1adventure Stories

U

n a d a p t e d

sh o r t

s t o r ie s

by

Jack London V ictor Hugo Doris Lessing Robert Louis Stevenson H E Bates

Adventure Stories

M A C M ILL A N LITERATURE C O LLEC TIO N S

Adventure Stories edited by Mark Irvine with Jo Hathaway

Series Editor: Ceri Jones

MACMILLAN

Contents M acm illan Literature Collections

4

Introduction

6

U sing a dictionary

9

T he genre of Adventure

11

T o B uild a Fire

13

by Jack London A m an travels alone through the freezing C anadian wilderness A Fight with a C an n on

48

by Victor Hugo A ship’s crew struggles to deal with a hose cannon in stormy seas T h e O ld C h ief M shlanga

79

by Doris Lessing A young girl battles her fears and prejudices in the wilds of colonial A frica

T h e A dventure o f the H an som C ab

115

by Robert Louis Stevenson A lieutenant returns from India to London, where he finds himself in unexpected company

T h e S u n R ises Twice

161

by H E Bates A pilot risks his life to attack an enemy ship Essay questions

187

Glossary

190

Language study index

200

Macmillan Literature Collections Welcome to the Macmillan Literature Collections - a series of advanced-level readers containing original, unsimplified short stories written by famous classic and modem writers. We hope that these stories will help to ease your students’ transition from graded readers to reading authentic novels. Each collection in the series includes:

In trod u ction - an introduction to the short story - tips for reading authentic texts in English - an introduction to the genre

T h e stories Each story is presented in three parts: the introduction and prereading support material; the story; and post-reading activities. Each introduction includes the following sections: - About the author - in-depth information about the author and their work - About the story - information about the story, including background information about setting and cultural references - Summary - a brief summary of the story that does not give away the ending.

P re-read in g activities - Key vocabulary - a chance to look at some of the more difficult vocabulary related to the main themes and style of the story before reading the story - Main themes - a brief discussion of the main themes, with questions to keep in mind as you read.

T h e sto ry You will find numbered footnotes in the stories. These explain cultural and historical references, and key words that you will need to understand the text. Many of these footnotes give definitions of words which are very formal, old-fashioned or rarely used in m odem English. You will find more common, useful words and phrases from the stories in the Glossary at the end of the book. Words included in the Glossary will appear in bold.

4 I Macmillan Literature Collections

P o st-read in g activities -

Understanding the story - comprehension questions that will help you make sure you’ve understood the story - Language study - a section that presents and practises key linguistic and structural features of authentic literary texts (you will find an index of the areas covered at the end of the book) - Literary analysis - discussion questions that guide you to an in-depth appreciation of the story, its structure, its characters and its style. In addition, at the end of each book there are: - suggested Essay questions - a comprehensive Glossary highlighting useful vocabulary from each story - an index for the Language study section.

How to use these books You can use these books in whatever way you want. You may want to start from the beginning and work your way through. You may want to pick and choose. T he Contents page gives a very brief, one-line introduction to each story to help you decide where to start. You may want to learn about the author and the story before you read each one, or you may prefer to read the story first and then find out more about it afterwards. Remember that the stories and exercises can be challenging, so you may want to spend quite a long time studying each one. The most important thing is to enjoy the collection - to enjoy reading, to enjoy the stories and to enjoy the language that has been used to create them.

A n sw e r key s In many cases you can check your answers in the story by using the page references given. However, an Answer key for all the exercises is available at www.macmillanenglish.com/readers.

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Introduction What is a short story? A short story is shorter than a novel, but longer than a poem. It is usually between 1,000 and 20,000 words long. It tells a story which can usually be read quite quickly. It often concentrates on one, central event; it has a limited number o f characters, and takes place within a short space of time.

History of the short story Stories and storytelling have existed for as long as people have had language. People love, and need, stories. They help us explain and understand the world. Before people could read or write, storytellers travelled from village to village, telling stories. The first written stories developed from this storytelling tradition. Two o f the best-known examples of early, written stories in Europe appeared in the 14thcentury. Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales and Bocaccio’s Decameron are both based on the same idea - a group of people who are travelling or living together for a short time agree to tell each other stories. T he first m odem short stories appeared at the beginning of the 19th century. Early examples of short-story collections include the Fairy Tales (1824-26) of the Brothers Grimm, and Edgar A llan Poe’s Tales of the Grotesque and Arabesque (1840). In the late 19th century, printed magazines and journals became very popular and more and more short stories were published. By the 20th century most well-known magazines included short stories in every issue and the publishers paid a lot of money for them. In 1952 Ernest Hemingway’s short story The Old Man and the Sea helped sell more than five million copies of the magazine Life in just two days.

The short story today Today, short stories are often published in collections called anthologies. They are usually grouped according to a particular category - by theme, topic, national origin, time or author. Som e newspapers and magazines continue to print individual stories. Many short stories are first published on the Internet, with authors posting them on specialinterest websites and in online magazines. 6 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Introduction

Reading authentic literary texts in English Reading authentic literary texts can be difficult. They may contain grammatical structures you have not studied, or expressions and sayings you are not familiar with. Unlike graded readers, they have not been written for language students. The words have been chosen to create a particular effect, not because they are easy or difficult. But you do not need to understand every word to understand and enjoy the story. W hen you are reading in your own language you will often read so quickly that you skip over words, and read for the general effect, rather than the details. Try to do the same when you are reading in English. Remember that looking up every word you don’t know slows you down and stops you enjoying the story. W hen you’re reading authentic short stories, remember: - It should be a pleasure! - You should read at your own pace. - Let the story carry you along - don’t worry about looking up every word you don’t understand. - D on’t worry about looking up difficult words unless they stop you from understanding the story. - Try not to use the Glossary or a dictionary when you’re reading. You might want to make a note of words to look up later, especially key words that you see several times (see Using a dictionary on page 9 for more tips on looking up and recording new words). But remember, you can always go back again when you have finished the story. T h at is the beauty o f reading short stories - they are short! You can finish one quite quickly, especially if you do not worry about understanding every single word; then you can start again at the beginning and take your time to re-read difficult passages and look up key words.

Preparing yourself for a story It is always a good idea to prepare yourself, mentally, before starting a story. - Look at the title. W hat does it tell you about the story? W hat do you expect the story to be about? - If there is a summary, read it. T his will help you follow the story.

Macmillan Literature Collections: Introduction | 7

- Quickly read the first few paragraphs and answer these questions: Where is it set? W hen is it set? W ho is the main character? - A s you read, concentrate on following the gist (the general idea) of the story. You can go back and look at the details later. You can use the questions at the end of the story (see Understanding the story) to help you understand what is happening.

Tips for dealing with difficult passages Som e stories include particularly difficult passages. They are usually descriptive and give background information, or set the scene. They are generally difficult to follow because they are full of detail. Try to read these passages quickly, understanding what you can, and then continue with the story. Make a note of the passage and come back to it later, when you have finished the whole story. If, at any time, you are finding it difficult to follow the story, go back to this difficult passage. It may hold the answers to your questions. Read through the passage again carefully and underline all the unknown words. Try to understand as much as you can from the immediate context and what you now know about the story. Then look up any remaining words in the Glossary at the back of the book, or in your dictionary.

Tips for dealing with difficult words -

Decide if the word (or phrase) is important to the overall message. Read the whole paragraph. Do you understand the general meaning? Yes? Then the word isn’t important. D on’t worry about it. Keep reading! - If you decide the word is important, see if you can work out its meaning from the context. Is it a verb, a noun or an adjective? Is it positive or negative? How would you translate it into your own language? Underline the word or make a note of it and the page number, but keep reading. If it really is important, you’ll see it again. - If you keep seeing the same word in the story, and you still can’t understand it, look in your monolingual dictionary!

8 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Introduction

Using a dictionary Looking up words Before you look up the word, look at it again in its context. Decide what part of speech it is. Try to guess its meaning from the context. Now look it up in your dictionary. There may be more than one definition given. Decide which one is the most appropriate. If the word is something very specific, eg the name of a flower or tree, you can use a bilingual dictionary to give you the exact translation. Let’s look at how this works in practice. Look at this short extract and follow the instructions below. ... there is a little valley or rather lap of land among high hills, which is one of the quietest places in the whole world. A smalt brook glides through it, with just murmur enough to lull one to repose* *literary: deep or rest The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irvine

1 Look at the words in bold and decide what part of speech they are noun, verb, adjective, etc. 2 Try to guess what they might mean. 3 Look at the extracts below from the Macmillan EnglishDictionary for Advanced Learners. Choose the most appropriate definition. ! Words with more than one entry Sometimes the same word belongs* to more than one word class: for example, brook can be both a noun and a verb. Each word class is shown as a separate entry. The small number at the end of the head-word tells you that a word has more than one entry.

brook1 noun a sm a ll riv er

brook8 verb n o t brook so m e th in g

lap1 noun 1 th e to p h a lf

o f y o u r legs a b o v e your k n ee s w h e n you s it do w n o n e c o m p le te tu rn aro u n d a c o u rse in a race -► M U ' S ! in the lap of luxury in v e ry c o m fo rta b le an d e x p e n siv e c o n d itio n s

Idiom s and fixed expressions Som e words are often used in idioms and fixed expressions. These are shown at the end of the entry, following the small box that says— PH RASE. -► Words with more than one meaning Many words have more than one meaning, and each different meaning is shown by a number.

to d e fin ite ly n o t allo w o r a c c e p t

2

lap2verb

i f an a n im a l lap s w ater, it d rin k s it g e n tly w ith its to n g u e

lull1 noun

a q u ie t p e rio d d u rin g a very a c tiv e o r v io le n t situ atio n

lull2verb

1 to m ak e so m e o n e feel re la x e d a n d c o n fid e n t s o th a t th e y are n o t p re p are d fo r so m e th in g u n p le a sa n t to h a p p e n ro lu ll s o m e o n e in to a false : se n se o f se cu rity ! 2 to m ak e so m e o n e re lax e d e n o u g h to g o to s le e p |

Dictionary extracts adapted from the M acm illan English D ictio n ary © M acm illan Publishers Lim ited 2005 www.macmillandictionary.com

Macmillan Literature Collections: Using a dictionary \ 9

U sin g a dictionary Looking up words Before you look up the word, look at it again in its context. Decide what part of speech it is. Try to guess its meaning from the context. Now look it up in your dictionary. There may be more than one definition given. Decide which one is the most appropriate. If the word is something very specific, eg the name of a flower or tree, you can use a bilingual dictionary to give you the exact translation. Let’s look at how this works in practice. Look at this short extract and follow the instructions below. ...there is a little valley or rather lap of land among high hills, which is one of the quietest places in the whole world. A small brook glides through it, with just murmur enough to lull one to repose* Hiterary: sleep or rest The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by W ashington Irvine

1 Look at the words in bold and decide what part of speech they are noun, verb, adjective, etc. 2 Try to guess what they might mean. 3 Look at the extracts below from the Macmillan English Dictionary for Advanced Learners. Choose the most appropriate definition. Words with more than one entry Som etim es the same word belongs to more than one word class: for example, brook can be both a noun and a verb. Each word class is shown as a separate entry. The small number at the end of the head-word tells you that a word has more than one entry. Idiom s and fixed expressions Som e words are often used in idioms and fixed expressions. These are shown at the end of the entry, following the small box that says PHRASE.

brook 1 noun a sm all riv er

brook 2 verb n ot brook so m e th in g

to d e fin ite ly n o t a llo w o r a c c e p t

lap 1 noun

1 th e to p h a lf o f your le gs a b o v e your k n ee s w h en y o u s it do w n 2 o n e c o m p le te tu rn a ro u n d a c o u rse in a race -► PH R A SE In the lap ol luxury in v ery c o m fo rta b le an d e x p e n siv e c o n d itio n s lap 2 verb i f a n a n im a l lap s w ater, it d rin k s it g e n tly w ith its to n g u e

lull 1 noun a q u ie t p e rio d d u rin g a v ery a c tiv e o r v io le n t situ a tio n

lull 2 verb -►

Words with more than one meaning Many words have more than one meaning, and each different meaning ^ is shown by a number.

1 to m ak e so m e o n e feel re la x e d a n d c o n fid e n t so th a t th ey are n o t p re p are d fo r so m e th in g u n p le a sa n t to h a p p e n to lu ll s o m e o n e in to a false se n se o f se cu rity 2 to m a k e s o m e o n e re la x e d e n o u g h to g o to slee p

Dictionary extracts adapted from the M acm illan English D ic tio n a ry © M acm illan Publishers Lim ited 2005 www.macmillandictionary.com

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Keeping a record W hen you have looked in your dictionary, decide if the word is interesting or useful to you. If it is, make a note o f it, and write down its definition. Make a note of the sentence where you found it in the story, then write one or two more examples of your own. Only do this for those words you think you will need to use in the future. Here is an example of how you might record the word lull.

‘w ith ju st n*urn*ur enough to lull one. to repose' Lull - to n*ake you feel rela ted enough to go to sleep eg. The guiet sound o f the waves lulled n*e to sleep. The nether sang to her baby to lull it to sleep.

Literary analysis T he Literary analysis section is written to encourage you to consider the stories in more depth. T his will help you to appreciate them better and develop your analytical skills. This section is particularly useful for those students who are studying, or intending to study, literature in the medium of English. Each section includes literary terms with which you may or may not be familiar.

Macmillan Readers website For more help with u n d e rsta tin g these literary terms, and to find Answer keys to all the exercises and activities, visit the Macmillan Readers website at www.macmillanenglish.com/readers. There you will also find a wealth of resources to help your language learning in English, from listening exercises to articles on academic and creative writing.

10 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Using a dictionary

The genre of Adventure What is an adventure story? A n adventure story is a story intended to thrill the reader and excite the imagination. A n adventure features a hero or heroine who must tackle difficult and dangerous situations which are usually life-threatening. A n adventure story is usually fast-paced, and involves a lot of action and movement, as the c h a ra c te rs) in the story try to save themselves or other people from disaster. T he ‘hero’ figure in an adventure changes from story to story, from culture to culture, and according to when it was written and by whom. However, adventure heroes usually have certain things in common. It is usually - but not always - important that we admire and empathize with the hero, and can imagine the challenges, dangers and dilemmas that they face. They must be brave and quick-thinking, and show that they do not give up easily when they find themselves in trouble. A nother common element of the adventure story is a mystery or puzzle that must be solved - the hero may find that nothing is as it first seems to be.

Why do we like adventure stories? Much of the attraction and excitem ent of the adventure story is in the high level of danger, and that escape seems impossible. A nother important feature is the setting - an adventure story usually takes place in an unusual, exotic, dangerous or even imaginary place. T his adds an element of glamour to the story. A n adventure story provides a way for us to travel to other places, be other people, take risks, experience challenges and drama, and overcome our fears, without being in danger ourselves.

Short stories and adventure Adventure works well in a short story format as it is usually a simple narrative, focusing on one or a series of physical challenges, and how the hero responds. It is also usually clear who is who - the ‘baddie’ and the ‘goodie’. The author can focus on the action and the lessons learnt by the hero. T he theme of an adventure story is also usually quite straightforward. T he hero or heroine is challenged by a strong

Macmillan Literature Collections: The genre of Adventure | 11

adversary or opponent, often described in terms of ‘man versus1. . . ’, where ‘m an’ means ‘mankind’ or ‘human beings’. In this collection, broadly speaking, we can describe the stories as: man versus nature (London); man versus machine/monster (Hugo); man versus the unknown (Lessing); man versus injustice (Stevenson); and man versus a common enemy in war (Bates).

Other forms Today, adventure stories are often made popular in action films - 90 minutes is a perfect amount o f time to set up and deliver an adventure. Neither the characters nor the theme need to be too complex - the focus is on the adventure. Robert Louis Stevenson’s Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and Treasure Island have been produced many times on screen, for cinema and television. T he French author Jules Verne wrote many stories that have been made into popular films, including 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea, Around the World in Eighty Days, and Journey to the Centre of the Earth. The Lara Croft films are an example of a m odem adventure story, originally told through a computer game, being turned into a film. Adventure stories also tend to work well in comic books, which capture the action and pace of the story in colourful, dynamic pictures.

1 used to compare two things or to show that they are competing against each other

12 | Macmillan Literature Collections: The genre of Adventure

To Build a Fire by Jack London

About the author Jack London is a 20thcentury Am erican author, whose adventurous life was as well known as his adventure stories. Bom John Griffith London in San Francisco in 1876, his mother, Flora Wellman, was a music teacher with a wealthy background. She was not married to the man who was probably Jack’s father - the journalist, lawyer and astrologer W illiam Chaney - so the young writer took the name of his stepfather, John London. In his teens, the young John London became known as Jack. Flora and John London were poor, and Jack’s childhood was hard. For much of his childhood, his mother was ill, and Jack was looked after by his nanny2, Virginia Prentiss. He had little formal education, and started work when he was very young to bring in extra money - by the age of 14 Jack was working 16-hour shifts at a local factory. But he dreamt of adventure, and at 17 he borrowed enough money from Virginia to buy an old long boat called the Razzle-Dazzle, which he used to steal oysters3 in Oakland Bay. His career as an oyster thief did not last long though, and for several years the young writer went from job to job and place to place taking any work he could, including deep sea fishing, shovelling coal and doing manual work in factories. In between, he travelled - his journey on a freight train across America provided much o f the material for his partly autobiographical book The Road (1907). Returning to San Francisco when his stepfather died, Jack took a job in a laundry to earn enough money to support his mother. Still writing, but as yet unpublished, he studied at the same time, gaining a place at the University of Berkeley in California, though he did not complete his degree. In 1897, London headed north to join the Klondike gold rush in Yukon, Canada. He returned empty-handed, but had gained experiences which would be the basis of many of his most successful stories. 2 a woman whose job is to look after someone else’s children 3 types of shellfish that have a rough shell and are eaten as food, often raw. Some types of oyster contain pearls

To Build a Fire | 13

A t the age of just 25, London’s first short story was published. It was an immediate success, and after years of hard work and poverty, London went on to become one of the highest-paid and most celebrated writers o f his generation. London was a dynamic public figure, giving lectures about economics and politics, and taking part in debates - his experiences had left him with strong socialist beliefs. He also continued to write. By the time he was 30, London had produced three of his most famous novels - The Call of the Wild (1903), The Sea-Wolf (1904) and White Fang (1906), all of which examined the power of nature and instinct. London had two daughters with his first wife, Bessie Maddem. They divorced in 1904, and London married again - this time to Charmian Kittredge, with whom he travelled more widely. A s famous for his adventures as his writing, London was charismatic and good-looking, telling stories based on his experiences. In addition to his writing, he also worked as a war correspondent, rode horses at his ranch in the Sonoma Valley in California, hosted extravagant parties, and sailed across the South Pacific. London had learnt the value of hard work early on in his life, and his commitment to writing a thousand words per day meant that he produced a great deal of work, his main subjects and themes being adventure and hardship4. H e continued to work hard and play hard until his death in 1916, at the age of just 40, from kidney failure related to his heavy drinking. He left 18 volumes of short stories, 19 novels, seven non-fiction books, and hundreds of published articles, essays and reviews. Details about the life and character of Jack London are controversial, but what is certain is that he led a full life packed with travel and adventure, experiencing and writing about what he called ‘big moments of living’.

About the story The first version of To Build a Fire appeared in 1902 in The Youth’s Companion, an Am erican magazine which published stories for children. However, the version of the story in this collection was first published in the popular monthly literary publication The Century Magazine in 1908 and is the most well known. T he two versions of the story have different endings. 4 mostly literary: a situation in which life is very difficult for you, usually because you do not have enough money

14 j To Build a Fire

Background information T h e C an ad ian w ild ern ess an d th e ‘gold r u sh ’ T he story is set in Yukon, the furthest west of C anada’s three federal5 territories, which was created in 1898. T h e extreme north-west of North A m erica was often described as the ‘Last Frontier’, a place for adventurers looking to tackle the difficult conditions and landscape and make money from it. Jack London went to the Yukon region as a young man, at the start of what became known as the Klondike gold rush, as thousands of hopeful men like him travelled to C anada and A laska looking for gold. Newcomers, or chechaquo, would arrive by ship at Dyea, a coastal port, and then travel up the Yukon River, the longest river in the north-west of North America. Over half of it is in the U S state of A laska and m ost of the rest is in the Yukon territory. T he river was the main means of transport during the gold rush. O ne o f the things which travels on the river is timber - spruce trees cut to provide wood to build ships and houses. New arrivals carried supplies along the C hilcoot Trail, which until then had been used by native Americans as a trade route. T h e trail is 53 kilometres long and passes over the terrifying C hilcoot Pass in the C oast Mountains. There are many camps along its course. There were many dangers in this wild and unexplored country from wolves and other men, to hunger and sickness. The weather conditions were extreme. Exposure to the sun could lead to severe sunburn and blisters on the skin; it was also essential to drink a lot of water to prevent dehydration. During the winter, temperatures could be extremely cold - people who were not properly protected could get frostbite, a medical condition that could lead to the loss o f toes, fingers, ears, nose or even feet and hands. T he ultimate risk of cold was death. So it was essential to keep warm and dry, and to keep moving. Recommended supplies included heavy underwear, thick cotton shirts and a heavy woollen sweater. For the head, scarves called ‘bandanas’ were encouraged, to protect the face from the cold, as well as a cowboy hat, and woollen flaps to cover the ears. For the lower body, recommendations included special boots, soft leather shoes called moccasins, hip-length rubber boots, and heavy, waterproof trousers. 5 a federal country or system is one in which individual states make their own laws, but a national government is responsible for areas such as defence and foreign policy

To Build a Fire | 15

On top of all these should be a heavy coat, mittens and unlined leather gloves to keep hands warm and dry, heavy blankets, and a waterproof blanket. Apart from food and drink, other recommended items included a sleeping bag, medicine, a toothbrush, candles and matches. S o c ia l a n d e c o n o m ic c o n te x t T he U nited States of the late 1 9 * century was experiencing a period of great change. The industrial revolution had brought new machines and new money which were challenging traditional methods of farming and changing the way people lived. Meanwhile, trains were coming the country was becoming smaller as the railroad6 grew longer, making the continent easier and safer to travel through. T he population was growing and moving; immigration, poverty and hardship in rural areas and in other countries brought more and more people to the U S , particularly to the cities, to look for work and the American dream of success and money. A laska was the last Am erican wilderness to be discovered - and a spirit of adventure took young men north to look for gold.

Summary It m ay help you to know som ething about what happens in the story before you read it. D on ’t worry, this sum m ary does not tell you how the story ends!

It is a cold, clear morning in the freezing, grey landscape of the Yukon Valley. A man leaves the main trail and heads along a smaller one, through the spruce trees. He knows that this trail divides into two at a stream called Henderson*Creek - he will follow the left path or ‘fork’ to get to the camp, where he will stay that evening. The whole region is buried under heavy ice and snow. The man is a newcomer and not familiar with such low temperatures. He is travelling light - he only has the clothes he is wearing to protect him against the cold, and has not brought many other supplies. He has a dog with him, a native breed who is used to the cold. After walking for an hour, the man’s and the dog’s hair is covered in ice. A s he walks along, the man chews tobacco. He is careful to avoid thin ice, knowing that he could easily fall through - if he gets wet, he will have to stop and build a fire to dry himself and his clothes, 6

US: the metal track that trains travel on, or a railway system in general

16 | To Build a Fire

and he doesn’t want any delays. A t midday, he stops to eat his lunch - soft white bread rolls he calls ‘biscuits’, soaked with bacon fat. A s he takes off his mittens, he immediately loses feeling in his fingers. He makes a fire, and he and the dog warm themselves; the m an then smokes a pipe before continuing on his journey. A few miles later the man falls through some thin ice and gets wet up to his knees. H e stops to light another fire. H e thinks back to the advice he had from an old man in Sulphur Creek about the dangers of travelling alone in such cold temperatures. Suddenly, snow falls from branches above him and puts out the fire. W ith no feeling in his fingers, the man drops all the matches in the snow and begins to panic, knowing he must get dry and warm or he could be in great danger.

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary T his section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story. W o rd s re la tin g to te m p e r a tu re The author describes the freezing conditions of the Yukon Valley: how it feels, how it sounds and the effect it has on the environment and atmosphere. He contrasts this with the sound and feel of the fire. 1 L ook at the following sentences (1 - 1 0 ) , which are taken from the story. M atch the words in bold with the definitions (a -j) on the next page. 1 The result was that a crystal beard of the colour and solidity of amber was increasing its length on his chin. If he fell down it would shatter itself, like glass, into brittle fragments. 2 The blazing matches fell sizzling into the snow... 3 Already all sensation had gone out of his feet. To build the fire he had been forced to remove his mittens, and the fingers had quickly gone numb. 4 It was the penalty all tobacco-chewers paid in that country, and he had been out before in two cold sn a p s. To Build a Fire | 17

On top o f all these should be a heavy coat, mittens and unlined leather gloves to keep hands warm and dry, heavy blankets, and a waterproof blanket. Apart from food and drink, other recommended items included a sleeping bag, medicine, a toothbrush, candles and matches.

S o cial and econ om ic co n text The U nited States o f the late 19th century was experiencing a period of great change. T he industrial revolution had brought new machines and new money which were challenging traditional methods of farming and changing the way people lived. Meanwhile, trains were coming the country was becoming smaller as the railroad6 grew longer, making the continent easier and safer to travel through. T he population was growing and moving; immigration, poverty and hardship in mral areas and in other countries brought more and more people to the U S , particularly to the cities, to look for work and the American dream o f success and money. A laska was the last American wilderness to be discovered - and a spirit of adventure took young men north to look for gold.

Summary It may help you to know something about what happens in the story before you read it. D o n ’t worry, this sum m ary does not tell you how the story ends! It is a cold, clear morning in the freezing, grey landscape of the Yukon Valley. A man leaves the main trail and heads along a smaller one, through the spruce trees. He knows that this trail divides into two at a stream called Henderson*Creek - he will follow the left path or ‘fork’ to get to the camp, where he will stay that evening. T he whole region is buried under heavy ice and snow. The man is a newcomer and not familiar with such low temperatures. He is travelling light - he only has the clothes he is wearing to protect him against the cold, and has not brought many other supplies. He has a dog with him, a native breed who is used to the cold. A fter walking for an hour, the man’s and the dog’s hair is covered in ice. A s he walks along, the man chews tobacco. He is careful to avoid thin ice, knowing that he could easily fall through - if he gets wet, he will have to stop and build a fire to dry himself and his clothes, 6

US: the metal track that trains travel on, or a railway system in general

16 | To Build a Fire

and he doesn’t want any delays. A t midday, he stops to eat his lunch - soft white bread rolls he calls ‘biscuits’, soaked with bacon fat. A s he takes off his mittens, he immediately loses feeling in his fingers. He makes a fire, and he and the dog warm themselves; the man then smokes a pipe before continuing on his journey. A few miles later the man falls through some thin ice and gets wet up to his knees. He stops to light another fire. He thinks back to the advice he had from an old man in Sulphur Creek about the dangers o f travelling alone in such cold temperatures. Suddenly, snow falls from branches above him and puts out the fire. With no feeling in his fingers, the man drops all the matches in the snow and begins to panic, knowing he must get dry and warm or he could be in great danger.

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary T his section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

W ords relatin g to tem peratu re The author describes the freezing conditions of the Yukon Valley: how it feels, how it sounds and the effect it has on the environment and atmosphere. He contrasts this with the sound and feel of the fire. 1 Look at the following sentences (1 - 1 0 ), which are taken from the story. M atch the words in bold with the definitions (a -j) on the next page. 1 The result was that a crystal beard of the colour and solidity of amber was increasing its length on his chin. If he fell down it would shatter itself, like glass, into brittle fragments. 2 The blazing matches fell sizzling into the snow... 3 Already all sensation had gone out of his feet. To build the fire he had been fenced to remove his mittens, and the fingers had quickly gone numb. 4 It teas the penalty all tobacco-chewers paid in that country, and he had been out before in two cold sn a p s. To Build a Fire \ 17

5

There was a sharp, explosive crackle that startled him.

6 It flared into flame, seventy sulphur matches at once! 7

The sting that followed upon the striking of his fingers against his leg ceased so quickly that he was startled... 8 Working carefully from a small beginning, he soon had a roaring fire, over which he thaw ed the ice from his face... 9 He threw down several large pieces on top of the snow. This served for a foundation and prevented the young flame from drowning itself in the snow it otherwise would melt. 10 The frozen moisture of its breathing had settled on its fur in a fine powder of fro st... a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j)

a continuous short sound, such as that of wood burning hard and easily broken into pieces a sudden pain or uncomfortable feeling (similar to an insect bite) to suddenly bum or shine brightly to make the sound of food cooking in hot oil a thin white layer of ice that looks like powder and forms on things outside when the weather is very cold having no feeling to become warmer after being frozen or very cold to change from a solid to a liquid a sudden short period of very cold weather

2

N ow complete the sentences below with words from exercise 1 in the correct form.

1

T he weather is much warmer now, after that unexpected ............................. But there is s t i ll ............................ on the ground in the early mornings. His hand w as........................... - he must have been sleeping on it. He shook it to bring back the feeling. A s soon as he stepped outside, he felt th e ..........................of the wind on his face. Turning on the heat, she put the butter in the pan and waited for it t o ............................ The children were hungry and excited to be eating outside - the sau sag es and spat in the hot pan, as the camp fire

2 3 4 5

18 | To Build a Fire

Verbs describing movement T he author also describes the effects of the cold on the man and the dog in the story. T he words he uses describe not only how they feel, but how those feelings affect their behaviour and movement. Many of these movements are small and subtle because of the extreme cold. Others are more dramatic. 3 M atch the verbs and definitions, then answ er the questions below. 1 rub 2 flounder 3 4

stamp fumble

5 6 7

plough stumble stagger

8 9

shiver squat

10 crawl

1 W hich suggest 2 W hich 3 W hich tired?

a) to put your feet down hard and noisily b) to bend your knees and lower yourself towards the ground so that you balance on your feet c) to shake slightly, from fear or cold d) to move with difficulty and in an uncontrolled way e) f) g) knees or with your body close to the ground h) to fall or almost fall while walking i) to try to hold, move or find something using your hands in a way that is not skilful or graceful j) to walk in an uncomfortable way, as if you are going to fall over

of the verbs above describe deliberate movements and that the person is in control? of the verbs describes a physical reaction? describe movements which are the result of feeling weak or

A djectives describing the m an’s journ ey through the landscape London uses a variety of adjectives to describe both the landscape and the m an’s experiences and movements in the cold. 4 Look at the adjectives and definitions on the next page. D o they describe the wilderness, the m an’s character or feelings, or movement? Write the adjectives in the correct categories in the table below. N o te: Som e will fit into more than one category.

To Build a Fire | 19

awkward not comfortable, relaxed or confident excruciating causing extreme physical pain imperceptible something imperceptible is so slight or small that it is very

difficult to notice intangible not able to be touched or measured, and difficult to describe or explain menacing intended to threaten or frighten someone methodical always careful to do things in a thorough and organized way remote far away in distance or space restless not willing or able to keep still because you are nervous, bored or impatient snug warm, comfortable and safe subtle not obvious, and therefore difficult to notice treacherous very dangerous, especially because the dangers are not obvious

The wilderness

The m an’s character and feelings

Movement

Describing the dog T he dog plays a key part in the story. Although it is a native of the landscape, and used to the extreme temperatures and difficult terrain, this fact is often contradicted by its movements, feelings about the journey, and reactions to the^cold. They are also in strong contrast to those of the man.

5 U se the following extracts from the story to match the words (1-10) with the definitions (a-j). At the man’s heels trotted a dog, a big native husky, the proper wolf-dog, grey-coated and without any visible or temperamental difference from its brother, the wild wolf. The animal was depressed by the tremendous cold. It knew that it was no time for travelling. Its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the man by the man’s judgment. ..It experienced a vague but menacing apprehension that subdued it and made it slink along at the man’s heels...

20 | To Build a Fire

The dog had learned fire, and it wanted fire, or else to burrow under the snow and cuddle its warmth away from the air. The frozen moisture of its breathing had settled on its fur in a fine powder of frost, and especially were its jowls, muzzle, and eyelashes whitened by its crystalled breath. The dog dropped in again at his heels, with a tail drooping discouragement, as the man swung along the creek-bed. .. .he shied abruptly, like a startled horse, curved away from the place where he had been walking, and retreated several paces back along the trail. 1 apprehension 2

shy

3

jow ls

4

muzzle

5

depressed

6

burrow

7 droop

8 9

cuddle slink

10 trot

a) to go somewhere slowly and quietly so that people will not notice you b) a feeling of worry or fear that something bad might happen c) the lower part o f your cheek, especially if the skin hangs down and covers your jaw d) to move more quickly than when walking, but not running e) to move suddenly away from something because of fear f) the nose and mouth of an animal such as a dog or horse g) very unhappy because of a difficult or unpleasant situation that you feel you cannot change h) to hang downwards i) to position your body to feel warm and protected, or loved j) to make a hole or tunnel in the ground

6 W hich of the words in exercise 5 are nouns? W hich are verbs? W hich are adjectives?

To Build a Fire | 21

Main themes Before you read the story, you may want to think about some of its main themes. The questions will help you think about the story as you are reading it for the first time. There is more discussion of the main themes in the Literary analysis section after the story.

The power of nature T he story focuses on one m an’s fight to stay alive in the intense cold. W ithout a human com panion or special clothing and equipment, the man is extremely vulnerable to the elements. T he author refers to the man’s ‘frailty as a creature of tem perature...able only to live within certain narrow limits of heat and cold’. 7 A s you read the story, ask yourself: a) A s the story develops, how do the m an’s feelings about the old m an’s advice change? b) A t what point(s) does the man realize how vulnerable he is?

Instinct versus rationality To Build a Fire is often described as a ‘naturalist’ story, which examines the struggle between man and nature. The only companion the man has in the story is his dog. London often uses the dog and the man to highlight the difference between instinctive and rational behaviour. 8 A s you read the story, think about these questions: a) W hat differences are there betVeen the dog and the man - how suited is each one to the landscape and climate? W hat is the dog’s focus at the beginning and how does it change? A nd the m an’s? b) Why does the dog stay with the man? c) W hat signs are there of the man using his natural instincts? In what ways does he rationalize his decisions to ignore the advice of the old-timer?

22 | To Build a Fire

To Build a Fire by Jack London Day had broken cold and grey, exceedingly cold and grey, when the m an turned aside from the m ain Yukon trail and clim bed the high earth bank, where a dim and little-travelled trail led eastw ard through the fat spruce tim berland. It was a steep bank, and he paused for breath at the top, excusing the act to h im self by looking at his watch. It was nine o ’clock. T here was no sun nor h in t o f sun, though there was n ot a cloud in the sky. It was a clear day, and yet there seem ed an intangible p all7 over the face o f things, a subtle gloom that m ade the day dark, and th at was due to the absence o f sun. T h is fact did n ot worry the m an. He was used to the lack o f sun. It had been days since he had seen the sun, and he knew th at a few more days must pass before that cheerful orb8, due south, would just peep above the sky-line and dip im m ediately from view. T h e m an flung a look back along the way he had com e. T he Yukon lay a m ile wide and hidden under three feet o f ice. O n top of this ice were as many feet of snow. It was all pure white, rolling in gentle undulations9 where the ice-jam s10 o f the freezeup had formed. N orth and south, as far as his eye could see, it was unbroken white, save for a dark hair-line that curved and twisted from around the spruce-covered island to the south, and that curved and twisted away into the north, where it disappeared behind another spruce-covered island. T h is dark hair-line was the trail - the m ain trail - that led south five hundred miles to the C h ilco ot Pass, Dyea, and salt water; and that led north seventy m iles to Daw son, and still on to the north a thousand 7 something such as smoke, dust or cloud that covers an area and makes it darker 8 literary: an object that has a perfectly round shape; the sun or the moon 9 mainly literary: if something is undulating, it moves gently up and down in the shape of waves on the sea 10 (like traffic-jams) a build up of ice which blocks the land or river. See also ‘timber' jams’ on page 27

To Build a Fire | 23

m iles to N ulato, and finally to S t M ichael on the Bering Sea, a thousand m iles and h alf a thousand more. But all this - the mysterious, far-reaching hairline trail, the absence o f sun from the sky, the trem endous cold, and the strangeness and weirdness of it all - m ade no im pression on the man. It was n ot because he was long used to it. H e was a newcom er in the land, a chechaquo, and this was his first winter. T h e trouble with him was that he was without im agination. He was quick and alert in the things o f life, but only in the things, and n ot in the significances. Fifty degrees below zero m eant eighty odd degrees o f frost. S u ch fact impressed him as being cold and uncom fortable, and th at was all. It did n ot lead him to m e d itate upon his frailty11 as a creature of tem perature, and upon m an ’s frailty in general, able only to live w ithin certain narrow lim its o f h eat and cold; and from there on it did not lead him to the con jectural12 field o f im m o rtality and m an ’s place in the universe. Fifty degrees below zero stood for a bite o f frost that hurt and th at must be guarded against by the use o f m ittens, ear-flaps, warm m occasins, and thick socks. Fifty degrees below zero was to him just precisely fifty degrees below zero. T h a t there should be anything more to it th an that was a thought that never entered his head. A s he turned to go on, he sp a t sp e c u la tiv e ly . T h ere was a sharp, explosive crackle that startled him . H e spat again. A n d again, in the air, before it could fall to the snow, the spittle13 crackled. H e knew that at fifty below spittle crackled on the snow, but this spittle had crackled in the air. U ndoubtedly it was colder than fifty below - how m uch colder he did not know. But the tem perature did not matter. H e was b o u n d fo r the old claim on the left fork of H enderson Creek, where the boys were already. T hey had com e over across the divide from the Indian C reek country, while he had com e the roundabout way to take a look at the possibilities o f getting out logs in the spring from the islands in the Yukon. H e would be in to cam p by six o ’clock; 11 here: being vulnerable, physically weak and at risk from the surroundings 12 formal: theoretical, guessed, based on information that is not complete 13 old'fashioned: saliva

24 | To Build a Fire

a bit after dark, it was true, but the boys would be there, a fire would be going, and a h ot supper would be ready. A s for lunch, he pressed his hand against the protruding bundle under his jacket. It was also under his shirt, wrapped up in a handkerchief and lying against the naked skin. It was the only way to keep the biscuits from freezing. H e sm iled agreeably to him self as he thought o f those biscuits, each cut open and sopped in bacon grease, and each enclosing a generous slice o f fried bacon. H e plunged in am ong the big spruce trees. T h e trail was faint. A foot o f snow had fallen since the last sled 14 had passed over, and he was glad he was without a sled, travelling light. In fact, he carried nothing but the lunch wrapped in the handkerchief. H e was surprised, however, at the cold. It certainly was cold, he concluded, as he rubbed his num bed nose and cheek-bones with his m ittened hand. H e was a warm-whiskered15 m an, but the hair on his face did n ot protect the high cheek-bones and the eager nose th at th ru st itself aggressively into the frosty air. A t the m an ’s heels trotted a dog, a big n ative husky, the proper wolf-dog, grey-coated and w ithout any visible or tem peram ental difference from its brother, the wild wolf. T h e anim al was depressed by the trem endous cold. It knew that it was no tim e for travelling. Its instinct told it a truer tale than was told to the m an by the m an’s judgm ent. In reality, it was not merely colder than fifty below zero; it was colder than sixty below, than seventy below. It was seventy-five below zero. Sin ce the freezing-point is thirty-two above zero, it m eant that one hundred and seven degrees o f frost ob tain ed 16. T h e dog did not know anything about therm om eters. Possibly in its brain there was no sharp co n scio u sn ess o f a condition o f very cold such as was in the m an ’s brain. But the brute had its instinct. It experienced a vague but m enacing apprehension that subdued it and m ade it slink along at the m an’s heels, and th at m ade it question eagerly every unw onted17 m ovem ent o f the m an as if 14 commonly ‘sledge’: a vehicle that you sit on to travel over snow. It has long pieces of wood fitted to the bottom, instead of wheels 15 old'fashioned, here: with hair on the bottom part of the face which keeps it warm 16 formal: if something such as a rule or condition obtains, it exists, is used or is accepted 17 literary, unusual: not usual for a particular person or thing and therefore unexpected

To Build a Fire | 25

expecting him to go into cam p or to seek shelter som ewhere and build a fire. T h e dog had learned fire, and it w anted fire, or else to burrow under the snow and cuddle its warm th away from the air. T h e frozen m oisture of its breathing had settled on its fur in a fine powder of frost, and especially were its jowls, muzzle, and eyelashes w hitened by its crystalled breath. T h e m an’s red beard and m oustache were likewise frosted, but more solidly, the deposit taking the form of ice and increasing with every warm, m oist breath he exhaled. A lso, the m an was chewing tobacco, and the muzzle of ice held his lips so rigidly th at he was unable to clear his ch in w hen he expelled18 the juice. T h e result was that a crystal beard o f the colour and solidity o f am ber19 was increasing its length on his chin. If he fell down it would shatter itself, like glass, into brittle fragm ents. But he did n ot m ind the appendage20. It was the penalty all tobacco-chew ers paid in that country, and he had been out before in two cold snaps. T h ey had not been so cold as this, he knew, but by the spirit therm om eter at S ixty M ile he knew they had been registered at fifty below and at fifty-five. H e held on through the level stretch o f woods for several miles, crossed a wide flat o f nigger-heads21, and dropped down a bank to the frozen bed o f a sm all stream . T h is was H enderson C reek, and he knew he was ten m iles from the forks. H e looked a t his watch. It was ten o ’clock. H e was m aking four m iles an hour, and he calculated th at he would arrive at the forks at h alf­ past twelve. H e decided to celebrate that event by eating his lunch there. T h e dog dropped in again at his heels, with a tail drooping discouragem ent, as the m an swung along the creek-bed. T he fu rrow o f the old sled-trail was plainly visible, but a dozen inches o f snow covered the marks o f the last runners. In a m onth no m an h ad com e up or down that silent creek. T h e m an held 18 formal: from the verb ‘expel’- to force something out of a container or someone’s body 19 a hard yellow-brown substance used for making jewellery 20 formal: something that is joined to something larger or more important, for example a small part of your body such as a hand or foot 21 out of use, offensive connotations: rocks or boulders

