Mrs.
Bowater,
'Mr.
Anon'
has
on,
just
bitterness
on h e r
p e r s o n who
is
M.
so,
of
Pollacke's tea,
w h i c h we k n o w .
her
introduction,
one
latter
"Miss M."
"Myself".
By m a k i n g
Lady
is
"Midget"
i s ,
is
later
she
her
account Miss M.'s
The
to
identify
at
Peerage.
of
Anon,
into
o'Bedlam"
Debrett's
tone
w i t h Mr.
poem.
humanity
the
then,
later
no
any
asks him h i s
describes him
no
use
for
other.
Miss M.,
name:
no w o r s e . "
a name.
any
(p.
As F o r r e s t
having
"He
gave
175)
Reid
she
only
one
indication
introduced
me h i s
says.
points
him
to
name--and
Mr.
out,
Anon
the
incidents
-78-
in
w h i c h he
"Tom
to
appears
o Bedlam"
1
poetry,
but
imagination,
to
stand,
ideal
symbol
o Bedlam
1
is
an
is
Mr.
of
like
are
written
anonymous
Miss
Anon
M.,
Tishnar,
of
in
Miss
language
poem.
poetry
The
M.'s
He
is
poetry,
name
is
not
Perhaps
he
is
He h a s
an unnameable
life.
to
real
himself?
personified.
for
closest
this
perhaps
important
the
aspect
challenge,
the
and
yet
heart,
seems
dream
closely akin
to
Tom
himself
'With a h e a r t of f u r i o u s
fancies,
W h e r e o f I am c o m m a n d e r l
With a burning spear,
And a horse of
air,
To t h e w i l d e r n e s s I w a n d e r .
'With
I
a k n i g h t of g h o s t s and shadows,
s u m m o n e d am t o
tourney:
Ten
leagues
The
wide
Methinks
The
connection with
At
His
the
de
edge
beyond
world's
it
is
la
Mare's
of
A l l
no
end;
journey.'
the
"Song
(p.
of
46)
Finis"
is
clear
as
Ages
A K n i g h t s a t e on h i s s t e e d ,
armour r e d and t h i n w i t h r u s t ,
His soul from sorrow freed;
And he l i f t e d up h i s v i s o r
And
From a f a c e of s k i n and bone,
h i s h o r s e t u r n e d head and w h i n n i e d
As the t w a i n stood there a l o n e .
No
B i r d above t h a t s t e e p of
time
Sang of a l i v e l o n g quest;
No w i n d b r e a t h e d ,
Rest:
'Lone
for
an e n d ! '
cried
Knight
Loosed an eager r e i n
Charged w i t h h i s challenge i n t o
And q u i e t d i d q u i e t
remain.
The
in
final
de
picture
la Mare's
of
long
Mr.
Anon
poem o f
is
that
to
Space:
undoubtedly
name,
steed,
for
that
Mr.
of
Anon
The
Traveller
certainly
finds
no
joy
cart
the
of
in
to
his
her
quiet
love
for
M i s s M.
rescue
and
to
of
the
humiliation
shadows"
for
fear.
is
their
it
his
wilderness
and
He r i d e s
death.
of
He
But
he
his
goes
Wanderslore
after
Miss M.'s
"knight
is
world
behind
he
inhabits,
horse
to
his
on a
death
accepting a
of
ghosts
therefore
donkey-
he
in
challenge
and
is
anonymous,
unnameable.
De
l a Mare
structure
such
as
Tree".
1
of
thus
his
uses
works.
"A R e c l u s e " ,
"Odd
people,
they
represent
seller.
The
people
and
Customer
is
amongst
the
each
is
is
Shop",
is
10
built
true
"The
He
has
does
and
told
The
anyone
he
they
as
in
to
endorse
some
of
the
his
thematic
short
11
Looking-Glass"
not
are
l a Mare
they
on
his
and
stories,
"The
the
words
story
has
a
and
has
they
into
not
on
to.
time
to
spare,
and
the
sounds
reactions
to
clearly
The
speak and
the
realm
in
and
the
the
kind
to
of
browses
cages
describe
knowing
characters
some
their
he
actually
two
caged
The
the
them
than
inevitably,
unnamed
c o l l e c t e d and
wishes
Dickensian quality
put
buyer
he
Shopkeeper.
though,
the
with
if
a l l u s i o n , more
by
deals
wares,
Shopkeeper
little
but
are:
the
recognize
the
life
de
may h e a r
a
from
from
Tree"
Shop" i s
description
up
The
lifted
revealing.
which
by metaphor
for
"The
i n "Odd
t o l d what
is
and
these wares.
sounds
sound
other.
incident
buy
goods.
vehicles
ality
same
p r e c i s e l y what
interested,
the
sound,
what
are
he
Shop"
emphasis
who
memories
the
deliberately
2
both
until
The
"Odd
In
of
names
kind
of
reactions
i t ;
the
it
is
personto
an
curious
and
-80-
If
the
story
of
"Odd
Merchant
of
"The
himself,
as
do many o f
belongs
sends
the
to
the
ships
fruits
On
City,
to
of
the
Tree"
the
other
to
Fruit
the
list.
