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[muppets123]

David could not concentrate on reading. Nor could he relax enough to sleep. His body and mind were on alert, like the night of the storm. His heart and his soul were restless. He flipped through the illustrations in the Jules Verne books and captivated, vowed to read them later. He had a vision of Peter and Wendy. Leaving his cabin he walked around the deck and leaned on the rail gazing at the stars of the night sky.  Could he actually pick out the starlit path to Neverland?

"Second to the right, and straight on till morning."

That, Peter had told Wendy, was the way to the Neverland; but even birds, carrying maps and consulting them at windy corners, could not have sighted it with these instructions. Peter, you see, just said anything that came into his head.

At first his companions trusted him implicitly, and so great were the delights of flying that they wasted time circling round church spires or any other tall objects on the way that took their fancy.



 The image slowly started to change. From Peter and Wendy to himself and Katherine to himself and Brigitte and then back again.  He knew he had to give her up but was afraid he might have failed her too.  He didn't want to let down his bosom friend.  He had promised her, himself and Brigitte.  He clutched the railing desperately searching the night sky for some sort of sign.
"Brigitte, please, please forgive me. I never meant for that to happen. I was the adult. I should have been the responsible one and looked out for you." Tears were rolling down his cheeks.

He saw a falling star and a chill ran though him. He gazed at the water to where he thought the star might have landed. He couldn't believe what his eyes saw next there in the moonlit stillness . Bobbing in the waves was a was a mermaid and a selkie.



 They swam and danced in harmony... a beautiful water ballet. Appearing and disappearing as if involved in a childlike game. They smiled and nodded reassuringly to him. He thought of the games he and Brigitte played. From King Arthur to tales of the sea with pirates and mermaids galore.  He recently read that there were mermaids in Neverland too.

You see, I don't know any stories. None of the lost boys knows any stories."
"How perfectly awful," Wendy said.

"Do you know," Peter asked "why swallows build in the eaves of houses? It is to listen to the stories. O Wendy, your mother was telling you such a lovely story."
"Which story was it?"
"About the prince who couldn't find the lady who wore the glass slipper."
"Peter," said Wendy excitedly, "that was Cinderella, and he found her, and they lived happily ever after."

Peter was so glad that he rose from the floor, where they had been sitting, and hurried to the window.
"Where are you going?" she cried with misgiving.
"To tell the other boys."
"Don't go Peter," she entreated, "I know such lots of stories."

Those were her precise words, so there can be no denying that it was she who first tempted him.

He came back, and there was a greedy look in his eyes now which ought to have alarmed her, but did not.

"Oh, the stories I could tell to the boys!" she cried, and then Peter gripped her and began to draw her toward the window.

"Let me go!" she ordered him.

"Wendy, do come with me and tell the other boys."
Of course she was very pleased to be asked, but she said, "Oh dear, I can't. Think of mummy! Besides, I can't fly."
"I'll teach you."

"Oh, how lovely to fly."
"I'll teach you how to jump on the wind's back, and then away we go."
"Oo!" she exclaimed rapturously.
"Wendy, Wendy, when you are sleeping in your silly bed you might be flying about with me saying funny things to the stars."
"Oo!"

"And, Wendy, there are mermaids."
"Mermaids! With tails?"

"Such long tails."
"Oh," cried Wendy, "to see a mermaid!"

He had become frightfully cunning. "Wendy," he said, "how we should all respect you."
She was wriggling her body in distress. It was quite as if she were trying to remain on the nursery floor.

But he had no pity for her.[/color]

  David knew Brigitte had been brave and headstong.  She always was.  But still, he was 22 and she was but 17  at the time.  He had been too stubborn and  he felt his actions cost him the most precious thing he had ever known.  David sat down on the deck and wept openly. Emotionally spent, he fell asleep but only for about an hour or two.  He was awakened by the sound of a bagpipe. He looked out to sea and saw  the mermaid and selkie still playing in the waves  as a thin streak of cerulean blue was peaking out from under the eastern edge of the dark velvet blanket of night. It was a mournful song yet oddly soothing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xeUd0_iBZJQ&feature=quicklist

At the same moment, almost a thousand miles away, Katherine awoke to a strange sound. Gazing out her hotel window on a moonlit garden, she heard the same tune.

note: "Going Home", is set to the Largo movement from Dvorak's New World Symphony.  There are lots of versions of this and many theories about how the music and lyrics came to be; not without some mystery and controversy too I might add. More on that in a later installment.

[Henk]

Note:
At least we are not the only one who are venturing in the twilight-zone of Sirens, Dryads and other fairies

Hope you don't mind, MissAdventure !