26 ( To Build a Fire

steadily on. H e was n ot m uch given to thinking, and ju st then particularly he had n othing to think about save that he would eat lunch at the forks and th at at six o ’clock he would be in cam p with the boys. T here was nobody to talk to and, had there been, speech would have been im possible because o f the icemuzzle on his m outh. S o he continued m on oton ously to chew tobacco and to increase the length o f his am ber beard. O n ce in a while the thought reiterated itself that it was very cold and th at he had never experienced such cold. A s he walked along he rubbed his cheek-bones and nose with the back o f his m ittened hand. He did this autom atically, now and again changing hands. But rub as he would, the instant he stopped his cheek-bones went numb, and the following instant the end of his nose went numb. He was sure to frost his cheeks; he knew that, and experienced a pang o f regret th at he had n ot devised a nose-strap o f the sort Bud22 wore in cold snaps. Su ch a strap passed across the cheeks, as well, and saved them . But it didn ’t m atter m uch, after all. W hat were frosted cheeks? A bit painful, th at was all; they were never serious. Em pty as the m an’s m ind was of thoughts, he was keenly observant, and he noticed the changes in the creek, the curves and bends and timber-jam s, and always he sharply noted where he placed his feet. O nce, com ing around a bend, he shied abruptly, like a startled horse, curved away from the place where he had been walking, and retreated several paces back along the trail. T h e creek he knew was frozen clear to the bottom - no creek could con tain water in that arctic winter - but he knew also that there were springs that bubbled out from the hillsides and ran along under the snow and on top the ice o f the creek. H e knew th at the coldest snaps never froze these springs, and he knew likewise their danger. T hey were traps23. T hey hid pools of water under the snow th at m ight be three inches deep, or three feet. Som etim es a skin o f ice h alf an inch thick covered them , and in turn was covered by the snow. Som etim es there were alternate layers o f water and ice-skin, so th at when one broke 22 not clear who this refers to; probably a friend of the man 23 here: hidden dangers

To Build a Fire | 27

through he kept on breaking through for a while, som etim es w etting him self to the waist. T h a t was why he had shied in such panic. H e had felt the give under his feet and heard the crackle of a snow-hidden ice-skin. A n d to get his feet wet in such a tem perature m eant trouble and danger. A t the very least it m eant delay, for he would be forced to stop and build a fire, and under its protection to bare his feet while he dried his socks and m occasins. H e stood and studied the creek-bed and its banks, and decided that the flow of water cam e from the right. H e reflected awhile, rubbing his nose and cheeks, then skirted to the left, stepping gingerly and testing the footin g for each step. O n ce clear o f the danger, he took a fresh chew o f tobacco and swung along at his four-mile gait24. In the course o f the n ext two hours he cam e upon several sim ilar traps. U sually the snow above the h idden pools had a sunken, candied appearance th at advertised the danger. O n ce again, however, he had a close call; and once, suspecting danger, he com pelled the dog to go on in front. T h e dog did not want to go. It hung back until the m an shoved it forward, and then it went quickly across the white, unbroken surface. Suddenly it broke through, floundered to one side, and got away to firmer footing. It had wet its forefeet and legs, and alm ost im m ediately the water that clun g to it turned to ice. It m ade quick efforts to lick the ice off its legs, then dropped down in the snow and began to bite out the ice tf^at had formed betw een the toes. T h is was a m atter of instinct. To perm it the ice to rem ain would m ean sore feet. It did n ot know this. It merely obeyed the mysterious prom pting th at arose from the deep crypts o f its being25. But the m an knew, having achieved a judgm ent on the subject, and he rem oved the m itten from his right hand and helped tear out the ice particles. H e did n ot expose his fingers more th an a m inute, and was aston ish ed at the swift num bness that sm ote26 them . It certainly was cold. H e pulled on the m itten hastily, and beat the hand savagely across his chest. 24 formal: the way that someone walks 25 mainly literary: the deepest and most essential part of someone’s individual character 26 old-fashioned: from the verb ‘smite’ - to hit someone or something very hard

28 | To Build a Fire

A t twelve o ’clock the day was at its brightest. Yet the sun was too far south on its winter journey to clear the horizon. T h e b u lg e o f the earth intervened between it and H enderson Creek, where the m an walked under a clear sky at noon and cast no shadow. A t half-past twelve, to the m inute, he arrived at the forks o f the creek. H e was pleased at the speed he had made. If he kept it up, he would certainly be with the boys by six. H e unbuttoned his jack et and shirt and drew forth27 his lunch. T h e action consum ed no more than a quarter of a m inute, yet in th at brief m om ent the num bness laid hold o f the exposed fingers. H e did not put the m itten on, but, instead, struck the fingers a dozen sharp sm ashes against his leg. T h en he sat down on a snow-covered log to eat. T h e sting that followed upon the striking o f his fingers against his leg c e a se d so quickly that he was startled, he had had no chance to take a bite o f biscuit. H e struck the fingers repeatedly and returned them to the m itten, baring the other hand for the purpose of eating. H e tried to take a m outhful, but the ice-muzzle prevented. H e had forgotten to build a fire and thaw out. H e c h u c k le d at his foolishness, and as he chuckled he noted the num bness cre e p in g into the exposed fingers. A lso, he noted that the stinging w hich had first com e to his toes when he sat down was already passing away. H e wondered w hether the toes were warm or num bed. H e moved them inside the m occasins and decided that they were num bed. H e pulled the m itten on hurriedly and stood up. H e was a bit frightened. H e stam ped up and down until the stinging returned into the feet. It certainly was cold, was his thought. T h at m an from Sulphur C reek had spoken the truth when telling how cold it som etim es got in the country. A n d he had laughed at him at the time! T h a t showed one must n ot be too sure of things. T here was no m istake about it, it was cold. H e strode up and down, stam ping his feet and threshing28 his arms, until reassured by the returning warmth. T h en he got out m atches and proceeded to m ake a fire. From the u n d erg ro w th , where high water o f the previous spring had lo d ged a supply o f seasoned twigs, he got his 27 literary: forwards or out 28 from the verb ‘thresh’ - to separate the grain from the rest of a crop such as wheat using a tool or a machine; here, beating or waving vigorously

To Build a Fire | 29

firewood. W orking carefully from a sm all beginning, he soon had a roaring fire, over w hich he thawed the ice from his face and in the protection o f which he ate his biscuits. For the m om ent the cold o f space was outw itted. T h e dog took satisfaction in the fire, stretching out close enough for warmth and far enough away to escape being singed. W hen the m an h ad finished, he filled his pipe and took his com fortable tim e over a smoke. T h en he pulled on his m ittens, settled the ear-flaps o f his cap firmly about his ears, and took the creek trail up the left fork. T h e dog was disappointed and yearned29 back toward the fire. T h is m an did n ot know cold. Possibly all the generations o f his an cestry had been ignorant o f cold, o f real cold, o f cold one hundred and seven degrees below freezing-point. But the dog knew; all its ancestry knew, and it had inherited the knowledge. A n d it knew that it was not good to walk abroad in such fearful cold. It was the tim e to lie snug in a hole in the snow and wait for a curtain o f cloud to be drawn across the face o f outer space whence30 this cold cam e. O n the other hand, there was keen intim acy between the dog and the m an. T h e one was the toil-slave31 o f the other, and the only caresses it h ad ever received were the caresses o f the w hip­ lash32 and o f harsh and m enacing throat-sounds th at threatened the whip-lash. S o the dog m ade no effort to com m unicate its apprehension to the m an. It was n ot concerned in the w elfare o f the m an; it was for ijs own sake that it yearned back toward the fire. But the m an w histled, and spoke to it with the sound o f whip-lashes, and the dog swung in at the m an ’s heels and followed after. T h e m an took a chew o f tobacco and proceeded to start a new am ber beard. A lso, his m oist breath quickly powdered with 29

literary: from the verb ‘yearn’ - to want something a lot, especially something that you know you may not be able to have; here, poetic use, used as a verb of movement 30 literary, old-fashioned: ‘from where’ 31 literary: someone who is forced to do difficult and tiring work, especially physical work, for no reward 32 a hit from a long, thin piece of leather

30 | To Build a Fire

white his m oustache, eyebrows, and lashes33. T here did not seem to be so m any springs on the left fork o f the H enderson, and for h alf an hour the m an saw no signs o f any. A n d then it happened. A t a place where there were no signs, where the soft, unbroken snow seem ed to advertise solidity beneath, the m an broke through. It was n ot deep. H e w etted h im self half-way to the knees before he floundered out to the firm crust. H e was angry, and cursed his luck aloud. H e had hoped to get into cam p with the boys at six o ’clock, and this would delay him an hour, for he would have to build a fire and dry out his foot­ gear. T h is was im perative at th at low tem perature - he knew that m uch; and he turned aside to the bank, w hich he clim bed. O n top, tangled in the underbrush about the trunks o f several sm all spruce trees, was a high-water deposit o f dry firewood sticks and twigs principally, but also larger portions o f seasoned branches and fine, dry, last-year’s grasses. H e threw down several large pieces on top o f the snow. T h is served for a foundation and prevented the young flame from drowning itself in the snow it otherwise would m elt. T h e flame he got by touching a m atch to a sm all shred o f birch-bark that he took from his pocket. T h is burned even more readily than paper. Placing it on the foundation, he fed the young flame with wisps o f dry grass and with the tiniest dry twigs. H e worked slowly and carefully, keenly aware o f his danger. Gradually, as the flame grew stronger, he increased the size of the twigs with w hich he fed it. H e squatted in the snow, pulling the twigs out from their entanglem ent in the brush34 and feeding directly to the flame. H e knew there must be no failure. W hen it is seventy-five below zero, a m an must n ot fail in his first attem pt to build a fire - that is, if his feet are wet. If his feet are dry, and he fails, he can run along the trail for h alf a m ile and restore his circulation. But the circulation o f wet and freezing feet can n ot be restored by running when it is seventy-five below. N o m atter how fast he runs, the wet feet will freeze the harder. 3.3 literary abbreviation: eyelashes 34 mainly L/S: an area of land with small trees and bushes growing on it

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A ll this the m an knew. T h e old-tim er55 on Sulphur C reek had told him about it the previous fall36, and now he was appreciating the advice. A lready all sensation had gone out o f his feet. To build the fire he had been forced to rem ove his m ittens, and the fingers had quickly gone numb. H is pace o f four m iles an hour had kept his heart pum ping blood to the surface of his body and to all the extrem ities37. But the instant he stopped, the action of the pum p eased down. T h e cold o f space sm ote the unprotected tip o f the planet, and he, being on that unprotected tip, received the full force o f the blow. T h e blood o f his body recoiled before it. T h e blood was alive, like the dog, and like the dog it wanted to hide away and cover itself up from the fearful cold. S o long as he walked four m iles an hour, he pum ped that blood, w illynilly, to the surface; but now it ebbed aw ay and sank down into the recesses o f his body. T h e extrem ities were the first to feel its absence. H is wet feet froze the faster, and his exposed fingers num bed the faster, though they had n ot yet begun to freeze. N ose and cheeks were already freezing, while the skin o f all his body chilled as it lost its blood. But he was safe. Toes and nose and cheeks would be only touched by the frost, for the fire was beginning to burn with strength. H e was feeding it with twigs the size o f his finger. In another m inute he would be able to feed it with branches the size of his wrist, and then he could rem ove his wet foot-gear, and, while it dried, he could keep his naked feet warm by the fire, rubbing them at first, o f course, with snow. T h e fire was a success. H e was safe. H e remembered the advice o f the old-tim er on Sulphur Creek, and smiled. T h e old-tim er h ad been very serious in laying dow n the law th at no m an must travel alone in the Klondike after fifty below. W ell, here he was; he had had the accident; he was alone; and he had saved him self. T h o se oldtimers were rather w om anish, som e o f them , he thought. A ll a 35 US, slang: an old man 36 l/S: in British English, autumn - the season between summer and winter 37 formal: parts of your body that are furthest from the main part, for example lingers or toes

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man had to do was to keep his head, and he was all right. A ny m an who was a m an could travel alone. But it was surprising, the rapidity w ith w hich his cheeks and nose were freezing. A n d he had n ot thought his fingers could go lifeless in so short a time. Lifeless they were, for he could scarcely m ake them m ove together to grip a twig, and they seem ed remote from h is body and from him . W hen he touched a twig, he had to look and see w hether or n ot he had hold o f it. T h e wires were pretty well down between him and his finger-ends. A ll o f which counted for little. T here was the fire, snapping and crackling and prom ising life with every dancing flame. He started to untie his m occasins. T hey were coated with ice; the thick G erm an socks were like sheaths o f iron half-way to the knees; and the m occasin strings were like rods o f steel all twisted and knotted as by some conflagration38. For a m om ent he tu gged with his num bed fingers, then, realizing the folly39 of it, he drew his sheath-knife. But before he could cut the strings, it happened. It was his own fault or, rather, his m istake. H e should n ot have built the fire under the spruce tree. H e should have built it in the open. But it had been easier to pull the twigs from the brush and drop them directly on the fire. N ow the tree under which he had done this carried a weight of snow on its boughs40. N o wind had blown for weeks, and each bough was fully freighted. Each tim e he had pulled a twig he had com m unicated a slight agitation to the tree - an im perceptible agitation, so far as he was concerned, but an agitation su ffic ie n t to bring about the disaster. H igh up in the tree one bough c ap siz ed its load o f snow. T h is fell on the boughs beneath, capsizing them . T h is process continued, spreading out and involving the whole tree. It grew like an a v a la n c h e , and it d e sc e n d ed w ithout warning upon the m an and the fire, and the fire was blotted out! W here it had burned was a m antle o f fresh and disordered snow. 38 formal: a very large fire that causes a lot of damage 39 formal: a way of thinking or behaving that is stupid and careless, and likely to have bad results 40 mainly literary: big branches on a tree

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T h e m an was shocked. It was as though he had just heard his own sentence o f death. For a m om ent he sat and stared at the spot where the fire had been. T h e n he grew very calm . Perhaps the old-tim er on Sulphur C reek was right. If he had only had a trail-m ate he would have been in no danger now. T h e trail-m ate could have built the fire. W ell, it was up to him to build the fire over again, and this second tim e there must be n o failure. Even if he succeeded, he would m ost likely lose som e toes. H is feet m ust be badly frozen by now, and there would be som e time before the second fire was ready. Su ch were his thoughts, but he did not sit and think them. H e was busy all the time they were passing through his m ind, he m ade a new foundation for a fire, this tim e in the open; where n o treacherous tree could blot it out. N ex t, he gathered dry grasses and tiny twigs from the high-water flotsam 41. H e could n ot bring his fingers together to pull them out, but he was able to gather them by the handful. In this way he got many rotten twigs and bits o f green moss th at were undesirable, but it was the best he could do. H e worked m ethodically, even collecting an armful o f the larger branches to be used later when the fire gathered strength. A n d all the while the dog sat and watched him , a certain yearning w istfu ln ess in its eyes, for it looked upon him as the fire-provider, and the fire was slow in com ing. W hen all was ready, the m an reached in his pocket for a second piece o f birch-Sark. H e knew the bark was there, and, though he could not feel it with his fingers, he could hear its crisp rustling as he fumbled for it. Try as he would, he could not clutch hold o f it. A n d all the time, in his consciousness, was the knowledge that each instant his feet were freezing. T h is thought tended to put him in a panic, but he fought against it and kept calm . H e pulled on his m ittens with his teeth, and threshed his arms back and forth, beating his hands with all his m ight against his sides. He did this sitting down, and he stood up to do it; and all the while the dog sat in the snow, its wolf-brush o f a tail curled around warmly over its forefeet, its sharp wolf-ears 41 things that you find floating in the sea or lying on the beach, especially parts of a ship that has sunk

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pricked forward intently as it w atched the m an. A n d the m an as he beat and threshed with his arms and hands, felt a great surge o f envy as he regarded the creature th at was warm and secure in its natural covering. A fter a tim e he was aware o f the first far-away signals of sensation in his beaten fingers. T h e faint tingling grew stronger till it evolved into a stinging ache th at was excruciating, but which the m an hailed with satisfaction. H e stripped the m itten from his right hand and fetched forth the birch-bark. T he exposed fingers were quickly going num b again. N e x t he brought out his bunch o f sulphur m atches. But the trem endous cold had already driven the life out o f his fingers. In his effort to separate one m atch from the others, the whole bunch fell in the snow. He tried to pick it out o f the snow, but failed. T h e dead fingers could neither touch nor clutch. H e was very careful. H e drove the thought o f his freezing feet; and nose, and cheeks, out of his m ind, devoting his whole soul to the m atches. H e watched, using the sense o f vision in place o f that o f touch, and when he saw his fingers on each side the bunch, he closed them - th at is, he willed to close them , for the wires were drawn, and the fingers did not obey. H e pulled the m itten on the right hand, and beat it fiercely against his knee. T h en , w ith both m ittened hands, he scooped the bunch o f m atches, along with m uch snow, into his lap. Yet he was no better off. A fter some m anipulation he m anaged to get the bunch between the heels o f his m ittened hands. In this fashion he carried it to his m outh. T h e ice crackled and snapped when by a violent effort he opened his m outh. H e drew the lower jaw in, curled the upper lip out o f the way, and scraped the bunch with his upper teeth in order to separate a m atch. H e succeeded in getting one, w hich he dropped on his lap. H e was no better off. H e could n ot pick it up. T h e n he devised a way. H e picked it up in his teeth and scratched it on his leg. Twenty tim es he scratched before he succeeded in lighting it. A s it flam ed he held it with his teeth to the birch-bark. But the burning brim stone42 42 archaic: an old word meaning ‘sulphur’

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went up his nostrils and into his lungs, causing him to cough spasm odically. T h e m atch fell into the snow and went out. T h e old-tim er on Sulphur C reek was right, he thought in the m om ent o f controlled despair that ensued: after fifty below, a m an should travel with a partner. H e beat his hands, but failed in excitin g any sensation. Suddenly he bared both hands, rem oving the m ittens with his teeth. He caught the w hole bunch between the heels o f his hands. His arm-muscles n ot being frozen enabled him to press the hand-heels tightly against the m atches. T h e n he scratched the bunch along his leg. It flared into flame, seventy sulphur m atches at once! T here was no wind to blow them out. H e kept his head to one side to escape the strangling fumes, and held the blazing bunch to the birch-bark. A s he so held it, he becam e aware o f sensation in his hand. H is flesh was burning. H e could smell it. D eep down below the surface he could feel it. T h e sensation developed into pain that grew acute. A n d still he endured it, holding the flame of the m atches clumsily to the bark that would n ot light readily because his own burning hands were in the way, absorbing m ost o f the flame. A t last, when he could endure no more, he je rk e d his hands apart. T h e blazing m atches fell sizzling into the snow, but the birch-bark was alight. H e began laying dry grasses and the tiniest twigs on the flame. H e could n ot pick and choose, for he had to lift the fuel between th e heels o f his hands. Sm all pieces of rotten wood and green moss clung to the twigs, and he bit them off as well as he could with his teeth. H e cherished43 the flame carefully and awkwardly. It m eant life, and it must not perish. T h e withdrawal of blood from the surface o f his body now made him begin to shiver, and he grew more awkward. A large piece o f green moss fell squarely on the little fire. H e tried to poke it out with his fingers, but his shivering frame m ade him poke too far, and he disrupted the n u cleu s o f the little fire, the burning grasses and tiny twigs separating and scattering. H e tried to poke them together again, but in spite o f the tenseness o f the effort, 43 mainly literary: felt it was very important and wished to keep it

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his shivering got away with him , and the twigs were hopelessly scattered. Each twig gushed a puff of sm oke and went out. T h e fire-provider had failed. A s he looked apath etically about him , his eyes chanced on the dog, sitting across the ruins o f the fire from him , in the snow, m aking restless, hunching m ovem ents, slightly lifting one forefoot and then the other, shifting its weight back and forth on them with wistful eagerness. T h e sight o f the dog put a wild idea into his head. He remembered the tale of the m an, caught in a blizzard, who killed a steer44 and crawled inside the carcass, and so was saved. H e would kill the dog and bury his hands in the warm body until the num bness went out o f them. T h en he could build another fire. H e spoke to the dog, calling it to him ; but in his voice was a strange note o f fear that frightened the anim al, who had never known the m an to speak in such way before. Som ethin g was the matter, and its suspicious nature sensed danger - it knew n ot w hat danger but somewhere, somehow, in its brain arose an apprehension o f the m an. It flattened its ears down at the sound o f the m an ’s voice, and its restless, hunching m ovem ents and the liftings and shiftings o f its forefeet becam e more pronounced but it would n ot com e to the m an. H e got on his hands and knees and crawled toward the dog. T h is unusual posture again excited suspicion, and the anim al sidled m incingly away. T h e m an sat up in the snow for a m om ent and struggled for calm ness. T h e n he pulled on his m ittens, by m eans of his teeth, and got upon his feet. H e glanced down at first in order to assure him self that he was really standing up, for the absence o f sensation in his feet left him unrelated to the earth. His erect position in itself started to drive the webs o f suspicion from the dog’s mind; and w hen he spoke peremptorily, with the sound of whip-lashes in his voice, the dog rendered its cu stom ary allegiance45 and cam e to him . A s it cam e w ithin reaching distance, the m an lost his control. H is arms flashed out to the dog, and he experienced genuine surprise w hen he discovered that his hands could not clutch, that there was neither bend 44 a young male cow that has had its sex organs removed 45 here: did as it was told, was loyal, as usual

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nor feeling in the fingers. H e had forgotten for the m om ent that they were frozen and th at they were freezing more and more. A ll this happened quickly, and before the anim al could get away, he encircled its body with his arms. H e sat down in the snow, and in this fashion held the dog, while it snarled and w hined and struggled. But it was all he could do, hold its body encircled in his arms and sit there. H e realized that he could n ot kill the dog. T h ere was no way to do it. W ith his helpless hands h e could neither draw nor hold his sheath-knife nor th rottle the anim al. H e released it, and it plunged wildly away, with tail between its legs, and still snarling. It h alted forty feet away and surveyed him curiously, w ith ears sharply pricked forward. T h e m an looked down at his hands in order to locate them , and found them hanging on the ends of his arms. It struck h im as curious th at one should have to use his eyes in order to find out where his hands were. H e began threshing his arms back and forth, beating the m ittened hands against his sides. H e did this for five m inutes, violently, and his h eart pum ped enough blood up to the surface to put a stop to his shivering. But no sensation was aroused in the hands. H e h ad an im pression th at they hung like w eights on the ends of his arms, but w hen he tried to run the im pression down, he could n ot find it. A certain fear of death, dull and oppressive, cam e to him. T h is fear quickly becarrfe poignant as he realized th at it was no longer a mere m atter o f freezing his fingers and toes, or o f losing his hands and feet, but th at it was a m atter o f life and death with the chances against him . T h is threw him into a panic, and he turned and ran up the creek-bed along the old, dim trail. T h e dog join ed in behind and kept up with him. H e ran blindly, w ithout intention, in fear such as he had never known in his life. Slowly, as he ploughed and floundered through the snow, he began to see things again - the banks o f the creek, the old timber-jam s, the leafless aspens46, and the sky. T he running m ade him feel better. H e did n ot shiver. M aybe, if he ran on, his 46 tall, thin trees that grow in North America and Europe and have leaves that make a noise as they rub against each other in the wind

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feet would thaw out; and, anyway, if he ran far enough, he would reach cam p and the boys. W ithout doubt he would lose some fingers and toes and som e o f his face; but the boys would take care o f him , and save the rest of h im when he got there. A n d at the sam e tim e there was another thought in his m ind th at said he would never get to th e cam p and the boys; th at it was too many m iles away, that the freezing h ad too great a start on him , and that he would soon be stiff and dead. T h is thought he kept in the background and refused to consider. Som etim es it pushed itself forward and dem anded to be heard, but he thrust it back and strove to think o f other things. It struck him as curious that he could run at all on feet so frozen th at he could n ot feel them w hen they struck the earth and took the w eight o f his body. H e seem ed to him self to skim along above the surface and to h ave no con nection w ith the earth. Som ew here he had once seen a winged M ercury47, and he wondered if M ercury felt as he felt when skim m ing over the earth. H is theory o f running until he reached cam p and the boys had one flaw in it: he lacked the endurance. Several times he stum bled, an d finally he tottered, crum pled up, and fell. W hen he tried to rise, he failed. H e m ust sit and rest, he decided, and n ext tim e he would merely walk and keep on going. A s he sat and regained his breath, he noted th at he was feeling quite warm and com fortable. H e was n ot shivering, and it even seem ed th at a warm glow had com e to his chest and trunk48. A n d yet, w hen he touched his nose or cheeks, there was n o sensation. R unning would n ot thaw them out. N o r would it thaw out his hands and feet. T h e n the thought cam e to him that the frozen portions o f his body must be extending. H e tried to keep this thought down, to forget it, to th ink o f som ething else; he was aware o f the panicky feeling that it caused, and he was afraid o f the panic. But the thought asserted itself, and persisted, until it 47 a reference to the Greek god Mercury, who was a messenger with wings on his hack who made quick and erratic journeys from one place to another 48 here: the part of your body between your waist and your head, not including your arms

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produced a vision o f his body totally frozen. T h is was too much, and he m ade another wild run along the trail. O n ce he slowed down to a walk, but the thought o f the freezing extending itself m ade him run again. A n d all the tim e the dog ran with him , at his heels. W hen he fell down a second time, it curled its tail over its forefeet and sat in front o f him facing him curiously eager and intent. T h e warmth and security o f the anim al angered him, and he cursed it till it flattened down its ears appeasingly. T h is time the shivering cam e more quickly upon the m an. H e was losing in his battle with the frost. It was creeping into his body from all sides. T h e thought of it drove him on, but he ran no more than a hundred feet, when he staggered and pitched headlong. It was his last panic. W hen he had recovered his breath and control, he sat up and entertained in his m ind the conception of m eeting death with dignity. However, the conception did not com e to him in such terms. His idea o f it was that he had been m aking a fool o f him self, running around like a chicken with its h ead cut off - such was the sim ile that occurred to him . W ell, he was bound to freeze anyway, and he m ight as well take it decently. W ith this new­ found peace o f mind cam e the first glim m erings o f drow sin ess. A good idea, he thought, to sleep off to death. It was like taking an anaesthetic, freezing was n ot so bad as people thought. T here were lots worse ways to die. H e pictured the boys finding his body n ext day. Suddenly he found h im self with them, com ing along the trail and looking for himself. A n d, still with them , he cam e around a turn in the trail and found him self lying in the snow. H e did n ot belong with h im self any more, for even then he was out o f himself, standing with the boys and looking at h im self in the snow. It certainly was cold, was his thought. W hen he got back to the States he could tell the folks what real cold was. He drifted on from this to a vision o f the old-tim er on Sulphur Creek. H e could see him quite clearly, warm and com fortable, and sm oking a pipe.

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“You were right, old hoss49; you were right,” the m an mum bled to the old-tim er o f Sulphur Creek. T h en the m an drowsed off into what seem ed to him the m ost com fortable and satisfying sleep he had ever known. T h e dog sat facing him and w aiting. T h e brief day drew to a close in a long, slow tw ilight. T here were no signs o f a fire to be m ade, and, besides, never in the dog’s experience had it known a m an to sit like th at in the snow and m ake no fire. A s the tw ilight drew on, its eager yearning for the fire m astered it, and with a great lifting and shifting o f forefeet, it whined softly, then flattened its ears down in an ticipation o f being chidden50 by the m an. But the m an rem ained silent. Later, the dog whined loudly. A n d still later it crept close to the m an and caught the scent o f death. T h is m ade the anim al bristle and back away. A little longer it delayed, how ling under the stars that leaped and danced and shone brightly in the cold sky. T h e n it turned and trotted up the trail in the direction o f the cam p it knew, where were the other food-providers and fire-providers.

49 US, spoken: horse; here, a derogatory word for the old-timer 50 mainly literary: from the verb ‘chide’ - meaning to criticize someone, or to speak to them in an angry way because you think their behaviour is wrong

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Post-reading activites Understanding the story U se these questions to help you check that you have understood the story. The beginning of the journey W hat kind of day is it? How much snow and ice is there on the river? W hat is the hair-line that the author refers to? How does the man feel about the weather and his safety? How many winters has he spent here? What has he brought to eat and where is he keeping it? What does the dog’s instinct tell it about the cold, and how does it behave? 8 W hat does the author tell us about the man’s beard, and the dog’s face?

1 2 3 4 5 6 7

In Henderson Creek 9 How far is Henderson Creek from the forks? 10 Why is the man so concerned not to get his feet wet? 11 What does the man do for the dog when its foot goes into the water? 12 W hat does the man do to warm up his hand? 13 Why can’t he eat his sandwich? 14 How does he build and light the first fire? Travelling up the left fork 15 W hat does the author tell us about the dog’s instincts about leaving the fire, and about its heritage? 16 What happens to the man after half an hour on the left fork, and what is his initial reaction? 17 What does the author tell us about the man’s blood? 18 What did the old-timer tell the man, and what does the man think about him? 19 What puts out the fire? 20 What parts of his body does the man use to try and light a match? Why doesn’t he use his fingers? 21 Why does the man drop the burning matches? 22 How does he plan to use the dog to survive? Why can’t he do it? 23 What makes the man feel better? 24 What does the dog do? 25 When he finally sits down, what does the man think about? 26 W hat does the dog do? 42 | To Build a Fire

Language study Similes Similes are used to compare one person or thing to another, often very different, person or thing. The comparison focuses on similarities and characteristics that both things or people have in common. Similes are usually introduced with the word like. 1 Look at these similes from the story. A s you read them, try and get an image in your mind. Then fit each one into the correct sentence or phrase (1 -8 ) below. a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h)

like weights on the ends of his arms like a startled horse like taking an anaesthetic like rods of steel like an avalanche like sheaths of iron half-way to the knees like a chicken with its head cut off like the dog, and like the dog it wanted to hide away

1 Once, coming around a bend, he shied abruptly,......................................... 2 The blood was alive,......................................................................................... and cover itself up from the fearful cold. 3 The thick German socks were....................................................................... 4 The moccasin strings were............................................................................. all twisted and knotted as by some conflagration. 5 High up in the tree one bough capsized its load of snow.. .It grew , and it descended without warning upon the man and the fire, and the fire was blotted out! 6 But no sensation was aroused in the hands. He had an impression that they hung................................................................................ .. but when he tried to run the impression down, he could not find it. 7 His idea of it was that he had been making a fool of himself, running around................................................................................. - such was the simile that occurred to him. 8 A good idea, he thought, to sleep off to death. It w as................................. ............................................. Freezing was not so bad as people thought. There were lots worse ways to die.

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2 N ow consider the following questions about the similes in exercise 1. a) What is the subject of each of the similes? For example, in (1) the subject is the horse. b) Which of the similes emphasize the power of the cold? c) Which of the similes give insight into the man’s panic and despair?

Merely The word merely is an adverb which can be used in three ways: 1 merely + noun phrase - to emphasize that something is small or unimportant For example: The job is merely a way to pay my bills, (where it carries the sense of ‘it is a way of paying my bills and nothing more’) The film was merely a vehicle to showcase her acting skills. 2 merely + verb - to emphasize that something is not as bad, severe or important as somebody thinks it is Note: merely is placed between the subject and the verb - when the verb includes an auxiliary, merely sits between the first auxiliary and the rest of the verb phrase. For example: I’m not angry, I'm merely trying to say that you could have done it differently. I didn’t steal it! I merely borrowed it for the d ay... He was merely trying to help you. Examples from the story: To permit the ice to remain would mean sore feet. It did not know this. It merely obeyed the mysterious prompting that arose from the deep crypts of its being. He must sit and rest, he decided, and next time he would merely walk and keep on going. 3 merely + adjective to modify an adjective, when one is being compared to another For example: She is not beautiful, she is merely pleasantdooking. 44 | To Build a Fire

Example from the story: In reality, it was not merely colder than fifty below zero-, it was colder than sixty below, than seventy below. The adverb merely is synonymous with simply, only and just, although it is slightly more formal. 3 Look at the sentences below. Rewrite the sentences, inserting merely in the most appropriate place. 1 It was not the end of the world - it was a minor personal problem. 2 H e’s not a genius; he’s cleverer than you. 3 I wasn’t saying the dog was naughty; I was suggesting she could do with a bit of training. 4 She won’t have to stop going out completely; she will have to study a bit more in the evenings. 5 They are not being naughty - they are children, doing what children do. 6 In the dark of the night, I imagined there was a ghost screaming at my window but it was the wind blowing through the trees. 7 He wasn’t angry or upset; he was exhausted.

4 Look again at the sentences you wrote in exercise 3. Decide which use of merely is shown in each case.

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Literary analysis Plot 1 List the main events in the story. A t what point do you think the man could have made better decisions about his actions? What would those decisions have been? 2 Why did the man not travel with his friends? 3 Why is he ‘travelling light’, without many supplies? What should he have taken with him? 4 W hat methods does the man use to try to keep warm? 5 How many fires does the man build? 6 What would the man have done differently if he had been able to follow the dog’s instincts? 7 W hat do you think is the man’s biggest mistake?

Character 8

What impression do you have of the man? W hat can we tell about his personality from the story? 9 What aspects of the man’s character contribute to his death? 10 Consider the man and the dog. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the two? How does the dog’s behaviour emphasize the man’s weaknesses? What is the relationship between the man and the dog? W hat is their attitude to each other? 11 How does the author use the old-timer to show development in the man’s character? 12 W hat role does the oM-timer play in the development of the story?

Narration 13 From whose point(s) of view do we see the characters and action in the story? How does the author take us into the man’s mind? 14 Consider the many stops on the journey - at Henderson Creek, at the forks, at the place where the dog puts its foot through the ice, at the place where the man falls through the ice, and so on. What does each event tell us about the relevant character? 15 How might the story be different if it were told from the old-timer’s point of view? W hat would he think about the man’s journey and death? 16 How do you feel about the man at the beginning of the story? How do your feelings change as the story continues? How does the author make us sympathetic to the man? 46 | To Build a Fire

Atmosphere 17 The story is set in a vast wilderness, but the reader’s focus is on the man’s growing discomfort and isolation, and the sense that he is trapped and cannot escape. In such a huge open space, how does London convey this increasing sense of claustrophobia? 18 London tells us that the dog ‘experienced a vague but menacing apprehension that subdued it and made it slink along at the man’s heels’. How do the behaviour and reactions of the dog add to the sense of unease and danger? 19 W hat do the man’s thoughts and movements at various points in the story tell us about his growing sense of fear and panic?

Style 20 Look at the following phrases from the opening paragraphs of the story, which describe the weather and terrain. W hat do they suggest to the reader about the setting and the journey that the man is taking? no sun nor hint of sun; intangible pall; subtle gloom that made the day dark; unbroken white; tremendous cold; the strangeness and weirdness of it all 21 Consider the way the man moves at different points of the story: - as he heads away from the main trail at the beginning of the story - when he is walking on thin ice - when he sets off again after he has eaten his sandwich - when he is trying to light the matches after his second fire has been extinguished - when he approaches the dog - when he is running - when he sits down at the end of the story. What do the man’s movements tell us about his character, and his struggle against nature? A t what point do you think the man starts to believe he could die? Guidance to the above literary terms, answer keys to all the exercises and activities, plus a wealth of other reading-practice material, can be found at www. macmillanenplish. com/readers.

To Build a Fire | 47

A Fight with a Cannon by Victor Hugo

About the author T he 19th century French author Victor Hugo was more than a writer to his countrymen - he was a great political figure, whose life, poetry and storytelling captured the romance and drama of the 1848 French Revolution, and defined the character o f a nation fighting for its freedom. Victor Hugo was bom in Besamjon in France in 1802, the youngest of three boys. His father was a high-ranking soldier in N apoleon’s army, an atheist1 and a republican. His mother was a Catholic royalist. His father’s job took Hugo and the family to Spain and Italy, but his parents eventually separated, and Hugo moved back to Paris with his mother when he was still young. She was a key influence on Hugo throughout his childhood, and initially, he shared her passion for religion and royalty. Hugo started writing while he was still at school, and he continued to write while studying for a degree in law. In 1821 Hugo’s mother died, leaving Victor free to marry his childhood sweetheart and secret fiancee, A dele Foucher, the following year. In the same year, 1822, he published his first collection o f poetry, Odes et poesies diverses, which expressed his royalist passions. His first novel, Hans of Iceland, was published in 1823. During his twenties, H ugo’s political views began to change - King Charles X placed restrictions on the freedom of the press, and one of H ugo’s own plays, Marion de Lorme (1829), was banned. Hugo joined a group of liberal-minded writers from the newspaper Le Globe. He expressed controversial views, including opposition to the death penalty in his 1829 novel, The Last Day of a Condemned Man. Hugo continued to publish political pamphlets (thin books usually given free to people), essays, plays and many volumes of poetry, for which he was well known and respected in France. Overseas, he became more well known for his fiction, such as his historical novel The Hunchback of Notre Dame, published in 1831. 1 someone who believes that God does not exist

48 | A Fight with a Cannon

Increasingly committed to political issues, Hugo was elected to the Academ ie Franptise2 in 1841. In 1843, while travelling with his mistress, Juliette, Hugo read of his daughter Leopoldine’s death in a boat accident. She was 19, and her new husband had also died trying to save her. He described his shock, and the devastation he felt at her loss, in many of his later poems. Hugo was filled with sorrow and published nothing for almost ten years. Hugo continued to be active politically, and was committed to fighting social injustice - his campaign against the death penalty influenced the law in his own country and abroad. A fter the Revolution in 1848, he was elected as deputy for Paris in the Constituent Assembly and later the Legislative Assembly (the two government bodies). However, his political views became more left-wing, and following a coup in 1851, Hugo had to leave the country. He lived outside France for many years - first in Belgium, later on the British islands of Jersey and Guernsey, where he wrote a huge percentage of his work and remained until 1870. Although living outside France, he became a symbol of resistance and republicanism to its people. Victor Hugo was a prolific writer, putting pen to paper every day. The tone and content of his work varied, from satirical essays and histories, to political and imaginative poetry, and metaphysical and religious poems, sometimes on an epic scale. His work showed his deep sadness over the death of his daughter, and his struggle to make sense of his purpose and the meaning of life. In 1862 he published the novel Les Miserables, which brought him worldwide fame. T he next decade of his life brought Hugo much sadness - between 1868 and 1873, he lost his wife and both sons, and his daughter, Adele, was placed in a mental health hospital. In 1871, at the age of 69, Hugo returned to Paris, where he lived with Juliette until her death in 1883. Victor Hugo died in 1885, at the age of 83. His body lay in state for the public to view, under the A rc de Triomphe monument in Paris. He was given a state funeral and was buried in the Pantheon3.

2 the French Academy - a body founded to deal with matters relating to the French language 3 a famous building in Paris where the bodies of famous French citizens are buried

A Fight with a Cannon | 49

About the story This story was originally published in 1874 as a chapter from Hugo’s last novel Ninety-Three, about the War in the Vendee, which took place almost a century earlier. The chapter was then republished independently as a short story in itself. T he version in this collection has been translated from the original French into English.

Background information The 1848 French Revolution A revolution is a situation in which people completely change their government or political system, usually by force. During the 19th century, there were several revolutions in Europe. In France, the people were divided between royalists, who supported the monarchy a type of government in which a country is ruled by kings and queens - and republicans, who supported an elected government under the leadership of a president. Hugo’s family was an example of this divide - his father was a republican, his mother a royalist. T he 1848 French Revolution ended the Orleans monarchy, which had been in power for 18 years. Throughout that year there were bloody battles across the country. In December, Louis Napoleon was elected President of the French Second Republic. This story was written 26 years after the 1848 Revolution, but it looks back to events that took place 80 years earlier, in 1793.

La Vendee This story ends with tfie line: ‘La Vendee has a head’. La Vendee is a region on the A tlantic coast in France with great significance in French revolutionary history. In 1793, the villagers (or peasants) of La Vendee protested against the revolutionary government, and they began a violent resistance. This revolt was the subject of Victor Hugo’s last novel, Ninety-Three. T h e chapter which appears in this collection describes an incident on a ship, as it travels from the Channel Islands (Jersey and Guernsey) to France. There is a mysterious passenger on board. T he passenger is the Marquis de Lantenac, an aristocrat4 from Brittany in northern France who is dressed as a peasant. He is on his way to help the rebels in La Vendee. 4 a member o f the ‘aristocracy', the people in the highest class of society, who usually have money, land and power, and who often have special titles

50 | A Fight with a Cannon

T he War in the Vendee was a bloody war in which nearly 100,000 people were killed in three years. T h e people of La Vendee continued their resistance against the revolutionary government, and remained loyal to King Louis XVIII when N apoleon briefly took power in 1815.

Life at sea in the 19th century Life at sea in the 19th century was extremely dangerous. A ll sea voyages were treacherous, and the crew had to deal with bad working and living conditions, poor food supplies, and unpredictable and extreme weather. Death - from sickness, starvation or shipwreck was common. Many ships were owned by merchants, traders whose principal concern was money. T he ships themselves were often badly built and m aintained, and were regularly overloaded to maximize profit, making them vulnerable to sinking. There was no regulator or inspector of the shipping industry and some vessels were in such bad condition that they became known as ‘coffin5 ships’. Hundreds o f boats were wrecked against the British coastline every year. Seam en had few rights - if they refused to go to sea because o f fears about a ship’s safety, they could be sent to prison for up to three months. In such conditions, discipline and organization among the crew were critical to the ships’ safety. If any individual failed to carry out his duties correctly, Tie risked putting the lives o f other seamen in danger. Discipline and hard work were maintained by the threat of severe punishments.

The loose cannon The story tells of a ‘loose cannon’, a carronade which has broken free and is moving dangerously around the ship - it is unpredictable, wild and dangerous. This has become a common idiomatic expression in English to describe someone who has a similar character.