Merchant:
living
only
the
Pied
and
the
is
the
astray,
of
than
draw
sell
and-the
will
be
it
paper
as
that
the
Fruit
outside
his
based
the
Merchant
is,
of
ends.
to
the
Fruit
parasite."
(p.
207)
extreme
from
the
Fruit
for
the
morrow,
The
Tree.
to
no
thought
aspects
see
Merchant
of
a world
is
to
buy
his
them.
of
'perfect
other
incapable
commercial values.
sphere
and
mental
commercial world
charmed
He
sells,
own
of
or
various
will
aspect
Piper',
giving
Fruit
Fruit
buys,
is
his
plaguey
strong
the
'Pied
unable
on
for
half-brother,
other
as
the
them
added
the
Merchant
the
lands.
poser;
solely creator,
led
will
But
artistry,
But
the
appreciation;
painter'
He
than
of
the
seeing
P.P.
his
as
Tree
a
Pied
works
Fruit
is
will
Merchant
he
will,
lamely,
and
title
clearly
them.
The A l i c e
recalls
of
have
Piper
Piper
ends.
might
on
other
He
paltry
put
fruits
from
far
surely
worldliness.
that
pest;
at
one
characters, his
exploiting
to
world
burn
is
goods
then
commercial world
P.P.,
P.P.
he
the
Dickensian,
c h a r a c t e r i z e d by
hand
Merchant
is
Dickens'
earth,
Merchant,"perfect
The
stands
to
gather
Shop"
Alice
of
of
Carroll's
chess beyond.
"The
Looking-Glass" in
Through
Alice
For
the
went
de
both
Looking-Glass.
through
la Mare's
a real
name
But
there
the
looking-glass
Alice
. . . the low and f o u n d e r i n g w a l l between the
e m p t y meadows a n d h e r own r e c e s s o f
greenery
had a l w a y s seemed t o h e r l i k e the b o u n d a r y b e t ween two w o r l d s .
On t h e o n e s i d e f r e e d o m ,
the
similarity
into
the
game
-81w i l d ; on t h i s , M i s s Lennox, and a s o r t of
captivity.
There R e a l i t y ; here (her
"duties"
almost f o r g o t t e n ) the c o n f i n e s of a k i n d
of waking dream.
(p.
56)
But
she
clear,
and
world
she
finds
her
beyond,
looks
mirror
ment
and
is
self
into
the
night
the
it
is
the
pass
"the
the
is
here.
realises,
that
c a n be
confine-
finally,
the
threshold
of
that
is
that
beyond
that
it
is
herself
1 haunt
border
herself:
"It
this
between
c a n be
can never
death
in
be
the
I
am"
that
space
and
become
the
clear
l a Mare
strength
himself
recalls
The
of
"all
has
the
then,
his
stories,
in
the
the
earlier
was"
of
contained
u s e d names
and
at
way M r .
the
her
it
as
character
the
(p.
freedom
65)
thankful
She
solitude
of
house."
(p.
by
will
Alice
in
mirror
65)
thankful,
the
can
the
55)
pass
garden,
to
previously.
referents
Bethany
Biblical
is
and
(p.
looking-glass
this
incidents
Alice
the
r e f l e c t e d on
clearly,
Carroll's
I
she
of
has
recalls
Lewis
adventures
of
air
my
peaceful
"all
the
The
life
place!"
lost."
The
that
prison
only
"vacancy of
is
i t .
death.
me:
the
in
garden;
between
is
be
the
threshold
of
to
in
free
the
freedom
as
peace
the
so
line,
frightening
solitude
at
into
is
half-way
the
its
glass
i t
window w i s h i n g
also,
And
She
looking-glass,
from her
spirit
is
a
through
garden.
mirror;
and
like
outside
De
in
is
she
reflect
the
to
garden
own r e c o g n i t i o n
spirit,
garden,
is
to
garden,
that
exist,
desire
her,
her,
spirit
the
the
freedom;
Alice's
The
in
at
for
for
the
air
outside
down
is,
leads,
in
the
is
built
increase
himself,
Bethany.
is
to
So
and
Alice
on
to
the
u n c o n s c i o u s memory
is
the
Alice.
the
personal
and
"I
.