Siren Poems by MissAdventure  Here

[muppets123]

Katherine looked visibly shaken at breakfast in the morning.
" What is it?" asked Helene with concern.
"  I awoke in the wee hours with a horrible feeling that something has happened to David."
"Listen", said  Helene "after breakfast we will make a call to that  professor friend  in Stuttgart.  Remember the one that was going to be our chaperon, I mean guide?  We will ask if he knows exactly where David will be staying in Ireland and when he is due to arrive.  Then we can either send a telegram or call and you will see that he is just fine."  Helene was doing her best to cheer Katherine up.
"Come to think of it I haven't heard from Morgan in quite awhile.  We extended our journey so he doesnot know I am here.  I should wire  him in  Calgary  and see how he is.  I am sure he has  concluded his business by now.  I wonder if he is going back to PEI?  I should write Anne  as well.  I have not written her since we left Holland.   Suddenly Katherine was feeling very guilty.
"Listen, mamma hen.   Morgan,  Anne and David are all adults, capable of looking after themselves.  But  tell you what. After breakfast we will  make  that phone call to Stuttgart, send a wire to Morgan  and you can write a long letter to Anne over a nice cup of hot tea and a piece  of Sacher Torte. Sightseeing can wait till later."
Katherine smiled at her friend.  She certainly knew how to  make her feel better.

[muppets123]

Morgan followed Dahlia and they crossed town by cab to a lively little pub in a poor section of London. It was smoky and crowded. While the patrons were poor they seemed genuinely happy.

There was one particular little chap buying drinks for everyone to celebrate his upcoming nuptials. He was a dustman. Morgan and Dahlia joined the party, drinking, dancing and having a wonderful time.



 But at some point the smoke, drink, the scent of perfume and some other unfamiliar odors began to overpower Morgan and he had trouble keeping his feet. Dahlia brought him back to her suite at the hotel where he passed out on the sofa. Dahlia changed into her dressing gown and  just sat next to him calmly stroking his brow.

Morgan half conscious, felt someone gently caressing his face with her soft hand and in his state, thought it was Katherine.  He stirred slightly and moved to rest his head in her lap. He then drifted off again.


He dreamt of the of the little man in the pub.  He  dreamt that he, the dustman and a stuffy phonetics professor were engaged a heated debate about trying to change people or accept them for who they are. He wasn't trying to change Katherine, was he? He could accept her for what she wanted, including her dreams, couldn't he? He could be a loving husband and enlightened man without giving up his identity or dominance, right? He rolled over and placed his hand on the woman's thigh. A soft glow from the lamplight started to rouse him from sleep and he felt the cushions of the sofa beneath him and the material of Dahlia's dressing gown. Reality came flooding back to him and he bolted into an upright position.

"Oh my god what I am doing here?!" he shouted, though yelling made his head hurt and he winced in pain.
"Relax , Darling. Nothing happened that you didn't want," Dahlia cooed softly, stroking his cheek and resting her head against his chest.  He looked down and saw his stocking feet and  his  shoes next to the sofa.   His bowtie was undone, his shirt  untucked and the three top buttons of his shirt were unfastened.  My god, how did he get this way?  He tried to remember, but couldn't.
" Ugh. Mademoiselle umm, I have to go,," he groaned as he stumbled out of the room, not sure of his footing nor of what may or may not have occurred.  Nor did he even stop to put his shoes on. He just grabbed them and fled.
He ran back to his own room; threw his other clothes in the suitcase; buttoned his shirt; tucked it in; retied his tie; put on his shoes; paid his bill and checked out without even changing his clothes.

Outside a cold rain was falling. Morgan was grateful for the cold dampness helped clear his foggy and throbbing head.  He took a cab straight to the airfield and booked a ticket on for the next airship flight  to North America.   He knew he could not face the gossips of Avonlea so he booked a flight for Boston.  He felt safe there and he needed time to sort things out.
As he crossed the muddy field in the rain he put his hand in his jacket pocket. The box with the engagement ring was still there. Anger and embarrassment consumed him. He pulled it out and was about to fling it across the airfield and be rid of his troubles. He cocked his arm back. Then stopped suddenly in mid motion. Stuffing the box back in his pocket he ran across the field and boarded the airship.

[muppets123]

Once on the airship, Morgan retired to his stateroom and stayed there for a long time. He was tired, angry, and confused. The last thing he wanted was to exchange pleasantries or idle chit chat with total strangers.
He could picture Rachel and the other ladies of Avonlea laughing at him or talking about him in the general store.


He didn't think he betrayed Katherine but he wasn't totally sure. His mind still whirled trying to remember what happened. Could she forgive him? Wait a minute. This would have never had happened if she had not  gone  on her journey in the first place. Could he forgive her?  Yes, he loved her, but was it enough?  Maybe he couldn't accept her wanting to fulfill her dreams after all?  Why did things have to be so complicated?  And if she wasn't in London where was she now? With David in Switzerland or Italy?  She might as well be in Bombay or Kenya for all he knew.  His head hurt the more he thought of these things.   But his heart was hurting too and his pride.
He got changed out of his clothes and lay of the bed and thought about the only place he could feel  comfortable right now .... Boston


( Boston-1910)
Boston and the word home never felt so good, he thought as he drifted off into a much needed sleep.