The corvette The action in this story takes place on board a corvette. A corvette was a small fast warship first used by the French N avy in the 17th century. It was similar to the British Navy ship, the ‘sloop of war’. Corvettes were originally very small boats, around 15-20 metres long. However, by the 19th century they were usually larger, at around 30 metres. On average, a corvette carried around 20 smaller guns or cannons on its decks. They were secured by ‘moorings’. 5 a long box in which a dead person is buried

A Fight with a Cannon | 51

Summary It may help you to know som ething about w hat happens in the story before you read it. D on ’t worry, this sum m ary does not tell you how the story ends! C aptain Boisberthelot and Lieutenant la Vieuville’s conversation is interrupted when a cannon breaks loose from its moorings on a battleship, and begins to roll violently across the deck. A s though alive, the heavy cannon hurls itself across the deck o f the ship. A s it flies back and forth, it smashes four other cannons, breaks a mast and damages another, and makes two big holes in the sides o f the boat. T he stormy conditions make the cannon’s movements even more unpredictable. T he crew members try to slow down or stop the cannon by throwing things in front o f it, but nothing they try has any effect. Several seam en are killed when they are crushed under its wheels. A quiet passenger watches the action. T he gun captain who had failed to secure the cannon, and whose negligence therefore caused it to break free, arrives on deck, determined to get the gun under control. Hugo describes the gunner’s attempts to stop the cannon; he tries everything he can to control it, including using a bar and chain to try to restrain it, but the cannon resists every attem pt to capture it. Finally, when the gunner does manage to stop it, the other crew members cheer and ^praise his heroism. But the quiet passenger who has been watching events unfold is revealed as a general - and he gives two orders...

52 | A Fight with a Cannon

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary This section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

The structure of the ship The cannon moves all over the ship at great speed. To help you get an idea o f the danger to the ship and the crew, it is helpful to know about the various parts of the ship. 1 R ead the definitions of nouns relating to the structure of a boat. A s you read them, try to picture where on the boat each of them is located. T h en answ er the questions below. ; vessel a large boat or ship j mast a tall pole that the sails hang from on a ship j deck the outside top part of a ship that you can walk on j mooring ropes or anchor(s) which stop a ship or boat from moving by fastening I it to a fixed place | plank a long narrow piece of wood used for making structures such as floors | keel a long thin piece of wood or metal along the bottom of a boat that helps it | to balance in the water J port the side of a ship or plane that is on your left when you are looking forwards j starboard the right side of a ship, as seen by someone looking forwards stern the back part of a ship j bow the front part of a ship | prow the whole front of a ship or boat

1 W hich word describes the whole boat? 2 W hich words refer to parts of the physical structure of the boat? 3 W hich words describe areas of the boat?

A Fight with a Cannon | 53

Summary It may help you to know something about what happens in the story before you read it. D on ’t worry, this sum mary does not tell you how the story ends! C aptain Boisberthelot and Lieutenant la Vieuville’s conversation is interrupted when a cannon breaks loose from its moorings on a battleship, and begins to roll violently across the deck. A s though alive, the heavy cannon hurls itself across the deck of the ship. As it flies back and forth, it smashes four other cannons, breaks a mast and damages another, and makes two big holes in the sides of the boat. The stormy conditions make the cannon’s movements even more unpredictable. T he crew members try to slow down or stop the cannon by throwing things in front of it, but nothing they try has any effect. Several seamen are killed when they are crushed under its wheels. A quiet passenger watches the action. T he gun captain who had failed to secure the cannon, and whose negligence therefore caused it to break free, arrives on deck, determined to get the gun under control. Hugo describes the gunner’s attempts to stop the cannon; he tries everything he can to control it, including using a bar and chain to try to restrain it, but the cannon resists every attempt to capture it. Finally, when the gunner does manage to stop it, the other crew members cheer and .praise his heroism. But the quiet passenger who has been watching events unfold is revealed as a general - and he gives two orders...

52

| A Fight with a Cannon

Describing the character and violence of the loose cannon Hugo describes the personality and movement of the cannon, as though it were a wild animal engaged in a violent fight. 2 L ook at sentences 1 -8 , which describe the character and m ovem ent of the loose cannon. Replace the w ord(s) in bold with an adjective from the box below, using the definitions to help you. 1 T h e sailors dodged the endless assault of the cannon as it threw itself backwards and forwards across the deck. 2 A t one point, though, the balance of the ship stopped the cannon, and for a moment, it was completely still. 3 Like a hurt animal, the enraged cannon seemed determined to kill. 4 Even when it was captured, the cannon remained an evil and dangerous presence. 5 T h e wild dram atic throws of the cannon were like the desperate breaths of a dying man. 6 N o peace could be made with the furious cannon. 7 A s more men were killed, and more damage done, the men made desperate attempts to stop the cannon by throwing things in its path. 8 The cannon seemed to have been brought to life by some magical power. convulsive making violent movements that are difficult to control ferocious violent and able to cause serious damage or injury frantic done in a very urgent way; so worried or upset that you are not able to control your feelings infuriated made extremely angry with something or someone motionless not moving at all relentless determined, and never stopping your attempts to achieve something sinister threatening to do harm or bad, cruel things supernatural used about things that seem to come from an unknown power and do not have a natural or scientific explanation

54 | A Fight with a Cannon

Wrestling the cannon In the story, we are told1that it was the gun captain’s job to make sure the cannon was secure. Knowing that he is responsible for the cannon breaking loose, he tries to stop it, using things he finds on deck. 3 L ook at the nouns and definitions in the box, then answ er the questions below. battering ram a large heavy wooden or metal post used for breaking through gates and doors battery several large guns or other weapons, used together carronade a cast iron cannon cascabel the lower part of a cannon lash the thin piece of leather forming the main part of a whip lump a solid piece of something that does not have a regular shape screw-nut a small metal object with a hole in the middle that you screw a bolt through in order to fasten things together sling a set of belts and ropes used for supporting something heavy while it is being lifted; a cloth band fixed to a weapon and used for carrying it slip-noose a piece of rope that is formed into a circle at one end, so that if you pull the other end the circle becomes smaller. A noose is used for killing someone by hanging them by the neck thong a very narrow piece of leather used for tying things tiller-rape the rope attached to a long handle at the back o f a boat that is used for controlling the direction that the boat moves in

1 2 3 4 5

W hich word(s) W hich word(s) W hich word(s) W hich word(s) W hich word(s)

are parts of the physical structure of the cannon? are used to describe what the cannon looks like? relate to the ways the gun captain tries to stop it? refer to several objects? are an alternative name for the cannon?

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Describing action - the violent sights and sounds of the story Hugo uses a wide range of different verbs to convey the violent sights and sounds of the cannon as it runs around the ship. 4 L ook at the verbs that H ugo uses to describe the m ovements of the loose cannon, and the sounds it m akes as it hits people and things in its path. T hen divide the verbs into two groups in the table below - those you associate with what you can see (sights), and those you associate with what you can hear (sounds). advance to move forward and towards someone or something assault to attack someone violently bang to hit something hard, making a loud noise crash to hit something hard, making a loud noise and often causing damage crush to hit or press something so hard that you damage it severely or destroy it,

especially by making its shape flatter dodge to avoid someone or something by moving quickly, especially so that

something does not hit you or someone does not see you grind to break something into very small pieces or powder, by using a machine or

by crushing it between two hard surfaces hurl to throw something using a lot o f force; to move your body with speed and force in a particular direction, or to be moved in this way leap to move somewhere suddenly and quickly; to jump into the air or over a long distance rear if a horse rears, it lifts its front legs up into the air retreat to avoid a dangerous or unpleasant situation, especially by moving away from it; to move away from a position because of danger or defeat strike to hit against, or to crash into, someone or something; to hit someone or something with your hand, a to o l^ r a weapon struggle to use your strength to fight against someone or something

Sights

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Sounds

5 L ook at these descriptions of an animal and a battle. C hoose appropriate words from the list in exercise 4 to complete them. T h ink about the form of the verbs you use. a)

The sound of a gun shocked the horse, and it (1). up onto its back legs, then galloped across the field. the men and the other animals, it over the fence and escaped into the

b) The army (4). on the enemy’s position. They were not expecting to be (5). at night. A bloody battle ensued. They (6). to make the most of their surprise attack, but eventually, the enemy was still too strong. again before dawn. They were forced to (7).

Main themes Before you read the story, you may want to think about some of its main themes. The questions will help you think about the story as you are reading it for the first time. There is more discussion of the main themes in the Literary analysis section after the story.

The duel between man and machine This adventure tells the story of a classic struggle between man and machine. The cannon is inanimate - it has no life or emotions - but is described as having a power of its own, intent on causing death and destruction. The story was written at a time of increasing industrialization, when people were losing their jobs to machines in mills, factories and even farms. The story examines to what extent, and in what ways, man is still in control of his world. 6 A s you read the story, ask yourself: a) W hat does this story say about responsibility, particularly when dealing with m odem weapons? b) W hat do you think the rest of the crew would have leam t from the events?

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Courage Courage is a key element o f the adventure story, and o f the adventurer, who must make decisions and judgements quickly and act on them in a useful way, regardless of the dangers to himself. T he gun captain in the story shows great courage as he risks his own life to defend and protect other people on board without panicking. This story presents various aspects o f courage through different characters. 7 A s you read the story, think about these questions: a) A part from courage, what qualities does the gun captain display during the story? b) W hich other characters display courage in the story? In what way?

Resistance T he story’s concluding line ties it to the War in the Vendee o f 1793. We know that Victor Hugo was a strong supporter of republican ideals and lived in exile for many years because of his political views. A s the republicans challenged the old, established powers of royalty and the church, they met fierce and bloody resistance from those who did not want change. In this way, the story can be seen as a statement about the resistance, portraying the cannon as a symbol o f dangerous and reckless rebellion which does not care for the lives it takes and risks, nor the consequences of its rebellion. 8 A s you read the story, consider the following questions: a) In what ways might the battle with the cannon be compared with ‘guerrilla warfare’ ? b) W hat other political statements do you think the story communicates?

Justice T he author makes it very clear that the disaster of the loose cannon and the lives lost and damage done to the ship - is the gun captain’s fault. However, as the story proceeds, the man acts courageously, taking responsibility for the damage and deaths by risking his own life trying to take control o f the cannon. 9 A s you read the story, ask yourself: a) W hat examples o f justice can you find in the story? b) Do you think there is justice at the end o f the story? Why/Why not? 58 | A Fight with a Cannon

A

Fight with a Cannon by Victor Hugo

L a V ieu v ille was su d den ly cu t sh o rt by a cry o f despair, an d at th e sam e tim e a n o ise was h eard w holly u n lik e any o th e r sou n d. T h e cry an d sou n ds cam e from w ith in th e vessel. T h e c ap tain an d lie u te n a n t rushed tow ard the gun -deck but cou ld n o t g e t dow n. A ll th e gu nners w ere p ou rin g up in d ism ay . S o m e th in g terrible h ad ju st h ap p en ed . O n e o f th e carro n ad es o f th e battery, a tw enty-four p o u n d er6, h ad bro k en loose. T h is is th e m o st d an gero u s a c c id e n t th a t c a n p ossibly take p la ce o n sh ipbo ard . N o th in g m ore terrible c a n h ap p e n to a sloop o f w ar in o p e n se a an d un d er full sail. A c a n n o n th at breaks its m oorin gs sud den ly becom es som e stran ge, su p ern atu ral beast. It is a m ac h in e tran sform ed in to a m onster. T h a t sh ort m ass o n w heels m o v es like a b illia rd -b a ll7, rolls w ith th e ro llin g o f th e sh ip, p lu n ges w ith th e p itc h in g , goes, co m es, stop s, seem s to m ed itate, starts o n its course again , sh o o ts lik e a n arrow from o n e en d o f th e v essel to th e other, w hirls aroun d, slip s away, d od ges, rears, ban gs, crash es, kills, ex term in ates. It is a b a tte rin g ram c a p ric io u sly assau ltin g a w all. A d d to th is th e fa c t th a t th e ram is o f m etal, th e w all o f w ood. It is m atter set free; o n e m igh t say, th is etern al slav e w as av e n g in g 8 itself; it seem s as if th e to ta l d ep ravity 9 c o n c e a le d in w hat we c a ll in an im ate th in gs h as escap ed , an d burst forth all o f a su d den ; it ap p ears to lose p atie n c e , an d to tak e a stran g e m ysterious rev en ge; n o th in g m ore relen tless th an th is w rath o f 6 weighing twenty-four pounds 7 billiards is a game played on a special table in which two people use cues (=long sticks) to hit balls into pockets (=holes) at the edge o f the table; in this game the balls move very quickly 8 formal: from the verb ‘avenge’ - to react to something wrong that has been done to you, your family or your friends by punishing the person who did it 9 formal: behaviour that is immoral or evil

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the inanim ate. T h is enraged lump leaps like a panther, it has the clum siness o f an elephant, the n im b le n e ss o f a m ouse, the o b stin a c y o f an ox, the uncertainty o f the billow s10, the zigzag of the lightning, the deafness of the grave. It weighs ten thousand pounds, and it rebounds like a ch ild’s ball. It spins and then abruptly darts off at right angles. A n d w hat is to be done? How put an end to it? A tem pest11 ceases, a cyclone passes over, a wind dies down, a broken m ast can be replaced, a leak can be stopped, a fire extinguished, but w hat will becom e o f this enorm ous brute o f bronze? How can it be captured? You can reason with a bulldog, astonish a bull, fascinate a bo a12, frighten a tiger, tam e a lion; but you h ave no resource against this monster, a loose cannon. You can not kill it, it is dead; and at the sam e tim e it lives. It lives with a sinister life w hich com es to it from the infinite13. T h e deck beneath it gives it full swing. It is m oved by the ship, w hich is m oved by the sea, which is m oved by the wind. T h is destroyer is a toy. T h e ship, the waves, the winds, all play with it, hence its frightful anim ation. W hat is to be done with this a p p a ra tu s ? How fetter14 this stupendous engine o f destruction? How an tic ip a te its com ings and goings, its returns, its stops, its shocks? A n y one o f its blows on the side o f the ship m ay sta v e it in. How foretell15 its frightful m ean d erin g s? It is dealing with a p ro je c tile , which alters its mind, which seem s to h ave ideas, and changes its direction every instant. How check the course o f what must be avoided? T h e horrible can n on struggles, advances, backs, strikes right, strikes left, retreats, passes by, d isc o n c e rts expectation, grinds up obstacles, crushes m en like flies. A ll the terror o f the situation is in the flu c tu a tio n s o f the flooring. How fight an inclined plane subject to caprices? T h e ship has, so to speak, in its belly , an im prisoned thunderstorm , striving to escape; 10 literary: large waves in the sea 11 literary: a severe storm with strong winds and heavy rain 12 abbreviation of ‘boa constrictor’ - a South American snake with a very long thick body that kills animals by wrapping itself around them and squeezing them 13 suggests the cannon is driven by a supernatural or evil power 14 literary: to put chains on a prisoner’s feet 15 mainly literary: to say what will happen in the future

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so m e th in g like a th u n d erb o lt ru m blin g ab o v e a n earth qu ak e. In a n in stan t th e w h ole crew w as on foot. It w as th e fau lt o f th e gu n c ap tain , w ho h ad n eg lected to fa ste n th e screwnu t o f th e m o o rin g-ch ain , an d h ad in securely clo gg ed th e four w heels o f th e gu n carriage; this g av e p lay to th e so le 16 an d the fram ew ork, sep arated th e tw o platform s, an d th e b re e c h in g 17. T h e ta c k le h ad giv en way, so th a t th e c a n n o n w as n o lon ger firm o n its carriage. T h e statio n ary breech in g, w h ich p rev en ts recoil, w as n o t in use a t th is tim e. A h eav y sea struck th e port, th e carro n ad e, in securely fasten ed , h ad reco iled an d bro k en its c h ain , an d b egan it& terrible course o v er th e deck. T o form an id ea o f fh is stran ge slid in g, let o n e im agin e a drop o f w ater ru n n in g fryer a glass. A t th e m o m en t w h en th e fasten in g s gav e way, th e gu nners w ere in th e battery, som e in groups, oth ers scattered abou t, bu sied w ith th e cu stom ary w ork am o n g sailo rs ge ttin g ready for a sig n al for ac tio n . T h e carro n ad e, h u rled forw ard by th e p itc h in g o f th e vessel, m ad e a gap in th is crow d o f m en an d cru sh ed four a t th e first b low ; th en slid in g b a ck a n d sh o t o u t ag a in as th e sh ip rolled, it c u t in tw o a fifth u n fo rtu n ate, an d k n o ck ed a p ie c e o f th e battery ag a in st th e larb o ard 18 side w ith su ch force as to u n sh ip 19 it. T h is cau sed th e cry o f d istr e ss ju st heard. A ll th e m en rush ed to th e com pan io n -w ay 20. T h e g u n -d eck was v acate d in a tw in klin g21. T h e en o rm o us gu n w as left alo n e. It w as g iv en up to itself. It w as its ow n m aster an d m aster o f th e ship. It cou ld d o w hat it p leased. T h is w hole crew, accu sto m ed to lau gh in tim e o f b a ttle , now trem b led . T o d escribe th e terror is im possible. C a p ta in B o isb erth elo t an d L ie u te n a n t la V ieu ville, alth o u g h bo th d au n tless22 m en, stop p ed a t th e h ead o f th e c o m p a n io n ­ 16 rhe bottom part of the foot; here, the bottom of the carriage 17 a rope formerly used to secure the breech (=Iower part) of a cannon to the side of a ship in order to control any recoil (=backward movement after firing) lb obsolete: the left hand side of a ship, now called the ‘port’ side 19 obsolete: sink 20 a stair or ladder within the hull of a vessel; the space occupied by this stair or ladder 21 very quickly; also ‘in the twinkling o f an eye’ 22 mainly literary: never frightened or worried even by very difficult or dangerous things

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way and, dumb, pale, and hesitating, looked down on the deck below. Som eon e elbowed past and went down. It was their passenger, the peasant, the m an o f whom they h ad just been speaking a m om ent before. R each in g the foot o f the companion-way, he stopped. T h e can n on was rushing back and forth on the deck. O n e m ight have supposed it to be the living chariot of the A pocalypse23. T h e m arine lan tern swinging overhead added a dizzy shifting o f light and shade to the picture. T h e form o f the cann on disappeared in the violence of its course, and it looked now black in the light, now mysteriously w hite in the darkness. It went on in its destructive work. It had already shattered four other guns and m ade two gaps in the side o f th e ship, fortunately above the w ater-line24, but where the water would com e in, in case of heavy weather. It rushed frantically against the framework; the strong timbers w ithstood the shock; the curved shape o f the wood gave them great power o f resistance; but they creak ed beneath the blows o f this huge club, beating on all sides at once, with a strange sort o f ubiquity25. T h e p ercu ssion s o f a grain o f shot shaken in a bottle are n ot swifter or more senseless. T h e four wheels passed back and forth over the dead m en, cutting them , carving them, slash in g them , till the five corpses were a score o f stum ps26 rolling across the deck; the heads o f the dead m en seem ed to cry out; stream s of blood curled over the deck with the rolling o f the vessel; the planks, dam aged in several places, began to gape open. T h e whole ship was filled with the horrid noise and confusion. T h e captain prom ptly recovered his presence of m ind and ordered everything th at could check and im pede the can n on ’s mad course to be thrown through the hatchw ay27 down on the 23 a time when the whole world will be destroyed 24 the highest point where water touches the side of a boat - if water goes above this line, the ship is in danger of sinking 25 forma/: the state of being everywhere 26 twenty body parts - a ‘score’ is a group of twenty things, and a ‘stump’ is the remaining part of someone’s arm, leg or finger after the rest is cut off 27 a door cut into the floor or ceiling of a ship, plane or building that people or things can move through

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gun-deck - mattresses, ham m ocks, spare sails, rolls o f cordage28, bags belonging to the crew, and bales o f coun terfeit assignats29, o f which the corvette carried a large quantity - a characteristic piece o f English villainy regarded as legitim ate warfare. But w hat could these rags do? A s nobody dared to go below to dispose of them properly, they were reduced to lint30 in a few m inutes. T here was just sea enough to m ake the acciden t as bad as possible. A tem pest would h ave been desirable, for it m ight have upset the cannon, and with its four wheels once in the air there would be some hope o f getting it under control. M eanw hile, the havoc increased. T here were splits and fractu res in the m asts, w hich are set into the framework o f the keel and rise above the decks o f ships like great, round pillars. T he convulsive blows o f the cannon had cracked the mizzenmast31, an d had cut into the m ainm ast. T h e battery was being ruined. Ten pieces out o f thirty were disabled; the breaches32 in the side o f the vessel were increasing, and the corvette was beginning to leak. T h e old passenger, having gone down to the gun-deck, stood like a m an o f stone at the foot o f the steps. H e cast a stern glance over this scene of devastation. H e did not move. It seem ed im possible to take a step forward. Every m ovem ent of the loose carronade threatened the ship’s destruction. A few m om ents more and shipwreck would be inevitable. T hey m ust perish or put a speedy end to the disaster; some course must be decided on; but what? W hat an opponent was this carronade! Som ethin g must be done to stop this terrible madness - to capture this lightning - to overthrow this thunderbolt. Boisberthelot said to La Vieuville: 28 29 20 21 22

old-fashioned: rope and string paper money issued by the National Assembly in France during the 18th century threads which unravel from a cloth and fibres which rub off from surface the third mast from the front on a ship formal: spaces made in a wall, fence or line of defence, especially during a military attack

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“D o you believe in G o d , chevalier33?” La V ieuville replied: “Yes - no. Som etim es.” “During a tem pest?” “Yes, and in m om ents like this.” “G o d alone can save us from th is,” said Boisberthelot. Everybody was silent, letting the carronade continue its horrible din. O utside, the waves beating against the ship responded with their blows to the shocks of the cannon. It was like two ham m ers alternating. Suddenly, in the m idst34 o f this inaccessible ring, where the escaped can n on was leaping, a m an was seen to appear, with an iron bar in his hand. H e was the author o f the catastrophe, the captain o f the gun, guilty of crim inal carelessness, and the cause of the accident, the m aster of the carronade. H aving done the mischief, he was anxious to repair it. H e had seized the iron bar in one hand, a tiller-rope with a slip-noose in the other, and jum ped down the hatchw ay to the gun-deck. T h en began an awful sight; a titan ic35 scene; the contest betw een gun and gunner; the battle o f m atter and intelligence; the duel between m an and the inanim ate. T h e m an stationed h im self in a com er, and, with bar and rope in his two hands, he leaned against one o f the riders, braced h im self on his legs, which seem ed two steel posts; and livid, calm , tragic, as if rooted to the deck, he waited. H e waited for the cannon to pass by him. T h e gunner knew his gun, and it seem ed to him as if the gun ought to know him. H e had lived long with it. How many times he h ad thrust his h an d into its m outh! It was his own fam iliar monster. H e began to speak to it as if it were his dog. “C o m e !” he said. Perhaps he loved it. H e seem ed to wish it to com e to him. But to com e to him was to com e upon him. A n d then he 33 old-fashioned: a French word meaning ‘horseman’ 34 old-fasioned: middle 35 extremely large, powerful or important

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would be lost. How could he avoid being crushed? T h a t was the question. A ll looked on in terror. N o t a breast breathed freely, unless perhaps that o f the old m an, who was alone in the battery with the two contestants, a stern witness. H e m ight be crushed h im self by the cannon. H e did n ot stir. Beneath them the sea blindly directed the contest. A t the m om ent when the gunner, accepting this frightful hand-to-hand conflict, challenged the cannon, som e chance rocking of the sea caused the carronade to rem ain for an instant m otionless and as if stupefied36. “C om e, n ow !” said the m an. It seem ed to listen. Suddenly it leaped toward him. T h e m an dodged the blow. T h e battle began. Battle unprecedented. Frailty struggling against the invulnerable. T h e gladiator o f flesh attacking the beast o f brass. O n one side, brute force; on the other, a hum an soul. A ll this was taking place in sem i-darkness. It was like the shadowy vision of a m iracle. A soul - strange to say, one would have thought the can non also had a soul; but a soul full of hatred and rage. T h is sightless thing seem ed to have eyes. T h e m onster appeared to lie in wait for the m an. O ne would h ave at least believed that there was craft in this mass. It also chose its time. It was a strange, gigantic insect o f m etal, having or seem ing to have the will of a dem on. For a m om ent this co lo ssal locu st would beat against the low ceiling overhead, then it would com e down on its four wheels like a tiger on its four paws, and begin to run at the man. He, supple, nim ble, expert, w rithed away like an adder from all these lightning m ovem ents. H e avoided a collision, but the blows w hich he parried37 fell against the vessel, and continued their work o f destruction. A n end o f broken chain was left hanging to the carronade. T h is chain had in som e strange way becom e twisted about the screw of the cascabel. O ne end o f the chain was fastened to the 36 extremely surprised or shocked 37 pushed to the side, especially when defending against an attack

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gun-carriage. T h e other, left loose, whirled desperately about the cannon, m aking all its blows more dangerous. T h e screw held it in a firm grip, adding a thong to a batteringram, m aking a terrible whirlwind around the cannon, an iron lash in a brazen38 hand. T h is ch ain com plicated the contest. However, the m an went on fighting. O ccasionally, it was the m an who attacked the cannon; he would creep along the side o f the vessel, bar and rope in hand; and the cannon, as if it understood, and as though suspecting some snare39, would flee away. T h e m an, bent on victory, pursued it. Su ch things can n ot long continue. T h e can non seem ed to say to itself, all o f a sudden, “C om e, now! M ake an end of it!” and it stopped. O n e felt th at the crisis was at hand. T h e cannon, as if in suspense, seem ed to have, or really h ad - for to all it was a living being - a ferocious m alice prepense40. It m ade a sudden, quick dash at the gunner. T h e gunner sprang out of the way, let it pass by, and cried out to it with a laugh, “Try it again !” T h e cannon, as if enraged, sm ashed a carronade on the port side; then, again seized by the invisible sling which controlled it, it was hurled to the starboard side at the m an, who m ade his escape. T hree carronades gave way under the blows o f the cannon; then, as if blind and n ot knowing what more to do, it turned its back on the m an, rolled from stern to bow, injured the stern and m ade a breach in the planking of the prow. T h e m an took refuge at the foot of the steps, n ot far from the old m an who was looking on. T h e gunner held his iron bar in rest. T h e can n on seem ed to notice it, and without taking the trouble to turn around, slid back on the man, swift as the blow o f an axe. T h e m an, driven against the side o f the ship, was lost. T h e whole crew cried out with horror. But the old passenger, till this m om ent m otionless, darted forth more quickly th an any o f this wildly swift rapidity. H e seized a package o f counterfeit assignats, and, at the risk o f being 38 (possibly) made of brass; used about someone’s behaviour that is not moral or socially acceptable 39 literary: a trick that catches someone and keeps them in an unpleasant situation 40 formal, legal: deliberate or planned

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crushed, succeeded in throwing it between the wheels o f the carronade. T h is decisive and perilous m ovem ent could not have been m ade with more exactness and precision by a m an trained in all the exercises described in Durosel s M an u al o f G u n Practice at Sea41. T he package had the effect o f a clog42. A pebble may stop a log, the branch o f a tree turn aside an avalanche. T he carronade stumbled. T he gunner, taking advantage o f this critical opportunity, plunged his iron bar between the spokes o f one o f the hind wheels. T he cannon stopped. It leaned forward. T he man, using the bar as a lever, held it in equilibrium43. T he heavy mass was overthrown, with the crash o f a falling bell, and the man, rushing with all his might, dripping with perspiration, passed the slip-noose around the bronze neck o f the subdued monster. It was ended. T h e m an h ad conquered. T h e an t had control over the m astodon44; the pygmy45 had taken the thunderbolt prisoner. T h e m ariners46 and sailors clapped their hands. T h e whole crew rushed forward with cables and chains, and in an instant the can n on was secured. T h e gunner saluted the passenger. “Sir,” he said, “you h ave saved my life.” T h e old m an had resumed his im passive attitude, and m ade no reply. T h e m an had conquered, but the can n on m ight be said to have conquered as well. Im m ediate shipwreck had been avoided, but the corvette was n ot saved. T h e dam age to the vessel seem ed beyond repair. T h ere were five breaches in her sides, one, very large, in the bow; twenty o f the thirty carronades lay useless in their frames. T h e one w hich h ad just been captured and chained 41 an old text describing how to take care of, and use, guns on a ship 42 a shoe with a wooden sole, especially a shoe that does not cover your heel 43 physics: a state in which an object is not moving in any way, or is moving at the same rate all the time, because there is a balance between any forces affecting it 44 a prehistoric, elephant-like animal 45 a member of a people who are of less than average height 46 mainly literary: sailors

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again was disabled; the screw o f the cascabel was sprung, and consequently leveling the gun m ade im possible. T h e battery was reduced to nine pieces. T h e ship was leaking. It was necessary to repair the dam ages at once, and to work the pumps. T h e gun-deck, now that one could look over it, was frightful to behold47. T h e inside of an infuriated elephant’s cage would n ot be more com pletely dem olished. H ow ever great m ight be the necessity o f escaping observation, the necessity o f im m ediate safety was still more im perative to the corvette. T hey had been obliged to light up the deck with lanterns hung here and there on the sides. However, all the while this tragic play was going on, the crew were absorbed by a question o f life and death, and they were wholly ignorant o f what was taking place outside the vessel. T h e fog had grown thicker; the weather had changed; the wind had worked its pleasure with the ship; they were out o f their course, with Jersey and G uernsey close at hand, further to the south th an they ought to h ave been, and in the m idst of a heavy sea. G reat billows kissed the gaping wounds of the vessel - kisses full o f danger. T h e rocking o f the sea threatened destruction. T h e breeze had becom e a gale. A squall, a tem pest, perhaps, was brewing. It was im possible to see four waves ahead. W hile the crew were hastily repairing the dam ages to the gun-deck, stopping the leaks, and putting in place the guns w hich had been uninjured in the disaster, the old passenger had gone on deck again. H e stood with his back against the m ainmast. H e had n ot noticed a proceeding which had taken place on the vessel. T h e C h evalier de la V ieuville had drawn up the mariners in line on both sides o f the m ainm ast, and at the sound o f the boatsw ain’s48 whistle the sailors formed in line, standing on the yards49. T h e C o u n t de Boisberthelot approached the passenger. 47 literary: to see 48 pronounced ‘bo’sun’: an officer on a ship whose job is to look after the ship’s equipment 49 Kere: probably means the yards of deck

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Behind the captain walked a m an, haggard, out o f breath, his dress disordered, but still with a look o f satisfaction on his face. It was the gunner who had just shown him self so skilful in subduing m onsters, and w ho h ad gained the m astery over the cannon. T h e count gave the m ilitary salute to the old m an in peasant’s dress, and said to him : “G eneral, there is the m an.” T h e gunner rem ained standing, with dow ncast eyes, in m ilitary attitude. T he C o u n t de Boisberthelot continued: “G eneral, in consideration o f w hat this m an has done, do you not think there is som ething due him from his com m ander?” “I think so,” said the old man. “Please give your orders,” replied Boisberthelot. “It is for you to give them , you are the captain .” “But you are the general,” replied Boisberthelot. T h e old m an looked at the gunner. “C o m e forward,” he said. T h e gunner approached. T h e old m an turned toward the C o u n t de Boisberthelot, took off the cross o f Saint-Louis50 from the cap tain ’s co at and fastened it on the gunner’s jacket. “H urrah !” cried the sailors. T h e mariners presented arms. A n d the old passenger, pointing to the dazzled gunner, added: “Now, h ave this m an sh o t.” Dismay succeeded the cheering. T h e n in the m idst o f the death-like stillness, the old m an raised his voice and said: “C arelessness has com prom ised this vessel. A t this very hour it is perhaps lost. To be at sea is to be in front o f the enemy. A ship m aking a voyage is an army waging war. T h e tem pest is concealed, but it is at hand. T h e whole sea is an am buscade51. 50 a military order or award for bravery 51 an ambush; an attack that comes suddenly and without warning

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D eath is the penalty o f any m isdem eanour com m itted in the face o f the enemy. N o fault is reparable52. C ourage should be rewarded, and negligence punished.” T h ese words fell one after another, slowly, solemnly, in a sort o f inexorable53 m etre54, like the blows o f an axe upon an oak. A n d the m an, looking at the soldiers, added: “Let it be don e.” T h e m an on whose jack et hung the shining cross o f SaintLouis bowed his head. A t a signal from C o u n t de Boisberthelot, two sailors went below and cam e back bringing the ham m ock-shroud55; the chaplain, who since they sailed had been at prayer in the officers’ q uarters, accom panied the two sailors; a sergeant detached twelve mariners from the line and arranged them in two files, six by six; the gunner, w ithout utterin g a word, placed h im self between the two files. T h e chaplain, cru cifix in hand, advanced and stood beside him. “M arch,” said the sergeant. T h e p latoon m arched with slow steps to the bow o f the vessel. T h e two sailors, carrying the shroud, followed. A gloom y silence fell over the vessel. A hurricane how led in the distance. A few m om ents later, a light flashed, a report sounded through the darkness, then all was still, and the sound o f a body falling into the sea was heard. T h e old passenger, still leaning against the m ainm ast, had crossed his arms, and was buried in thought. Boisberthelot pointed to him with the forefinger o f his left hand, and said to La Vieuville in a low voice; “L a Vendee has a h ead.”

52 53 54 55

able to be repaired formal: impossible to stop literature: the patterns and sounds of rhythms in poetry a piece o f cloth that is wrapped around a dead body before it is buried

70 | A Fight with a Cannon

Post-reading activities Understanding the story U se these questions to help you check that you have understood the story. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19

Who is La Vieuville? What is a carronade? How much does the cannon weigh? Why is the loose cannon so dangerous? Why is it so difficult to stop the cannon? What are the gunners and sailors doing when the cannon breaks loose? Where are they? What is the first damage the cannon does? Who goes down towards the deck, past the captain and lieutenant? What does the captain order the seamen to do, to try and stop the cannon? W hat do they use to try and do it? W ho is ‘the author of the catastrophe’? What does he use to try and stop the cannon? What is the weather like? What happens to the chain? What does the old passenger do to help? Once the cannon is stopped, what do the other crew members do? What damage has been done to the ship? How has the weather changed? What has the Chevalier de la Vieuville told the men to do? What is the real identity of the old passenger? What does he give the gunner? Why does he order the death of the gunner?

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Language study The use of the passive Look at the two sentences below. Notice how the object of the verb in the active sentence becomes the subject of the verb in the passive sentence. Active verb: They heard a noise, (subject-verb-object) Passive verb: A noise was heard. The passive is used to describe an action that is done by someone else you may or may not know who. We use the passive: a) when the person doing the action is not known, eg: He was hit on the head from behind. b) when the person doing the action is obvious, eg: Your life jacket can be found underneath your seat, (by you) c) when we already know who the person doing the action is, or it is obvious, eg: You will be charged a €5 entry fee. d) to emphasize that the subject of the verb is not in control, eg: You will be given your orders when you leave. e) to give authority, eg: The rules cannot be changed. f) to focus on the subject of the passive verb and action of the sentence, rather than the agent (the person doing the action), eg: The crowd should be monitored at all times, (by someone) I Look at the following sentences from the story. Which of them contain a verb in the passive? 1 La Vieuville was suddenly cut short by a cry of despair. 2 At the same time a noise was heard wholly unlike any other sound. 3 One of the carronades of the battery, a twenty-four pounder, had broken loose. 4 This is the most dangerous accident that can possibly take place on shipboard. 5 Nothing more terrible can happen to a shop of war in open sea and under full sail. 6 The battery was being ruined. 7 And what is to be done? 8 How put an end to it? 9 How can it be captured? 10 How could he avoid being crushed? II Some course must be decided on; but what? 12 Something must be done to stop this terrible madness. 72 | A Fight with a Cannon

2 Look again at the sentences in exercise 1. In the table below, write each example of the passive in the left column, and the relevant use (a-f) from the language notes above in the right column. The first one has been done for you. Examples La Vieuville was suddenly cut short by aery of despair.

Uses d) to emphasize that the subject of the verb is not in control

Reduced relative clauses Look at the two sentences below. W hich words have been dropped in the second sentence? It is a machine that has been transformed into a monster. h is a machine transformed into a monster. Both sentences use a relative clause to describe the cannon. In the first sentence the clause is complete - it includes a relative pronoun and a full verb. In the second sentence the relative clause has been reduced to the past participle. We call this kind of clause a reduced relative clause. 3 Look at these other examples of reduced relative clauses from the story. Rewrite the clause in bold using a relative pronoun and the appropriate passive form. 1 The carronade, insecurely fastened, had recoiled and broken its chain.

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2 It is matter set free. 3 The carronade, hurled forward by the pitching of the vessel, made a gap in this crowd of men and crushed four at the first blow.

Direct and indirect metaphors A metaphor is a type of comparison, which uses one concept, image or idea to describe another. For example, you might describe someone you think of as gentle, friendly and relaxed by saying, ‘H e’s a pussycat.’ You might describe someone quiet and shy as being ‘a mouse’. Hugo uses metaphors in the story to dramatize the action of the cannon, the ship and various human characters. He uses several extended metaphors - metaphors that continue in the sentences that follow - for the loose cannon, consistently comparing it to a monster and a wild animal. He also uses indirect metaphors - implying a comparison between the cannon and other beings, rather than stating it directly - by using themed collections of verbs to describe its movement. 4 Look at the following extracts from the story (1 -5 ), all of which are about the cannon. Then answer the questions below. 1 It is a battering ram capriciously assaulting a wall. 2 Something must be done to stop ffiis terrible madness - to capture this lightning-to overthrow this thunderbolt. 3 It was a strange, gigantic insect of metal, having or seeming to have the will of a demon. For a moment this colossal locust would beat against the low ceiling overhead. 4 It is matter set free; one might say, this eternal slave was avenging itself. 5 The horrible cannon struggles, advances, backs, strikes right, strikes left, retreats, passes by, disconcerts expectation, grinds up obstacles, crushes men like flies. a) How many metaphors can you find? b) W hat is the cannon being compared to in each one?

74 | A Fight with a Cannon

Literary language A lot of the language used is now considered very formal or literary. 5 Rewrite the following sentences from the story, replacing the words in bold with a more informal, frequently used alternative. 1 The captain promptly recovered his presence of mind and ordered everything that could check and impede the cannon’s mad course.

2 He cast a stem glance over this scene of devastation.

3 They must perish or put a speedy end to the disaster.

4 But the old passenger, till this moment motionless, darted forth.

5 As nobody dared to go below to dispose of them properly, they were reduced to lint in a few minutes.

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Literary analysis Plot 1 What do we know about what was happening on the ship just before the cannon broke loose? 2 What do you think are the key events and developments in the story? Can you condense the story into five sentences? 3 How does the cannon become loose? 4 For most of the story, the action is very intense but there are certain pauses, moments of calm, in the plot. When do these take place? 5 A t what point does the sea become stormy? W hat effect does this have on the story? 6 How does the gun captain accept his fate? How do you, as the reader, accept his fate? Do you think justice has been done? Do you think the reasoning behind it is well explained?

Character 7

How many named characters are there in the story? What do we know about each of them? W hat do they contribute to the story? 8 Why do you think the gun captain responsible for the cannon breaking loose is not named? How does it help the story? In what way does it affect how you feel about the character - as a man, as a hero and as a victim? 9 W hat is the ‘character’ of the cannon? What effect does its character have on lire other people in the story? 10 Who is the hero of the story? Why?

Narration 11 The story is told from one perspective - the all-seeing narrator. How do you think the story would have been different if it had been told from the point of view of the gun captain responsible for the cannon breaking loose? What do you think the general might have noted if he had been telling the story? 12 How do the pace and events of the story support the author’s claim that a loose cannon is ‘the most dangerous accident that can possibly take place on shipboard’? 13 What do the reactions of the men on board - both named and unnamed characters - tell us about the seriousness of the situation? 76 | A Fight with a Cannon

14 The last line of the story is ‘La Vendee has a head’. Hugo is making a direct link between the cannon and the region where there is resistance to the revolutionary government. In what ways is the cannon’s fight similar to that of the rebels? What message do you think the story communicates about resistance?

Atmosphere 15 How does the author convey shock and panic when the cannon breaks loose from its moorings? How does it affect you as you read it? 16 The author describes the cannon as a wild animal. How are the crew members described? What impression do we have of them, as they scramble out of the way of the cannon? In your mind’s eye, what kind of animal are they? What does their reaction do to intensify the action and atmosphere of the story? 17 How does the weather reflect the turmoil (uncontrolled activity) on deck? What significance do you think there is in the fact that it only becomes very stormy after the cannon is secured?

Style 18 In France, Hugo was much more famous for his poetry than his fiction. He uses many poetic devices in his writing. We have considered Hugo’s extensive use of metaphor above. The narrative is also full of similes. Using the two devices together, Hugo presents the reader with a variety of different images which bring a wildness and torment to the writing. Here are a few examples: This enraged lump leaps like a panther, it has the clumsiness of an elephant, the nimbleness of a mouse, the obstinacy of an ox, the uncertainty of the billows, the zigzag of the lightning, the deafness of the grave. It weighs ten thousand pounds, and it rebounds like a child’s ball. ...it would come down on its four wheels like a tiger on its four paw s, and begin to run at the man. He, supple, nimble, expert, writhed away like an adder from all these lightning movements. Look again at the story, and make a list of another five similes that you find particularly powerful. What do you think they bring to the story?