.
.
-82-
s h a l l be" o f experience., r e c o g n i z e d and used,
i n de l a Mare's w o r l d .
The long past i s l i n k e d to the f u t u r e by the primeval memory.
De
l a Mare f e l t t h a t
Dreams, w h o l l y r a t i o n a l and coherent, are
i t i s t r u e , r a r e . And these, a p a r t from
t h e i r p e c u l i a r aura, so c l o s e l y resemble
a c t u a l i t y t h a t they suggest r e l i c s o f a
previous l i f e , . . . ^
Megroz r e - i n f o r c e s t h i s statement
i n s a y i n g t h a t dream, f o r de l a Mare,
" s p r i n g s a l s o from an u n u s u a l l y a c t i v e , unconscious memory of a d i s t a n t
„14
ancestry.
The s t o r y most c l e a r l y i n v o l v i n g the primeval memory of man
is
"The V a t s " . ~*
The opening words "Many y e a r s ago now--in t h a t
once upon a time which i s the memory of the i m a g i n a t i o n r a t h e r than
of
and
the work-a-day mind, I went w a l k i n g w i t h a f r i e n d " s e t the tone
:
theme immediately:
time-primeval, t i m e - i n d i v i d u a l ,
time-present.
The n a r r a t o r and h i s f r i e n d are not named, they are "we", " I " ,
"my
f r i e n d and I " .
They a r e , f i n a l l y ,
a g e i n g , f o o t s o r e , dusty and a t h i r s t . "
the e x p e r i e n c e
the " C h i l d r e n of L a z a r u s ,
(p. 303)
They are p a r t of
of a l l men i n s e e i n g and comprehending e x p e r i e n c e .
They are the "we" of mankind p r i m e v a l , present and f u t u r e ; and the
individual
" I " w i t h i n t h a t mankind, one o f the p a r t n e r s h i p between
16
man alone and man
"by nature
political."
The two f r i e n d s go f o r a walk i n s p r i n g and come upon a view
of
the V a t s .
The s t o r y , i f ' s t o r y ' i t i s , d e s c r i b e s the Vats and
t h e i r e f f e c t upon the two humans.
O b v i o u s l y t h e i r mucous
i n c r u s t a t i o n s and the
f a m i l i e s o f weeds f l o u r i s h i n g i n t h e i r i n t e r s t i c e s
were of an age to daunt the i m a g i n a t i o n . T h e i r
-83-
a n c e s t r y must have r o o t e d i t s e l f h e r e when the
d i n o s a u r and the t r i b e s of the megatherium
roamed e a r t h ' s c r u s t and the p t e r o d a c t y l c l a s h e d
through i t s t w i l i g h t — t h o u s a n d s of c e n t u r i e s
b e f o r e t h e g r e e n a c o r n s p r o u t e d t h a t was t o
afford l i t t l e Cain in a fallen world his
first
leafy petticoats.
I r e a l i s e d as i f at a s i g h
why s m i l e s t h e S p h i n x ; why t h e p r i m a r y s t a r s
have b l a z e d on i n u n d i m i n i s h i n g m i d n i g h t
lustre
d u r i n g Man's b r i e f h i s t o r y , and h i s c h i l d i s h
c o n s t e l l a t i o n s have s c a r c e l y by a s i n g l e i n c h
of heaven changed i n t h e i r apparent s t a t i o n s .
They wore t h a t a i r of l o v e l y t i m e l e s s n e s s w h i c h
decks the t h o r n , and haunts f o r the h a l f - w o k e n
sense the odour of s w e e t - b r i e r ; y e t they were
g r e y w i t h the e v e r l a s t i n g , as a r e the b e a r d s o f
the p a t r i a r c h s and the c i n d e r y c r a t e r s of the
Moon.
(p.
300)
The
timelessness of
Mare's
poem " A l l
the
thorn
That's
and
Past,"
the
sweet-brier recall,
f r o m de
la
that
. . .
no man knows
Through what w i l d c e n t u r i e s
Roves back the r o s e . ^
1
In
images
memory,
can
of
only
shall
not
first
their
They
these
de
perpetuating
experience
be",
The
at
such as
it
l a Mare
seasons;
and
creates
no
record
it
the
one may
for
sense
know the
part
of
the
of
continual
continuity,
future,
one
the
"I
human s p e c t a t o r s
is
experience.
effect
that
of
"they
the
called
c o e v a l , was
then
Vats
realise
at
upon
to
two m i n u t e
some h i d d e n
least
that
the
the
aware
Vats
of
being
their
within
exquisite
us
that,
if
antiquity."
contain
. . . f l o o d s , beyond measure, of the waters f o r
which our souls had pined.