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19 Hyperbole is a way of emphasizing what you are saying by describing it as far more extreme than it really is. The use of hyperbole in the story makes it even more dramatic. Look at the words in the box, which the author uses to describe the damage that the cannon does, then answer the questions. havoc

devastation

destruction

catastrophe

a) In what context would you usually expect to see these words? b) Can you think of any words which describe the same thing, but are less dramatic? c) What do the words imply about the battle on the ship? 20 Much of the drama is created by Hugo’s use of similes and metaphors. But he has other tricks too, such as mixing up long and short sentences, using exclamations, vivid images, long lists of verbs, and alliteration. Look at the following extracts from the story. How does Hugo use language and imagery to create drama in each of these short passages? a) That short mass on wheels.. .roUs with the rolling of the ship, plunges with the pitching, goes, comes, stops, seems to meditate, starts on its course again, shoots like an arrow from one end of the vessel to the other, whirls around, slips away, dodges, rears, bangs, crashes, kills, exterminates. b) The four wheels passed back and forth over the dead men, cutting them, carving them, slashing them, till the five corpses were a score of stumps rolling across the deck ; the heads of the dead men seemed to cry out; streams of blood curled over the deck with the rolling of the vessel; the planks, damaged in several places, began to gape open. The whole ship was filled with the horrid noise and confusion. 21 Throughout the narrative, the author uses questions to bring the reader into the story, and to try and make you appreciate just how difficult the situation is. For example: And what is to be done? How put an end to it? Look back at the story and find other examples of questions posed to the reader. Obviously, as the reader, you cannot answer back - these are rhetorical questions, used to emphasize the helplessness of the situation. What effect do they have in creating and intensifying the drama of the story? Guidance to the above literary terms, answer keys to all the exercises and activities, plus a wealth of other reading'practice material, can be found at www. macmillanenglish.com/readers.

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19 Hyperbole is a way of emphasizing what you are saying by describing it as far more extreme than it really is. The use of hyperbole in the story makes it even more dramatic. Look at the words in the box, which the author uses to describe the damage that the cannon does, then answer the questions. iuvix

Je v i't a i d '

Jestrucrifn

catastrophe

a) In what context would you usually expect to see these words? b) C an you think of any words which describe the same thing, but are less dramatic? c) W hat do the words imply about the battle on the ship? 20 Much of the drama is created by Hugo’s use of similes and metaphors. But he has other tricks too, such as mixing up long and short sentences, using exclamations, vivid images, long lists of verbs, and alliteration. Look at the following extracts from the story. How does Hugo use language and imagery to create drama in each o f these short passages? a) That short mass on wheels.. .rolls with the rolling of the ship, plunges with the pitching, goes, comes, stops, seems to meditate, starts on its course again, shoots like an arrow from one end of the vessel to the other, whirls around, slips away, dodges, rears, bangs, crashes, kills, exterminates. b) The four wheels passed back and forth over the dead men, cutting them, carving them, slashing them, till the five corpses were a score of stumps rolling across the deck; the heads of the dead men seemed to cry out; streams of blood curled over the deck with the rolling of the vessel; the planks, damaged in several places, began to gape open. The whole ship was filled with the horrid noise and confusion. 21 Throughout the narrative, the author uses questions to bring the reader into the story, and to try and make you appreciate just how difficult the situation is. For example: And what is to be done? How put an end to it? Look back at the story and find other examples of questions posed to the reader. Obviously, as the reader, you cannot answer back - these are rhetorical questions, used to emphasize the helplessness of the situation. What effect do they have in creating and intensifying the drama of the story? Guidance to the above literary terms, answer keys to all the exercises and activities, plus a wealth of other reading-practice material, can be found at www.macmillanenglish.com!readers.

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The Old Chief Mshlanga by Doris Lessing

About the author Doris May Lessing is one of Britain’s most well-known and respected authors. She was bom in Persia (now Iran). Her father was a clerk at the Imperial Bank of Persia, and her mother had been a nurse. W hile Doris was still very young, the promise o f wealth and adventure took the family to the British colony in South Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). There, her father bought a thousand acres o f farmland. A s children, Doris and her brother Harry loved to explore the land, and spent happy hours on long walks together, enjoying their freedom and the landscape. Books were sent from London, and the young Doris loved reading, making up stories to tell her brother at bedtime. But Doris’s strict mother had more ‘civilized’ ideas about her children’s upbringing: Doris was sent to a convent1 to be educated, and then to a girls’ school in the capital, Salisbury. Doris hated school and left at 13 - she never went back to formal education after that. Two years later, she left home, and took a job as a nanny. Her employer gave her books on politics and sociology, which was unusual reading material for a girl at that time. It was while she was there that Doris began to write stories, two of which were published by magazines in South Africa. In 1937, Doris moved back to Salisbury and worked as a telephone operator. A t the age o f 19, she met and married Frank Wisdom and the couple had two children. However, Doris felt trapped by her domestic situation, finally getting divorced and leaving her family. She joined the communist Left Book Club and read more widely. A m ong new friends, she felt free to express and educate herself in a way which was not encouraged by the more conventional British society in Salisbury, which did not approve of a woman pursuing education and independence. Here, she met Gottfried Lessing - the couple married and had a son. After World War II, Lessing divorced again and moved to London with her son, where she had various jobs, including as a journalist and 1 a school for girls where all the teachers are nuns (= women members of a religious organization)

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a stenographer2. In 1949 she published her first novel, The Grass is Singing - her career as a writer had begun. Lessing has been a prolific writer and has produced a range of work - stories, novellas3, librettos4, short stories, novels and plays. Much of her fiction has drawn on her experiences and impressions of Africa, and her political and social concerns, reflecting on the injustice and racism of the British colonial takeover o f land, and the way the white people treated black Africans. In the 1950s, she openly criticized the South African regime and was consequently banned from entering the country. In England, she continued to speak out publicly on political matters, and also became an active anti-nuclear campaigner. Som e of her most well-known books include The Summer Before the Dark (1973), Canopus in Argos (a series of five volumes of science fiction written between 1979 and 1983), The FifthChild (1988) and The Good Terrorist (1985), a title with which she showed she could still shock and challenge. She has also written two volumes of autobiography - Under My Skin (1995) and Walking in the Shade (1997). Lessing has often been written and spoken of as an icon for women’s independence, though she herself is less concerned with the idea. The Golden Notebook (1962) was considered an important and innovative feminist novel, though Lessing has described some feminists as ‘aggressive’ and ‘extreme’. Lessing’s work has earned her many international literary awards and prizes. In 2007, she became the oldest person to be awarded the internationally renowned Nobel Prize in Literature, which recognizes ‘outstanding work in an ideal direction’. She was described by the committee as ‘that epicist of the female experience, who with scepticism, fire and visionary power has subjected a divided civilisation to scrutiny’. In 1999 Lessing was offered the honour Dame of the British Empire, which recognizes a female citizen’s outstanding contribution to the United Kingdom. She refused this, saying she found it meaningless as there was in fact no British Empire. She was instead appointed a Com panion of Honour, for her ‘conspicuous national service’. She lives in London.

2 someone who takes notes using a system of writing that has special signs; often employed in court settings 3 short novels or stories, especially ones that teach a moral message 4 the words of operas

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About the story The Old Chief Mshlanga was first published in 1951 in a collection of short stories called This Was the Old Chiefs Country.

Background information Colonialism in Africa A colony is a country that is controlled by another country. Throughout the 18th and 19th centuries, Britain followed a policy of extending its empire - the power it had around the world, and the land it occupied and ruled. Often fighting wars with native people in order to win the land, the new settlers would move to areas where native people had lived. T he British believed themselves to be more advanced and more civilized than the native people, and imposed their values on the native population. They also brought money, trade and new technology to the countries they were in, and built and expanded towns and cities, in many cases forming partnerships with the native people. A t various points in its history, Britain had colonies around the world, including N orth America, parts of South-East A sia, India and Australia, as well as various countries in Africa. A t the time the story was written, Britain was still occupying areas across central southern Africa, unopposed. In the area south of the Zambezi river, which the British had called Southern Rhodesia, the white settlers took around half of the land and established, or took over, farms there, paying local men to work on them. N ative people living on the land had to negotiate with the British landowners, and the relationship they formed was important to both sides. T he white farmers needed local knowledge and labour. The native people had no rights, and could be moved off their land without warning, if the white farmers wanted it.

The tension between the native people and the white settlers Although they were close neighbours, and had to live and work together on the land, the native Africans and the white settlers lived very different lives, and were often suspicious o f each other. Most of the British settlers did not speak any local languages, and the landscape, climate and social structure of the country were completely unknown to them. Their language and culture were also unfamiliar to The Old Chief Mshlanga | 81

the Africans who lived on the same land. Many British settlers had travelled to A frica to make money, and had invested heavily in the move - it was a big risk financially, and a significant change of lifestyle, moving thousands of miles away from home to what must have seemed like a different, remote world. They had invested everything they had and feared failure. T he white population of Southern Rhodesia was not always welcomed by the much larger native population. Often, the white settlers had taken land from them, and were imposing their rules over them. T he settlers believed their way of life was far superior to that of the local people - many did not try and learn about the native ideas and culture, and socialized only with other white settlers in the region. In some areas, and in some ways, the lifestyle of the native people continued as it always had - they lived in thatched mud huts, grew their own food, kept animals and maintained their own tribal beliefs and culture. But life was very uncertain. The native people were completely vulnerable to the white settlers’ decisions - if a white landowner wanted the native Africans’ land, he could ask the officials to move them, overnight. If he wanted to keep their cattle or goats, he could take them, and there was no law to stop him. In fact, the law would support him. T he native Africans relied on the British for work, but knew that they could be beaten or sacked without warning.

Summary It may help you to know something about what happens in the story before you read it. Don’t worry, this summary does not tell you how the story ends! A young girl lives an English life in the middle of A frica - walking across her father’s messy farm, her head is M l of the stories and poems about snowy landscapes, fairies and castles which she has read about in books. T he flat, grassy landscape of South A frica that she walks in - the veld - is foreign to her, even though she has lived there as long as she can remember. T he girl is isolated from the black people who work on the farm and in her house, who only stay for short periods and whom she never gets to know personally. She walks the farm with a gun and dogs, being rude to the native people she meets mocking and laughing at them, throwing sticks or stones at them and making the dogs chase them, as she has learnt to do.

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One evening, when she is 14, she comes across a group of three African men, walking towards her. One of the men is older, and has a red blanket over his shoulders. The two younger men are following. The girl is impressed by their dignity. The old man tells her that he knows her father and has met her once before, when she was very small. One of the younger men introduces him as Chief Mshlanga and they exchange greetings. The girl is amazed when she finds that the land she now lives on, and much more, was once known as ‘Chief Mshlanga’s country’. As a result of the meeting, the girl’s behaviour towards black people changes as she learns to think of them as people like her, who share her heritage. She becomes more polite, friendly and relaxed with them. One day, the girl finds out that one of the workers in her mother’s kitchen is the Chief’s son. When he asks her mother if he can go home for a day, the girl follows him back to his village...

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary This section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

T h e d iffere n t settin gs Lessing describes several different landscapes in the story, including the native people’s village (the kraal), the white settlers’ farm, and the dreamlike world in the young girl’s stories.

1 For each setting (a-c), match the words in bold (1-8) in the extract with the definitions (a-h) below. a) The dreamlike world of childhood stories a pale willowed river.. .it was the mealie fields that faded and fled, leaving her among the gnarled roots of an oak, snow falling thick and soft and white, the woodcutter’s fire glowing red welcome through crowding tree trunks. Her books held tales of alien fairies, her rivers ran slow and peaceful,

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the Africans who lived on the same land. Many British settlers had travelled to Africa to make money, and had invested heavily in the move - it was a big risk financially, and a significant change of lifestyle, moving thousands of miles away from home to what must have seemed like a different, remote world. They had invested everything they had and feared failure. The white population of Southern Rhodesia was not always welcomed by the much larger native population. Often, the white settlers had taken land from them, and were imposing their rules over them. T he settlers believed their way of life was far superior to that of the local people - many did not try and learn about the native ideas and culture, and socialized only with other white settlers in the region. In some areas, and in some ways, the lifestyle of the native people continued as it always had - they lived in thatched mud huts, grew their own food, kept animals and maintained their own tribal beliefs and culture. But life was very uncertain. T he native people were completely vulnerable to the white settlers’ decisions - if a white landowner wanted the native Africans’ land, he could ask the officials to move them, overnight. If he wanted to keep their cattle or goats, he could take them, and there was no law to stop him. In fact, the law would support him. T he native Africans relied on the British for work, but knew that they could be beaten or sacked without warning.

Summary It may help you to know som ething about what happens in the story before you read it. D on ’t worry, this sum mary does not tell you how the story ends! A young girl lives an English life in the middle of A frica - walking across her father’s messy farm, her head is full o f the stories and poems about snowy landscapes, fairies and castles which she has read about in books. The flat, grassy landscape of South Africa that she walks in - the veld - is foreign to her, even though she has lived there as long as she can remember. T he girl is isolated from the black people who work on the farm and in her house, who only stay for short periods and whom she never gets to know personally. She walks the farm with a gun and dogs, being rude to the native people she meets mocking and laughing at them, throwing sticks or stones at them and making the dogs chase them, as she has learnt to do.

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O ne evening, when she is 14, she comes across a group of three African men, walking towards her. One of the men is older, and has a red blanket over his shoulders. T he two younger men are following. T he girl is impressed by their dignity. T he old man tells her that he knows her father and has met her once before, when she was very small. One of the younger men introduces him as C h ief Mshlanga and they exchange greetings. The girl is amazed when she finds that the land she now lives on, and much more, was once known as ‘C h ief M shlanga’s country’. A s a result of the meeting, the girl’s behaviour towards black people changes as she learns to think of them as people like her, who share her heritage. She becomes more polite, friendly and relaxed with them. One day, the girl finds out that one of the workers in her mother’s kitchen is the C h ief’s son. W hen he asks her mother if he can go home for a day, the girl follows him back to his village...

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary This section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

The different settings Lessing describes several different landscapes in the story, including the native people’s village (the kraal), the white settlers’ farm, and the dreamlike world in the young girl’s stories. 1 For each setting (a-c ), match the words in bold (1 - 8 ) in the extract with the definitions (a-h ) below. a) T h e dreamlike world of childhood stories a pale widowed river. ..it was the mealie fields that faded and fled, leaving her among the gnarled roots of an oak, snow falling thick and soft and white, the woodcutter’s fire glowing red welcome through crowding tree trunks. Her books held tales of alien fairies, her rivers ran slow and peaceful,

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and she knew the shape of the leaves of an ash or an oak, the names of the little creatures that lived in English streams, when the words ‘the veld’ meant strangeness, though she could remember nothing else. 1 willow 2 gnarled 3 roots 4 oak 5 woodcutter

6 alien 7 fairy 8 ash

c) a tree with a smooth grey bark a) a tree with long thin branches and narrow leaves that grows near water b) an imaginary creature with magic powers that looks like a small person with wings d) a large tree that can live for a very long time and produces small hard fruits called acorns e) completely different from what you usually do, feel or know; from a different race, country or culture h) old and twisted and covered in lines f) someone whose job is to chop down trees g) the part of a plant that grows under the ground, through which the plant gets water and food

b) The white settlers’ farm They were good, the years of ranging the bush over her father’s farm which, like every white farm, was largely unused, broken only occasionally by small patches of cultivation. In between, nothing but trees, the long sparse grass, thorn and cactus and gully, grass and outcrop and thorn. And a jutting piece of rock which had been thrust up from the warm soil of Africa unimaginable eras of time ago... I was used to our farm, whose hundreds of acres of harsh eroded soil bore trees that had been cut for the mine furnaces and had grown thin and twisted, where the cattle had dragged the grass flat, leaving innumerable criss-crossing trails that deepened each season into gullies, under the force of the rains. 1 sparse 2 thorn 3 cactus 4 gully 5 outcrop

c) damaged or worn away over a long time g) existing in small amounts, or a large distance apart h) a long narrow hole in rock or earth, usually made by water flowing along it f) a plant that grows in deserts and has thick stems and sharp points called spines d) a sharp point that sticks out from the stem of a

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6 jutting

e) a rock, or group of rocks, that sticks up out of the ground 7 eroded a) further forward than other things or than normal 8 criss-crossing b) having a pattern of straight lines that cross one another c)

The kraals - traditional African villages It was a cluster of thatched huts in a clearing among trees. There were neat patches of mealies and pumpkins and millet, and cattle grazed under some trees at a distance. Fowls scratched among the huts, dogs lay sleeping on the grass, and goats friezed a kopje that jutted up beyond a tributary of the river lying like an enclosing arm round the village.

1 cluster *> thatched

L.

3 hut 4 clearing 5 pumpkin 6 graze 7 frieze 8 tributary

a) an area in a forest where there are no trees or bushes d) a large round vegetable with a thick orange skin and large seeds b) a small group of people or things that are very close to each other c) to eat grass growing in a field f) to act as a line of decoration around the edge of something e) a small river that flows into a larger river g) a small simple shelter h) having a roof made of dried plants such as straw or reeds

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The wildlife Lessing also mentions some of the animals that populate the land, and their habitats. 2 L ook at the words and definitions below, then answ er the questions that follow. ant heap a pile of earth that ants make above the underground place where they

live buck the male of some animals such as rabbits or deer cattle cows and bulls kept by farmers for their milk or meat. A group of cattle is called a herd crocodile a large reptile that lives in water in hot countries. It has a long body and a long mouth with many sharp teeth fowl an old word for ‘bird’ or ‘birds’ goat an animal similar to a sheep but with longer legs and a thinner coat pigeon a brown or grey bird that often lives in cities tadpole a small animal that lives in water and develops into a frog woodpecker a bird that makes holes in trees using its long narrow beak

1) 2) 3) 4)

W hich W hich W hich W hich

word(s) word(s) word(s) word(s)

are plural? describe birds? are connected with an anim al’s home? describe a young animal?

Words describing manner and attitude In the story, Lessing refers to what she calls the ‘slow intimate dance of landscape and men’, as the native people and white settlers make nervous neighbours, and fry to find a way to jive together. There is a clear distinction between the words she uses to portray the different groups and their attitudes and behaviour towards each other. 3 Lessin g uses several nouns in relation to the character of the native A frican s, particularly C h ief M shlanga, and the girl’s family. M atch the nouns in bold in the following extracts to the correct definitions (a-h ) below. The group was not a usual one. They were not natives seeking work. These had an air of dignity, of quietly foUowing their own purpose. It was the dignity that checked my tongue. On the rare occasions when white children met together...they could tease a small black child as if he were a puppy - save that they would not throw stones and sticks at a dog without a sense of guilt.

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Later still, certain questions presented themselves in the child's mind; and because the answers were not easy to accept,, they were silenced by an even greater arrogance of manner. A Chief! 1 thought, understanding the pride that made the old man stand before me like an equal - more than an equal, for he showed courtesy, and I showed none. It seemed it was only necessary to let free that respect I felt when I was talking with old Chief Mshlanga, to let both black and white people meet gently, with tolerance for each others differences: it seemed quite easy. The fear had gone; the loneliness had set into stiff-necked stoicism; there was now a queer hostility in the landscape...it seemed to say to me: you walk here as a destroyer. a) polite behaviour that shows respect for people in social situations b) unfriendly or threatening behaviour or feelings towards someone c) accepting things without com plaining................................. d) behaviour that shows that you think you are better or more important than other p eo p le................................. e) respect that other people have for you or that you have for yourself f) a feeling of pleasure and satisfaction that you get when you, or someone connected with you, have achieved something special g) a feeling of being ashamed and sorry because of something you have d o n e ................................. h) the attitude of someone who is willing to accept someone else’s beliefs, way of life, etc without criticizing them, even if they disagree with th em ................................. 4 L ook at the following adverbs and adjectives, which relate to the manners and attitudes of the white settlers. T hen complete the sentences (1 - 8 ) with the correct one. A dverbs anxiously in a way which suggests you are worried, nervous or impatient awkwardly in a way that shows you are not comfortable, relaxed or confident crudely in a rude or offensive way; simply or basically Warily carefully or nervously

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Adjectives apprehensive slightly worried or nervous entitled believing in your right to do, be or have something; believing you deserve

something hostile behaving in a very unfriendly or threatening way towards someone truculent easily annoyed and always ready to argue or fight

1 His parents w aited................................. for him to come back from his driving test. 2 She felt uncomfortable, as though she should not be there, and sh ifted ...................................in her chair. 3 They didn’t understand why their neighbours were so towards them - they didn’t know what they had done wrong. 4 The man was quick-tempered, always argumentative, and had a very ...................................manner. 5 A t first, the dog was too frightened to take the food from my hand, and looked up at m e ................................... 6 He had been bom into a rich family, and had always had everything he wanted - he felt ................................. to a good job when he graduated. 7 He had no respect for women and spoke about them very 8 A lthough she had worked hard and done a lot of revision, she was still v ery .................................. about her exam the next day.

Main themes Before you read the story, you may want to think about some of its main themes. The questions will help you think about the story as you are reading it for the first time. There is more discussion of the main themes in the Literary analysis section after the story.

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Fear The story considers different kinds of fear, which Lessing shows was a fundamental part of life in Africa - particularly during colonial times, when people’s lifestyles and property were threatened and freely traded. 5 A s you read the story, ask yourself: a) W hat do the white settlers fear? b) Why do the native Africans fear the white settlers? c) W hat kind of fear does the young girl experience on her journey to the village? d) Why do you think she does not feel welcome in C h ief M shlanga’s village?

Displacement The white settlers, the tribal villagers and the black workers are all displaced - living their lives in a different place, and in a different way from those they are used to. 6 A s you read the story, think about these questions: a) For what reason is each of these groups displaced? b) In what way is the young girl displaced? c) W hat effect do you think the white settlers’ displacement has on their attitudes and behaviour?

Ownership Before the arrival of the white settlers, C h ief Mshlanga was well known as the owner and ruler of a huge section of the land which, in the story, is now owned by the British. T he British settlers acquired land from the native people by a combination of negotiation and theft. 7 A s you read the story, consider the following questions: a) W hat do you think the story is saying about ownership of Africa? b) W hat is the young girl’s impression of C hief Mshlanga’s village? How does it compare with the white farms? c) W hat impact does the arrival of British settlers and their attitude to ownership of the land have on the lives of the native people?

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The Old Chief Mshlanga by Doris Lessing T h e y w ere goo d, th e years o f ran g in g th e bush o v er h er fath e r’s farm w hich, like every w hite farm , was largely un used, b ro k en on ly o c c asio n ally by sm all p atc h e s o f c u ltiv a tio n . In betw een , n o th in g b u t trees, th e lo n g sparse grass, th o rn an d c actu s an d gully, grass an d ou tcro p an d th orn . A n d a ju ttin g p ie c e o f rock w h ich h ad b een th ru st up from th e w arm soil o f A fric a u n im ag in ab le eras o f tim e ago, w ash ed in to h o llo w s an d w horls5 by su n an d w ind th a t h ad trav elled so m an y th o u san d s o f m iles o f sp ace an d bush, w ould h o ld th e w eigh t o f a sm all girl w hose eyes w ere sigh tless for an y th in g but a p ale w illow ed river, a p ale gleam in g c astle - a sm all girl sin gin g: ‘O u t flew th e w eb an d floated w ide, th e m irror crack ed from side to side . . . ’ P u sh in g h er way th ro u gh th e green aisles o f th e m e alie 6 sta lk s, th e leaves arch in g like cath ed rals v e in e d 7 w ith su n lig h t far ov erh ead , w ith th e p ack ed red earth u nderfoot, a fine lace o f red-starred w itch w eed8 w ould su m m on up a b lac k b e n t figure c ro a k in g p re m o n itio n s: th e N o rth e rn w itch, bred o f co ld N o rth e rn forests, w ould stan d before h er am o n g th e m ealie fields, an d it w as th e m ealie fields th a t fad ed an d fled, le av in g h er am o n g th e g n arled roo ts o f an oak, snow fallin g th ick an d soft an d w h ite, th e w o o d cu tter’s fire glow in g red w elcom e th rou gh crow din g tree trunks. A w h ite ch ild , o p en in g its eyes curiously o n a su n-suffused9 lan d scap e, a g au n t an d v io le n t lan d scap e, m ig h t be su p posed 5 circular patterns made by lines that continue to go round and round 6 maize, or a piece of maize 7 poetic use: marked with lines suggesting veins (=the tubes in your body that carry blood to your heart) 8 a herb which is damaging to crops such as maize. It has red, yellow, purplish, bluish or white flowers 9 literary: spread over with sunlight

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to accept it as her own, to take the m sasa10 trees and the thorn trees as fam iliars11, to feel her blood running free and responsive to the swing o f the seasons. T his child could n ot see a m sasa tree, or the thorn, for what they were. H er books held tales o f alien fairies, her rivers ran slow and peaceful, and she knew the shape o f the leaves o f an ash or an oak, the nam es o f the little creatures th at lived in English streams, when the words ‘the veld’ m eant strangeness, though she could remem ber nothing else. Because o f this, for m any years, it was the veld th at seem ed unreal; the sun was a foreign sun, and the wind spoke a strange language. T h e black people on the farm were as rem ote as the trees and the rocks. T hey were an am orphous12 black mass, m ingling and thinning and m assing like tadpoles, faceless, who existed merely to serve, to say ‘Yes, B aas13,’ take their m oney and go. T hey changed season by season, m oving from one farm to the next, according to their ou tlan d ish needs, which one did not have to understand, com ing from perhaps hundreds o f m iles N orth or East, passing on after a few m onths - where? Perhaps even as far away as the fabled gold m ines o f Johannesburg14, where the pay was so m uch better th an the few shillings a m onth and the double handful o f m ealie m eal twice a day w hich they earned in th at part o f A frica. T h e child was taught to take them fo r granted: the servants in the house would com e running a hundred yards to pick up a book if she dropped it. Sh e was called ‘N kosik aas’ - C hieftainess, even by the black children her own age. Later, when the farm grew too sm all to hold her curiosity, she carried a gun in the cro ok o f her arm and w andered m iles a day, 10 a tree native to the plains of eastern and southern Africa which is covered in leaves after the rainy season and provides shelter from the heat 11 things well known to you, or easily recognized by you; here, has a poetic reference to witches’ pets, such as cats 12 with no clear shape, design or structure 13 dialect: ‘Boss’ - what the African workers would have called the white farm manager/owner 14 the largest city in South Africa

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from vlei15 to vlei, from k o p je16 to kopje, accom panied by two dogs: the dogs and the gun were an arm our against fear. Because o f them she never felt fear. If a native cam e into sight along the kaffir17 paths h alf a mile away, the dogs would flush him up a tree as if he were a bird. If he expostulated18 (in his uncouth language w hich was by itself ridiculous) th at was cheek. If one was in a good m ood, it could be a m atter for laughing. Otherwise one passed on, hardly glancing at the angry m an in the tree. O n the rare occasions when white children m et together they could amuse them selves by hailing a passing native in order to m ake a buffoon19 o f him; they could set the dogs on him and w atch him run; they could tease a sm all black child as if he were a puppy - save20 that they would not throw stones and sticks at a dog w ithout a sense o f guilt. Later still, certain questions presented them selves in the ch ild’s mind; and because the answers were n ot easy to accept, they were silenced by an even greater arrogance o f manner. It was even im possible to think o f the black people who worked about the house as friends, for if she talked to one of them , her m other would com e running anxiously: ‘C om e away; you m ustn’t talk to n atives.’ It was this instilled consciousness o f danger, o f som ething unpleasant, that made it easy to laugh out loud, crudely, if a servant m ade a m istake in his English or if he failed to understand an order - there is a certain kind o f laughter that is fear, afraid o f itself. O ne evening, when I was about fourteen, I was walking down the side o f a m ealie field th at had been newly ploughed, so that the great red clods21 showed fresh and tum bling to the vlei 15 in South Africa, a piece of ground that is covered with water in the rainy season or that permanently contains water 16 a Dutch word for a small, isolated hill usually made of granite; mainly used in southern Africa 17 offensive: a word used by white South Africans and others for a black man 18 formal: disagreed strongly 19 someone who behaves in a stupid and annoying way 20 formal: except 21 lumps of soil

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beyond, like a c h o p p y red sea; it w as th at h u sh ed an d listen in g hour, w h en th e birds send lo n g sad calls from tree to tree, an d all th e colou rs o f earth an d sky an d le a f are d eep an d gold en . I h ad my rifle in th e curve o f my arm , an d th e dogs were at m y h eels. In fron t o f m e, p erh ap s a cou p le o f h un d red yards away, a group o f th ree A fric an s cam e in to sig h t around th e side o f a big an th e ap . I w h istled th e dogs clo se in to m y skirts an d let th e gu n sw ing in m y h an d , an d ad v an ced , w aitin g for th em to m ove aside, o ff th e p ath , in resp ect for m y passin g. B ut they cam e o n steadily, an d th e dogs look ed up at m e for th e co m m an d to ch ase. I w as angry. It w as ‘c h e e k ’ for a n ativ e n o t to stan d o ff a p ath , th e m o m en t h e c au gh t sigh t o f you. In fron t w alked an o ld m an, sto o p in g h is w eigh t o n to a stick , h is h air grizzled w hite, a d ark red b lan k e t slu ng ov er h is sh ou ld ers like a clo ak . B eh in d h im cam e tw o youn g m en, carrying bun d les o f p ots, asseg ais22, h a tc h e ts. T h e group was n o t a usu al on e. T h e y w ere n o t n ativ e s seek in g work. T h e se h ad a n air o f dignity, o f q uietly follow in g th eir ow n purpose. It w as th e d ign ity th at ch ec k ed m y ton gue. I w alked qu ietly on, talk in g softly to th e grow ling dogs, till I w as ten p aces away. T h e n th e old m an stop p ed , draw ing h is b lan k et close. ‘M o rn in g, N k o sik a a s,’ h e said, usin g the custom ary greetin g for any tim e o f th e day. ‘G o o d m o rn in g ,’ I said. ‘W h ere are you go in g ?’ M y v o ic e was a little tru culen t. T h e old m an sp ok e in h is ow n lan guage, th en on e o f th e youn g m en step p ed forw ard p olitely an d said in careful E n glish : ‘M y C h ie f trav els to see his broth ers beyond th e river.’ A C h ie f! I th ou gh t, u n d erstan d in g th e pride th at m ade th e old m an stan d before m e like an eq u al - m ore th an an equ al, for he sh ow ed courtesy, an d I sh ow ed n o n e. T h e old m an sp oke again , w earing d ign ity like an in h erited g arm e n t23, still stan d in g ten p aces off, flan k ed by h is en to u rag e ,

22 weapons made from the wood of the assegai tree, light spears used for hunting or close combat - they have a short handle and long blade 23 formal: a piece of clothing

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not looking at me (th at would have been rude) but directing his eyes somewhere over my head at the trees. 'You are the little N kosikaas from the farm o f Baas Jordan?’ T h a t ’s right,’ I said. 'Perhaps your father does n ot remem ber,’ said the in terpreter for the old man, 'but there was an affair with som e goats. I remem ber seeing you w hen you were . . . ’ T h e young m an held his hand at knee level and smiled. We all smiled. ‘W hat is your nam e?’ I asked. ‘T h is is C h ief M sh lan ga,’ said the young man. 'I will tell my father th at I m et you,’ I said. T h e old m an said: 'My greetings to your father, little N kosik aas.’ ‘G o o d m orning,’ I said politely, finding the politeness difficult, from lack o f use. ‘M orning, little N kosik aas,’ said the old man, and stood aside to let me pass. I went on, my gun hanging awkwardly, the dogs sniffing and growling, cheated o f their favourite gam e o f chasing natives like anim als. N o t long afterwards I read in an old explorer’s book the phrase: 'C h ie f M sh lan ga’s country’. It w ent like this: 'O ur destination was C h ie f M shlangaW ountry, to the north o f the river; and it was our desire to ask his perm ission to prospect for gold in his territory.’ T h e phrase 'ask his perm ission’ was so extraordinary to a white child, brought up to consider all natives as things to use, that it revived those questions, w hich could n ot be suppressed: they ferm ented24 slowly in my mind. O n another occasion one o f those old prospectors who still m ove over A frica looking for neglected reefs25, with their ham m ers and tents, and pans for siftin g gold from crushed rock, cam e to the farm and, in talking o f the old days, used that phrase 24 here, literary: were aroused, developed in an excited way 25 long lines of rock or coral in the sea, with their tops just below or just above the surface

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again: T h is was the O ld C h ie f’s Country,’ he said. 'It stretched from those m ountains over there way back to the river, hundreds o f miles o f country.’ T h a t was his nam e for our district: 'T h e O ld C h ie f’s C oun try’; he did not use our nam e for it - a new phrase which held no im plication o f usurped26ownership. A s I read more books about the tim e when this part o f A frica was opened up, n ot m uch more than fifty years before, I found O ld C h ie f M shlanga had been a fam ous m an, known to all the explorers and prospectors. But then he h ad been young; or maybe it was his father or uncle they spoke o f - I never found out. During that year I m et him several tim es in the part o f the farm that was traversed27 by natives m oving over the country. I learned that the path up the side o f the big red field where the birds sang was the recognized highway for m igrants. Perhaps I even h aunted it in the hope o f m eeting him : being greeted by him , the exchange o f courtesies, seem ed to answer the questions that troubled me. S o o n I carried a gun in a different spirit; I used it for shooting food and not to give me confidence. A n d now the dogs learned better manners. W hen I saw a native approaching, we offered and took greetings; and slowly that other landscape in my m ind faded, and my feet struck directly on the A frican soil, and I saw the shapes o f trees and hill clearly, and the black people m oved back, as it were, out o f my life: it was as if I stood aside to watch a slow intim ate dance o f landscape and men, a very old dance, whose step I could n ot learn. But I thought: this is my heritage, too; I was bred here; it is my country as well as the black m an ’s country; and there is plenty o f room for all o f us, without elbowing each other off the pavem ents and roads. It seem ed it was only necessary to let free that respect I felt when I was talking with old C h ie f M shlanga, to let both black and white people m eet gently, with tolerance for each other’s differences: it seem ed quite easy. 26 formal: taken from someone else without having the right to do this 27 usually formal, literary: if someone traverses an area, they move over or across it

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T h e n , on e day, so m eth in g new h ap p en ed . W orkin g in our h ou se as servan ts w ere alw ays th ree n ativ es: cook , houseboy, gard en boy. T h e y used to ch an g e as th e farm n ativ e s ch an g ed : stay in g for a few m on th s, th e n m o v in g o n to a new jo b , or b ack h om e to th eir kraals. T h e y w ere th o u gh t o f as 'g o o d ’ or ‘b a d ’ n ativ e s; w h ich m ean t: h ow did they b eh av e as servan ts? W ere th ey lazy, efficient, o b ed ien t, or d isresp ectful? If th e fam ily felt good-h u m oured, th e ph rase was: 'W h a t c a n you e x p e c t from raw b lac k sav ag es28?’ If we w ere angry, we said: 'T h e se d am n ed n iggers29, we w ould be m u ch b ette r o ff w ith out th e m .’ O n e day, a w hite p o lic e m an w as o n his roun ds o f th e d istrict, an d h e said laughin gly: ‘D id you know you h av e an im p o rtan t m an in your k itch e n ?’ 'W h a t!’ exc la im ed my m o th er sharply. 'W h a t do you m e an ?’ 'A C h ie f ’s so n .’ T h e p o lic e m a n seem ed am used. ‘H e ’ll boss th e tribe w h en th e old m an d ie s.’ ‘H e ’d b etter n o t p u t o n a C h ie f ’s son a c t w ith m e ,’ said my m other. W h e n th e p o lic e m an left, we look ed w ith d ifferen t eyes at our cook ; h e w as a go o d worker, b u t h e d ran k to o m u ch at w eek­ en d s - th a t was how we knew him . H e w as a tall youth , w ith very b lac k skin, like b lac k

polished

m etal, h is tightly-grow ing b lac k h air p arted w hite m a n ’s fash io n at on e side, w ith a m etal co m b from th e store stu ck in to it; very p o lite, very d istan t, very* q u ick to obey an order. N o w it h ad b een p o in te d out, we said: 'O f course, you c an see. B lo o d alw ays te lls.’ M y m o th er b ecam e strict w ith h im now she knew ab o u t his b irth an d prosp ects. S o m etim es, w h en she lost h er tem per, she w ould say: 'You a ren ’t th e C h ie f yet, you know .’ A n d h e w ould answ er h er very quietly, h is eyes o n th e groun d: 'Yes, N k o sik a a s.’ O n e aftern o o n h e asked for a w hole day off, in stead o f the cu stom ary half-day to go h om e n e x t Sunday. ‘H ow c a n you go h om e in on e day?’ 28 old-fashioned: an insulting word for people from a culture that is not considered to be advanced. This is now considered offensive 29 offensive: an extremely offensive word for black people

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'It w ill take m e h a lf an h ou r o n m y b icy cle ,’ h e e x p lain e d . I w atch ed th e d irec tio n h e too k; an d th e n e x t day I w en t o ff to look for this k raal; I u n d erstoo d h e m u st be C h ie f M sh la n g a ’s

successor: th ere w as n o oth e r kraal n ear en o u gh to our farm . B eyo n d our b o u n d aries o n th at side th e coun try was new to m e. I follow ed u n fam iliar p ath s p a st k o p jes th a t till now h ad b een p art o f th e jag g ed horizon, hazed w ith d istan ce. T h is was G o v e rn m e n t land, w h ich h ad n ev er b een cu ltiv a te d by w hite m en; at first I cou ld n o t u n d erstan d why it w as th at it app eared , in m erely crossin g th e boundary, I h ad en tered a com p letely fresh type o f lan d scap e. It w as a w ide green valley, w here a sm all river

sparkled, an d vivid w ater-birds d arted ov er th e ru sh es30.