Waters,
imaginably
s o c l e a r a s t o be d e n s e , a s i f o f m e l t e d m e t a l
more t r a n s l u c e n t even t h a n c r y s t a l ; of such a
tenuous p u r i t y that not even the m o o n l i t branches
of a dream would s p e l l t h e i r r e f l e x i n them, so
costly.
. . (p.
301)
18
-84-
The
Vats
contain
the
Elixir
Vitae,
and
the
two
watchers
. . . k n e w now a n d f o r e v e r t h a t T i m e - p u r e i s ;
t h a t here--somewhere a w a i t i n g us and a l l
forlorn
m a n k i n d — l a y h i d the s o l a c e of our m o r t a l
longing;
t h a t d o u b t l e s s the Seraph whose c h a r g e i s the
l i v i n g w a t e r s w i l l i n t h e d i v i n e h o u r f e t c h down
h i s i r o n key i n h i s arms, a n d — w e l l , Dives, r i c h
man a n d c r u m b - w a s t e r t h a t he w a s , p l e a d e d o u t o f
t h e f l a m e s f o r b u t one d r o p o f them.
N e i t h e r my
f r i e n d n o r I was a D i v e s t h e n , n o r was e v e r
l i k e l y to be.
A n d now o n l y I r e m a i n .
We w e r e
dusty
The
"Children
rich
The
table
Man c a n be
and
be
past
aware
both
and
future,
The
goods
continuity
he
can
Lazarus,
(p.
of
that
being
sold
of
nature
by
the
in
the
and
span
reaching
awed by
i t ;
the
small
space
the
Shopkeeper
life.
The
footsore,
first
of
knowledge
by man
short
eternity
and
ageing,
303)
received a drop
live
before
comforted
and
contains,
and
c r e a t e d by
behind
of
athirst.
L a z a r u s " have
time
monuments
continues
the
of
of
Children
and
the
cage
of
that
of
tenure
man's
man's
"Odd
life
forth
Shop"
which
of
earth.
him
eternity,
tense,
also
the
itself
on
between
present
the
comfort.
and
back and
at
from
survive
boundary
of
in
comfort
"I
testify
Customer
am"
to
listens
says,
A sound l i k e someone r a s p i n g on a r o u g h s u r f a c e
with a fingernail.
But s h r i l l e r ; more m u s i c a l .
The
Shopkeeper
and
possibly
of
the
the
midnight."
death-watch
coast
whisper
of
corrects him:
colloquy
(p.
13)
beetle.
Wales;
an e v e n i n g
of
The
.
what
you hear
a house-cricket.
love
dripping
primrose
.
Customer
Another
milk
".
listens
call,
. . . "
from a
makes when
to
. . .
(p.
petals
only
in
"the
teaspoon
its
is
the
a
into
.
of
the
storm
a cup;
.
call
silence
knocking
14);
.
the
on
"the
unfurl,"
(p.
-85and
by
the
the
voices
latter
elucidates
of
are
c o n s c i e n c e and
advancing
indistinguishable
to
age.
the
The
syllables
Customer,
but
the
them:
spoken
Shopkeeper
o
Snow, d u s t , motes of l i g h t , f a l l i n g t i m e , t i m e
ever f a l l i n g .
Remember, y e s , remember.
Oh, y e s ,
remember.
Y e s , remember.
(p.
18)
The
Customer
rather
than
human i s
is
part
and
of
ends
within
in
the
four
the
would
not
and, because
also
an e t e r n a l
Shop",
he
does
memory.
symbolize
"Odd
that
He
memory, i s
primeval
Vats
of
back.
behind,
primeval
the
replies
the
the
experience
is
E a c h one
of
the
sounds
short
are
the
The
fact
sentences
emphasizes
the
sold
minute
that
long,
look
now become
human b e c a u s e
they
to
experience
the
the
begins
continuity
of
of
part
aged
the
of
Shopkeeper
of
last
in
the
is
the
aspects
of
part
dying
by
ahead
which
the
paragraph
the
present
time
and
tense
life
time*.
He w a t c h e s h i s
even
might
thing
as
v i s i t o r mount
the
thickening
otherwise
almost
in
have
had
narrow
No
sight.
The
street
one,
no
nothing.
not
one,
Merely
the
muffled
jangling
de
l a Mare
felt
of
ceased.
points
death
the
fog.
been
memory--after
shop-bell
Swinnerton
such
is
o l d man's
the
Frank
into
a cat,
indeed,
an
no
that
age
of
huge w h o l e .
and v a n i s h
is
realize
supposed
ahead
past^
past,
have
out
qua
that
finality,
and
that
that
there
intelligence
is
in
20
truth
a
stream
of
consciousness.
racial
memory,
as
living
adding
to
The
is
Death
is
a
participating
the
individual,
then
in
a
that
passing into
memory
and
the
an
i t .
space
personality
o c c u p i e d by
therefore
moves
into
the
identified
eternity
of
the
by
his
name
past which
or
i s ,
-86if
recognized
all
him.
men.
For
The
individual
as
experience,
death
is
before
f a c t must
be
recognized
who
and
time-future,
his
own
"I
universal
am".
stands
the
on
"I
the
.
.
each
shall
part
individual
and
threshold
.
also
be"
the
as
the
it
is
experience
between
of
of
used
future
also
used
time-past,
experience,
of
behind
by
the
primeval,
within
-87-
FOOTNOTES:
"""Walter de l a M a r e , " T h e B i r d
S t o r i e s ( L o n d o n , 1 9 2 3 ) , p.
155.
2
,
3
4
Doris
McCrosson,
Walter
de
.
de
Henry
,, T h e
6
Travel"
Three
McCrosson, Walter
de
On
l a Mare
Brocken
Behold,
^Doris
of
Recluse" in
Walter
l a Mare,
5
"A
V
The
(London,
Dreamer!
p.
and
(London,
1966),
1904),
Monkeys
l a Mare,
Riddle
The E d g e
(New Y o r k ,
Royal
This
in
p.
Other
1930),
p.
p.
1-
92.
178.
(New Y o r k ,
(New Y o r k ,
1960).
1939),
p.
16.
122.
8
Walter
de
l a Mare,
9
,
^
(London,
1955),
p.
11
Stories,
p.
a Midget
Peacock Pie
(London,
(London,
in A
1946),
"Odd
Shop"
Beginning
,
"The
Looking-Glass" in
,
"The
Tree"
,
Behold,
1921),
p.
and
p.
174.
106.
Other
Stories
11-19
The
Riddle
and
Other
in
The
Riddle
and
Other
Stories,
205-231;
13
14
1 5
p.
of
55-68,
12
p.
Memoirs
R.
L.
Walter
/
Megroz,
de
Walter
l a Mare,
de
"The
This
Dreamer!,
l a Mare
Vats"
in
(London,
The
p.
79.
1924),
Riddle
and
p.
112.
Other
Stories,
295-303.
16
Aristotle.
N a t u r a l S c i e n c e , The M e t a p h y s i c s , Z o o l o g y ,
Psychology,
The N i c h o m a c h e a n E t h i c s , On S t a t e c r a f t , The A r t o f P o e t r y :
Selections,
e d i t e d by P h i l i p W h e e l w r i g h t .
New Y o r k O d y s s e y P r e s s , 1 9 3 5 .
p.
167.
" p o l i t i c a l " has a f o o t n o t e :
"Politikos:
"born for c i t i z e n s h i p " .
-88Walter
de
l a Mare,
1 8
C o l l e c t e d Poems
,
"The
Vate"
in
,
"Odd
Shop"
in A
(London,
The
Riddle
1942),
and
p.
Other
167.
Stories,
300-301.
19
Beginning
and
Other
Stories,
13.
Frank
205.
Swinnerton,
Figures
in
the
Foreground
(New Y o r k ,
1964),
CHAPTER
THE O T H E R A N D
The
his
individual
astral
self
terms,
is
is
a cage
not
forward
into
up
are
real
world.
failing
to
In
house
adults,
true
primeval
from
w h i c h he
the
arch
these
of
has,
of
and
home,
of
it
is
the
and
him.
The
c a n move
good,
in
de
serenely
the
sky,
"other" 'than
and
that
he
stories
themes
of
occupies
down
that
make
the
true
of,
a
fantasy
exploring
the
for
children,
as
estrangement
and
the
of
world.^
fleshly
for
from
respect
self,
in
accused
is
communication
and
experience
c o n s i s t e n t l y been
and w r i t i n g
His
same
knowledge
of
Mare's
back
and
not
its
la
s p a c e he
are
clear
for
who,
experiences
in,
space.
he
cognisant
the
however,
living
concerned with
about
present,
come
worlds
extensions
the
is
ideal
worlds
these
in
past
area
fiction
the
securely
world
facts,
from
R E A L WORLDS
real
But
in time
THE
the
a l l
'adult
are
his
to
i t ,
stands
l a Mare
face
man
self,
up
of
De
his
of
in
self.
part
of
an
From
true
they
but
time,
death.
the
and
happiest
in
who
VI
the
between
2
individuals.
separation
his
home
and
is
is
his
by
made
returned
kind
In
and
Bumps
into
they
Bumps
isolation.