T h e grass w as th ick an d soft to m y calv es, th e trees sto o d tall an d shapely. I w as used to our farm , w hose h un d red s o f acres o f h arsh erod ed soil bore trees th a t h ad b e e n cu t for th e m in e

furnaces

an d h ad grow n th in an d tw isted, w here th e c attle h a d d ragged 31 th e grass flat, leav in g in n u m erab le32 criss-crossin g trails th at d eep en ed e ac h seaso n in to gullies, un d er th e force o f th e rains. T h is coun try h ad b een left u n to u ch ed , sav e for prosp ectors w hose p ick s33 h ad stru ck a few sparks from th e surface o f th e rocks as th ey w an dered by; an d for m igran t n ativ e s w hose p assin g h ad left, p erh ap s, a

charred p a tc h o n th e tru n k o f a tree

w here th eir e v en in g fire h ad n estled 34. It was very silen t: a h o t m orn in g w ith p ig eo n s co o in g throatily, th e m idday shadow s lying d en se an d th ick w ith clear yellow sp aces o f su n lig h t betw een an d in all th at w ide green park -lik e valley, n o t a h u m an soul b u t m yself. I w as listen in g to th e q u ick regu lar tap p in g o f a w oo dp eck er w h en slow ly a ch ill feelin g seem ed to grow up from th e small of my back to m y shoulders, in a co n stric tin g 35 sp asm like a shudder, 30 tall plants that look like grass and grow in water. They are used for making baskets and covering floors 31 here: grazed, walked across the land eating the grass 32 too many to be counted: used for emphasizing a large amount or number 33 tools used for breaking roads and other hard surfaces consisting of a curved metal bar with one pointed end and one flat end and a long handle 34 mainly literary: been in a protected position 35 becoming smaller or narrower, or making something do this

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and at the roots o f my hair a tingling sensation began and ran down over the surface o f my flesh, leaving me goose-fleshed36 and cold, though I was dam p with sweat. Fever? I thought; then uneasily, turned to look over my shoulder; and realized suddenly that this was fear. It was extraordinary, even hum iliating. It was a new fear. For all the years I had walked by m yself over this country I h ad never know n a m om ent’s uneasiness; in the beginning because I had been supported by a gun and the dogs, then because I had learnt an easy friendliness for the A fricans I m ight encounter. I had read o f this feeling, how the bigness and the silence o f A frica, under the an cien t sun, grows dense and takes shape in the m ind, till even the birds seem to call menacingly, and a deadly spirit com es out o f the trees and the rocks. You m ove warily, as if your very passing disturbs som ething old and evil, som ething dark and big and angry that m ight suddenly rear and strike from behind. You look at groves o f entw ined trees, and picture the anim als th at m ight be lurkin g there; you look at the river running slowly, dropping from level to level through the vlei, spreading into pools where at night the buck com e to drink, and the crocodiles rise and drag them by their soft noses into underwater caves. Fear possessed me. I found I was turning round and round, because of th at shapeless m enace behind me that m ight reach out a n d take me; I kept glancing at the files37 of kopjes which, seen from a different angle, seem ed to change with every step so that even known landm arks, like a big m ountain that had sentinelled38 my world since I first becam e conscious o f it, showed an unfam iliar sunlit valley am ong its foothills. I did not know where I was. I was lost. Panic seized me. I found I was spinning round and round, staring anxiously at this tree and that, peering up at the sun w hich appeared to have m oved into an eastern slant, shedding the sad yellow light o f sunset. Hours 36 if you get goose flesh, very small lumps appear on your skin and the hairs stand up straight, because you are cold, frightened or excited 37 here, unusual: suggests the kopjes are arranged like a line of people walking or standing behind each other 38 a sentinel is a soldier who stands at the entrance to a place and guards it; here, poetic use, changing the noun into a verb

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must h ave passed! I looked at my w atch and found that this state o f m eaningless terror had lasted perhaps ten m inutes. T h e point was that it was meaningless.. I was not ten miles from hom e: I had only to take my way back along the valley to find m yself at the fence; away am ong the foothills o f the kopjes gleam ed the roof o f a neighbour’s house, and a couple o f hours walking would reach it. T h is was the sort o f fear that co n tracts the flesh o f a dog at night and sets him how ling at th e full m oon. It had nothing to do with w hat I thought or felt; and I was more disturbed by the fact th at I could becom e its victim than o f the physical sensation itself: I walked steadily on, quietened, in a divided mind, w atching my own pricking39 nerves and apprehensive glances from side to side with a disgusted am usem ent. D eliberately I set m yself to think o f this village I was seeking, and what I should do when I entered it - if I could find it, w hich was doubtful, since I was walking aim lessly and it m ight be anywhere in the hundreds o f thousands o f acres o f bush th at stretched about me. W ith my m ind on that village, I realized that a new sensation was added to the fear: loneliness. N ow such a terror o f isolation invaded me th at I could hardly walk; and if it were n ot th at I cam e over the cre st o f a sm all rise and saw a village below me, I should have turned and gone hom e. It was a cluster o f thatched huts in a clearing am ong trees. T here were n eat patches o f m ealies and pum pkins and m illet40, and cattle grazed under som e trees at a distance. Fowls scratched am ong the huts, dogs lay sleeping on the grass, and goats friezed a kopje that jutted up beyond a tributary of the river lying like an enclosing arm round the village. A s I cam e close I saw the huts were lovingly decorated with patterns o f yellow and red and ochre41 mud on the walls; and the thatch was tied in place with plaits o f straw. T h is was n ot at all like our farm com pound, a dirty and neglected place, a tem porary hom e for m igrants who had no roots in it. 39 mainly literary: if tears prick your eyes, you feel as if you are going to cry; here, the young girl feels nervous, that something is about to happen 40 a type of grain often used as food for birds 4 1 a yellow, red or brown type of earth used for making paint for artists

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A n d now I did not know what to do next. I called a sm all black boy, who was sitting on a log playing a stringed gourd42, quite naked except for the strings o f blue beads round his neck, and said: 'Tell the C h ie f I am here.’ T h e child stuck his thumb in his m outh and stared shyly back at me. For m inutes I shifted my feet on the edge of what seem ed a deserted village, till at last the child scuttled off, and then some women cam e. T hey were draped in bright cloths, with brass glinting in their ears and on their arms. T hey also stared, silently: then turned to ch atter am ong them selves. I said again: ‘C a n I see C h ie f M shlanga?’ I saw they caught the nam e; they did not understand what I wanted. I did not understand myself. A t last I walked through them and cam e past the huts and saw a clearing under a big shady tree, where a dozen old m en sat cross-legged on the ground, talking. C h ie f M shlanga was leaning back against the tree, holding a gourd in his hand, from which he had been drinking. W hen he saw me, not a muscle o f his face m oved, and I could see he was not pleased: perhaps he was afflicted with my own shyness, due to being unable to find the right forms o f courtesy for the occasion. To m eet me, on our own farm, was one thing; but I should not have com e here. W hat had I expected? I could n ot join them socially: the thing was unheard of. Bad enough that I, a white girl, should be w alking the veld alone as a white m an m ight: and in this part o f the bush where only G overn m en t officials had the right to m ove. A gain I stood, sm iling foolishly, while behind me stood the groups o f brightly-clad43, chattering women, their faces alert with curiosity and interest, and in front o f me sat the old men, with old lined faces, their eyes guarded, aloof. It was a village o f ancients and children and women. Even the two young m en who kneeled beside the C h ief were n ot those I had seen with him previously: the young m en were all away working on the 42 a type of fruit with a hard thick skin. Some gourds can be cooked and eaten 43 wearing bright clothes. The suffix -clad can be used to make adjectives describing the type of clothing that someone is wearing

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white m en’s farms and m ines, and the C h ie f m ust depend on relatives who were tem porarily on holiday for his atten dan ts. T h e sm all white N kosikaas is far from h om e,’ remarked the old m an at last. 'Yes,’ I agreed, 'it is far.’ I w anted to say: ‘I have com e to pay you a friendly visit, C h ie f M sh lan ga.’ I could not say it. I m ight now be feeling a n urgent helpless desire to get to know these m en and w om en as people, to be accepted by them as a friend, but the truth was I had set out in a spirit o f curiosity: I had wanted to see the village that one day our cook, the reserved and obedient young m an who got drunk on Sundays, would one day rule over. 'T h e child o f N kosi Jordan is w elcom e,’ said C h ie f M shlanga. 'T h an k you,’ I said, and could think o f nothing more to say. T here was a silence, while the flies rose and began to buzz around my head; and the wind shook a little in the thick green tree that spread its branches over the old men. 'G oo d m orning,’ I said at last. ‘I have to return now to my h om e.’ 'M orning, little N kosik aas,’ said C h ie f M shlanga. I w alked away from the in differen t village, over the rise past the staring amber-eyed goats, down through the tall stately trees into the great rich green valley where the river m eandered and the pigeons cooed tales o f plenty and the w oodpecker tapped softly. T h e fear had gone; the loneliness had set into stiff-necked stoicism ; there was now a queer hostility in the landscape, a cold, hard, sullen indom itability44 that walked with me, as strong as a wall, as intangible as smoke; it seem ed to say to me: you walk here as a destroyer. I went slowly homewards, with an empty heart: I had learned that if one can n ot call a country to heel like a dog, neither can one dismiss the past with a smile in an easy gush o f feeling, saying: I could not help it, I am also a victim . I only saw C h ief M shlanga once again. 44 formal: the condition of being very determined and impossible to defeat

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O ne night my father’s big red land was tram pled down by sm all sharp hooves, and it was discovered that the cu lprits were goats from C h ief M shlanga’s kraal. T h is h ad happened once before, years ago. My father con fiscated all the goats. T h en he sent a message to the old C h ie f that if he wanted them he would have to pay for the dam age. H e arrived at our house at the time o f sunset one evening, looking very old and bent now, walking stiffly under his regallydraped blanket, leaning on a big stick. My father sat h im self down in his big chair below the steps of the house; the old m an squatted carefully on the ground before him, flanked by his two young m en. T h e palaver45 was long and painful, because o f the bad English o f the young m an who interpreted, and because my father could n ot speak dialect, but only kitchen kaffir. From my father’s poin t o f view, at least two hundred pounds’ worth o f dam age had been done to the crop. H e knew he could get the m oney from the old man. H e felt he was entitled to keep the goats. A s for the old C hief, he kept repeating angrily: T w enty goats! My people can n ot lose twenty goats! We are not rich, like the N kosi Jordan, to lose twenty goats at on ce.’ M y father did not think o f him self as rich, but rather as very poor. H e spoke quickly^ and angrily in return, saying th at the dam age done m eant a great deal to him , and th at he was entitled to the goats. A t last it grew so heated the cook, the C h ie f’s son, was called ’ from the kitchen to be interpreter, and now my father spoke fluently in English, and our cook translated rapidly so th at the old m an could understand how very angry my father was. T h e young m an spoke without em otion, in a m echanical way, his eyes lowered, but showing how he felt his position by a hostile uncom fortable set o f the shoulders. It was now in the late sunset, the sky a welter46 o f colours, the 45 unusual: a long negotiation or discussion, especially between natives and colonial officials, foreign traders or explorers, etc 46 an untidy collection of different things

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birds singing their last songs, and the cattle, lowing47 peacefully, m oving past us towards their sheds for the night. It was the hour when A frica is m ost beautiful; and here was this pathetic, ugly scene, doing no one any good. A t last my father stated finally: T m n ot going to argue about it. I am keeping the goats.’ T h e old C h ie f flashed back in his own language: T h a t m eans th at my people will go hungry w hen the dry season com es.’ 'G o to the police, th en ,’ said my father, and looked trium phant. T here was, o f course, no more to be said. T h e old m an sat silent, his head bent, his hands dangling helplessly over his w ithered knees. T h e n he rose, the young m en helping him , and he stood facing my father. H e spoke once again, very stiffly; and turned away and went hom e to his village. ‘W hat did he say?’ asked my father o f the young man, who laughed uncom fortably and would not m eet his eyes. ‘W hat did he say?’ insisted my father. O ur cook stood straight and silent, his brows48 knotted together. T h e n he spoke. ‘My father says: A ll this land, this land you call yours, is his land, and belongs to our people.’ H aving m ade this statem ent, he walked off into the bush after his father, and we did not see him again. O ur n ext cook was a m igrant from N yasalan d49, with no expectations o f greatness. N ex t time the policem an cam e on his rounds he was told this story. H e remarked: T h e kraal has no right to be there; it should have been m oved long ago. I don ’t know why no one has done anything about it. I’ll have a chat to the N ativ e C om m issioner next week. I’m going over for tennis on Sunday, anyway.’ Som e time later we heard th at C h ie f M shlanga and his people had been m oved two hundred m iles east, to a proper native reserve; the G overnm ent land was going to be opened up for white settlem ent soon. 47 literary: when cows low, they make their typical deep long sound 48 literary abbreviation: eyebrows 49 former British ‘protectorate’ or small colony, now known as Malawi

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I went to see the village again, about a year afterwards. T here was nothing there. M ounds o f red mud, where the huts had been, had long swathes50 o f rotting thatch over them , veined with the red galleries o f the white ants. T h e pum pkin vines rioted everywhere, over the bushes, up the lower branches of trees so that the great golden balls rolled underfoot and dangled overhead: it was a festival o f pum pkins. T h e bushes were crowding up, the new grass sprang vivid green. T h e settler lucky enough to be allotted the lu sh warm valley (if he chose to cultivate this particular section) would find, suddenly, in the m iddle o f a m ealie field, the plants were growing fifteen feet tall, the weight o f the cobs dragging at the stalks, and wonder w hat unsuspected vein o f richness he had struck.

50 here: long narrow pieces of thatch

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Post-reading activities Understanding the story U se these questions to help you check that you have understood the story* 1 What does the young girl dream of as she walks across her father’s farm in South Rhodesia? 2 How does the young girl feel about the landscape she lives in? 3 How does she feel about the black people who work on the farm what does she know of their lives? 4 W hat is she called by the native people who work on the farm, and what does it mean? 5 What does the young girl take with her on her long walks to stop her from feeling afraid? 6 How do she and the other white children treat the native people they meet? What do they sometimes do to the native children? 7 Who is the T who now narrates the story? 8 Who does she meet one day when she is out walking? 9 What does she notice is different about the way these people approach her? 10 Who is the man, and what connection does he have to the girl? 11 What does she then find out about him? 12 What phrase in a book about the Chief particularly surprises her? 13 Apart from books, where else does the girl hear about Chief Mshlanga? 14 How does the girl’s attitude and behaviour change towards the native people that she meets? 15 What is unusual about the man who is working in the kitchen at her father’s farm? 16 When the man leaves for his home village, what does the girl do? 17 What are her experiences in the open and unfamiliar landscape between her farm and the village? 18 How does she feel when she arrives at the village? What does she notice about the land? How is she greeted? 19 What does the state of the village suggest to her about the different attitudes of the native and white people to their own land? 20 When does she see the C hief again? What has he come to discuss? 21 What does her father take from the Chief? 22 W hat does the Chief say to her father about the land? 23 After this incident, what happens to the village?

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Language study Past perfect The past simple tense is useful to describe completed actions in the past. The past perfect is used to clarify the sequence of events in the past. It is used when you are focusing on past events but want to give information about things that happened before those events. It is often used to describe what led to the past events which are the focus of the description. In the story, the past perfect is used to emphasize the speed and number of changes that have taken place both in the country and in the girl’s understanding. It is used to show how recently the white settlers have arrived in the country, compared with the thousands of years (and more) that the native people have farmed the land.

H o w is it form ed? The past perfect is structured as follows: subject + had + past participle For example: For all the years I had walked by myself over this country I had never known a moment’s uneasiness; in the beginning because I had been supported by a gun and the dogs, then because I had learnt an easy friendliness for the Africans I might encounter. As I read more books about the time when this part of Africa was opened up, not much more than fifty years before, I found Old Chief M shlanga had been a famous man, known to all the explorers and prospectors. But then he had been young... 0 A s you can see from the first extract above, the past perfect can also be used in the passive: I had been supported by a gun. Here, it is structured: subject + had + been + past participle For example: From my fathers point of view, at least two hundred pounds’ worth of damage had been done to the crop. Some time later we heard that Chief M shlanga and his people had been moved two hundred miles east, to a proper native reserve... It can also be used in the continuous form, where it is structured: subject + had + been + verb 4ng

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For example: Chief Mshlanga was leaning back against the tree, holding a gourd in his hand, from which he had been drinking. The past perfect continuous is used for actions that were in progress before, and possibly up to, the given past time. 1 Rewrite the following sentences, putting the verbs in brackets in the correct past perfect form: simple, continuous or passive. 1 The girl (live) on her father’s farm for several years before she met C hief Mshlanga. 2

She (walk) on the farm when she met the Chief and two of his men.

3

The Chief told her that he remembered her, as he (meet) her when she was a small child.

4

Several years before, an arrangement (make) between her father and C hief Mshlanga.

5

In the past, C hief Mshlanga (ask) for his permission to cross this land.

6

The C hief’s son (ask) to return home to his village.

7

She (follow) him when she became frightened.

8

When she arrived at the village, she started to realize that she (make) a mistake in coming without an invitation.

9

O n her way home, the girl reflected on what she (learn) from her experiences that day.

10 The lives of the Africans (change) completely by the arrival of the white settlers.

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If + past simple We can use the past simple with if to talk about: 1 Imaginary present or future situations: a) the opposite of the present situation For example: If I had his number, I would call him. If you were rich, you would spend all your money on shoes. b) a future situation that we think is very unlikely to happen For example: If I became president, I would invite my friends to stay at the palace every weekend! If he stopped smoking, I would shave my head! 2 Real situations in the past, for talking about tendencies, habits or things that happened repeatedly. For example: If I saw my father when I was walking home, he would stop and give me a lift in his car. If I helped the teacher carry her books, she would help me practise my English. The second use is the one we see in the story. In both cases we can use would in the main clause. 1 When we are talking abotit imaginary present or future situations, we use would to describe the consequences of the imaginary situation. If you sold the car, how would you get to work? If you left your job, you would have no income. 2 When we are talking about real, repeated situations, or habits or customs in the past, we use would to describe what usually happened in those situations. On several occasions in the story, Lessing uses if + past simple and would + infinitive to describe realistic - possibly real - situations in the past, which resulted in the same, predictable response.

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For example: If a native came into sight along the kaffir paths half a mile away, the dogs would flush him up a tree as if he were a bird. .. .the servants in the house would come running a hundred yards to pick up a book if she dropped it. It was even impossible to think of the black people who worked about the house as friends, for if she talked to one of them, her mother would come running anxiously: ‘Come away; you mustn’t talk to natives.’ This is what usually happened in these situations. 2 Complete these sentences with an appropriate form of the verb in brackets. U se would where possible. Remember, all these sentences refer to real, past situations. 1 If she (meet) a black child, she (throw) stones or sticks at them. 2 If she (have) a heavy bag, she (expect) one of the servants (carry) it for her. 3 She (get) angry if a servant (stand) in her way. 4 Her mother (insult) the servants if she (feel) insecure. 5 If the white farmers (want) the land the natives were using, they (ask) the police to move the people on.

Multiple-clause sentences In the story, Lessing sometimes uses long multiple-clause sentences, especially when describing the landscape and the girl’s thoughts. On a first reading, these long sentences may be quite difficult to follow. However, they can be broken down into many shorter, simpler sentences. Look at two of the opening sentences of the story. Sentence 1: They were good, the years of ranging the bush over her father’s farm which, like every white farm, was largely unused, broken only occasionally by small patches of cultivation.

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- The years of ranging the bush over her father’s farm were good. - It was like every white farm. - It was largely unused. - It was broken only occasionally by small patches of cultivation. Sentence 2: And a jutting piece of rock which had been thrust up from the warm soil of Africa unimaginable eras of time ago, washed into hollows and whorls by sun and wind that had travelled so many thousands of miles of space and bush, would hold the weight of a small girl whose eyes were sightless for anything but a pale willowed river, a pale gleaming castle - a small girl singing: ‘Out flew the web and floated wide, the mirror cracked from side to side - There was also a jutting piece of rock. - It had been thrust up from the warm soil of Africa unimaginable eras of time ago. - It had been washed into hollows and whorls by sun and wind. - The sun and wind had travelled so many thousands of miles of space and bush. - The rock would hold the weight of a small girl. - The small girl could not see anything except a pale willowed river, a pale gleaming castle. - She was singing ‘Out flew the web and floated wide, the mirror cracked from side to sid e...’ 3 T he following extract describes the girl’s experience on her way to the village. Break it down into smaller sentences. Remember to make sure you have a subject and verb in each sentence, and to change the verb tenses whfere appropriate. The first two smaller sentences have been done for you on the next page. Fear possessed me. I found I was turning round and round, because of that shapeless menace behind me that might reach out and take me; I kept glancing at the files of kopjes which, seen from a different angle, seemed to change with every step so that even known landmarks, like a big mountain that had sentinelled my world since I first became conscious of it, showed an unfamiliar sunlit valley among its foothills.

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Fear possessed me. I found I was turning round and round.

4 Look again at the extract in exercise 3. What effect do you think the length and complexity of the sentence has on Lessing’s description? 5 T he following sentence describe the girl’s visit to the village. Notice how many people are described in this one sentence, as well as their physical appearance, feelings and behaviour. Then break it down into five shorter sentences. Again I stood, smiling foolishly, while behind me stood the groups of brightly'dad, chattering women, their faces alert with curiosity and interest, and in front of me sat the old men, with old lined faces, their eyes guarded, aloof.

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Literary analysis Plot 1 Look at the following sentences (a-f) and put them in the order that they happen in the story. a) The girl follows the C hief’s son back to his village. b) The girl’s father makes an agreement with C hief Mshlanga about some goats. c) The girl’s father demands compensation from Chief Mshlanga. d) The girl reads books that tell her more about Chief Mshlanga and the history of the area. e) The girl meets Chief Mshlanga and two men while out walking. f) The C hief’s village is cleared. 2 What do you think is the key event in the story? Why? 3 In many ways the story is about change. What changes are we told about? Think of events in the past, as well as the present. 4 Why do you think the girl’s'mother behaves as she does towards the black Africans who work in the house and on the farm? 5 Why does the girl follow the C hief’s son to the village? 6 Why do you think Chief Mshlanga’s village is moved after the argument about the goats? How could the Chief and the girl’s father have resolved it differently?

Character 7

Initially, why does the young girl behave the way she does towards the native black people on the farm? How does her behaviour change as the story develops? What brings about these changes? 8 What do you think lies behind the attitude of the girl’s mother towards the black people who work on the farm? Look again at the contradictory way her mother responds when she finds out that the man who works in the kitchen is a C hief’s son. How does she feel about this new information? 9 To what extent does the girl’s father recognize and understand the position of the local people? What two incidents do we know of that have led to him meeting Chief Mshlanga? In their second meeting, how are the two men’s perspectives different? 10 Who do you think are the main characters in the story? Apart from them, which other characters are significant in the development of the plot and the young girl’s character? What evidence do you have for this? 112 | The Old Chief Mshlanga

11 What comparison can you make between the girl and Chief Mshlanga’s different experiences of life? How do you think Chief Mshlanga’s interaction with the white settlers has changed his opinion of them? 12 Look again at the passages relating to a) the girl’s mother b) her father. In what way are her parents typical of colonial settlers more generally? What do you think is different about their heritage compared to the heritage of their daughter? 13 What does the girl think she has in common with the black people who live around the farm? How does her recognition of a shared heritage change the way she feels and behaves towards them?

Narration 14 The story is divided up into episodes - can you identify them? For example, the first episode is the young girl’s life, the second is her meeting with Chief Mshlanga. How does Lessing use these different stages to move the story, and the girl’s character, forward? 15 A t the beginning, who is telling the story? A t what point does the perspective change? Who is the new narrator? Why does the narration change? How has the girl changed? Did you notice this on your first reading?

Atmosphere 16 Think again about the different settings described in the story - the white settlers’ farm, Chief Mshlanga’s village, the girl’s imaginary landscape, and the open country she walks across to get to the village. How does Lessing create a different atmosphere for each one? What comparisons are made between them? 17 Consider the girl’s three encounters with Chief Mshlanga: when she meets him on the path; when she goes to the village to see him; and when she observes his discussion with her father. How is the atmosphere different for each meeting? What do you think the girl learns from each encounter? 18 The girl’s understanding and character development are reflected in the way the landscape is described. Consider the atmosphere of the landscape as it is described at various stages in the story: - when the girl is a young child - when she is an older child walking freely beyond the farm

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- after she meets C hief Mshlanga for the first time - as she makes her way to the village. What do these changes in atmosphere tell us about the girl’s growth to independence and maturity?

Style 19 Look at these extracts in which Lessing describes how the young girl feels about the landscape she lives in. Underline the adjectives. Because of this.. .it was the veld that seemed unreal; the sun was a foreign sun, and the wind spoke a strange language. The black people on the farm were as remote as the trees and the rocks. They were an amorphous black mass, mingling and thinning and massing like tadpoles, faceless, who existed merely to serve, to say Yes, Baas,’ take their money and go. What do these adjectives suggest about the girl’s attitudes to her surroundings and her neighbours? 20 Now look at the following two paragraphs in the story, which describe how the girl and her friends would treat black people on the farm. What verbs does Lessing use to describe the interaction between the children and the natives? What does the language tell us about the white children’s attitude to the black children? If a native came into sight along the kaffir paths half a mile away, the dogs would flush him up a tree as if he were a bird. If he expostulated (in his uncouth language which was by itself ridiculous) that was cheek. If one was in a good mood, it could be a matter for laughing. Otherwise one passed on, hardly glancfng at the angry man in the tree. On the rare occasions when white children met together they could amuse themselves by hailing a passing native in order to make a buffoon of him; they could set the dogs on him and watch him run; they could tease a small black child as if he were a puppy - save that they would not throw stones and sticks at a dog without a sense of guilt. 21 Think about the descriptions of the contrasting landscapes of: the white farm; the village - before and after the people are removed; the vast open spaces in between. What do you think Lessing is suggesting about the political and geographical character of Africa? Guidance to the above literary terms, answer keys to all the exercises and activities, plus a wealth of other reading-practice material, can be found at www.macmillanenglish.com/readers. 114 | The Old Chief Mshlanga

The Adventure of the Hansom Cab by Robert Louis Stevenson

About the author Robert Louis Stevenson is remembered as one of the great Scottish authors, who wrote some of the most famous adventure stories in the English language. Bom Robert Lewis Balfour Stevenson in Edinburgh in 1850, his father was a wealthy engineer and a lighthouse designer. Robert was his only child. From his early childhood Robert suffered from weak lungs and poor general health, and his education was interrupted. Often in bed at home, he had stories read to him by his guardian and nurse, A lison Cunningham. T he young boy dreamt of adventure and travel. Initially following in his father’s footsteps, Robert studied engineering at university, but he did not complete his studies. Telling his father he wanted to be a writer, Stevenson then agreed to study law so that he would have a profession. But his life after that was far from conventional. He changed his middle name ‘Lewis’ to the French spelling, Louis, and became a flamboyant figure, known in Edinburgh society for his velvet coat. T he Scottish climate and strict social conventions did not suit him, however, and he often went in search of new places, societies and lifestyles, hoping that his health might improve in a warmer country. Stevenson’s travels started in Europe, and he visited fashionable health resorts on the French Riviera1 with his parents. Despite his health problems, Stevenson still had a spirit of adventure, and in 1876 he canoed through the rivers and canals of Belgium and north-east France with a friend. Two years later, he walked across the hills and valleys of the Cevennes region of southern France, this time with a donkey for company. But it was while staying in a bohemian2 artists’ colony in Grez in northern France that Stevenson met the American artist Fanny Vandegrift Osbourne, who was in the country with her two young children. In 1879, when Fanny returned to the U nited States, Stevenson followed her, sailing to New York and then taking 1 the part of coastal south-east France stretching from the Italian border in the east to Hyeres in the west 2 living or behaving in an informal way that is considered typical of artists and writers

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a train journey across Am erica to the west coast. He married Fanny in San Francisco in 1880. They returned to Europe as a family, and for several years Stevenson divided his time between Scotland and mountain towns in the Alps. Stevenson wrote and published accounts of his travels. When he was too ill to travel himself, he used his experiences to feed his imagination, using the places he had visited as settings for some of his novels and poems. The 1880s were the most productive decade of Stevenson’s writing career. In 1881, inspired by a map he had drawn for his stepson, Stevenson wrote his first novel - a story about adventure and mutiny3 at sea called Treasure Island. A nother of his major novels, Kidnapped, published in 1886, was also an adventure story - this time, about one m an’s experiences of the Jacobite Rebellion of 17454. In the same year Stevenson’s famous study of good and evil, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hydeywas published. Throughout this time he also wrote many more adventure stories, as well as a book of poems for children, A Child's Garden of Verses (1885). He also wrote widely for newspapers and magazines. In 1887, Stevenson left Europe for the U S A , and then went on to the South Seas, where he hoped to find a healthier climate and lifestyle. Settling with his family on a small island in Sam oa, Stevenson was known as ‘Tusitaia’ by his neighbours there, which means ‘storyteller’. It was here that Stevenson died, in 1894, at the age of 44, from a brain haemorrhage5. He was buried in Sam oa. His essays, diaries, short stories, novels and poems have all survived him, and he is remembered for having had a rich fife of colour and adventure.

About the story The Adventure of the Hansom Cab was the last of three connecting stories, collectively called The Suicide Club, which were originally published in 1878 in the political and literary publication The London Magazine. They were first published together in 1882, in the first volume of Stevenson’s short story collection New Arabian Nights. 3 a refusal by a group to accept someone’s authority, especially a group of soldiers or sailors 4 an unsuccessful attempt by the Stuart family and their supporters to win back the thrones of Great Britain and Ireland 5 medical: an occasion when blood flows out of an injured organ inside someone’s body, rather than out of their body through a cut in the skin

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t

Background information Victorian society and its values Queen Victoria reigned in Britain between 1837 and 1901 - this period is known as the Victorian era, and the people who lived there at the time as Victorians. It was a critical period in British history. The ongoing industrial revolution brought machines, trains, electricity and other life-changing inventions to the population. Meanwhile, the British Empire was growing all the time, and many British people, particularly military men, spent many years living overseas, in the colonies in India, Africa, the Far East or Australia. T he Victorian era was a time when Britain was strong and powerful - the Victorians were patriotic and proud of their country and its achievements. A t the same time, society was very divided in terms of class - social categories based on family background, education, money and work. The working class were the poorest, and had the least education. T he upper classes had a lot of money and big houses including, sometimes, very large ‘stately’ homes, with liveried (uniformed) servants who carried out all the duties around the house and grounds. The social classes were also divided by their knowledge of etiquette, a set of rules of social behaviour that showed whether or not you were well-bred (from a respected family and well educated). The way people looked and behaved - their demeanour - was critical in judging which class, and what kind of person, they were.

The Victorian gentleman The Victorians are thought of as having a particular character, qualities and ideals, as well as high and very rigid expectations of their most respected citizens. A Victorian gentleman was expected to be honourable, loyal, intelligent, well educated, brave, and in control of his emotions at all times - no matter how sad, happy, afraid or angry he was. He was expected to have a strong moral code - to believe in God, to marry and be faithful, to have children, and to take an active part in society. M en who had served in the military were particularly respected. In the story, several of the characters are well known for the courage they displayed when fighting in wars overseas; Major O ’Rooke, for example, distinguished himself in the cavalry - the part of the army which rode horses. But courage in war was not enough. A gentleman should also speak in a formal and elegant way, be a good

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host, a reliable judge of character, unemotional, and always be modest about his achievements. Money and social standing were also very important - any scandal could damage your reputation, which was the most important and precious thing you had. If people found out that you, or anyone in your family, had behaved badly, or even been unlucky or unfortunate, it could have a permanent effect.

D u e ls A true gentleman was expected to stand up for what was morally right, including being prepared to fight, and even die, to defend his ideals or his family’s name and reputation. Consequently, people sometimes fought duels simply because they or their family had been insulted. A duel was an organized, though very private, event - a sword or gun fight between two people, attended by a few observers. The rules of the duel would be agreed in advance. A box containing two weapons would often be produced, and the duellers would choose which one they wanted to use. It was then up to the observers to ensure that the duel was ‘properly’ fought.

H a n so m cabs A hansom cab was a horse-drawn carriage which was designed to take paying passengers around and between towns and cities. Pulled by one horse, the hansom cab had large wooden wheels and could carry up to three passengers. The driver sat outside at the back of the carriage, and would talk to his passengers through a hatch or ‘trap’, a small door in the ceiling of the carriage itself. Designed in 1834 and named after its creator, Joseph Hansom, it was used extensively across Europe and in New York during the latter part of the 19th and early 20th centuries. The word ‘cab’ is still used informally today, an abbreviation of the full title, ‘taxicab’.

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Summary It may help you to know something about what happens in the story before you read it. D on ’t worry, this sum mary does not tell you how the story ends! Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich returns to London from military service in India. Having received great praise for his many military successes, he has spent a few months in other countries before coming back to England because he does not want a hero’s welcome. A lone in the capital, he dresses for the theatre, and dines at his gentleman’s club, but then decides to wander the streets in search of an adventure. W hen a hansom cab picks him up, he tells the driver to take him anywhere he wants to. The hansom cab takes Rich to a private party, hosted by Mr Morris, whom Rich has never met or heard of. There are many other men at the party, which seems to Rich to be a gambling house. Rich finds he likes Mr Morris, noting to himself how friendly and gentlemanly he is. But he also notices that Mr Morris seems to be assessing each person at the party, and that he asks many of the guests to leave until only a handful of men remain. Leaving the room, Lieutenant Rich makes a shocking discovery - the furniture and decorations in the house are being taken away! W hat is going on? It is now that Mr Morris reveals his true identity to the men, as well as the real reason for bringing them here - he shows them a note from a ‘T. GodalP, asking him to find some true gentlemen to undertake a special, secret mission. Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich and an older soldier, Major O ’Rooke, agree to accept the challenge, and find themselves in the middle of a mysterious adventure...

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Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary This section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

The elements of Victorian adventure This story is a classic Victorian adventure, with all the elements that a reader might expect to find in a story from that time. 1 L ook at the words and their definitions. T h en complete the passage below with words from the list. N o te: You will need to use one of the words twice. adulation great praise or admiration, especially for someone who is famous bound having an obligation to do something because o f a law, promise, etc conduct the way someone behaves, especially in relation to particular rules or

accepted ways of behaving destiny the things that you will do, or the type of person that you will become,

in the future; a mysterious power that some people believe controls everything that happens duel a fight between two men with guns or swords, used in the past by men of high social status to defend their honour after being insulted exploits unusual things that someone does that you think are brave, exciting or entertaining oath a formal promise, usually made in a court of law quest a long difficult search reputation the opinion that people have about how good or bad someone or something is villain an evil person or criminal

Every adventure should have certain elements to it. First of all, you need a hero and he has to have something to do - to go on a (1)................................. of some kind. Before he leaves, he will probably have to swear an (2)................................. of allegiance to a woman or a king, or perhaps a dying soldier. He is (3)................................... by this promise. His (4)................................... depends on him completing the task in a heroic way. If there’s a hero, there also has to be a (5)................................... for him to fight, preferably man-to-man, in a good, old-fashioned (6)..................................... O f course that (7) will also try to trick him in some way. 120 | The Adventure of the Hansom Cab

The hero must act in such a way that everyone thinks that his (8)................................. is exemplary. Obviously, the hero will win - it’s his (9 ).................................... People will talk of his (10)................................. far and wide, for which he will receive great (11).................................... The end.

The elements of a Victorian gentleman T his story has at its heart the search for, and illustration of, the perfect Victorian gentleman acting in accordance with a strong social stereotype. 2 L ook at the adjectives describing an ideal hero. T hen look at the quotes about the three main characters below and use as many words from the list as you need to complete the sum m aries. N o te: Som e words may be used more than once. adventurous keen to try new and exciting things amiable friendly and pleasant charming very attractive and pleasant courageous very brave and determined distinguished successful and respected by many people elegant attractive and graceful in appearance and behaviour gallant brave; a man who is gallant also treats women in an extremely polite and

helpful way honourable morally good and deserving respect modest reluctant to talk about yourself, your achievements or your abilities, even

if you are successful noble behaving in an honest and brave way that other people admire unaffected sincere and natural in your behaviour

Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich His gallantry was universally applauded.. .his was a character remarkable for unaffected modesty; adventure was dear to his heart, but he cared little for adulation. a)

Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich i s .............................................................

M r M orris The easy elegance of his manners, the distinction, amiability, and courage that appeared upon his features. b)

Mr Morris i s ..........................................................................................

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Prince Florizel of Bohem ia There was something so striking in this mans attitude at a moment of deadly peril that Brackenbury was overcome with respectful admiration; nor was he less sensible to the charm of his conversation or the surprising amenity of his address. Every gesture, every intonation, was not only noble in itself, but seemed to ennoble the fortunate mortal for whom it was intended; and Brackenbury confessed to himself with enthusiasm that this was a sovereign for whom a brave man might thankfully lay down his life. c) Prince Florizel is .......................................................................................

3 U se the Prince Florizel extract in exercise 2 to match the words and definitions below. a) a formal speech given by someone to a group of 1 peril people, especially as part of an important occasion; the manner in which this is delivered by the speaker b) mainly literary: a human, not a god or spirit 2 sensible c) formal: knowing or understanding something; 3 amenity sensitive to, aware of d) mainly literary: danger 4 address e) formal: a king or a queen 5 mortal f) here: usefulness, clarity 6 sovereign

Formal and old-fashioned language The description of Prince Florizel above is a good example of the type of formal and old-fashionecflanguage that Stevenson uses in the story. Som e of the words and phrases in this story are no longer in common use but you may still hear them, for example in old films or in T V shows about historical events. The story also contains a lot of formal vocabulary. However, many of these words and phrases are still used in formal contexts, such as letters and certain official events. In this section, we are going to start by looking at some of the oldfashioned expressions used in the story. Then we will focus on some examples of formal vocabulary used by the author. Finally, we preview a few of the more complex expressions you will find in the text.

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Old-fashioned language Som e of the language used in the story is very old-fashioned. 4 Look at this passage, and then match the words and phrases in bold (1 -1 0 ) with the correct definition (a -j) below. He was a (I ) dashing (2) fellow in his early 30s - handsome and energetic. When it was time for him to (3) take his leave, I showed him to the door. He asked me if I would be so kind as to bring him his coat. I went to retrieve it from the other room - it was an extraordinary coat. “(4) Upon my w ord,” said I, “this is the finest coat I have ever seen!” “(5) A la s ,” he said, “it is not perfect. Look - i t has a hole in the pocket. ” I said it didn't matter and I would (6) pay no heed to it. He thanked me for my understanding. “(7) P ray, will you do me the pleasure of (8) p artaking of some supper one night with my family? We can (9) relieve you of your cooking duties for one night! ” uThank you sir, I will! Goodbye and (10) god-speed!” a) b) c) d) e) f) g) h) i) j)

used for showing surprise or anger a man attractive and fashionable in an exciting way to take something away from someone to make them more comfortable to take or be given something to eat or drink to say goodbye old word used for saying you are sad about something and you wish it had not happened used for asking a question or for telling someone to do som ething an expression used to give a blessing for a journey to take no notice

Form al vocabulary Many of the words in the story that you may not have seen before are simply formal versions of more common terms. We have included quite a long list here - you will probably be familiar with some of the words, but not with their alternative, more formal meaning.

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Nouns 5 Look at the nouns and definitions and then answ er the questions below. circumlocution the use of too many words to say something, especially in order

to avoid saying something clearly colloquy a conversation, usually very formal conveyance a vehicle coquetry acting in a way that is intended to attract men sexually discourse a serious spoken or written discussion of a particular subject occasion a reason for something profusion a large quantity of something proprietor someone who owns a business

a) W hich nouns relate to speech? b) W hich noun relates to behaviour? c) U se the remaining words in the list to complete this passage: I had (1)................................. to call a (2).................................... to take me to the government offices. There was quite a (3)...................................of numbers in the telephone directory - I didn’t know which to choose. I asked the (4).................................. of the hotel for some advice. Verbs 6 T he list below gives meanings for some of the more unusual verbs in the story. admonish to advise someone to do something be acquainted with to know something or someone, usually not very well confer to give someone authority, a legal right or an honour distinguish to be able to hear, see, smell or taste something clearly inaugurate to start or introduce something new and important lament to show publicly that you feel sad or disappointed about something marvel to show or feel surprise or admiration procure to obtain something, especially with effort or difficulty proffer to offer someone something by moving it towards them suffice to be enough tender to formally offer something

a) W hich of the verbs involve an action? b) W hich verbs relate to emotional expression? c) W hich verbs relate to som eone’s ability to do something?

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Adjectives and adverbs 7 L ook at the adjectives and adverbs, and their definitions. Then use them to complete the description below. agreeable pleasant, nice or satisfactory courtly very polite in a formal way fatigued feeling extremely tired, either physically or mentally prostrated made to feel extremely upset or ill protracted continuing for a long time, especially longer than is normal or

necessary singularly in a noticeable way

I arrived at the hotel keen to go to bed. I was (1)................................. after my long journey. T he proprietor was very (2)..................................., but acted in a very formal, almost (3).................................. way. She insisted on giving me a (4)................................. and wholly unnecessary explanation of the history of the building. (5)................................... by exhaustion, I found myself (6)................................. uninterested in what she was telling me. I was more interested in being shown to my room! U sin g form al and old-fashioned language Som e of the characters in this story, particularly Mr Morris and Prince Florizel, speak to each other in a much more formal way than is normal in modern-day conversation. Formal language often involves using different verb tenses from those you would usually use in everyday speech, such as the passive and the imperative. It also involves inversion, standard formal expressions and the use of a lot of words to communicate simple messages. You do not need to know how to use this language yourself, but it is helpful to be able to recognize it and work out its meaning when you come across it. 8 R ead the following extracts (1 -1 0 ) from the story. T hen match the phrases in bold with the shorter, more informal versions (a-j) which follow. 1 I am gratified to m ake your acq u ain tan ce. 2 . ..here is my hand ready, and 1 shall wish him good-night and God­ speed with all the sincerity in the world. 3 “This Morris, ” thought he, “is no idler in the room ... ” 4 Some deep purpose inspires him; let it be mine to fathom it. 5 H ence, I speak it without concealm ent... 6 I ask you to render me a dangerous and delicate service... The Adventure of the Hansom Cab | 125

7 “Dr N oel,” he said, “you will be so good as to re-light the lamp.” 8 “You will have the kindness,” he said, “to m aintain the strictest silence, and to conceal yourselves in the densest of the shadow.” 9 .. .more than one person said good-night of his own accord, and was suffered to depart without expostulation... 10 Brackenbury signified his readiness in the most becoming term s... a) b) c) d) e) 0 g) h) i) j)

encouraged to leave as quickly as possible pleased to meet you please would you is not here for nothing he’s up to something, and I’m going to find out what it is so I’m going to be honest let me know, very politely, that he was ready be quiet and hide I would like to shake your hand do me a favour

We will look at formal language again in the post-reading activities. But for now, try to be aware of the formality of the language, and focus on getting the general idea, or gist, of what is being said without worrying too much about understanding every word.

Language relating to the military The military was a good place to earn your reputation as a gentleman; hopefully, you would come back from military service as a hero, too. 9 R ead the following description of one of the characters in the story. T hen use it to match the words (1 -1 0 ) below with the correct definition (a—j). Major O ’Rooke is a veteran of many wars, and has earned himself a considerable reputation for his bravery. He was respected amongst the ranks of his regiment - soldiers were proud to have served under him. He knows about a lot of weapons, but is most comfortable with handguns - he prefers a pistol, which is lighter than a revolver when loaded, as it carries fewer bullets. He was once shot, but the wound was not fatal and he survived. He hopes not to hear any shots fired today - the fact that swords are mentioned in T. G odall’s notes suggests the duel will be fought with blades, not bullets. One-to-one com bat would be a fair fight.

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1 sword 2 combat

3

pistol

4 5

revolver regiment

6 the ranks 7 fatal 8

loaded

9

weapon

10 veteran

a) a small gun that you hold in one hand b) a group of soldiers that can be divided into smaller groups called battalions and whose leader is called a colonel c) an object that can be used to hurt people or damage property, for example a gun, knife or bomb d) causing someone to die e) a weapon with a short handle and long sharp blade f) containing bullets, ready to use g) all the members of a military organization who are not officers h) a fight, especially an organized fight, between two people i) someone who has been in the armed forces, especially during a war j) a small gun that holds several bullets, which are stored in a cartridge that turns around as the gun is fired

Main themes Before you read the story, you may want to think about some of its main themes. The questions will help you think about the story as you are reading it for the first time. There is more discussion of the main themes in the Literary analysis section after the story.

Heroism and adventure The hero of the ‘classic’ adventure story often finds that things are not as they seem. Heroes must be ready for adventure, and interested in the unknown. They must keep their head, stay calm and analyze the situations they find themselves in. They must make judgements about other people, some of whom might be trying to disguise their true identity. They must also undertake various tests or trials to succeed and to save their own or other people’s lives, perhaps putting their lives at risk in their fight for justice. A ll these conventions are true of this story.

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10 A s you read the story, ask yourself: a) b)

In what ways are the character and actions of Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich those of a classic adventure-story hero? W hat elements of the story make it an adventure?

Nobility and good character A s we have considered above, the Victorians believed that nobility and good character were shown in the way a man spoke and behaved, and that these qualities could inspire loyalty in other men. Nobility was more than good education and money - it was evident in the small details of a m an’s actions and words. 11 A s you read the story, think about these questions: a)

b)

How does the character of the President of the Suicide Club compare with that of Prince Florizel? How does the author present them differently? W hat are the strengths and weaknesses of Dr N o el’s character?