Mr.
to
"Mr.
a
his
find
His
across
circus
no
His
hero
the
Monkey"
is
sea
to
show-piece.
homeland
him
and
but,
longer
having
the
he
deals
monkey,
England.
He
Jasper,
There
is.found
been
with
by Mr.
physically
acceptable because
he
of
spiritual
taken
is
his
stolen
Bumps
removed
from
and
from
experiences.
-90There i s s u s p i c i o n f i n a l l y t h a t J a s p e r
i s k i l l e d as an a l i e n by h i s
own people.
Jasper's
' r e a l ' w o r l d i s the f o r e s t
s t a n d i n g , t r a n s p o r t s him a c r o s s
his
' r e a l ' world.
i n h i s own.
Jasper
b u t man, l a c k i n g under-
the s y m b o l i c a l l y d i v i d i n g sea i n t o
i s an a l i e n i n t h i s w o r l d and becomes one
Y e t de l a Mare i s c l e a r l y sympathetic t o Mr. Bumps, who
i s k i n d t o J a s p e r , showing r a t h e r t h a t i t i s Mr. Bumps' s o c i e t y which
i s a t f a u l t i n making an e x h i b i t out o f an a l i e n
being.
3
"Sambo and the Snow M o u n t a i n s "
i s a p e n e t r a t i n g s t o r y of a
b l a c k boy's d e s i r e f o r i n t e g r a t i o n i n a w h i t e s o c i e t y .
The s t o r y ,
though v e i l e d i n f a n t a s y , i s s u r e l y one of s o c i a l c o n c e r n .
De l a Mare
i s n o t i n g the f a c t s o f l i f e f a c e d by c o l o r e d people l i v i n g i n w e s t e r n
society.
The tragi-comedy o f Sambo's s o l u t i o n , t h a t he p a i n t s
h i m s e l f w i t h white-wash and remains w h i t e from a m i s g u i d e d sense
of l o y a l t y , shows t h a t de l a Mare f e l t t h a t there i s no honest s o l u t i o n
t o a c o l o r e d boy's problem.
Boy"
The s t o r y echoes B l a k e ' s
"The L i t t l e
i n t h a t Sambo l e a v e s the town t o go t o the Snow Mountains
take c a r e o f an o l d l a d y .
to
The Snow Mountains a r e the heaven o f Blake's
poem, the o l d l a d y i s "the E n g l i s h c h i l d " w i t h s i l v e r h a i r whom he
w i l l shade from the heat o f heaven.
4
Blake's
"Maria-Fly"."'
p o e t r y , as McCrosson p o i n t s o u t ,
i s a l s o echoed i n
The p r i m a r y theme o f the s t o r y i s i n the second
s t a n z a o f Blake.:'s
poem:
Am n o t I
A f l y l i k e thee?
Or a r t n o t thou
A man 1ike me ?
Black
-91-
De
l a Mare
is
relationship
again
to
dealing
creatures
one
of
communication,
fly
as
herself
to various
her
own
lack
ability
adults'
wants
of
failure
to
say.
poignancy
of
experiences
to
De
the
of
of
with
the
around him.
Maria
l a Mare
and
express
understand
the
has
to
the
Both
the
as much
truth
child's
of
the
through
the
of
what
she
and
the
endlessly
as M a r i a
is
through
rapture
real,
and
story
vision
rather
and
are
shows,
not
but
importance
l a Mare
identity
explain her
failing,
captured
his
primarily,
herself,
after-experience.
de
But,
trying
people
to
mankind,
individual,
finally
repeated
turns
away
her
small
and
as
head
the
unvisited
filled
sorrowful
as
as
the
shores
with
a
sounds
of
the
tune
of
ages
the
ocean.
old
tide
(p.
on
359)
6
Even
in
fairy-tale,
a
fantasies
de
possessive
daughter
not
comes
as
Gwythock
symbol
the
a
of
and
what,
as
has
of
self-realization
Thus,
of
in
his
fantasy
walls
the
fame
and
of
a man,
he
is
exiled.
Her
opinion
her
Gwythock
not
be
does,
world
of
and
an A s s ,
emerges
into
and
a
those
Prince
Owen
the
Myfanwy
love
his
seen by
and
a
being:
imprisons
w h i c h he
into
is
social
spreads
metaphorically.
father
a
which
beauty
turned
the
of
,
literal
escapes
freedom
the
ap
world
across
from
of
integrity.
stories
his
into
Myfanwy"
s h e may
win her,
being
castle
an
that
by
and
Lovely
Owen a p
error
the
been
father.
t o woo
his
she
fabric
But
"The
expressing
castle
her.
learns
of
is
jealous
juggler
threshold
which
l a Mare
within his
worthy
such as
for
children,
criticism
and
de
concern
l a Mare
for
the
weaves
real
into
world
the
in
which
-92he
lives.
His
stories
reality.
He
guises
brutality
meet
of
of
at
an
night
angel
calls
presents
him,
in
£f
children
them,
and
a
gilded
naivete.
a church
blowing
not
to
In
wait
trumpet
show no
and
with
"The
for
less
appreciation
romance,
Trumpet"
ghosts.
falls
an
7
Dick
from h i s
but
of
in very
real
Philip
and
Dick
climbs
the
statue
high
p#rch.
Philip
but
, i.
. s i n c e no a n s w e r was v o l u n t e e r e d , and a l l
courage and e n t e r p r i s e had ebbed i n t o nausea
and v e r t i g o , the speaker found h i m s e l f
incapable
o f v e n t u r i n g n e a r e r / t h e f a l l e n body7, a n d
p r e s e n t l y , as t h i e v i s h l y as he had e n t e r e d
i t ,
c r e p t away o u t i n t o t h e o p e n n e s s of t h e c h u r c h y a r d , a n d so home.
(p.
360)
Children
with
wonder
in
like
de
la Mare's
Maria's,
fiction react
and w i t h
with
a curiosity
fear
like
epitomized
Philip's,
by
the
g
boy
in
like
"An
Ideal
suicide
strangled
by
man was made
and
same m a n n e r
with
the
dangling
The
repositioning
imagination
of
Craftsman".
to
the
appear
boy
helps
dead
body.
to
have
intellectual curiosity
the
body
dead
butler,
touches
his
t o make m u r d e r
He h a s
hanged
aroused,
Jacobs.
Only
read
look
of
how
himself
and,
his
the
deals
boy
finally,
in
when
the
a
the
foot
cheek,
even f o r h i m , as i f even f o r h i s c l e a r b o l d
young s p i r i t , . . . that l a s t minute a s s a u l t
o f a h e l p l e s s e n e m y , o v e r w h e l m i n g some s e c r e t
s t r o n g h o l d i n h i s mind, had suddenly
proved
i n t o l e r a b l e , his energy, enterprise,
courage
w i l t e d w i t h i n h i m . . . now e v e r y o b j e c t h a d
become s u d d e n l y r e a l , s t a r k , m e n a c i n g ,
and
hostile.
Panic seized him.
(p.
73)
The
experiment
Now t h e
real
through
the
of
world
house
recreating
returns
"as
if
he
a
to
situation
the
had
boy's
been
from
literature
consciousness
awakened
out
of
and
is
complete.
he
a dream"
runs
(p.
73)
-93-
calling
for
This
is
his
story
a detective
that
the
story
absent
is
is
akin
story
child,
based
to
Josephine
whose
on
the
no
distortion
tale
of
child-murders
Tay's
unravelling
accusing adults
Mare's
the
is
mother.
facts
of
of
The
only
o c c u r s when
abduction,
an abduction
of
committed
Franchise
is
Affair
it
telling
case of
the
is
Norma
and
Mary
Bell,
realized
lies.
Tay's
1860's.
r e a l i t y when compared w i t h
by
which
the
age
De
la
facts
thirteen
9
and e l e v e n ,
in
Children
of
de
Newcastle, England
and
la Mare's
Come'",
stories,
"Crewe",
"Seaton's
Aunt",
writes
of
it
person
narrator,
as
leads
reader
He
draws
that
us
the
into
shows
in
with
into
such as
an
"In
In
fear.
If
scene
beast
the
he
so
July,
directly,
a l l
of
of
them,
man's
writes
as
with
the
as
in
of
of
these,
If
evil
he
in
of
fiction
or
quality
James,
of
or
his
his
subject
fiction
Arthur
is
Machen.
is
the
spiritual
different
The
real
from
but
self
that
the
of
undefined
in
evil.