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The Adventure of the Hansom C ab by Robert Louis Stevenson Lieutenant Brackenbury R ich had greatly distinguished him self in one o f the lesser Indian hill wars. H e it was who took the chieftain prisoner with his own hand; his gallantry was universally applauded; and when he cam e hom e, prostrated by an ugly sabre6 cut and a protracted jungle fever, society was prepared to welcome the Lieutenant as a celebrity o f m inor lustre7. But his was a character rem arkable for unaffected modesty; adventure was dear to his heart, but he cared little for adulation; and he waited at foreign w atering-places8 and in A lgiers until the fame o f his exploits had run through its nine days’ vitality and begun to be forgotten. H e arrived in London at last, in the early season, with as little observation as he could desire; and as he was an orphan and had none but distant relatives who lived in the provinces, it was alm ost as a foreigner that he installed him self in the capital o f the country for which he had shed his blood. O n the day following his arrival he dined alone at a military club. H e shook hands with a few old com rades9, and received their warm congratulations; but as one and all had some engagem ent for the evening, he found him self left entirely to his own resources. H e was in dress10, for he had entertained the notion o f visiting a theatre. But the great city was new to him; he had gone from a provincial school to a m ilitary college, and th en ce11 direct to the Eastern Empire; and he prom ised him self a variety o f delights in this world for exploration. Sw inging his 6 a heavy sword with a slightly curved blade, used in the past 7 mainly literary: a brightness shining from something or someone 8 informal: pubs or other places where people go to drink alcohol; here, probably clubs or hotels overseas 9 mainly literary: friends, especially those you have fought together with in a war or worked with 10 formally clothed - perhaps in a dinner suit 11 literary: from a particular place or point

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cane, he took his way westward. It was a m ild evening, already dark, and now and then threatening rain. T h e succession of faces in the lam plight stirred the L ieuten an t’s im agination; and it seem ed to him as if he could walk for ever in th at stim ulatin g city atm osphere and surrounded by the mystery of four m illion private lives. H e glanced at the houses, and m arvelled at what was passing behind those warmly-lighted windows; he looked into face after face, and saw them each intent upon som e unknow n interest, crim inal or kindly. “T hey talk o f war,” he thought, “but this is the great battlefield o f m ankind.” A n d then he began to wonder that he should walk so long in this com plicated scene, and n ot chance upon so m uch as the shadow of an adventure for him self. “A ll in good tim e,” he reflected. “I am still a stranger, and perhaps wear a strange air. But I m ust be drawn into the eddy12 before long.” T h e night was already well advanced when a plum p o f cold rain fell suddenly out of the darkness. Brackenbury paused under some trees, and as he did so he caught sight o f a hansom cabm an m aking him a sign th at he was disengaged13. T h e circum stance fell in so happily to the occasion that he at once raised his cane in answer, and had soon enscon ced14 him self in the London gon dola15. “W here to, sir?” asTced the driver. “W here you please,” said Brackenbury. A n d immediately, at a pace o f surprising swiftness, the hansom drove off through the rain into a maze o f villas. O n e villa was so like another, each with its front garden, and there was so little to distinguish the deserted lam p-lit streets and crescents through w hich the flying hansom took its way, th at Brackenbury soon lost all idea o f direction. 12 here: become involved in the busy life and society around him 13 not involved in a situation or affected by it; here, used to mean that the cab did not have a passenger 14 literary: from the verb ‘ensconce’ - to put yourself into a comfortable or safe position 15 here: refers to the cab or taxi carriage

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H e would have been tem pted to believe th at the cabm an was amusing him self by driving him round and round and in and out about a sm all quarter, but there was som ething business-like in the speed which convinced him o f the contrary. T h e m an had an object in view, he was h asten in g16 towards a definite end; and Brackenbury was at once astonished at the fellow ’s skill in picking a way through such a labyrinth, and a little concerned to im agine w hat was the occasion o f his hurry. H e had heard tales o f strangers falling ill in London. Did the driver belong to some bloody and treacherous association? A n d was he h im self being whirled to a murderous death? T h e thought had scarcely presented itself, when the cab swung sharply round a com er and pulled up before the garden gate o f a villa in a long and wide road. T h e house was brilliantly lighted up. A n oth er hansom had just driven away, and Brackenbury could see a gentlem an being adm itted at the front door and received by several liveried servants. H e was surprised that the cabm an should h ave stopped so im m ediately in front o f a house where a reception was being held; but he did n ot doubt it was the result o f accident, and sat placidly sm oking where he was, until he heard the trap thrown open over his head. “Here we are, sir,” said the driver. “H ere!” repeated Brackenbury. “W here?” “You told me to take you where I pleased, sir,” returned the m an with a chuckle, “and here we are.” It struck Brackenbury that the voice was wonderfully sm ooth and co u rteou s for a m an in so inferior a position; he remem bered the speed at which he had been driven; and now it occurred to him th at the hansom was more luxuriously appointed17 than the com m on run o f public conveyances. “I m ust ask you to explain ,” said he. “ Do you m ean to turn m e out into the rain? M y good m an, I suspect the choice is m ine.” “T h e choice is certainly yours,” replied the driver; “but when I tell you all, I believe I know how a gentlem an o f your 16 from the verb ‘hasten’ - to go somewhere in a hurry 1 7 a building or room that is beautifully appointed, well appointed, etc has everything you need and is decorated very well

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figure will decide. T here is a gentlem en’s party in this house. I do n ot know whether the m aster be a stranger to Lon don and w ithout acquaintances o f his own; or whether he is a m an o f odd notions. But certainly I was hired to kidn ap18 single gentlem en in evening dress, as m any as I pleased, but m ilitary officers by preference. You have simply to go in and say that M r M orris invited you.” “A re you M r M orris?” inquired the Lieutenant. “O h, n o,” replied the cabm an. “M r M orris is the person o f the house.” “It is not a com m on way of collecting guests,” said Brackenbury: “but an eccentric m an m ight very well indulge the w him 19 without any intention to offend. A n d suppose that I refuse M r M orris’s invitation ,” he went on, “what then?” “M y orders are to drive you back where I took you from ,” replied the man, “and set out to look for others up to m idnight. T h ose who have no fancy for such an adventure, M r M orris said, were n ot the guests for him .” T h ese words decided the Lieuten an t on the spot. “A fter all,” he reflected, as he descended from the hansom , “I have n ot h ad long to wait for my adventure.” H e had hardly found footing on the side-walk20, and was still feeling in his pocket for the fare, when the cab swung about and drove off by the way it cam e at the former break-neck velocity21. Brackenbury shouted after the m an, who paid no heed, and continued to drive away; but the sound o f his voice was overheard in the house, the door was again thrown open, em itting a flood o f light upon the garden, and a servant ran down to m eet him holding an umbrella. “T h e cabm an has been paid,” observed the servant in a very civil tone; and he proceeded to esco rt Brackenbury along the 18 literal meaning: to illegally take someone away and make them a prisoner, especially in order to make their family or government give you money or allow you to do what you want; here, to escort or take someone somewhere 19 old'fashioned: to do or have something simply because you have a sudden feeling that you must have or must do something. This phrase suggests that what someone wants is not important 20 old'fashioned British, no<w US: the pavement at the side of the road 21 very high speed

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path and up the steps. In the hall several other attendants relieved him o f his hat, cane, and p aletot22, gave him a ticket with a num ber in return, and politely hurried him up a stair adorned with tropical flowers, to the door of an apartm ent on the first storey. Here a grave butler inquired his nam e, and announcing “Lieutenant Brackenbury R ich ,” ushered him into the drawing-room 23 o f the house. A young m an, slender and singularly handsom e, cam e forward and greeted him with an air at once courtly and affectionate. Hundreds o f candles, o f the finest wax, lit up a room that was perfumed, like the staircase, with a profusion of rare and beautiful flowering shrubs. A side-table was loaded with tem pting viands24. Several servants went to and fro with fruits and goblets of cham pagne. T h e com pany was perhaps sixteen in number, all men, few beyond the prime o f life, and with hardly an exception, o f a dashing and capable exterior. T hey were divided into two groups, one about a roulette25 board, and the other surrounding a table at which one o f their num ber held a bank o f baccarat26. “I see,” thought Brackenbury, “I am in a private gambling saloon27, and the cabm an was a tout.” H is eye h ad em braced the details, and his m ind formed the conclusion, while his host was still holding him by the hand; and to him his looks returned from this rapid survey. A t a second view M r M orris surprised him still more than on the first. T h e easy elegance o f his manners, the distinction, amiability, and courage that appeared upon his features, fitted very ill28 with the L ieu ten an ts preconceptions on the subject o f the proprietor o f a h ell29; and the tone of his conversation seem ed to m ark 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

a man’s overcoat, shaped like a cape - a fashion from the Victorian period old-fashioned: living room an old word meaning ‘food’ a game in which a small ball is thrown onto a moving wheel that is divided into sections, while people try to win money by guessing where the ball will stop a card game, usually played in a casino, on the result of which bets are placed a big room, usually on a ship, where people can sit together and talk, play games, etc formal: badly here: probably refers to a casino or private gambling club - taking a very strong moral view on it, relating it to the work of the devil

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him out for a m an o f position and merit. Brackenbury found he had an instinctive liking for his entertainer; and though he chid h im self for the weakness, he was unable to resist a sort o f friendly attraction for M r M orris’s person and character. “I have heard o f you, Lieutenant R ich ,” said M r Morris, lowering his tone; “and believe me I am gratified to m ake your acquaintance. Your looks accord w ith the reputation th at has preceded you from India. A n d if you will forget for a while the irregularity o f your presentation in my house, I shall feel it not only an honour, but a genuine pleasure besides. A m an who m akes a m outhful o f barbarian cavaliers30,” he added with a laugh, “should n ot be appalled by a breach o f etiquette, however serious.” A n d he led him towards the sideboard and pressed him to partake o f som e refreshment. “U p o n my word,” the Lieutenant reflected, “this is one o f the pleasantest fellows and, I do not doubt, one o f the m ost agreeable societies in L on don .” H e partook o f some cham pagne, w hich he found excellent; and observing th at m any o f the com pany were already smoking, he lit one o f his own M anillas31, and strolled up to the roulette board, where he som etim es m ade a stake and som etim es looked on sm ilingly on the fortune o f others. It was while he was thus idling32 that he becam e aware of a sharp scrutin y to which the whole of tlfe guests were subjected. M r M orris went here and there, osten sibly busied on h ospitable33 concerns; but he had ever a shrew d glance at disposal34; not a m an o f the party escaped his sudden, searching looks; he took stock o f the bearing o f heavy losers, he valued the am ount o f the stakes, he paused behind couples who were deep in conversation; and, in 30 here: the term refers to opponents in battle 3 1 a type of cigar 32 spending time relaxing and doing nothing 33 being generous towards visitors and guests; providing the conditions that something needs to exist in a place 34 either ‘at his disposal’ (=available for him to use at any time), or referring to the noun ‘disposal’ (=the process of getting rid of something), implying that Mr Morris is considering which guests to throw out of the party

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a word, there was hardly a characteristic o f any one present but he seem ed to catch and m ake a note o f it. Brackenbury began to wonder if this were indeed a gam bling hell: it had so m uch the air o f a private inquisition . H e followed M r M orris in all his m ovem ents; and although the m an had a ready smile, he seem ed to perceive, as it were under a mask, a haggard, careworn, and preoccupied spirit. T h e fellows around him laughed and m ade their gam e; but Brackenbury had lost interest in the guests. “T h is M orris,” thought he, “ is no idler in the room. Som e deep purpose inspires him; let it be m ine to fathom it.” N ow and th en M r M orris would call one of his visitors aside; and after a brief colloquy in an ante-room 35, he would return alone, and the visitors in question reappeared no more. A fter a certain num ber o f repetitions, this perform ance excited Brackenbury’s curiosity to a high degree. H e determ ined to be at the bottom o f this m inor mystery at once; and strolling into the ante-room, found a deep window recess36 concealed by curtains o f the fashionable green. H ere he hurriedly ensconced himself; nor had he to w ait long before the sound o f steps and voices drew near him from the principal apartm ent. Peering through the division, he saw M r M orris escorting a fat and ruddy personage, with som ew hat the look o f a com m ercial traveller, whom Brackenbury had already remarked for his coarse laugh and under-bred behaviour at the table. T h e pair halted im m ediately before the window, so that Brackenbury lost not a word o f the following discourse: “I beg you a thousand pardons!” began M r Morris, with the m ost con ciliatory m anner; “and, if I appear rude, I am sure you will readily forgive me. In a place so great as London accidents must continually happen; and the best that we can hope is to rem edy them with as sm all delay as possible. I will n ot deny that I fear you have m ade a m istake and honoured my poor house by inadvertence37; for, to speak openly, I cannot at all remember your appearance. Let me put the question w ithout unnecessary 35 a small room leading to a larger room. The prefix ante- means ‘before’ 36 a space in a room where part of a wall is further back than the rest of it 37 formal, old-fashioned: not deliberately, and without realizing what you are doing

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circum locution - between gentlem en o f honour a word will suffice - U n der whose roof do you suppose yourself to be?” “T h a t of M r M orris,” replied the other, with a prodigious display o f confusion, which had been visibly growing upon him throughout the last few words. “M r Jo h n or M r Jam es M orris?” inquired the host. “I really can n ot tell you,” returned the unfortunate guest. “ I am not personally acquainted with the gentlem an, any more th an I am with yourself.” “ I see,” said M r M orris. “T here is another person o f the sam e nam e farther down the street; and I have no doubt the policem an will be able to supply you with his number. Believe me, I felicitate m yself38 on the m isunderstanding w hich has procured me the pleasure o f your com pany for so long; and let me express a hope that we may m eet again upon a more regular footing. M eantim e, I would not for the world detain you longer from your friends. Jo h n ,” he added, raising his voice, “will you see th at this gentlem an finds his great-coat?” A n d with the m ost agreeable air M r Morris escorted his visitor as far as the ante-room door, where he left him under conduct o f39 the butler. A s he passed the window, on his return to the drawing-room, Brackenbury could hear him utter a profound sigh, as though his m ind was loaded with a great anxiety, and his nerves already fatiguednvith the task on which he was engaged. For perhaps an hour the hansom s kept arriving with such frequency, that M r M orris had to receive a new guest for every old one that he sent away, and the com pany preserved its num ber undiminished. But towards the end of th at time the arrivals grew few and far between, and at length ceased entirely, while the process o f elim ination was continued with unimpaired activity. T h e drawing-room began to look empty: the baccarat was discontinued for lack of a banker; more than one person said good-night o f his own accord, and was suffered to depart without expostulation; and in the m eanw hile M r M orris redoubled in agreeable attentions to those who stayed 38 formal: take pleasure, rejoice 39 formal: in the hands of; therefore here, the butler took responsibility for the visitor

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behind. He w ent from group to group and from person to person with looks o f the readiest sym pathy and the m ost pertin en t and pleasing talk; he was not so m uch like a host as like a hostess, and there was a fem inine coquetry and condescension40 in his m anner w hich charm ed the hearts of all. A s the guests grew thinner, Lieutenant R ich strolled for a m om ent out o f the drawing-room into the hall in quest o f fresher air. But he had no sooner passed the th resh old o f the ante-cham ber than he was brought to a dead h alt by a discovery o f the m ost surprising nature. T h e flowering shrubs had disappeared from the staircase; three large furniture waggons stood before the garden gate; the servants were busy dism antling the house upon all sides; and som e of them had already donned their great-coats and were preparing to depart. It was like the end o f a country ball41, where everything has been supplied by contract. Brackenbury had indeed som e m atter for reflection. First, the guests, who were no real guests after all, had been dismissed; and now the servants, who could hardly be genuine servants, were actively dispersing. “W as the whole establishm ent a sham ?” he asked him self. “T h e m ushroom of a single night w hich should disappear before morning?” W atching a favourable opportunity, Brackenbury dashed upstairs to the highest regions o f the house. It was as he had expected. H e ran from room to room, and saw not a stick of furniture nor so m uch as a picture on the walls. A lthough the house had been painted and papered, it was not only uninhabited at present, but plainly had never been inhabited at all. T h e young officer remem bered with astonishm ent its specious42, settled, and hospitable air on his arrival. It was only at a prodigious cost that the im posture43 could have been carried out upon so great a scale. 40 old-fashioned use here: treating people who have less money than you, or who are less important or respected socially, in a way which makes them feel comfortable 4 1 a formal social event at which there is dancing and usually a meal 42 seeming to be true but in fact wrong 43 formal: deception; tricking someone by telling them something that is not true

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W ho, then, was M r M orris? W hat was his intention in thus playing the householder for a single night in the rem ote west o f London? A n d why did he collect his visitors at hazard44 from the streets? Brackenbury remem bered that he had already delayed too long, and hastened to jo in the company. M any had left during his absence; and counting the Lieutenant and his host, there were not more than five persons in the drawing-room - recently so thronged45. M r M orris greeted him , as he re-entered the apartm ent, with a smile, and im m ediately rose to his feet. “It is now time, gentlem en,” said he, “to explain my purpose in decoying you from your am usem ents. I trust you did not find the evening hang very dully on your hands; but my object, I will confess it, was not to entertain your leisure, but to help m yself in an unfortunate necessity. You are all gentlem en,” he continued, “your appearance does you th at m uch justice, and I ask for no better security. H ence, I speak it without concealm ent, I ask you to render me a dangerous and delicate service; dangerous because you may run the hazard o f your lives, and delicate because I m ust ask an absolute discretion upon all th at you shall see or hear. From an utter stranger the request is alm ost com ically extravagant; I am well aware o f this; and I would add at once, if there be any one present who has heard enough, if there be one am ong the party who recoils from a dangerous confidence and a piece o f Q uixotic46d e v o tio n to he knows n ot whom - here is my hand ready, and I shall wish him good-night and G od-speed with all the sin cerity in the w orld.” A very tall, black m an, with a heavy stoop47, im m ediately responded to this appeal. “I com m end48 your fran k n ess, Sir,” said he; “and, for my part, I go. I m ake no reflections; but I can n ot deny th at you fill me with suspicious thoughts. I go myself, as I say; and perhaps you 44 45 46 47

randomly; without a particular method, pattern or purpose if people throng somewhere, a lot of them go there mainly literary: quixotic ideas or plans are not practical and usually do not succeed a way of standing or walking with your head and shoulders bent forwards and downwards 48 formal: to praise someone or something formally or publicly

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will think I have no right to add words to my exam ple.” “O n the contrary,” replied M r Morris, “I am obliged to you for all you say. It would be im possible to exaggerate the gravity o f my proposal.” “W ell, gentlem en, what do you say?” said the tall m an, addressing the others. “We have had our evening’s frolic49; shall we all go hom eward peaceably in a body50? You will th ink well o f my suggestion in the m orning, when you see the sun again in innocence and safety.” T h e speaker pronounced the last words with an intonation which added to their force; and his face wore a singular expression, full o f gravity and significance. A n oth er o f the com pany rose hastily, and, with som e appearance o f alarm, prepared to take his leave. T here were only two who held their ground, Brackenbury and an old red-nosed cavalry M ajor; but these two preserved a n on ch alan t demeanour, and, beyond a look o f intelligence which they rapidly exchanged, appeared entirely foreign to the discussion th at had just been term inated. M r M orris conducted the deserters51 as far as the door, which he closed upon their heels; then he turned round, d isclosing a countenance52 o f m ingled relief and anim ation, and addressed the two officers as follows. “I have chosen my m en like Josh ua in the Bible,” said M r M orris, “and I now believe I have the pick o f London. Your appearance pleased my hansom cabm en; then it delighted me; I have w atched your behaviour in a strange company, and under the m ost unusual circum stances: I have studied how you played and how you bore your losses; lastly, I have put you to the test o f a staggering announcem ent, and you received it like an invitation to dinner. It is not for nothin g,” he cried, “th at I have been for years the com panion and the pupil o f the bravest and wisest poten tate53 in Europe.” 49 a happy, lively game or activity 50 old-fashioned: in a group 51 people who leave the armed forces without permission; here, the men who are leaving the adventure, not choosing to put themselves in danger 52 literary: your face, or the expression on your face 53 formal: a king or other powerful man who has a lot of authority and influence

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“A t the affair o f Bunderchang54,” observed the M ajor, “I asked for twelve volunteers, and every trooper55 in the ranks replied to my appeal. But a gam ing party is n ot the sam e thing as a regim ent under fire. You may be pleased, I suppose, to have found two, and two who will n ot fail you at a push. A s for the pair who ran away, I count them am ong the m ost pitiful hounds561 ever m et with. Lieutenant R ich ,” he added, addressing Brackenbury, “I have heard m uch o f you o f late; and I cannot doubt but you have also heard o f me. I am M ajor O ’R ook e.” A n d the veteran tendered his hand, w hich was red and trem ulous57, to the young Lieutenant. “W ho has not?” answered Brackenbury. “W hen this little m atter is settled,” said M r Morris, “you will think I have sufficiently rewarded you; for I could offer neither a more valuable service than to make him acquainted with the other.” “A n d now,” said M ajor O ’Rooke, “is it a duel?” “A duel after a fashion,” replied M r M orris, “a duel with unknow n and dangerous enem ies, and, as I gravely fear, a duel to the death. I must ask you,” he continued, “to call me M orris no longer; call me, if you please, H am m ersm ith; my real nam e, as well as that o f another person to whom I hope to present you before long, you will gratify me by n ot asking and not seeking to discover for yourselves. T hree days ago the person o f whom I speak disappeared suddenly from hom e; and, until this m orning, I received no h int o f his situation. You will fancy my alarm when I tell you th at he is engaged upon a work o f private justice. Bound by an unhappy oath, too lightly sworn, he finds it necessary, without the help o f law, to rid the earth o f an in sidious and bloody villain. A lready two o f our friends, and one of them my own born brother, have perished in the enterprise58. H e him self, or I am m uch deceived, is taken in the 54 55 56 57

appears to be a place invented for this story someone of low rank in the army who fights on a horse or in an armoured vehicle an insult: comparing people to very bad or sick dogs literary: if something such as your voice or smile is tremulous, it is not steady, for example because you are afraid or excited 58 a large or important project; here, the attempt to get rid of the villain

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sam e fatal toils59. But at least he still lives and still hopes, as this billet60 sufficiently proves.” A n d the speaker, no other than C o lo n el G eraldine, proffered a letter, thus conceived: “M ajor H am m ersm ith, - O n W ednesday, at 3 A .M ., you will be adm itted by the sm all door to the gardens o f R ochester H ouse, R egen t’s Park, by a m an who is entirely in my interest. I must request you not to fail me by a second. Pray bring my case o f swords, and, if you can find them, one or two gentlem en o f conduct and discretion to whom my person is unknown. My nam e must n ot be used in this affair. T. G O D A L L .” “From his wisdom alone, if he had no other title,” pursued C olon el G eraldine, when the others had each satisfied his curiosity, “my friend is a m an whose directions should im plicitly be followed. I need n ot tell you, therefore, th at I have n ot so m uch as visited the neighbourhood o f R ochester H ouse; and that I am still as wholly in the dark as either o f yourselves as to the nature o f my friend’s dilem m a. I betook61 myself, as soon as I had received this order, to a furnishing contractor, and, in a few hours, the house in w hich we now are had assum ed its late air of festival. My schem e was at least original; and I am far from regretting an action w hich has procured me the services of M ajor O ’R ooke and Lieutenant Brackenbury R ich. But the servants in the street will have a strange awakening. T h e house w hich this evening was full o f lights and visitors they will find uninhabited and for sale to-morrow m orning. T hus even the m ost serious concerns,” added the C olon el, “have a merry side.” “A n d let us add a merry ending,” said Brackenbury. T h e C olon el consulted his watch. “It is now hard on two62,” he said. “We have an hour before us, and a swift cab is at the door. Tell me if I may count upon your h elp.” 59 mainly literary: difficult and tiring work, mainly physical work; here, unusual, as it is used in the plural 60 old-fashioned, formal: note or letter 61 old-fashioned: past simple form of ‘betake’ - to cause to go 62 nearly two o’clock

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“During a long life,” replied M ajor O ’Rooke, “I never took back my hand from anything, nor so m uch as hedged a bet.” Brackenbury signified his readiness in the m ost becom ing terms; and after they had drunk a glass or two o f wine, the C o lo n el gave each o f them a loaded revolver, and the three m ounted into the cab and drove off for the address in question. R ochester House was a m agnificent residence on the banks o f the canal. T h e large extent o f the garden isolated it in an unusual degree from the annoyances o f neighbourhood. It seem ed the Parc aux C erfs63 o f som e great noblem an or m illionaire. A s far as could be seen from the street, there was n ot a glim m er o f light in any o f the num erous windows o f the m ansion; and the place had a look o f neglect, as though the m aster had been long from hom e. T h e cab was discharged64, and the three gentlem en were not long in discovering the sm all door, w hich was a sort o f postern65 in a lane between two garden walls. It still w anted ten or fifteen m inutes o f the appointed tim e66; the rain fell heavily, and the adventurers sheltered them selves below som e pendant ivy, and spoke in low tones o f the approaching trial67. Suddenly G eraldine raised his finger to com m and silence, and all three bent their hearing to the utm ost. T hrough the continuous noise o f the rain, the steps and voices o f two m en becam e audible from thejother side o f the wall; and, as they drew nearer, Brackenbury, whose sense o f hearing was remarkably acute, could even distinguish som e fragm ents o f their talk. “Is the grave dug?” asked one. “It is,” replied the other; “behind the laurel68 hedge. W hen the job is done, we can cover it with a pile o f sta k e s.” T h e first speaker laughed, and the sound o f his m errim ent was shocking to the listeners on the other side. 63 a great mansion within the grounds of Versailles, the highly decorated country palace of King Louis XV of France 64 here: sent away 65 old-fashioned: a small door or gate 66 It was still 10 or 15 minutes before they were due to arrive 67 here: test 68 a small tree with shiny dark green leaves that do not fall off in winter

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“In an hour from now,” he said. A n d by the sound o f the steps it was obvious that the pair had separated, and were proceeding in contrary directions. A lm ost im m ediately after the postern door was cautiously opened, a white face was protruded into the lane, and a hand was seen beckoning to the watchers. In dead silence the three passed the door, which was im m ediately locked behind them , and followed their guide through several garden alleys to the kitchen entrance o f the house. A single candle burned in the great paved kitcl len, w hich was destitute69 o f the custom ary furniture; and as the party proceeded to ascen d from thence by a flight o f winding stairs, a prodigious noise o f rats testified still more plainly to the dilapidation o f the house. T h eir conductor preceded them , carrying the candle. H e was a lean man, m uch bent, but still agile; and he turned from time to tim e and adm onished silence and caution by his gestures. C olon el G eraldine followed on his heels, the case o f swords under one arm, and a pistol ready in the other. Brackenbury s heart beat thickly. H e perceived th at they were still in time; but he judged from the alacrity70 o f the old m an that the hour o f action must be near at hand; and the circum stances o f this adventure were so obscure and m enacing, the place seem ed so well chosen for the darkest acts, that an older m an than Brackenbury m ight have been pardoned a measure o f em otion as he closed the procession71 up the winding stair. A t the top the guide threw open a door and ush ered the three officers before him into a sm all apartm ent, lighted by a smoky lamp and the glow o f a m odest fire. A t the chim ney corner sat a m an in the early prim e o f life, and o f a stou t but courtly and com m anding appearance. H is attitude and expression were those o f the m ost unm oved com posure; he was sm oking a cheroot72 with m uch enjoym ent and deliberation, and on a table by his elbow stood a long glass o f som e effervescing73 beverage74 which 69 70 71 72 73 74

here: empty of possessions or anything valuable formal: quickness and enthusiasm was last in the line of people a cigar that is flat at both ends producing a lot of small bubbles of air or gas formal: a drink

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diffused an agreeable odour through the room. “W elcom e,” said he, extending his hand to C o lo n el G eraldine. “I knew I m ight count on your exactitude75.” “O n my devotion,” replied the C olon el, with a bow. “Present me to your friends,” continued the first; and, when that cerem ony had been performed, “I wish, gentlem en,” he added, with the m ost exqu isite affability, “that I could offer you a more cheerful programme; it is un gracious to inaugurate an acquaintance upon serious affairs; but the com pulsion o f events is stronger than the obligations of good-fellowship. I hope and believe you will be able to forgive me this unpleasant evening; and for m en of your stam p76 it will be enough to know that you are conferring a considerable favour.” “Your H ighness,” said the M ajor, “must pardon my b lun tn ess. I am unable to hide what I know. For some tim e back I have suspected M ajor H am m ersm ith, but M r G o d all is unm istakable. To seek two m en in London unacquainted with Prince Florizel o f Bohem ia was to ask too m uch at Fortune’s77 han ds.” “Prince Florizel!” cried Brackenbury in amazement. A n d he gazed with the deepest interest on the features o f the celebrated78 personage before him . “I shall not lam ent the loss o f my in cognito,” remarked the Prince, “for it enables me to thank you with the more authority. You would have done as m uch for M r G odall, I feel sure, as for the Prince o f Bohem ia; Cut the latter can perhaps do more for you. T h e gain is m ine,” he added, with a courteous gesture. A n d the next m om ent he was conversing with the two officers about the Indian army and the native troops, a subject on which, as on all others, he had a rem arkable fund o f inform ation and the sou n dest views. T here was som ething so striking in this m an’s attitude at a m om ent o f deadly peril that Brackenbury was overcom e with respectful adm iration; nor was he less sensible to the charm of 75 76 77 78

very formal: the fact that something is exact or has been done very carefully here: men of your rank, status or position luck, especially good luck; here, seen as a person or character, ‘Lady Luck’ formal: famous and praised by many people

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his conversation or the surprising am enity o f his address. Every gesture, every intonation, was not only noble in itself, but seem ed to ennoble the fortunate m ortal for whom it was intended; and Brackenbury confessed to him self with enthusiasm that this was a sovereign for whom a brave m an m ight thankfully lay down his life. M any m inutes had thus passed, when the person who had introduced them into the house, and who had sat ever since in a corner, and with his w atch in his hand, arose and whispered a word into the Prince’s ear. “It is well, Dr N o e l,” replied Florizel, aloud; and then addressing the others, “You will excuse me, gentlem en,” he added, “ if I have to leave you in the dark. T h e m om ent now approaches.” Dr N o el extinguished the lamp. A faint, grey light, prem onitory79 o f the dawn, illum inated the window, but was not sufficient to illum inate the room; and when the Prince rose to his feet, it was im possible to distinguish his features or to m ake a guess at the nature o f the em otion which obviously affected him as he spoke. He m oved towards the door, and placed h im self at one side o f it in an attitude o f the wariest attention. “You will have the kindness,” he said, “to m aintain the strictest silence, and to conceal yourselves in the densest o f the shadow.” T h e three officers and the physician hastened to obey, and for nearly ten m inutes the only sound in R ochester House was occasioned by the excursions o f the rats behind the woodwork. A t the end o f that period, a loud creak o f a hinge broke in with surprising distinctness on the silence; and shortly after, the watchers could distinguish a slow and cautious tread approaching up the kitchen stair. A t every second step the intruder seem ed to pause and lend an ear, and during these intervals, which seem ed of an incalculable duration, a profound disquiet80 possessed the spirit o f the listeners. Dr N oel, accustom ed as he 79 formal: having or giving a strong feeling that something is going to happen, especially something bad 80 formal: a feeling of being very worried or nervous

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was to dangerous em otions, suffered an alm ost pitiful physical prostration; his breath w histled in his lungs, his teeth grated one upon another, and his join ts cracked aloud as he nervously shifted his position. A t last a hand was laid upon the door, and the bolt shot back with a slight report81. T here followed another pause, during which Brackenbury could see the Prince draw him self together noiselessly as if for som e unusual exertion. T h en the door opened, letting in a little more o f the light o f the m orning; and the figure o f a m an appeared upon the threshold and stood m otionless. H e was tall, and carried a knife in his hand. Even in the twilight they could see his upper teeth bare and glistening, for his m outh was open like that o f a hound about to leap. T h e m an had evidently been over the head in water but82 a m inute or two before; and even while he stood there the drops kept falling from his wet clothes and pattered on the floor. T h e n ext m om ent he crossed the threshold. T here was a leap, a stifled cry, an in stan tan eous struggle; and before C olon el G eraldine could spring to his aid, the Prince held the m an disarm ed and helpless, by the shoulders. “Dr N o e l,” he said, “you will be so good as to re-light the lam p.” A n d relin quish in g the charge o f his prisoner to G eraldine and Brackenbury, he crossed the room and set his back against the chim ney-piece. A s soon as the lam p had kindled, the party beheld an unaccustom ed sternness on the Prince’s features. It was no longer Florizel, the careless gentlem an; it was the Prince o f Bohem ia, justly incensed and full o f deadly purpose, who now raised his head and addressed the captive President o f the Suicide C lu b 83. “President,” he said, “you have laid your last snare, and your own feet are taken in it. T h e day is beginning; it is your last m orning. You have just swum the R egen t’s C a n a l84; it is your last 81 here: a sudden noise like a gunshot 82 formal: only 83 the Suicide Club was a group of men who agreed to take part in highly dangerous activities which they understood could result in their death 84 a waterway in London, built in 1801

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bathe in this world. Your old accomplice, Dr N oel, so far from betraying me, has delivered you into my hands for judgm ent. A n d the grave you had dug for me this afternoon shall serve, in G o d ’s alm ighty providence85, to hide your own just doom from the curiosity o f m ankind. K neel and pray, sir, if you have a m ind th at way; for your time is short, and G o d is weary o f your iniquities86.” T h e President m ade no answer either by word or sign; but continued to hang his head and gaze sullenly on the floor, as though he were conscious o f the Prince’s prolonged and unsparing regard. “G en tlem en ,” continued Florizel, resuming the ordinary tone o f his conversation, “this is a fellow who has long eluded me, but whom, thanks to Dr N oel, I now have tightly by the heels. To tell the story o f his m isdeeds would occupy more time than we can now afford; but if the canal had contained nothing but the blood o f his victim s, I believe the wretch87 would have been no drier than you see him . Even in an affair o f this sort I desire to preserve the forms o f honour. But I m ake you the judges, gentlem en - this is more an execution than a duel and to give the rogue88 his choice o f w eapons would be to push too far a point o f etiquette. I can n ot afford to lose my life in such a business,” he continued, unlocking the case o f swords; “and as a pistol-bullet travels so often on the wings o f chance, and skill and courage may fall by the m ost trem bling marksman, I have decided, and I feel sure you will approve my determ ination, to put this question to the touch of swords.” W hen Brackenbury and M ajor O ’Rooke, to whom these remarks were particularly addressed, had each intim ated89 his approval, “Q uick, sir,” added Prince Florizel to the President, “choose a blade and do not keep me w aiting; I have an im patience to be done with you forever.” 85 literary: a powerful force that some people believe causes everything that happens to us 86 formal: extremely immoral or unfair actions or situations 87 literary: a bad person 88 old-fashioned: someone who is dishonest 89 formal: given in an indirect way

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For the first time since he was captured and disarmed the President raised his head, and it was plain that he began instantly to pluck up courage. “Is it to be stand up?” he asked eagerly, “and between you and m e?” “I m ean so far to honour you,” replied the Prince. “O h, co m e!” cried the President. “W ith a fair field, who knows how things may happen? I must add that I consider it handsom e behaviour on your H ighness’s part; and if the worst com es to the worst I shall die by one o f the m ost gallant gentlem en in Europe.” A n d the President, liberated by those who had detained him, stepped up to the table and began, with minute attention, to select a sword. H e was highly elated, and seem ed to feel no doubt th at he should issue90 victorious from the contest. T h e spectators grew alarm ed in the face o f so entire a confidence, and adjured91 Prince Florizel to reconsider his intention. “It is but a farce,” he answered; “and I think I can promise you, gentlem en, that it will not be long a-playing.” “Your H ighness will be careful not to over-reach,” said C o lo n el G eraldine. “G eraldine,” returned the Prince, “did you ever know me fail in a debt o f honour? I owe you this m an’s death, and you shall have it.” T h e President at last satisfied h im self with one of the rapiers92, and signified his readiness by a gesture that was not devoid of93 a rude nobility. T h e nearness o f peril, and the sense o f courage, even to this obnoxious villain, lent an air o f m anhood and a certain grace. T h e Prince helped h im self at random to a sword. “C olon el G eraldine and D octor N o e l,” he said, “will have the goodness to await me in this room. I wish no personal friend of m ine to be involved in this transaction94. M ajor O ’Rooke, 90 91 92 93 94

mainly literary: to come out of, to result formal, old-'fashioned: appealed to, asked or begged long thin swords with a very sharp point formal: without formal: the process or activity of doing something, usually related to business

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you are a m an of some years and a settled reputation - let me recom m end the President to your good graces. Lieutenant R ich will be so good as to lend me his attentions: a young m an can not have too m uch experience in such affairs.” “Your H ighness,” replied Brackenbury, “ it is an honour I shall prize extrem ely.” “It is w ell,” returned Prince Florizel; “I shall hope to stand your friend in more im portant circum stances.” A n d so saying he led the way out o f the apartm ent and down the kitchen stairs. T h e two m en who were thus left alone threw open the window and leaned out, straining every sense to catch an indication of the tragical95 events that were about to follow. T h e rain was now over; day had alm ost com e, and the birds were piping in the shrubbery and on the forest trees o f the garden. T h e Prince and his com panions were visible for a m om ent as they followed an alley between two flowering thickets96; but at the first corner a clum p o f foliage97 intervened, and they were again concealed from view. T h is was all that the C o lo n el and the physician had an opportunity to see, and the garden was so vast, and the place of com bat evidently so remote from the house, that not even the noise o f sword-play reached their ears. “He has taken him towards the grave,” said Dr N oel, with a shudder. “G o d ,” cried the C olon el, “G o d defend the righ t!” A n d they awaited the event in silence, the D octor shaking with fear, the C olon el in an agony o f sweat. M any m inutes must have elapsed, the day was sensibly broader98, and the birds were singing more heartily in the garden before a sound of returning footsteps recalled their glances towards the door. It was the Prince and the two Indian officers who entered. G o d had defended the right. 95 old-fashioned: causing or involving great sadness, because someone suffers or dies; tragic 96 areas with a lot of bushes and small trees growing very close together 97 the leaves of a plant or tree 98 the day had arrived

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“I am asham ed o f my em otion,” said Prince Florizel; “I feel it is a weakness unworthy o f my sta tio n ", but the continued existence o f that hound o f hell had begun to prey upon me like a disease, and his death has more refreshed me than a night o f slum ber100. Look, G eraldine,” he continued, throwing his sword upon the floor, “there is the blood o f the m an who killed your brother. It should be a w elcome sight. A n d yet,” he added, “see how strangely we m en are m ade! My revenge is not yet five m inutes old, and already I am beginning to ask m yself if even revenge be attainable on this p recarious stage o f life. T h e ill he did, who can undo it? T h e career in w hich he am assed a huge fortune101 (for the house itself in w hich we stand belonged to him ) - th at career is now a part o f the destiny o f m ankind for ever; and I m ight weary m yself m aking thrusts in carte102 until the crack o f judgm en t103, and G eraldin e’s brother would be none the less dead, and a thousand other innocent persons would be none the less dishonoured and debauched104! T h e existence o f a m an is so sm all a thing to take, so mighty a thing to employ! A la s !” he cried, “ is there anything in life so disenchan tin g as attainm ent?” “G o d ’s justice has been don e,” replied the Doctor. “S o m uch I behold. T h e lesson, your H ighness, has been a cruel one for me; and I await my own turn with deadly apprehension.” “W hat was I saying?” cried the Prince. “I have punished, and here is the m an beside us who can help me to undo. A h , Dr N oel! You and I have before \ i s m any a day o f hard and honourable toil; and perhaps, before we have done, you may have more than redeem ed105 your early errors.” “A n d in the m eantim e,” said the Doctor, “let me go and bury my oldest friend.” 99 100 101 102 103 104 105

formal: not suitable for my position or rank literary: sleep here: a very large amount of money refers to a move in the sport of fencing (=fighting with swords) the Biblical idea of ‘Judgment Day’; also known as the end of the world here: refers to the victims who have been treated in an immoral way formal, from the verb ‘redeem’ - to do something that you promised to do; here, to do something good because you have behaved badly, so that people will think you are a good person again

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Post-reading activities Understanding the story U se these questions to help you check that you have understood the story. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

Back in England Where has Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich earned his reputation? What kind of man is he? Why does he put on his formal clothes when he goes out? Why does he decide to walk the streets of London? Mr M orris's party Where does Rich tell the hansom cab to take him? Whose house and party does the hansom cab take him to? What does Rich notice about the driver of the hansom cab? What does Rich find inside the house? What does he think it is? What is his first impression of Mr Morris? What does he think Mr Morris is hiding behind his ‘mask’ of the good, relaxed host? How does Mr Morris encourage the unwanted guests to leave? What does Rich discover when he goes upstairs? W hat explanation does Mr Morris give to the few men still remaining at the end of the party? What does Mr GodalPs note to Mr Morris say? What does it ask him to bring to Rochester House? Who is left of the men who had come to the party, besides Lieutenant Rich? What do the two men agree to do? Whose brother has been killed? Rochester House What does the house look like? What do the men see as they are hiding in the bushes? Who is Dr Noel? Who is waiting to meet them at the top of the stairs? How does Prince Florizel describe the man he is hoping to fight? What does he say he has done in the past? When the President of the Suicide Club arrives, he is soaking wet. Why? Where does the duel take place? Who wins the duel? How does the winner feel about what has happened? What is Dr Noel’s relationship with the President of the Suicide Club?