He
as
dark
"Out
of
f i r s t and
he
the
a
reality
10
supernatural
Henry
danger
Deep"
consciousness.
we k n o w i s " o r d i n a r y , o r v e r y n e a r l y o r d i n a r y , a n d v i l e . " ,
And h i s s u b j e c t , a l w a y s , i s the imminence of
s p i r i t u a l danger.
O n l y r a r e l y d o e s M r . de l a
Mare h i m s e l f o b t r u d e , a v u n c u l a r l y , i n t o those
/ s t o r i e s . / t h a t tremble on the r a z o r ' s edge,
at
the door of the wrong room on the r i m of the
chockablock grave.
(p.
126)
Because
May
narrator,
our
into
many
acts
comes
omniscient
Jimmie
in
Dreams
capacity for
threshold
borders
death
"'What
disguise.
atmosphere
that
1968.
with
Forest",
without
across
the
and
the
awareness
"Crewe",
across
May
concerned,
factually,
the
white
and
are
"Missing".
directly,
mingled
we c h a l l e n g e
and
he
menacing,
the
adults
in
J a m e s , M?
is
more
R.
-94terrifying
than
and
are
Jessel
d'etre;
the
De
reader's
l a Mare
white
a
real
detailed
of
beast
but
from
undefinable
of
Henry
good
and
evil,
conscious
often
In
the
the
his
house
and
whole
of
of
hopefully,
self
novels,
house
de
self,
in
a
out
from h i s
as
windows,
full
detail,
out
is
'pig-like';
only
the
threshold
his
raison
leaving
terrors.
of
of
spiritual
Quint
thus
just
unconscious,
frightening,
and
is
concerned
consciousness.
an
figure.
He
sight.
it
Jimmie's
house.
terrifying
with
and
than
It
the
the
specific
the
variations
thresholds
crossing
His
individual
The
across water,
an
integral
recognize
awareness
of
may
is
being
reach
of
between
the
border
exploration
from c e l l a r
seems
total
to
be
world
the
then
is
that
seen
threshold.
the
self
habitation.
to
and
pass
of
real,
through
Once
individual
attic
that,
acceptance
concerned w i t h man's
mirrored
his
fuller
conclusion
across
the
with
explores
"other"
join
no
lurking
dealing
world.
self
in
and
is
real
real
have
own
more
He
and
doors
is
happiness.
in mirrors,
finest
Screw
its
of
gain
windows,
his
that
l a Mare
l a Mare
central
ultimately
thereby
across
cellars
they
visualize
Deep"
the
noticeable.
man's
the
de
subtle,
barely
to
in
of
James.
stories
are
the
Turn
because
danger
the
danger
short
variations
of
The
them
need
lurking
his
between
of
"Out
being
a being
ghosts
no
supernatural
in
formless
with
in
first
described
In
the
of
a
Thus
ghosts,
James has
suggests
a vague,
as
imagination
consciousness,
is
describable.
weakened
secondly
Jimmie's
is
the
may
the
astral
look
thresholds
-95-
FOOTNOTES:
Many
Priestley,
Spender,
of
de
l a Mare's
Figures
The
in
critics
VI
make
Modern
Literature
of
the
Modern
l a Mare,
Mr.
Bumps
Struggle
this
comment,
(London,
(Berkeley,
among
1924),
1963),
p.
p.
them J .
43.
159,
B.
Stephen
161.
2
Walter
de
and H i s
Monkey
(Philadelphia,
/19427).
3
Fish
(London,
/I9337).
,
"Sambo
and
the
Snow M o u n t a i n s "
in
The
Lord
4
Doris
^Walter
(London,
McCrosson,
de
1925),
Walter
l a Mare,
p.
de
l a Mare
"Maria-Fly"
in
(New Y o r k ,
1966),
B r o o m s t i c k s and
p.
Other
44-45.
Tales
343-360.
6
Ibid.
p.
216-304.
7
Walter
de
l a Mare,
8
Ibid.
p.
53-73.
Best
Stories
(London,
1942),
p.
325-360.
9
65
(The)
(Dec7T7,
^Dylan
Gilbert
Vancouver Sun, LXXXIII:
55 ( D e c . 1 , 1 9 6 8 ) , p. 1 ;
1 9 6 8 ) , p. 1 ; L X X X I I I : 68 ( D e c . 2 0 , 1 9 6 8 ) , p. 3 3 .
Thomas,
Phelps
"Walter
(London,
de
1947),
l a Mare"
p.
118.
in
Living Writers
ed.
LXXXIII:
by
-96-
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Literature
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55
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.
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.
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68
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1953.
L.
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1952.
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(The)
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