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Language study Formal language As we mentioned in the pre-reading activities, this story contains a lot of very formal language, particularly from Mr Morris/Colonel Geraldine and Prince Florizel. The vocabulary in these passages is not usually any more difficult than the narrative - it is the length and construction of the sentences that are more complex. In spoken language, we often leave out shorter words, and perhaps use slang or colloquial expressions. In formal language, we use more words, more often, and there are more clauses in each sentence. The key to understanding these sentences is to break them down into parts and think about what each part means. 1 Look at the following passage, which is taken from the story. What do you think it is saying? Try to write it in simpler form, then check your answer with the second passage below. “I beg you a thousand pardonsI” began Mr M orris, with the most conciliatory manner; uand, if 1 appear rude, 1 am sure you will readily forgive me. In a place so great as London accidents must continually happen; and the best that we can hope is to remedy them with as small delay as possible. I will not deny that I fear you have nude a mistake and honoured my poor house by inadvertence; for, to speak openly, 1 cannot at all remember your appearance. Let me put the question without unnecessary circumlocution - between gentlemen of honour a word will suffice - Under whose roof do you suppose yourself to be?” Here it is, written in a simpler form: “Ym so sorry,” began Mr Motris, trying to diffuse any tension, uif l seem rude, please do forgive me. In a place as big as London accidents happen, and the best we can do is to try and sort them out as quickly as possible. I think you must have come into my house by accident, because, honestly, I don’t recognize you. We are both gentlemen so can I be blunt? Whose house do you think you’re in?” In paragraph (a) in the following exercise, the Prince asks Colonel Geraldine to introduce the other men to him. It is so formal that the author calls it ‘a ceremony’. 2 Read the following extracts (a-c) a couple of times, and then answer the questions below each one. a) “Present me to your friends, ” continued the first; and, when that ceremony had been performed, “I wish, gentlemen,” he added, with 152 | The Adventure of the Hansom Cab

the most exquisite affability, uthat I could offer you a more cheerful programme; it is ungracious to inaugurate an acquaintance upon serious affairs; but the compulsion of events is stronger than the obligations of good-fellowship. I hope and believe you will be able to forgive me this unpleasant evening; and for men of your stamp it will be enough to know that you are conferring a considerable favour.” 1 What is Prince Florizel apologizing for? 2 What reason does he give for meeting them in these circumstances? 3 What does he think will satisfy the men? b) It was while he [Rich] was thus idling that he became aware of a sharp scrutiny to which the whole of the guests were subjected. Mr Morris went here and there, ostensibly busied on hospitable concerns; but he had ever a shrewd glance at disposal; not a man of the party escaped his sudden, searching looks... 1 What is Mr Morris doing? 2 What is he pretending to do? 3 What does he want to do with the people he does not approve of? c) A single candle burned in the great paved kitchen, which was destitute of the customary furniture; and as the party proceeded to ascend from thence by a flight of winding stairs, a prodigious noise of rats testified still more plainly to the dilapidation of the house. 1 What does the narrator say about the furniture in the kitchen? 2 Where do the group of men go after they leave the kitchen? 3 How do they know there are rats in the building?

Idiomatic expressions Although much of the story is written in very formal, old-fashioned language, it also contains a lot of common idiomatic expressions which are still used today. 3 Look at the idiomatic expressions (a-j) below. Underneath each one, you will see the extract from the story (in italics) in which the expression appears, followed by an example of its use in everyday English. Read each group of sentences and then match each expression with the correct definition below (1 -1 0 ). a) A ll in good time uAll in good tim e” he reflected. “1 am still a stranger, and perhaps wear a strange air. . . ” The Adventure of the Hansom Cab | 153

“So, when are you going to tell them about your new job?’ “A ll in good time. There’s no need to rush. I’ll tell them when everything’s 100% certain.” b) To and fro Several servants went to and fro with fruits and goblets of champagne. He went running to and fro like a headless chicken. c) In the prime of life / in your prime The company was perhaps sixteen in number, all men, few beyond the prime of life, and with hardly an exception, of a dashing and capable exterior. Young, fit and healthy - he was in the prime of life. d) Few and far between . ..towards the end of that time the arrivals grew few and far between... You did well to get that job - these days, they are few and far between. e) Process of elimination ...the process of elimination was continued with unimpaired activity. The drawing-room began to look empty... I worked out who had not been there that night, and by a process of elimination, I realized that David must have been the killer! f) O f your own accord .. .more than one person said good-night of his own accord, and was suffered to depart without expostulation... “I see you got rid of Charles.” “No, we didn’t sack him, he left the company of his own accord.” g) On the contrary “On the contrary,” replied Mr Morris, “I am obliged to you for all you say. It would be impossible to exaggerate the gravity of my proposal.” “But I thought he was dead!” “On the contrary - he is very much alive.” h) A fter a fashion “And now,” said Major O ’Rooke, “is it a duel?” “A duel after a fashion,” replied Mr Morris, “a duel with unknown and dangerous enemies, and, as I gravely fear, a duel to the death.. . ” “A nd what about the 9am start - is he generally punctual?” “After a fashion - he usually arrives before 1 0 ...” 154 | The Adventure of the Hansom Cab

i)

If the worst comes to the worst “I must add that I consider it handsome behaviour on your Highness’s part; and if the worst comes to the worst I shall die by one of the most gallant gentlemen in Europe . ” Don’t worry about the tent - if the worst comes to the worst, we can all sleep in the caravan.

j ) Left to your own resources ...as one and all had some engagement for the evening, he found himself left entirely to his own resources. There’s a full plan of activities in the morning but then you’ll be left to your own resources in the afternoon. 1 not happening very often or not existing in many places 2 the stage in your life when you are most active or most successful 3 doing something without being asked, forced or helped by someone else 4 used for telling someone to wait for something and not to hurry you 5 the opposite; used for emphasizing that something is true, even though it is the opposite of something that has been said 6 in one direction and then back again 7 used for saying what you will do if the most negative thing that could happen does happen 8 to a certain extent; in a way 9 alone and free to do whatever you want 10 a way of finding an answer or solution by first deciding which answers or solutions are not possible

The use of thus The word thus is used in various ways in the story. It is a word which is still used in the same ways today, though it is usually used in formal or literary contexts. Thus is an adverb which is used to show how a sentence or clause is related to what has already been said. For example: There was no new evidence, and thus no prosecution. Here, it has a meaning of ‘as a result of the fact that has just been mentioned’, ‘therefore’, ‘consequently’, ‘for that reason’ or ‘so’.

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For example: The management refused to discuss our concerns, thus forcing us to take strike action. The company lost all their contracts, thus their employees lost their jobs. Examples from the story: . .The house which this evening was full of lights and visitors they will find uninhabited and for sale to-morrow morning. Thus even the most serious concerns,” added the Colonel, “have a merry side.” ...the next moment he was conversing with the two officers about the Indian army and the native troops...Many minutes had thus passed, when the person who had. introduced them into the house.. .arose and whispered a word into the Prince’s ear. And so saying he led the way out of the apartment and down the kitchen stairs. The two men who were thus left alone threw open the window and leaned out, straining every sense to catch an indication of the tragical events that were about to follow. In the following examples, thus has the meaning of ‘as follows’, ‘like this’ or ‘in this way/manner’. For example: He took the ball in his hands thus. Then he hit the ball over the boundary. Example from the story: And the speaker, no other than Colonel Geraldine, proffered a letter, thus conceived... Note the position of thus in these two sentences, and how it changes depending on its meaning. 4 Rewrite the sentences below, replacing thus with an appropriate everyday word or expression, in the right position. Try to use a different synonym each time. 1 I have everything I need. Thus, I will be able to fix the car in no time. 2 Take the paint brush thus. Then apply the paint evenly to the wall. 3 I had made many mistakes over the years, but this one was serious. Thus I had to resign.

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4 We tried to raise the money to keep it open but it was already too late. Thus we lost the boat club. 5 None of the politicians was considered good enough. The Prime Minister had thus to look to industry to find the right man for the job. 6 What happened? Well, first he entered the stadium with the flame in his hand. Then, when he got to the podium, he held it up thus. After that, he lit the Olympic fire.

Literary analysis Plot 1 Number the events below in the order in which they happen. a) Lieutenant Rich and Major O ’Rooke accept a secret ‘mission’ to accompany Mr Morris as he goes to meet and help his friend, T . Godall’. b) A hansom cab picks up Lieutenant Rich and takes him to a private party hosted by Mr Morris. c) Lieutenant Rich realizes the furniture of the house, and the party accessories, are being removed - things are not as they seem. d) A duel takes place between Prince Florizel and the President of the Suicide Club. e) Lieutenant Rich goes for a walk around the streets of London. f) Mr Morris reads out a note from his friend, T. Godall. The note asks him to bring ‘one or two gentlemen of conduct and discretion’ and a case of swords to Rochester House in Regent’s Park at 3 am on Wednesday. g) Mr Morris assesses each man at the party, and asks many to leave until there are just a few left. h) The men meet Mr Godall - whose real name is Prince Florizel of Bohemia - at Rochester House. 2 What is Mr Morris’s real name? 3 Throughout this story, things are not quite as they seem - can you think of three events or comments in the story that illustrate this? 4 What is Dr N oel’s role in the story? How is his support for the Prince more complicated than that of the other men?

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Character 5 Look again at the first two paragraphs, which describe Lieutenant Brackenbury Rich. What about his character and previous behaviour suggests that he is a man of ‘conduct and discretion’? 6 What is your impression of Major O ’Rooke? Look again at the story - what do we know about him? 7 Think about what you know about the character of the men in the story - Rich, Morris, O ’Rooke, the Prince and the President of the Suicide Club. What do they have in common? Are there similarities between them? If so, what are they? In what ways are they different? 8 A t the party we are told that, as Morris mingles with the other people, Lieutenant Rich follows him ‘in all his movements’. What does he notice and suspect about Mr Morris’s persona? What does this tell us about Lieutenant Rich’s character?

Narration 9

Who is the narrator of the story? From whose point of view is the story told?

10 Both Colonel Geraldine (Mr Morris) and the Prince use extremely longwinded and formal language when speaking to the other people. What does this tell us about the two characters, and the relationship between them? 11 Think about the strong contrast between the house where Mr Morris hosts his selection party, and Rochester House. Both contain surprises. What are these surprises? What does this tell us about the world that is being described in the story? 12 Think back over the story. Only once does the author directly refer to a ‘mask’, or disguise - when Rich suspects that Morris is not as relaxed as he seems at the party, and has other things on his mind. However, there are many different metaphorical ‘masks’ worn and described in the story. What are they and who ‘wears’ each one? 13 Supposing Stevenson had called this story ‘The Mysterious Party’ how would this have changed the focus of the action? Why do you think the author called it an ‘adventure’ rather than a ‘mystery’? What elements of the story characterize it as an adventure?

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Atmosphere 14 The story changes pace and atmosphere several times. Answer the following questions relating to this. a) Make a list of the different scenes in the story - starting with Rich strolling through the streets of London, and ending with the daybreak and birdsong of the final scene when Florizel returns from the duel. b) For each of the scenes in your list in (a), find two words or images from the text that capture the atmosphere. c) If you could describe each scene as a feeling, what would each one be? 15 Look at the following description of Rochester House: Rochester House was a magnificent residence on the banks of the canal The large extent of the garden isolated it in an unusual degree from the annoyances of neighbourhood.. .As far as could be seen from the street, there was not a glimmer of light in any of the numerous windows of the mansion; and the place had a look of neglect, as though the master had been long from home.. .The cab was discharged, and the three gentlemen were not long in discovering the small door, which was a sort of postern in a lane between two garden walls. It still wanted ten or fifteen minutes of the appointed time; the rain fell heavily, and the adventurers sheltered themselves below some pendant ivy, and spoke in low tones of the approaching trial. How does Stevenson create mystery and tension in this description? 16 Look again at the following passage in which Rich, O ’Rooke, Geraldine and Dr Noel are going through the garden of Rochester House: Almost immediately after the postern door was cautiously opened, a white face was protruded into the lane, and a hand was seen beckoning to the watchers. In dead silence the three passed the door, which w as immediately locked behind them, and followed their guide through several garden alleys to the kitchen entrance of the house. Look at the phrases in bold. What does Stevenson’s use of the passive tense tell us about the situation the men are in? What does it add to the atmosphere?

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Style 17 Look again at Lieutenant Rich’s first impressions of the party, and of Mr Morris, from He partook of some champagne, which he found excellent... to .. .but Brackenbury had lost interest in the guests (pages 134-5). Now look at the specific words and phrases in the paragraph that describe the movements of both Rich and Morris: Rich: .. .strolled.. .he sometimes made a stake and sometimes looked on smilingly., .followed Mr Morris in all his movements...seemed to perceive... M orris and the party: ...a sharp scrutiny to which the whole of the guests were subjected. Mr Morris went here and there, ostensibly busied on hospitable concerns; but he had ever a shrewd glance at disposal; not a man of the party escaped his sudden, searching looks; he took stock... he paused. ..there was hardly a characteristic of any one present but he seemed to catch and make a note of it... it had so much the air of a private inquisition.. .a haggard, careworn, and preoccupied... How does Stevenson use these layers of secret observation and investigation to intensify the drama? Guidance to the above literary terms, answer keys to all the exercises and activities, plus a wealth of other reading-practice material, can be found at www.macmillanenglish.com!readers.

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The Sun Rises Twice by H E Bates

About the author H E Bates is one of the most popular and prolific British writers of the 20th century, most well known for his romantic and idealized stories about English country life. Herbert Ernest Bates was bom in 1905, in the small rural town of Rushden in Northamptonshire in the English Midlands. Herbert was educated at Kettering Grammar School, and began writing in his teens. W hen he left school, he worked as a reporter for a local paper, and as a clerk in a shoe warehouse. He liked neither job, but had time at the warehouse to write. Bates’s love of night walks in the Northamptonshire countryside inspired his first completed novel, The Two Sisters. It was published in 1926 when he was just 20 years old. From then on, Bates’s writing output was prolific, and continued throughout his long life. In 1931, Bates married his childhood neighbour and sweetheart, Madge Cox, and the couple moved to a small village in the Kent countryside in the south of England, called Little Chart. Here, they converted an old farm building into a home, and this was where they lived for the rest of their married life. The couple had four children two boys and two girls. The sheer volume of Bates’s work makes his life almost inseparable from his writing. He wrote about what he loved to do. Bates’s rural family life inspired most of his books, both fiction and non-fiction. A keen gardener, he loved and cared for the large garden at his home for the whole of his married life. He took the countryside and his gardening seriously, and throughout his life Bates wrote about various aspects of living and interacting with it, with titles including Through the Woods (1936), Down the River (1937), The Seasons and the Gardener (1940, written for his children), A Love of Flowers (1971) and A Fountain of Flowers (1974). His novels and short stories were often set against the backdrop of the idealized English countryside - long sunny summer days, thatched cottages, cream teas1 and cricket matches. 1 small meals eaten in the afternoon consisting of tea with scones, jam and cream

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W hen World War II began, Bates, now 35, became a flight lieutenant in the Royal A ir Force (R A F). But he soon found that it was his skills as a writer, rather than a pilot, that were of more interest to the A ir Ministry. He was commissioned by the R A F to write inspirational short stories about the war, focusing on the adventures and characters of those who were fighting, and their everyday, understated heroism. T he stories were published in the News Chronicle under a pseudonym2, ‘Flying Officer X ’. The stories were very popular with readers, and were collected into two books, The Greatest People in the World (1942) and How Sleep the Brave (1943). Meanwhile, Bates continued to write his own stories. Towards the end of the war, Bates was posted to the Far East, and his experiences inspired him to write two novels about Burma (now Myanmar): The Purple Plain (1947), which was later adapted into a film starring Gregory Peck, and Thejacaranda Tree (1949). A nother of his novels, The Scarlet Sword (1950), was set in India. After the war, Bates continued to write, and continued to produce a huge amount of work. He also worked on the scripts of several of his novels which were made into films during his lifetime. W hilst My Uncle Silas (1939) and Love for Lydia (1952) were both adapted successfully for television, Bates is perhaps best known for The Darling Buds of May (1958), which told simple, warm-hearted stories about one unconventional family, and the rhythms of rural life with which he was so familiar. The book was turned into a long-running and popular T V series, produced by his son, Richard. In 1973 Bates was given the C B E - Com mander of the British Empire - an honour given by the Queen to recognize a great contribution to British life. He died in 1974.

About the story The Sun Rises Twice is one of a number of stories about R A F pilots that were originally published in a popular newspaper called the News Chronicle in 1942. It was then republished in book form in the first of two collections of stories by ‘Flying Officer X ’: The Greatest People in the World (1942) and How Sleep the Brave (1943).

2 a name that someone uses that is not their real name, especially for writing a book

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Background information Wartime From 1939 to 1945, Britain and several other countries were at war with Germany. T he war was called the Second World War, or World War II, because most countries in the world were affected in some way. It came 20 years after World War I, which took place between 1914 and 1918. Every man in Britain had to ‘serve his country’, usually by joining the army, navy or air force. Most people were separated from their sons, fathers and husbands. Som etim es they did not see them for months, or even years. Many people were killed, at home and overseas. It was a time of uncertainty and loss. The Germ ans dropped bombs on many of the largest cities in the U K - in London, this was known as ‘the Blitz’. Many homes were destroyed and many civilians - ordinary people not in the armed forces or police - were killed. The British were also bombing cities in Germany, as well as trying to hit shipping, trains and bridges to make it difficult for the Germ ans to keep going. The ‘bomber’ planes would fly across the sea from the south of England to continental Europe.

The Battle of Britain The Battle of Britain is the name used for the air campaign between the U K and the Germ an A ir Force in 1940. Hitler hoped to gain air superiority before an invasion of Britain. It was the first important military campaign fought entirely in the air, and involved massive and continued bombing of shipping, roads, bridges, train lines, airfields and aircraft factories, as well as strategic terror bombing of civilians. The Germ ans’ objective was to overwhelm (defeat) the British Royal A ir Force, particularly the pilots of ‘Fighter Com m and’ - one of its three main units. They failed. The pilots of Fighter Com m and were successful in driving back the invaders. It is these pilots the thenPrime Minister W inston Churchill referred to in his famous speech about the Battle of Britain, when he said: ‘...if the British Empire and its Com monwealth3 lasts for a thousand years, men will still say, “This was their finest hour”.’ The main character in the story is one of these pilots. Though many R A F pilots were given medals - awards to recognize their bravery or service to their country - the pilot in the story has none. 3 an organization of countries that used to be under the political control of the UK. It is also known as the Commonwealth of Nations

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Warplanes

^

During the war, the British used several different kinds of aeroplanes to carry out bombing raids - attacks in which one or more planes drop bombs on a particular place or target. T he most famous is probably the Lancaster. They also used Stirlings and, occasionally, A nson trainers. The Germ ans’ main fighter plane was the Messerschmitt 109. The pilots in The Sun Rises Twice fly Stirling planes. The Stirling was the first British heavy bomber plane in World War II to have four engines. It was first used in 1941 when three Stirlings flew on a night mission against fuel storage tanks near Rotterdam. A fter December 1943 Stirling planes were used in other ways, such as for placing mines4, or dropping spies into enemy territory at night.

Summary It may help you to know som ething about what happens in the story before you read it. D o n ’t worry, this sum mary does not tell you how the story ends! T he narrator tells us about the character and adventures o f 'perhaps’ the best pilot he ever knew, a man called E.G. He describes E.G. as an unconventional and complex character, with more interests than many of the other pilots. H e was also different from other pilots in that he never drank much alcohol, enjoying the clarity that being sober gave him. T he narrator notes that the pilots who did drink often died. E.G ., he says, was a great pilot. But despite his skills* he had no medals. T he narrator gives the impression that E.G . was an honest man, who loved flying and had a special talent for flying quickly. He was committed to his duties as a pilot, and did more than he was asked to do. O n one occasion he was told to return to base because o f bad weather, but before obeying orders he attacked some enemy searchlights - large, powerful lights that can be turned to shine in any direction. He always arrived at a target before the other pilots, and was always the last man home. He never claimed to have hit a target unless he was sure. Strong, independent, curious and persistent, E.G. lived according to his own rules. 4 bombs that are hidden under the ground or under water and explode when someone or something touches them

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T he narrator writes affectionately about how much he loved to hear E.G. telling stories of his adventures. H e recalls a time when, returning from a night trip over France,,E.G. saw the sun rise twice: first from a high altitude, then a second time after going down to look at a ship from a much lower altitude. O ne day in December, E.G. was returning from H olland because o f bad weather. H e could have been home in two hours, back to the comfort o f the base. But his curiosity led him tb investigate a tanker below ...

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary This section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

Words relating to wartime and the air force Bates tells the story of pilots undertaking bombing raids over northern Europe - the pilots are based in the south of England, and travel across the English Channel to the coasts of France, Belgium and Holland (now the Netherlands), as well as further inland. 1 M atch the words in bold (1 - 1 0 ) in the passage with the correct definition (a—j). T he pilots had a good meal in the (1) m ess before they left the base. They had taken a lot of (2) flak from enemy guns in the last few weeks, and as they climbed into their (3) fighters, they knew they had a difficult day ahead. They checked their equipment carefully, making sure every (4) device was working properly. Each (5) air-crew had been given specific (6) targets to go after as part of the wider (7) operation. The whole (8) squadron was going up today, to an (9) altitude far higher than usual - they would be flying further. The details of their bombing mission were top secret; the bombs were ready to fall. The order to leave came over the (10) inter-comm.: “Good luck, boys!”

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W arplan es During the war, the British used several different kinds of aeroplanes to carry out bombing raids - attacks in which one or more planes drop bombs on a particular place or target. The most famous is probably the Lancaster. They also used Stirlings and, occasionally, Anson trainers. The Germ ans’ main fighter plane was the Messerschmitt 109. The pilots in The Sun Rises Twice fly Stirling planes. The Stirling was the first British heavy bomber plane in World War II to have four engines. It was first used in 1941 when three Stirlings flew on a night mission against fuel storage tanks near Rotterdam. After December 1943 Stirling planes were used in other ways, such as for placing mines4, or dropping spies into enemy territory at night.

Summary It may help you to know something about what happens in the story before you read it. D on ’t worry, this sum mary does not tell you how the story ends! The narrator tells us about the character and adventures of ‘perhaps’ the best pilot he ever knew, a man called E.G. He describes E.G. as an unconventional and complex character, with more interests than many of the other pilots. He was also different from other pilots in that he never drank much alcohol, enjoying the clarity that being sober gave him. The narrator notes that the pilots who did drink often died. E.G., he says, was a great pilot. But despite his skills, he had no medals. The narrator gives fhe impression that E.G. was an honest man, who loved flying and had a special talent for flying quickly. He was committed to his duties as a pilot, and did more than he was asked to do. On one occasion he was told to return to base because of bad weather, but before obeying orders he attacked some enemy searchlights - large, powerful lights that can be turned to shine in any direction. He always arrived at a target before the other pilots, and was always the last man home. He never claimed to have hit a target unless he was sure. Strong, independent, curious and persistent, E.G. lived according to his own rules. 4 bombs that are hidden under the ground or under water and explode when someone or something touches them

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The narrator writes affectionately about how much he loved to hear E.G. telling stories of his adventures. He recalls a time when, returning from a night trip over France, E.G. saw the sun rise twice: first from a high altitude, then a second time after going down to look at a ship from a much lower altitude. One day in December, E.G. was returning from Holland because of bad weather. He could have been home in two hours, back to the comfort of the base. But his curiosity led him to investigate a tanker below...

Pre-reading activities Key vocabulary This section will help you familiarize yourself with some of the more specific vocabulary used in the story. You may want to use it to help you before you start reading, or as a revision exercise after you have finished the story.

W ords relatin g to w artim e and the air force Bates tells the story of pilots undertaking bombing raids over northern Europe - the pilots are based in the south of England, and travel across the English Channel to the coasts of France, Belgium and Holland (now the Netherlands), as well as further inland. 1 M atch the words in bold (1 -1 0 ) in the passage with the correct definition (a—j). The pilots had a good meal in the ( 1) mess before they left the base. They had taken a lot of (2) flak from enemy guns in the last few weeks, and as they climbed into their (3) fighters, they knew they had a difficult day ahead. They checked their equipment carefully, making sure every (4) device was working properly. Each (5) air-crew had been given specific (6) targets to go after as part of the wider (7) operation. The whole (8) squadron was going up today, to an (9) altitude far higher than usual - they would be flying further. The details of their bombing mission were top secret; the bombs were ready to fall. The order to leave came over the (10) inter-comm.: “G ood luck, boys!”

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a) a particular section of the armed forces, especially of the air force b) the height of a place or thing above sea level (=the surface of the sea) c) a military plane that is designed for battles with other planes d) the pilot and other people who work on a plane when it is flying e) a planned activity involving a lot of people; an action or set of actions that is necessary to achieve something f) a system or a piece of electrical equipment that allows people in different parts of a building, aircraft or ship to speak to each other g) a person, building or area that someone intends to attack h) a room where people in the armed forces have their meals i) a machine or piece of equipment that does a particular thing; a bomb j) bullets or bombs that are shot at planes from the ground

Describing a military flight Bates describes the experience of flying on a military mission. 2 L ook at the following words and definitions, then answ er the questions below. dive to move quickly and suddenly towards the ground from the air float to be lighter than air and to move slowly through it head to go in a particular direction manoeuvre to move someone or something in a situation that needs care or skill navigator someone whose job is to plan the direction in which a ship, plane or car should travel soar to fly high in the sky stoke up to add fuel to a fire tanker a large ship, truck or plane that carries petrol or oil ton British: a unit for measuring weight, containing 2,240 pounds and equal to 1,016 kilograms tug British: a small powerful boat used for pulling larger boats, especially in ports

1 W hich of the words above are verbs that describe the experience of flying? 2 W hich word(s) relate to shipping? 3 W hich word(s) relate to the skills and personnel needed to fly?

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Describing the pilots Bates describes several pilots in the story, including E.G., the C anadian navigator and Tusser. 3 U se the following extracts to match the words in bold (1 -9 ) to the definitions (a-i) below. N ote: In the story, Bates refers to the plane as ‘her’ - vehicles are usually referred to as female in English. Describing E.G.: E .G . was small and compact, with cool, light, (1) devilish, (2) imperturbable eyes. He used to note how calm and clear and sure and icy he became in the periods when he did not drink at all. He used to note how (3) shaky and sometimes how (4) short-lived were those who did. E .G ., always (5) curious, put the aircraft into a turn, and, going back, went down to about 10,000 in order to look at her. If it hadn't been for a sense of great curiosity, a strong independent (6) persistence, E .G . would never have seen this at all. Describing the Canadian navigator: It was about ten minutes later that his navigator, a big, (7) husky Canadian, who was never really happy except when fighting, called out over the inter-comm. that he could see a tanker below. Describing Tusser: In E .G .’s squadron there was at one time a man named Tusser; a big (8) crude ex-civil pilot, who hated Stirlings. Tusser, heavy and (9) bullying, would be badly whistled six non-operational nights out of seven. a) the attitude or behaviour of someone who continues to do, or tries to do, something in a determined way b) a voice which is deep and sounds hoarse (=as if you have a sore throat), often in an attractive way c) behaving in a way that frightens or hurts someone smaller or weaker d) offensive, referring to sex in a rude or unpleasant way e) intending to cause trouble, but not in a serious way f) always calm and not easily upset g) not lasting for long h) likely to fail or be unsuccessful i) having a strong feeling of wanting to find out about something

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4 L ook again at words 1 -9 in exercise 3, and answer the following questions: 1 W hich of the words give a physical description? 2 W hich words comment on the personality of the character? 3 W hich are negative? W hich are positive? W hich are neutral?

Main themes Before you read the story, you may want to think about some of its main themes. T he questions will help you think about the story as you are reading it for the first time. There is more discussion of the main themes in the Literary analysis section after the story.

Heroism in war - rewards and recognition U nlike many other kinds of adventure, the adventure of war is not a choice. However, people involved in a war have choices about how they act - and it is these more difficult choices, and the actions that go with them, that are sometimes rewarded with medals. In war, the title of ‘hero’ is given to anyone who is seen to do more than is expected of them to help their country or fellow citizens. A lot of what happens during wartime is confused and exaggerated. T he author points out that, unlike others, E.G. was completely honest about his accomplishments, never claiming he had achieved anything unless he was completely sure. We are also told that E.G. did not have any medals, despite being brave, skilful and adventurous. 5 A s you read the story, ask yourself: a) Why do you think E.G. did not receive any medals for his actions? b) W hat impression do you get of the life of an ordinary pilot?

The ideal war hero H E Bates’s writing is both enjoyed and criticized for being idealized for portraying a romantic, sentimental picture of the world. His wartime short stories were commissioned specifically to paint a positive picture of the people who were fighting for Britain in the war - the people sometimes described as ‘the good guys’. In E.G. we have an idealized picture of a wartime hero.

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6 A s you read the story, think about these questions: a) W hat personal qualities does E.G. have that make him a hero? b) W hat other messages do you think the story communicates about how people should behave during wartime?

Propaganda Propaganda is information, especially false information, that a government or organization communicates in order to influence people’s opinions and beliefs. The Sun Rises Twice is one of the stories commissioned during World War II by the Royal A ir Force. The government felt that it was important to 'maintain morale’ - to keep everyone feeling positive and hopeful, proud of the men fighting for them, and committed to supporting the war - so they asked Bates to write stories which would encourage and inspire people. 7 A s you read the story, consider the following questions: a) W hat general impression does the story give of the war? b) W hat impression does the story give of the enemy? c) How do you think the story might inspire people to continue supporting the war? d) Do you think anything about the information in the story is false or misleading?

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The Sun Rises Twice by H E Bates Perhaps the finest pilot I ever knew was Eddington-G reen, whom we called E.G . H e had no m edals. E.G . was sm all and com pact, with cool, light, devilish, im perturbable eyes. H is hands were surprisingly large for so sm all a man. O n each hand the m uscle between the thum b and forefinger, on the back o f the hand, was very powerful. It stood out like a swelling. H e h ad m ade it hard and powerful by ju-jitsu5, but he was afraid o f practising the ju-jitsu any longer for fear o f hurting, perhaps killing, som eone. H e looked a sm all m an to kill anybody. Pilots are often interested in nothing but popsies6, kites7, and beer. E .G . was interested in m any things: so m any th at I never found out about them all. H e raced motor-cars and collected stam ps; he was interested in ships, had served in the N avy, and was a good radiographer. H e had surprising tastes in advanced music; he was a good revolver shot and he was fond o f flowers. O ne o f the few things he was not interested in, it seemed, was getting drunk. T here w eje few parties for E.G . H e did not stay up for those occasions, after ops.8, when air-crews relieve their feelings by doing trapeze acts over sofas. A fter a long, hard trip he would com e into the mess quite quietly; drink a sm all light ale9; warm his hands by the fire and talk for a few m inutes; say th at the trip was good or bad, in about as many words, and then go to bed. 5 a martial art in which you fight with someone by hitting them and throwing them to the ground 6 British, old-fashioned, slang: young and attractive women 7 literally, toys that fly in the air while you hold them by a long string; here, refers to planes 8 informal: abbreviation of ‘operations’ - planned military activities, usually involving a lot of people 9 a type of beer

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It was alm ost a tradition that no one ever cam e hom e before him. N o one flew a Stirlin g so fast and no one, except E.G . himself, knew why. T here was once an occasion w hen a force o f Stirlings, owing to som e sudden change o f weather at base, was recalled from N orthern Germ any. A il the kites, except E .G ., were but 70 m iles sh ort o f their target. E .G . was over the target. H e was not long over the target, but he rem ained there long enough to do a circu s act with a ring of searchlights, shooting them out one by one before turning for hom e. T h is shook even Intelligence10. “You’ve no business to have got so far,” they said. T here is no doubt, o f course, that he had been there. H e had been there sim ply because he said so. E .G . never shot a false lin e11, or claim ed a target unless he was sure. T h e secret o f his flying so fast was a trick, but it also had som ething artistic in it. It was one o f those things he was never tired o f working out for himself; and which seem ed so sim ple when it was done. In the sam e way he used to w atch the reaction o f him self and other people to living and flying. H e used to note how calm and clear and sure an d kry he becam e in the periods when he did not drink at all. H e used to note how shaky and som etim es how short-lived were those who did. In E .G .’s squadron th ere was at one tim e a m an nam ed Tusser; a big crude ex-civil12 pilot, who h ated Stirlings. Tusser, heavy and bullying, would be badly w histled13 six non-operational nights out o f seven. E .G ., who knew why Tusser was whistled and why he bullied and why he hated-StM ings, said, “I give him six more trips.” Two trips later Tusser did n ot return. I don’t w ant to give the im pression th at E.G . was perfect; but that he was interested not only in flying but also in the things th at flying d oes to m en. 1 shall say n oth in g about the tim e he 10 a government organization that collects information about the secret plans and activities of a foreign government, enemy, etc; here, the man who works for this organization 11 never told a lie, or exaggerated what had happened 12 not in the military before the war 13 colloquial, old-fashioned: drunk

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calm ly form ated14 with two M e. 109s, he him self flying solo, in an A n son trainer. I liked to hear him describe the feelings and the sight of flight: the solo loneliness, the tracer15 com ing up at you slow and orange until the last furious flashing m om ent, the m oon over the m iles and miles o f cotton cloud, the flak so thick and m any-coloured that it hung in the night air like paper stream ers at a ball. I liked to hear him talk o f the time when he was com ing hom e from a night trip to France. It was summer and he was flying at about 18,00016, w atching the sun rising over the sea. In the serene and beautiful air the sun floated upward like an orange behind the rim o f the yellow horizon. Below was a solitary ship, which the navigator reported was sm oking badly. E.G ., always curious, put the aircraft into a turn, and, going back, went down to about 10,000 in order to look at her. From th at height, in the clear summer m orning air, he took the ship to be a m erchantm an17 o f about 9,000 tons and he took her now to be sm oking quite naturally, as if she were stoking up. S o he turned the aircraft away, keeping the sam e height, and headed her again towards England. A n d then, from th at lower altitude, he saw an amazing thing. H e saw the sun just trying to float upward over the horizon: rising for the second time on the sam e day. If it h ad n ’t been for a sense o f great curiosity, a strong independent persistence, E .G . would never have seen this at all. It was as if he was living part o f his life twice over. T h is quality o f curiosity and independence, which m ade him test his reactions to drink and work out devices for flying faster and turn back to look at solitary ships that m ight be in trouble, m ade him the kind o f pilot he was, and once, when he was flying Stirlings, alm ost finished him as a pilot altogether. His life would have been so m uch easier, so m uch smoother, and 14 15 16 17

moved in formation or patterns, part of a group with others a bullet that leaves a line of smoke behind it as it travels through the air feet above ground - around 5,500 metres a commercial vessel or ship

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so m uch duller if he had kept to other people’s rules instead o f m aking his own. T h e weather was n ot very good when he set out that afternoon to fly into H olland, to attack somewhere inland a target whose nam e I have forgotten. It was late D ecem ber and the weather had been interm ittently dirty18 for several weeks. A s E .G . crossed the coast somewhere beyond Sch even in gen 19 the weather suddenly closed down, dark and rainy, and he knew after a few m inutes th at the chances of seeing the target had gone. T here was only one other aircraft with him , and after he had called it up they decided to turn back to sea. uKeep to the coast,” E .G . said. “We may see a little shipping.” H e lost sight o f the other aircraft, but his own peculiar independent curiosity m ade him turn down towards the H ook o f H ollan d20 instead o f out to the open sea. In a couple o f hours, if he had been sensible, he could have been eating lobster paste, Swiss roll21, or sm iling at the W .A.A .F.22 waitresses, fresh with their afternoon lipstick, in the mess. Instead, he turned the aircraft south-westward, just beyond sight o f the coast, to look for shipping. It was about ten m inutes later th at his navigator, a big, husky C an adian , who was never really happy except w hen fighting, called out over the inter-comm. that he could see a tanker below. E .G . turned and saw her, too; she seem ed quite large; he thought perhaps about 12,000 tons. H e saw, too, that she had two other ships with her, and they seem ed very sm all beside her. T hey seem ed so small, indeed, that he took them for tugs that had com e out to m eet her from the coast. It was a great m istake: as he found out later. H e turned away at once to m ake his first bom bing run. T h e weather was clearer now. T h e cloud was higher, with breaks in 18 19 20 21

informal: bad weather a district in The Hague in the Netherlands a port in the Netherlands, situated on the North Sea coast British: a cake made by rolling a thin flat cake with a sweet substance such as jam spread on top into a shape like a tube 22 Women’s Auxiliary Air Force

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it. T here was no rain. H e took his tim e and cam e in level and low, but not too low, dead over the tanker, and the navigator let go about a third o f his bom bs. A s he cam e down, the little esco rt ships, which he had thought were tugs, h it him with a surprising blaze o f fire. H e knew then what they were: n ot tugs, but escort flak ships, and they had holed his starboard wing. From then he could have turned and gone safely hom e to lobster paste, Swiss roll, and the W .A.A.F.s in their cool blue uniforms pouring the tea. Instead, he drew aw ay for a second bom bing run. H e cam e in level and low again. T h e flak was heavier than ever now and when he drew out again the aircraft, rocking badly, was full of smoke. Even then he could have gone hom e. Instead, he called the navigator. “How m any left, M ac?” “S ev en .” “O .K .,” he said. “T h is tim e.” H e drew away for a third time. H e drew away m uch farther this tim e and cam e in m uch lower, so th at the gunners could use their guns. H e cam e in just over the m ast o f the tanker. H e saw the crew running across the deck. H e saw them fall over each other, over the gear lying on the decks; and down the open hatches. H e saw the tracer fire swinging up from the flak ships, like a series of violent orange balls thrown by a conjurer23, first casual, then very fast, flying all about him as he dived. H e felt everything suddenly dissolve in a trem endous blast o f fire. H e felt that his ear-drum s had been smashed. H e could not see. “T h is is it,” he thought. “W e’ve had it. T h is is it.” H e tried to pull the ’plane out o f the dive th at had taken them so low that it seem ed they m ust clip off the m ast o f the ship, but for a few m om ents she would not com e. Sh e went soaring along, rocking violently, just above the dirty surface o f the sea. H e strain ed hard to pull her out, and at last, slowly and heavily, she cam e out and began to clim b. A t that m om ent, too, 23 someone who performs magic tricks as entertainment, especially tricks using quick hand movements

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his hearing cam e back. H e heard a raging confusion o f excited voices over the inter-comm. T h e whole crew seem ed to be shouting wildly, and what they were shouting shook him for a m om ent worse than the flak, the explosion, and the dive had done. “For G o d ’s sake. Fighters!” H e did not realise until that m om ent what had happened, that the tanker had been steam ing steadily into port and that he had been follow ing her in. H e suddenly saw below him the flat, grey edge o f coast; then the dark line o f fighters com ing up astern24 from the land. H e had just tim e to see the black smoke o f the burning tanker ballooning up below him before he turned out to sea. H e realised at once that the ’plane would n ot m anoeuvre. H e was flying at about 300 feet, perhaps less, above the sea. T h e afternoon was already darkening. H eavy cloud was driving in from the land. H is speed was down to about 130, and he could neither increase it nor clim b. T h e ’plane was dead and heavy and soon the yelling in the inter-com m., w hich had tem porarily ceased, began again. “T h ey’re com ing bloody25 close, E .G .,” the navigator said. “Jeez26, they’re bloody close.” T h e ’plane would still n ot m anoeuvre and he still could not increase the speed, but at that last m om ent he induced her to clim b. Sh e clim bed very slowly to six or seven hundred feet and as he m ade height he saw ahead o f him a patch o f dirty cloud. H e went into it and when finally he cam e out o f it, ten m inutes later, the fighters were no longer to be seen. H e cam e hom e all the way, in h alf darkness and then in total darkness, through heavy rain, at what is som etim es jo vially described as n ough t feet. H e had only three engines and his

24 at the back end of a plane or ship 25 British, impolite: used for emphasizing that you are angry or annoyed about something 26 informal, spoken: used when you are very surprised or angry about something

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speed was never more than 130. H e could not see the flarepath 27 well, and he landed too fast, lucky to land at all. It was a brave, exciting, shaky do28. “Did you prang29 the tanker?” Intelligence said. “Sh e was sm oking.” “But did you hit it?” “We w ouldn’t claim it,” E.G . said. “W e’re not sure.” “M ac?” “Jeez,” M ac said, “we gave ’em hell. I don ’t claim no more than that. T h a t’s all I know.” Intelligence, who is very charm ing, smiled. “A re you bloody crazy?” he said, “or don ’t you care?” E.G ., who is also charm ing, but who claim s no h it he does not see, who never drinks because he remembers his crew, who flies faster than anyone else and m akes his own rules and has no m edals, sm iled back in answer. “A little o f both ,” he said. T hey gave him no m edals for that. But perhaps he is the sort o f m an who needs no m edals. T h e sun rises twice for him.

27 the airstrip, ie the long narrow piece of land used by planes for landing and taking off, that is illuminated for use at night or in bad weather 28 informal: excited, noisy or confused activity 29 slang: to damage or hit something in an accident, especially a car or plane

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Post-reading activities Understanding the story U se these questions to help you check that you have understood the story. Describing E .G . and his experiences What did E.G. stand for? How did E.G. get the swelling on his hand? Why did he stop practising ju-jitsu? W hat does the narrator tell us about E.G .’s interests and background? 5 W hat does the author say the other pilots did at parties after returning from operations? 6 How were E.G .’s habits different from other pilots’? 7 What was E.G. known for by his fellow pilots? 8 Who was ‘Intelligence’? W hat did E.G. do that shocked him? 9 Who was Tusser and what happened to him? 10 What did E.G. see one day when he flew first at 18,000 feet, and then down to 10,000 feet? 1 2 3 4

Heading out on a raid 11 What time of year was it when E.G. headed out to Holland? What was the weather like? 12 What did E.G. and the other pilot decide to do? 13 What did E.G. do instead? 14 Who was his navigator? 15 W hat did E.G. see below in the water? 16 What did he think the small boats were? What were they really? 17 What happened when he fired at the tanker? 18 What appeared close by and started firing? 19 How did E.G. escape? 20 What damage had been done to his plane? 21 Why was the landing difficult?

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Language study Using could have + past participle to talk about choices in the past Bates uses the structure could have + past participle to talk about the choice or opportunity that E.G. did not take - something was possible, but it did not happen. The structure is used to compare the options of a choice, made in the past, to consider what might have been. In the story, it is used to show that E.G. took the more difficult but noble option. The construction does not always indicate a positive choice. Look at the examples below: If he had worked hard, he could have been a wealthy man by now. He could have gone to university, but he decided to get a job as soon as he left school. They could have left without them, but they decided to stay and fight. It could have been me up there, with my name in lights! I could have been a star! Things could have turned out very differently - if she had married Paul, she could have lived happily ever after. We could have been celebrating our victory. If only we had scored that second goal! The structure is often followed by a sentence in the past simple beginning with the adverb Instead, to show what choice was actually made - as in this example from the story: Even then he could have gorlfe home. Instead, he calledthenavigator. 1 Look at the sentences below. Write the correct form of the verbs in brackets using either the could have + past participle structure, or one of the following past tenses: past simple, past continuous, past perfect simple or past perfect continuous. 1 S h e ........................................ (become) the first woman to fly a fighter plane for the RAF, but instead sh e ......................................... (decide) to go with her husband to work in Africa. 2 T h e y ......................................... (die), but fortunately the coastguard ........................................ (arrive) just in time. 3 H e ........................................ (ask) his friend to help him. But he ........................................ (be) stubborn a n d ......................................... (refuse) to admit any weakness.

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4 W e........................................ (drink) champagne by the pool - if only our flight........................................ (not be) delayed! 5 If she had been more enthusiastic, sh e ........................................ (convince) them to give her the job. Instead, her shyness ......................................... (cost) her the best opportunity of her career.

Phrasal verbs Adverbs and prepositions A preposition is a word that comes before a noun or a pronoun, ana shows its relation to another part of the sentence. There are many different kinds of prepositions. For example: prepositions of time; prepositions of place; prepositions of movement. Examples from the story: He saw the crew running across the deck. He saw them fall over each other, [fall] over the gear lying on the decks; and [fall] down the open hatches. In the serene and beautiful air the sun floated upward like an orange behind the rim of the yellow horizon. A n adverb is a word that is used to describe or modify any part of the sentence, for example a verb, an adjective, another adverb or the whole sentence. Examples from the story: He turned away at once to make his first bombing run. ...the sun floated upward like an orange... 2 Look at the words in the box, and answer the questions that follow. above in

across away away ftom back below between from. oft out out o f over, to towards up upwards

Which of the words can be used as: a) prepositions of place (they explain where something or someone is)? b) prepositions of movement (they explain the direction someone or something is moving in) ? c) adverbs of movement (they describe the direction of a movement without being followed by a noun) ? Note: Some words can be used in more than one way.

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4 W e......... (drink) champagne by the pool - if only our flight (not be) delayed! 5 If she had been more enthusiastic, sh e .................................. (convince) them to give her the job. Instead, her shyness (cost) her the best opportunity of her career.

Phrasal verbs A d v erb s and p rep o sition s A preposition is a word that comes before a noun or a pronoun, ana shows its relation to another part of the sentence. There are many different kinds of prepositions. For example: prepositions of time; prepositions of place; prepositions of movement. Examples from the story: He saw the crew running across the deck. He saw them fall over each other, [fall] over the gear lying on the decks; and [fall] down the open hatches.

In the serene and beautiful air the sun floated upward like an orange behind the rim of the yellow horizon. A n adverb is a word that is used to describe or modify any part of the sentence, for example a verb, an adjective, another adverb or the whole sentence. Examples from the story: He turned away at once to make his first bombing run. ...the sun floated upward like an orange...

2 Look at the words in the box, and answer the questions that follow. above across away away from back below between from in into on out out of over to towards up upwards Which of the words can be used as: a) prepositions of place (they explain where something or someone is)? b) prepositions of movement (they explain the direction someone or something is moving in) ? c) adverbs of movement (they describe the direction of a movement without being followed by a noun)? Note: Some words can be used in more than one way.

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3 Look at extracts a-d below. For each word in bold (1 -8 ), say whether the word works as a preposition or an adverb. a) On each hand the muscle (1) between the thumb and forefinger, (2) on the back of the hand, was very powerful. It stood (3) out like a swelling. b) There were few parties for E .G . He did not stay (4) up for those occasions... c ) After a long, hard trip he would come (5) into the mess quite quietly... d) E .G ., always curious, put the aircraft (6) into a turn, and, going (7) back, went (8) down to about 10,000 in order to look at her. 4 Complete the following three extracts with words from the box above each one. away

from

in

towards

up

(I) that height, ( 2 ) ............................the clear summer morning air, he took the ship to be a merchantman of about 9,000 tons and he took her now to be smoking quite naturally, as if she were stoking ( 3 ) .............................. So he turned the aircraft ( 4 ) ............................ , keeping the same height, and headed her again ( 5 ) .......................... England. down

out

to

towards

He lost sight of the other aircraft, but his own peculiar independent curiosity made him turn ( 6 ) ........................... ( 7 ) .............................the Hook of Holland instead of ( 8 ) .......................... ( 9 ) ............................. the open sea. away

in

out

Instead, he drew ( 1 0 ) ........................... fo ra second bombing run. He came ( 1 1 ) .......................... level and low again. The flak was heavier than ever now and when he drew ( 1 2 ) again the aircraft, rocking badly, was full of smoke. 5 Look again at the extracts in exercise 4 and find two examples of an adverb followed by a preposition.

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3 Look at extracts a-d below. For each word in bold (1 -8 ), say whether the word works as a preposition or an adverb. a) On each hand the muscle ( I) between the thumb and forefinger, (2) on the back of the hand, was very powerful. It stood (3) out like a swelling. b) There were few parties for E .G . He did not stay (4) up for those occasions... c) After a long, hard trip he would come (5) into the mess quite quietly... d) E .G ., always curious, put the aircraft (6) into a turn, and, going (7) back, went (8) down to about 10,000 in order to look at her. 4 Complete the following three extracts with words from the box above each one. away

from

in

towards

up

(I) that height, ( 2 ) ............................the clear summer morning air, he took the ship to be a merchantman of about 9,000 tons and he took her now to be smoking quite naturally, as if she were stoking (3 ) So he turned the aircraft ( 4 ) ............................ , keeping the same height, and headed her again ( 5 ) ........................... England. down

out

to

towards

He lost sight of the other aircraft, but his own peculiar independent curiosity made him turn ( 6 ) ...........................( 7 ) ............................. the Hook of Holland instead of ( 8 ) .......................... ( 9 ) ............................. the open sea. 0

Instead, he drew ( 1 0 ) ........................... fo ra second bombing run. He came ( 1 1 ) ...........................level and low again. The flak was heavier than ever now and when he drew ( 1 2 ) ............................again the aircraft, rocking badly, was full of smoke. 5 Look again at the extracts in exercise 4 and find two examples of an adverb followed by a preposition.

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Structure of phrasal verbs A phrasal verb is a verb followed by a preposition, an adverb, or both. These prepositions / adverbs are often referred to as ‘particles’. Phrasal verbs often have a totally different meaning from those of the individual verb and particles. 6 Look at the extracts below. Underline all the phrasal verbs. 1 ...at last, slowly and heavily, she came out and begqn to climb. At that moment, too, his hearing came back. 2 This quality of curiosity and independence.. .made him test his reactions to drink and work out devices for flying faster... 3 The weather was not very good when he set out that afternoon to.. .attack somewhere inland a target whose name I have forgotten.

Transitive and intransitive Some phrasal verbs are ‘intransitive’ (they don’t have an object), others are ‘transitive’ (they do have an object). 7 Look again at the phrasal verbs in exercise 6. Which are a) transitive, and b) intransitive? There are two types of transitive phrasal verbs: a) inseparable: these phrasal verbs consist of a verb + preposition. They are called inseparable because the object cannot come between the verb and the preposition - it must always follow the preposition. Examples: He took after his father. - N O T He took his father after. She was looking after the kids. - N O T She was looking the kids after. Some phrasal verbs that follow this pattern are: come across something, take after someone, look after someone / something, look for something b) separable: these phrasal verbs consist of a verb + adverb/preposition. They are called separable because the object can come between the verb and the particle. In fact, when the object is a pronoun it must come between the verb and the particle. Examples: I put my coat on. I put on my coat. I put it on. - N O T 1 put-orvit. Unfortunately, as the same word can be used as both a preposition or an adverb, it is impossible to know if a phrasal verb is separable or

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inseparable just by looking at it. The best way to find out is to look it up in a dictionary. Some phrasal verbs that follow this pattern are: get someone up, put something on, hand something out 8 Look at the sentences below. Place the object in brackets in the correct position. 1 Look at this. Isn’t it fascinating? We came across on the beach, (it) 2 Oh no! Have you seen the time? Shaun’s still in bed. Can you get up please? (him) 3 The family resemblance is amazing! They really take after, don’t they? (you) 4 Look, this is your homework. There are three sheets in all. Will, can I ask you to hand out to the rest of the class? (them) 5 Have you seen John around this morning? I’ve been looking for everywhere! (him) 6 OK, here are the answers to that last exercise. Let’s look through together, shall we? (them) See the Macmillan English Dictionary for more notes on phrasal verbs, including three-part verbs and phrasal verbs in the passive.

Literary analysis Plot 1 How many of E.G .’s bombing missions does the narrator tell us about in the story? What makes each one different and distinctive? 2 Think about the last trip that the narrator describes. Look at the following list of events from the story and put them in the correct chronological order. a) E.G. and the other aircraft decide the weather is too bad and turn around to go home. b) E.G. comes in to do his first bombing raid. c) E.G. comes in a third time, just over the mast of the tanker. d) The small boats - escort ships - return fire, and make a hole in the wing of the plane. e) E.G. comes in a second time and drops more bombs. f) E.G .’s navigator points out a tanker below. g) E.G .’s aircraft is rocking badly and full of smoke. h) E.G. feels great pain in his ears, and temporarily loses his hearing.

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i) The plane climbs higher, and E.G. loses the chasing fighters in the cloud. j) E.G. turns towards the coast instead of out to sea to go home, k) E.G. pulls the plane up, out of the dive. I) Fighter planes appear on the horizon. 3 What was E.G. expected to do when the weather turned bad? What explanation does E.G. give for his decision to bomb the tanker, and so many times? W hat reason does the narrator give for E.G .’s actions? What does ‘Intelligence’ think his reason is?

Character 4 In the opening paragraphs, the narrator tells us several things about E.G .’s character and interests. Generally, what is E.G .’s attitude towards violence, and hurting others? And towards alcohol? Look at the references to E.G .’s feelings about alcohol in the story - what different reasons are given for his decision to stay sober? 5 Look through the story and notice how E.G. is described. Apart from three adjectives - curious, independent, persistent - we learn more about E.G .’s character from his actions than from direct description. Which particular actions do you think tell us about E.G .’s character? What do they tell us? 6 Some of the most commonly noted character traits of an adventure hero - as we have seen in other stories in this collection - are modesty, courage and hunger for excitement. He should also be an honest and honourable man. What comments and incidents in the story suggest that E.G. is: a) modest? b) daring? c) honest and honourable? What aspects of his behaviour and personality differ from those of a classic hero figure?

Narration 7 How might the story have been different if it had been written by E.G.? What is the narrator able to do that E.G. couldn’t if he were writing about his experiences himself? 8 The narrator describes E.G. as a complex, thoughtful character, compared to other pilots on his base. What do you think the narrator is trying to say about bravery, in relation to E.G. and the other pilots? What do you think he is saying about survival? The Sun Rises Twice | 183

9 Bates’s writing paints a romantic picture of E.G., describing him as better, more exciting and more perfect than other men. What elements of the story, and E.G .’s experiences, contribute to this romantic ideal of the perfect, modest war hero?

Atmosphere 10 Re-read the opening paragraphs of the story, which describe life at the base. What images does the author use to make ‘home’ seem more appealing than fighting? How does Bates use repetition elsewhere in the story to reinforce this image? 11 Instead of coming back to the base for these home comforts, E.G. chooses to stay out in his plane. How is the atmosphere of the battle conveyed by Bates? 12 How does Bates create atmosphere in the last mission he describes?

Style 13 Look at the text below, in which Bates describes E.G .’s heroic decision to risk his life by taking a closer look at the tanker, instead of returning to base: He lost sight of the other aircraft, but his own peculiar independent curiosity made him turn down towards the Hook of Holland instead of out to the open sea. In a couple of hours, if he had been sensible, he could have been eating lobster paste, Swiss roll, or smiling at the W.A.A.F. waitresses, fresh with their afternoon lipstick, in the mess. Instead, he turned the aircraft south-westward, just beyond sight of the coast, to look for shipping. • And then later: From then he could have turned and gone safely home to lobster paste, Swiss roll, and the W .A.A.F.s in their cool blue uniforms pouring the tea. Instead, he drew away for a second bombing run. He came in level and low again. What messages do you think Bates is trying to convey about E.G .’s decision? How does he do this? 14 Consider the description of the incident when E.G. sees the sun rise twice. Look at the following two paragraphs from the story. What adjectives does Bates use to describe the atmosphere, and what images does he use to describe the pilot’s view of the earth? I liked to hear him describe the feelings and the sight of flight: the solo loneliness, the tracer coming up at you slow and orange until the last 184 | The Sun Rises Twice

furious flashing moment, the moon over the miles and miles of cotton cloud, the flak so thick and many-coloured that it hung in the night air like paper streamers at a ball. I liked to hear him talk of the time when he was coming home from a night trip to France. It was summer and he was flying at about 18,000, watching the sun rising over the sea. In the serene and beautiful air the sun floated upward like an orange behind the rim of the yellow horizon. Below was a solitary ship, which the navigator reported was smoking badly. Notice the contrast between the images used to describe the scene, and what is actually happening. What effect does this contrast create? 15 Look again at the first paragraph in question 14 above. Then read the following extract aloud: ...the solo loneliness, the tracer coming up at you slow and orange until the last furious flashing moment, the moon over the miles and miles of cotton cloud... a) Consider the sound of ‘solo loneliness’ and ‘slow’ - what do these similar sounds add to the description of the flight? b) Look at the words highlighted in bold. They are an example of alliteration - groups of words which begin with the same letter. What effect does the alliteration have on the writing here? 16 Bates does not describe the devastation or death that the bombs cause on the ground. However, the darker side of the war is implied. Notice the references to the weather in the passage about E.G .’s bombing of the tanker - how does the weather change throughout the passage? What do you think the weather is a metaphor for? Look again at the story, and find examples of the weather reflecting the action. 17 Bates’s writing in this story has a very strong rhythm. One of the ways he builds this rhythm into his writing is by using repetition of image and phrase. For example: He used to note how calm and clear and sure and icy he became in the periods when he did not drink at all. He used to note how shaky and sometimes how short-lived were those who did. And later: I liked to hear him describe the feelings and the sight of flight.. .1 liked to hear him talk of the time when he was coming home from a night trip to France.

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And again: His life would have been so much easier, so much smoother, and so much duller if he had kept to other people's rules instead of making his own. Look at the description of the bombing of the tanker, which is the climax of the story. Read again from The weather was not very good when he set out that afternoon to fly into Holland... to .. .flying all about him as he dived (pages 173-4). a) How many times does Bates refer to the same image of home base? b) How often does he use the phrase ‘he drew away’? c) What effect do these uses of repetition have on our understanding and memory of the story? Does it affect the way you feel about the action? C an you think of any other types of story or forms of expression that feature rhythm and repetition like this? Guidance to the above literary terms, answer keys to all the exercises and activities, plus a wealth of other reading-practice material, can be found at www.macmillanenglish.com!readers.

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Essay questions Language analysis

Analyzing the question W hat is the question asking? It is asking you to: - choose two language areas from the index on page 200 - choose one from one story, and one from another story - explain how these language areas function in the context of storytelling - use examples from the stories to support your arguments.

Preparing your answer 1 Look back through the Language study sections of the stories you have read and choose two language areas that you feel confident about. Choose examples from two stories. 2 Think about how the language area you have chosen contributes to the story it relates to. Make notes about that language area. Include any notes you need to on form, function and use. 3 Choose examples of form, function and use from the stories. 4 Look at the question, and your notes, and plan your essay. Use the structure of the question to structure your essay. Look at the following example: Introduction

Introduce the areas you are going to describe, and the stories they relate to.

Main body 1

Explain the general function of the areas you have chosen - how are they formed? How do they function? Use examples from the stories you have chosen.

Main body 2

Analyze how the areas contribute to the style and atmosphere of the stories. How is the language used to enhance the story? Refer to specific passages.

Conclusion

Summarize the literary use and function of the language areas you focused on.

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E ssay questions Language analysis Discuss how two of the language areas you have studied contribute to the telling of two of the stories in the collection.

A n alyzin g the q u estion W hat is the question asking? It is asking you to: - choose two language areas from the index on page 200 - choose one from one story, and one from another story - explain how these language areas function in the context of storytelling - use examples from the stories to support your arguments.

P rep arin g y o u r an sw er 1 Look back through the Language study sections of the stories you have read and choose two language areas that you feel confident about. Choose examples from two stories. 2 Think about how the language area you have chosen contributes to the story it relates to. Make notes about that language area. Include any notes you need to on form, function and use. 3 Choose examples of form, function and use from the stories. 4 Look at the question, and your notes, and plan your essay. Use the structure of the question to structure your essay. Look at the following example: Introduction

Introduce the areas you are going to describe, and the stories they relate to.

Main body 1

Explain the general function of the areas you have chosen - how are they formed? How do they function? Use examples from the stories you have chosen.

Main body 2

Analyze how the areas contribute to the style and atmosphere of the stories. How is the language used to enhance the story? Refer to specific passages.

Conclusion

Summarize the literary use and function of the language areas you focused on.

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Literary analysis Choose two stories from the collection. Compare and contrast the stories, considering their themes, character, structure, and how each story develops. In what way is each one an adventure?

A n alyzin g the q u estion W hat is the question asking? It is asking you to: - choose two stories from the collection - consider the main character(s) in each one, and their physical and emotional journey through the story - consider the themes, structure and development of each story - consider the elements of each story that make it an adventure.

P rep arin g y o u r an sw er 1 Choose two stories that are quite different - this will make your comparison/contrast easier to establish. 2 Make notes about each story. W hat elements of adventure does it contain? W hat are the main themes? Think about the personality of the main character(s), and what they experience during the story - are there similarities between the main character(s) in each story? W hat are the differences? Look for examples from the text where the character is described. 3 Think about the key scenes in each story. This will help you to establish how each story is Structured. How are the stories different in their structure - does one develop more quickly, or quietly, than the other? W hat about drama? A nd action? 4 Make a list of similarities and differences between the stories - the context, the character(s), the action, the pace, the structure. 5 Read the question again and write an essay plan. Look at the following example:

188 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Essay questions

Literary analysis Choose two stories from the collection. Compare and contrast the stories, considering their themes, character, structure, and how each story develops. In what way is each one an adventure?

Analyzing the question W hat is the question asking? It is asking you to: - choose two stories from the collection - consider the main character(s) in each one, and their physical and emotional journey through the story - consider the themes, structure and development of each story - consider the elements of each story that make it an adventure.

Preparing your answer 1 Choose two stories that are quite different - this will make your comparison/contrast easier to establish. 2 Make notes about each story. W hat elements of adventure does it contain? W hat are the main themes? Think about the personality of the main c h arac te rs), and what they experience during the story - are there similarities between the main character(s) in each story? W hat are the differences? Look for examples from the text where the character is described. 3 Think about the key scenes in each story. This will help you to establish how each story is Structured. How are the stories different in their structure - does one develop more quickly, or quietly, than the other? W hat about drama? A nd action? 4 Make a list of similarities and differences between the stories - the context, the character(s), the action, the pace, the structure. 5 Read the question again and write an essay plan. Look at the following example:

188 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Essay questions

Introduction

Briefly introduce the two stories you have chosen, giving a one- or two-sentence description of what each one is about.

Story 1

Describe the nature of the adventure - describe the main character(s), the structure of the story, the action, themes, and how the story develops. What kind of adventure is it?

Story 2

Describe the nature of this adventure story - describe the elements you have considered in Story 1, focusing on the similiarities and differences. What kind of adventure is it? How is it different from Story 1 ?

Conclusion

Summarize the similarities and differences between the two stories, stating what makes each one an adventure story and describing what kind of adventure it is.

For tips on writing academic essays, and essays about literary analysis, visit the Macmillan Readers website at www.macmillanenglish.com/readers.

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Glossary The definitions in the glossary refer to the meanings of the words and phrases as they are used in the short stories in this collection. Some words and phrases may also have other meanings which are not given here. The definitions are arranged in the story in which they appear, and in alphabetical order.

To Build a Fire ancestry (n) the people related to you

who lived a long time ago apathetic (adj) not at all interested in or enthusiastic about anything, and not willing to make any effort to change things appease (v) to say or do something in order to make someone feel less angry astonished (adj) very surprised about something that you did not expect avalanche (n) a large amount of snow and ice that suddenly falls down a mountain blizzard (n) a storm with a lot of snow and strong winds bound for M heading towards a place bulge (n) a shape that curves outwards on the surface of something, often made by something under it or inside it bundle (n) a group o f things that have been tied together, especially so that you can carry them easily capsize (v) if you capsize a boat, or if it capsizes, it turns upside down or onto its side in the water carcass (n) the body of a dead animal caress (n) a gentle movement of your hands over someone’s face or body in a way that shows you love them cease (v) formal: to stop happening or continuing chuckle (v) to laugh quietly, especially in a private or secret way circulation (n) the continuous movement of blood around your body cling (v) to attach tightly to something

close ca ll i —

mainly spoken: a dangerous or unpleasant situation that you have just succeeded in avoiding clutch (v) to hold firmly com pel (v) to force someone to do something consciousness (n) the knowledge or understanding that something exists or is important creep (v) to move slowly or gradually custom ary (adj) usual for a particular person, or in a particular society or situation descend (v) formal: to come nearer to the ground devise (v) to invent a method of doing something dip (v) to move, or to move something, downwards drowsy (adj) feeling that you want to sleep ebb away to become smaller or less ensue (v) to happen after something else, often as a result o f it fling (v) to throw something carelessly or with a lot of force footing (n) a firm position for your feet on a surface, especially one that is difficult to stand on or walk across furrow (n) a deep line on the surface of something gingerly (adv) in a very slow and careful way, usually because you are injured or afraid of something gloom (n) darkness in which it is difficult to see clearly

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howl (v) if a dog or similar animal

howls, it makes a long, loud sound im m ortality (n) the fact of being immortal or being famous enough to be remembered for a long time jerk (v) to move very suddenly lay down the law ■ — to tell someone what to do or how to behave in a way that shows that you expect them to obey you completely lodge (v) to become firmly fixed somewhere, usually accidentally manipulation (n) the process of skilfully handling, controlling or using something m editate (v) to think about something carefully for a long time monotonous (adj) something monotonous is boring and unpleasant because it is repetitive and does not change nucleus (n) the central or basic part of something outwit (v) to gain an advantage over someone, especially by using a clever or dishonest trick peep (v) to look at something quickly and secretly, usually from a place where you think you cannot be seen plunge (v) to suddenly go down poignant (adj) giving you feelings of sadness recesses of something M i the parts of something that you cannot see easily because they are hidden or dark recoil (v) to move quickly back from someone or something frightening or unpleasant rigid (adj) stiff, hard and difficult to bend or move scoop (v) to dig something out or pick it up using something such as a spoon or your curved hand shove (v) to push with great force sidle (v) to move slowly in a particular direction, usually because you are nervous or do not want to be noticed

singe (v) to bum something slightly so

that only the edge or surface is affected skirt (v) to move around the edge of

something snarf (v) if an animal such as a dog or a

lion snarls, it makes an angry sound in its throat and shows its teeth spasm odically (adv) happening for short periods, and not often; like a sharp muscular spasm (=sudden movement) or pain speculative (adj) based or done on guesses or on a little information, not on facts spit (v) to force some of the clear liquid called saliva out from your mouth subdue (v) to overpower or bring under control sufficient (adj) as much as is needed tangled (adj) if something is tangled, its parts are twisted round each other in an untidy way throttle (v) to hurt or to kill someone by squeezing their throat so that they cannot breathe thrust (v) to push energetically tingle (v) if a part of your body tingles, it stings slightly, for example because it is very cold or very hot totter (v) to stand or move unsteadily tug (v) to pull something or someone by making a short strong movement tw ilight (n) the time in the evening when the sky is beginning to get dark undergrowth (n) small thick bushes that cover the ground, especially between larger trees in a forest welfare (n) the health and happiness of people whine (v) if a dog whines, it makes a high noise, usually because it wants something willy-nilly (adv) if something happens willy-nilly, it happens whether you want it to or not; in a careless or unplanned way wistful (adj) slightly sad because you want to have or to do something

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A Fight with a Cannon adder (n) a poisonous snake that lives

in Europe anticipate (v) to think that something

will probably happen apparatus (n) the machines, tools

and equipment needed for doing something, especially something technical or scientific belly (n) informal: stomach blow (n) a hard hit from someone’s hand or an object capricious (adj) suddenly and unexpectedly changing your opinion or behaviour without any good reason cast a glance M M to look at someone or something in a particular way chaplain (n) a Christian priest or minister who works in an institution such as a school or a hospital, or in the army colossal (adj) extremely great or large conceal (v) to hide something so that it cannot be found; to cover something so that it is hidden counterfeit (adj) counterfeit bank notes, products, tickets, etc are illegal copies made in order to trick people creak (v) if something creaks, especially something wooden, it makes a high noise when it moves or when you put weight on it crucifix (n) a model of Jesus Christ dying on the cross, often found in a church or worn as jewellery dazzled (adj) shocked, overwhelmed demon (n) an evil spirit din (n) a very loud unpleasant noise that lasts for a long time disconcert (v) to make someone feel worried, confused or surprised dismay (n) the feeling of being very worried, disappointed or sad about something surprising or shocking that has happened distress (n) a feeling that you have when you are very unhappy, worried or upset

dizzy (adj) feeling as if you or the things

around you are spinning, especially when you think you are going to fall fasten (v) to fix or hold firmly in place fluctuation (n) frequent changes in the amount, value or level o f something fracture (n) a break or crack in a very hard substance gale (n) a very strong wind haggard (adj) looking very tired, worried or ill hammock (n) a bed consisting of a long piece of cloth or net tied at each end to posts or trees hind (adj) back; the hind legs or feet of an animal are its back legs or feet im passive (adj) not showing any emotion lantern (n) a light inside a transparent container with a handle for carrying it legitim ate (adj) fair and reasonable livid (adj) dark blue-grey locust (n) a type of grasshopper (jumping insect with long legs) that flies over wide areas in very large groups called swarms, often destroying crops m alice (n) a strong feeling of wanting to hurt someone or be unkind to them meander (v) to move slowly without a particular direction or purpose in mind might (n) great power or strength, especially a country’s military or economic power misdemeanour (n) formal: an action that is bad or wrong, but not in a serious way nimble (adj) able to move quickly and easily obstinate (adj) not willing to be reasonable and change your plans, ideas or behaviour percussion (n) musical instruments such as drums, cymbals or rattles that you play by hitting or shaking them pillar (n) a thick, strong upright post that supports part of a building

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pitch (v) if a ship or aircraft pitches, it

moves up and down suddenly proceeding (n) an event projectile (n) formal: an object that is shot or thrown as a weapon quarters (n) formal: rooms or buildings for people to live in refuge (n) a place where you go to protect yourself from something dangerous or threatening revenge (n) something that you do to hurt or punish someone because they have hurt you or someone else seize (v) to quickly take something in your hand slash (v) to cut someone or something in a violent way slide (v) to move smoothly and quickly across a surface soul (n) the part of a person that is capable o f thinking and feeling; the spiritual part of a person that most religions believe continues to exist after their body dies squall (n) a storm that happens suddenly, especially at sea stave in M M I to break something inwards

stir (v) to move, or to be moved,

slightly supple (adj) able to move and bend your

body very easily and in a graceful way tackle (n) equipment used to handle

a ship take advantage off M

to use a situation or opportunity to get what you want tam e (v) to train an animal to stay calm when people are near it and to make it used to being with them trem ble (v) if your body or part of your body trembles, it shakes, usually because you are nervous, afraid or excited unprecedented (adj) never having happened or existed before utter (v) literary: to say something withstand (v) to be strong enough not to be harmed or destroyed by something writhe (v) to move by twisting and turning, especially when you feel a lot of pain zigzag (n) a line or movement that makes sharp angles because it suddenly changes from one direction to another

The Old Chief Mshlanga afflict (v) formal: if you are afflicted by

attendant (n) someone whose job is to

an illness or serious problem, you suffer from it aim less (adj) without any particular purpose or plan allot (v) to give someone part of an amount of something that is available, or to decide that something will be used for a specific purpose aloof (adj) someone who is aloof is not friendly or does not want to be involved in something armour (n) metal clothing that soldiers wore in the Middle Ages to protect their bodies

look after another person, especially a person who is in an important position or one who is ill charred (adj) black and burnt chatter (v) to talk continuously in a fast informal way, usually about unimportant subjects cheek (n) behaviour that is rude or does not show respect, especially towards someone who is older or more important choppy (adj) choppy water has a lot of waves in it because the wind is blowing across it

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cab (n) the long hard part at the top of

maize plants, on which large yellow seeds grow compound (n) an enclosed area where a particular group of people live, or where people such as soldiers and prisoners can exercise confiscate (v) to officially remove som eone’s possessions for legal reasons or as a punishment contract (v) to get smaller or tighter, or to make something do this contrary (n) opposite crest (n) the top of a hill or mountain croak (v) to speak or say something in a low rough voice crook (n) the place where something bends inwards culprit (n) someone who is responsible for doing something bad or illegal cultivation (n) the process of growing crops or plants dangle (v) if you dangle something, or if it dangles, it hangs or swings without anything stopping it drape (v) to put something made of cloth over or around something entourage (n) a group of people who go somewhere with an important person entwine (v) to curl or twist one thing around another fabled (adj) famous because of being extremely good, beautiful or interesting; perhaps not true fade (v) if something fades, it gradually becomes less clear or noticeable until it finally disappears flank (v) to be at the side of something or someone furnace (n) a large enclosed container in which you burn fuel, used for heating a building or for an industrial process such as making metal liquid gleaming (adj) shiny, clean and looking very healthy or new glint (v) to shine with quick flashes of light

grizzled (adj) grey or partly grey grove (n) a group of trees of a particular

type, especially trees arranged in lines gush (n) a strong, sudden feeling hatchet (n) a tool used for cutting

wood, consisting o f a short wooden handle and a sharp blade. It is similar to a small axe haunt (v) to go to a place very often, especially when you are not welcome heritage (n) the art, buildings, traditions and beliefs that a society considers important to its history and culture hollow (n) a small area in the ground that is lower than the ground around it hum iliating (adj) making you feel very embarrassed and ashamed indifferent (adj) lacking interest in something, or lacking sympathy with someone instil (v) to make someone have a particular feeling or belief interpreter (n) someone whose job is to translate what a speaker is saying in one language into another language so that someone else can understand it lurk (v) to wait, sometimes hiding, in order to frighten, annoy or attack someone lush (adj) a lush plant looks very green and healthy meander (v) a river or road that meanders follows a path with a lot of turns and curves mingle (v) to move around and talk to a lot of people outlandish (adj) extremely strange and unusual peer (v) to look very carefully, especially because something is difficult to see polished (adj) clean and shiny because of being rubbed, usually with a chemical substance premonition (n) a strong feeling that something is going to happen, especially something bad

194 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Glossary

reserved (adj) someone who is

reserved tends not to talk about or show their feelings riot (v) if a plant riots, or runs riot, it grows in an uncontrolled way scuttle (v) to run somewhere with short quick steps sift (v) to pour a dry substance through a sieve (= a net of thin wires on a metal or plastic ring) to remove the large pieces slant (n) the angle at which something slopes sm all of your back M p the lower part of your back sparkle (v) to shine with small points o f reflected light stalk (n) a long, thin part of a plant with a flower, fruit or leaf at the end stately (adj) with an impressive appearance and moving in a slow, steady manner

successor (n) someone who has an

important position after someone else take something/someone for granted 1 to expect something/ someone always to happen or exist in a particular way tease (v) to say something to someone in order to have fun, by embarrassing or annoying them slightly in either a friendly or an unkind way temporary (adj) existing, done or used for only a limited period of time trample (v) to put your feet down on someone or something in a heavy way that causes injury or damage vivid (adj) a vivid colour is strong and bright web (n) a net of thin threads that a spider makes in order to catch insects withered (adj) a withered plant has become dry and is dying

The Adventure of the Hansom Cab accom plice (n) someone who helps

ascend (v) formal: to go up

another person to do something illegal or wrong accord with — to agree with or be the same as something else acute (adj) used for describing the senses and abilities of someone who notices things very quickly and easily admit (v) to allow someone to enter a place, especially a public place such as a theatre or museum affable (adj) friendly, relaxed and easy to talk to agile (adj) able to move quickly and easily agony (n) great pain appal (v) to shock or offend someone very much appeal (n) a request for people to do something or to behave in a particular way applaud (v) to praise a decision, action, idea, etc

attainable (adj) possible to achieve,

reach or get barbarian (n) someone who is cruel or

violent beckon (v) to signal to someone to

come towards you betray (v) if you betray your country,

or if you betray someone who needs your support, you deliberately do something that harms them or helps their opponents blunt (adj) saying what is true or what you think, even if this offends or upsets people cane (n) a long thin stick that someone uses to help them walk, especially one with a curved handle coarse (adj) rough, rude and offensive conciliatory (adj) trying to end an argument and make people feel less angry

Macmillan Literature Collections: Glossary | 195

courteous (adj) polite, especially in a

formal way decoy (v) to use a person or thing to trick someone into going somewhere or doing something detain (v) formal: to delay someone who has to go somewhere; to keep someone in a police station or prison and not allow them to leave devotion (n) great love, admiration or loyalty dilapidation (n) the old and bad condition of something dilemma (n) a situation in which you have to make a difficult decision disarm (v) to take someone’s weapons so that they can no longer use them disclose (v) to reveal something that was previously hidden discretion (n) careful and sensitive behaviour that does not upset or offend people disenchanting (adj) disappointing; causing a feeling of lost enthusiasm about someone or something dism antle (v) to separate the parts of something such as a machine so that they no longer form a single unit disperse (v) if a crowd of people disperses, or if someone disperses it, the people separate and go in different directions • doom (n) a bad event, usually death, destruction or complete failure, that will happen in the future and cannot be avoided eccentric (adj) someone who is eccentric often behaves in slightly strange or unusual ways elated (adj) extremely happy and excited elude (v) formal: to manage to escape or hide from someone or something em it (v) to send something out into the air, especially gas, light or heat exertion (n) great physical or mental effort

exquisite (adj) extremely beautiful and

delicate extravagant (adj) extreme, unusual or

unreasonable farce (n) a situation or event that is

silly because it is very badly organized, unsuccessful or unfair fathom (v) British: to understand something complicated or mysterious flight (n) a set of stairs going from one level to another frankness (n) honesty about the situation or your opinions, even if this offends people gambling (n) an activity in which you risk money in the hope of winning more money if you are lucky or if you guess something correctly gaze (v) to look at someone or something for a long time, for example because they are attractive or interesting, or because you are thinking of something else goblet (n) a metal or glass cup used in the past for drinking wine; a large glass with a long stem gravity (n) the seriousness or importance of something hazard (n) something that could be dangerous or could cause damage or accidents hedge your bets M U to organize a situation so that you have several choices available to you, in order to increase your chances of success hinge (n) an object, usually made of metal, that fastens a door to a wall, or a lid to a container, and allows it to open and shut im plicitly (adv) without any doubts or questions incensed (adj) extremely angry incognito (adv) using a false name, or changing your appearance so that you will not be recognized indication (n) a sign that something will happen, is true or exists

196 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Glossary

inquisition (n) a long series of difficult

questions asked by someone who is very determined to get information from you insidious (adj) something that is insidious is dangerous because it seems to be harmless or not important but in fact causes harm or damage instantaneous (adj) immediate ivy (n) a plant that grows up walls or that spreads over a large area. It has shiny dark green leaves with several points labyrinth (n) a place where there are a lot of paths or passages and you can easily become lost lend an ear M — I to listen, especially to someone who is upset marksman (n) someone who is skilful at shooting mingled (adj) mixed together minute (adj) very careful and detailed neglect (n) the failure to give someone or something the care or attention that they need nonchalant (adj) relaxed and not worrying about anything none the less (adv) British, formal: despite what has just been said. The more usual word is ‘nevertheless’ obnoxious (adj) very rude, offensive or unpleasant obscure (adj) not known about, or not well known; not clearly expressed orphan (n) a child whose parents have died ostensibly (adv) used for saying that although someone pretends to have one reason for something, there is in fact another reason pertinent (adj) formal: relevant to something physician (n) formal: a doctor placidly (adv) peacefully, without a lot of action or movement precarious (adj) likely to change or become dangerous without warning

preconception (n) an opinion about

something that you form before you have a lot of information about it or experience of it preoccupied (adj) thinking about something so much or spending so much time doing something that you do not notice other things or cannot think about other things press (v) to try in a determined way to make someone do something or tell you something prey upon M i l to harm someone who is weak or cannot defend themselves; hunt prodigious (adj) very great or impressive profound (adj) great or deep relinquish (v) formal: to give up your power, position or an advantage, especially when you do not want to do this remedy (v) to correct or improve a situation ruddy (adj) literary: red and looking healthy scrutiny (n) careful examination of something or someone sham (n) something that people pretend is good, serious or honest but is really not shrewd (adj) able to judge people and situations very well and to make good decisions shrub (n) a low thick bush, especially one that has been planted in a garden sincerity (n) an honest way of behaving that shows that you really mean what you say or do sound (adj) involving the use of good judgement, and therefore likely to be effective

Macmillan Literature Collections: Glossary | 197

stake (n) an amount of money that you

tout (n) someone who encourages

risk losing when you try to guess the result of a race or competition; also, a wooden or metal post with a pointed end that is used for supporting or marking something stifle (v) to stop yourself, or be stopped, from doing something that shows how you feel stim ulating (adj) making you feel interested; making you feel physically active stout (adj) slightly fat. This word is less rude than ‘fat’ stroll (v) to walk without hurrying, often for pleasure survey (n) a general examination of a subject or situation take stock 1 to spend some time thinking about the situation that you are in before you decide what to do next testify (v) to provide evidence that something exists or is true threshold (rr) the floor at the entrance to a room or building

people to attend an event, usually selling tickets outside a sports stadium or theatre undiminishod (adj) remaining at the same high level ungracious (adj) not polite or friendly, especially towards someone who has been polite or kind to you imbnpaifed (adj) not harmed by something that has happened ushor (v) to lead someone politely somewhere, for example into a room or towards a seat utmost (n) the greatest amount or degree possible wary (adj) careful or nervous about someone or something because you think they might cause a problem weary (adj) very tired, especially because of hard work or activity;, tired and impatient about something woodwork (n) the wooden parts of a house or room, for example the doors, the frames around windows, etc

The Sun Rises Twice blaze (n) mainly journalism: a large fire

ear-drum (n) a piece of tightly

that causes a lot of damage, especially when a building is bum yig circu s (n) a group of people, and usually animals, that travels from place to place and entertains people by performing skilful or funny movements and tricks clip (v) to hit something accidentally while passing it dead (adv) informal: directly dissolve (v) to disappear or stop existing, or to make a feeling or other thing disappear or stop existing draw away S M M S i to move away from a person or place

stretched skin inside your ear that vibrates when sound: reaches it escort (n) a person or a group of people, vehicles, ships, etc that go somewhere with another person, vehicle, ship, etc in order to protect them or to prevent them from escaping icy (adj) cool, without emotion induce (v) to cause something, or persuade someone to do something interm ittently (adv) happening sometimes but not regularly or often jovially (adv) cheerfully and in a friendly manner lobster (n) a shellfish that has a long body, eight legs, and two large parts like arms called claws

198 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Glossary

nought (n) maths: zero; nothing one by one

WBEHXkfirst one, then the

next, then the next, etc, separately peculiar (adj) strange, often in an unpleasant way; especially true or typical of a particular person, thing or situation radiographer (n) someone whose job is to take x-ray photographs of som eone’s body as part of a medical treatment rim (n) the edge of an open container or circular object run (n) a journey that a train, ship, plane, etc does regularly serene (adj) calm or peaceful short (adv) without reaching a particular place or position

solitary (adj) in a place or situation

where there are no other people solo (adv) alone strain (v) to try very hard to do

something stream ers (n) usually plural: long thin

coloured pieces of paper or cloth used for decoration swelling (n) an area of your body that has increased in size as a result of an injury or an illness trapeze (n) a short bar that hangs on two ropes from a high ceiling, used by performers in a circus yell (v) to say something in a loud voice, or to make a loud noise because you are angry, afraid, excited or in pain

D ictionary extracts adapted from the Macmillan English Dictionary © M acm illan Publishers Lim ited 2002 www.macmillandictionary.com

Macmillan Literature Collections: Glossary | 199

Language study index To B u ild a Fire Sim iles

43

Merely

44

A Fight with a C annon T he use of the passive

72

Reduced relative clauses

73

Direct and indirect metaphors

74

Literary language

75

T h e Old C h ief M shlanga Past perfect

106

I f + past simple

108

M ultiple-clause sentences

109

T h e A dventure of the H an som C ab Formal language

152

Idiomatic expressions

153

T he use of thus

155

The Sun Rises Twice U sing could have + past participle to talk about choices in the past

178

Phrasal verbs

179

200 | Macmillan Literature Collections: Language study index

Macmillan Literature Collections These advanced-level Readers contain a variety of original short stories written by famous classic and modern writers. They are perfect for those students who are ready to make the transition from graded readers to unadapted English literature texts. Each collection provides substantial language support including vocabulary, comprehension questions and language-study exercises. There is also a literary analysis section to help students examine themes, characterisation and plot thus increasing their understanding and appreciation of each story.

Adventure Stories This collection of five stories explores a variety of different literary approaches to the genre of adventure. From a man struggling to survive in the frozen Yukon, to a ship’s loose canon which threatens the lives of the entire crew, these stories will enthral and delight fans of adventure everywhere.

To B u i l d a F i r e

T h e A d v e n tu re o f th e

by Jack London

H an so m C ab

A man travels alone through the freezing Canadian wilderness A F ig h t w ith a C a n n o n by Victor Hugo

A ship’s crew struggles to deal with a loose cannon in stormy seas T h e O ld C h ie f M s h l a n g a by Doris Lessing

A young girl battles her fears and prejudices in the wilds of colonial Africa

by Robert Louis Stevenson

A lieutenant returns from India to London, where he finds himself in unexpected company T h e S u n R i s e s T w ic e by H E Bates

A pilot risks his life to attack an enemy ship Answer keys and further support are available from the Macmillan Readers website:

www.macmillanenglish.com/readers

9780230408548