[Henk]

A Jonah Day.

Gilbert did not feel well at all, when he left his bed.
Inspecting his face in the mirror, he saw a tired man looking at him, with eyes that did not seem to be able to open for full.
"My temperature is alright, I think I am just tired "
"Goodmorning, doctor, how are you this morning ?"
Anne was already downstairs, setting the breakfast-table  for Gilbert and the children.
Her travel-bag was standing on the kitchentable, packed for a few days.
"Don't ask, so I don't have to lie", answered Gilbert.
He tried to sound in a good mood, but it failed.
"What is the matter with you ?", asked Anne.
"Nothing", replied Gilbert, pulling the lace of his shoe a bit too hard.
It snapped.
There were new ones in the drawer. Pink, very well suited for one of the girls' shoes.
"I get some out of Jem's Sunday-shoes, I get new ones before he has to go to church", said Anne.
She kissed him on the forehead when she came back, but it did not seem to thaw him.
Having taken too much butter on his knife, he tried to put it back in the butter-jar by wiping his knife at the edge of the jar.
As a result, the creamy white butter was sprinkled with breadcrumbs.
One thing all the children had learned not to do, he was proud of that.
"Well, Gil, that does not look nice at all!" was Anne's reaction.

"I did not do that on purpose !", he almost yelled at Anne.
"You don't want me to go, is it ?", asked Anne, with a plain voice.
"Why should I care ?", asked Gilbert.

Anne hesitated.
Too well she remembered how she felt that day, when Gilbert met Christine again.
This was not her foult.

The Dominion Women's Enfranchisement Association paid her journey and stay, in exchange Anne would write her opinions and reports on the meeting.
Some leading women and men from Canada and the States  would attend the meeting, and speak.
There was a lot at stake.
Gilbert had been supporting her as he always would.
"Never will I stand in your way, it would not be of any use", he had said often.
Till he read the list of speakers.
"What is he doing there ?", he had asked.
"Speaking", said Anne.
"Nothing else ?", asked Gilbert.
"What would there be else, Gilbert ?", Anne asked in soft tone.
But her eyes were greener as ever, lacking any smile.  Gilbert realized he was in dangerous territory now.
"Nothing", he replied.

"You are afraid, poor Gilbert. But there is no reason to.
I am going to take that train within a hour. I will speak to the people and listen to all what they have to say.
And yes, I will speak with Morgan. About him, about Katherine and about their plans. And tomorrow I take the train back, and I will be sitting here with you at this table again the morning after. Hopefully with a nicer Gilbert as the one I am talking to now ".

Gilbert looked deep into Anne's eyes. He realized she was asking only one thing of him:Trust.
The same trust she had always been giving him, where ever he had to go.
"I am sorry, Anne", he said.
"Silly boy, have no fear !".
She kissed him again.
The carriage was standing ready to take her to the station.
Soon the children would come down, and she was not sure if  she would be as strong as she was to Gilbert, if she saw them before she left.

[Henk]

"Hello Anne "
"Hello, Morgan, how are you doing ? "
"I am fine, thanks. And how are you doing ?"
"Fine", said Anne.

"I hope you don't carry bad feelings for me, Anne "
"How could I, Morgan ? In a way I was gratefull, because that last moment we saw each other was the moment I realized what I had been hiding away for myself for so long. I should apologize to you instead. People around me blamed me for giving you the impression I was thinking serious about you. I was, but..."
"Don't blame yourself, Anne. It was a moment of thruth for me as well. I took things  for granted too long. The same as I had done with Emmeline. My late and beloved wife was my equal. After she died, I have been concentrating entirely on my business. Forgetting the matters of the heart. Winning a heart is different from winning a deal. I think I should not engage in any romance anymore, and be happy with my house and my daughter Emmeline.
She is doing well, as you probably know ?"
"I know, from the last I heard. But why no more romance ?"
"I seem to have lost contact with Katherine. The last time I got a telegram from Paris is long ago.
She seems to be traveling with another woman, and a man called David. "

"I guess you were traveling yourself, that is what Katherine told me in her last letter. You both are living in different places all the time. I did not have the impression she changed her thoughts and feelings  about you."
"What should I do, just wait ?"
"Perhaps".
"I know Katherine too well now. She is going to the Taj Mahal. Tomorrow or next year, but she will go.
Meanwhile she is drinking the glass of wine till the bottom. I mean to say, she is catching up for all those years, locked up in her dark room when school was out "
"With David ?", asked Morgan.
Anne decided to play it hard. "Yes, with David and Helene. But that does not mean you are out of her heart.
Believe me ! David is a dreamer. He is a special friend of Katherine, and they both need  each other to reach their goal".
"Which goal ?"
"David's goal is not clear yet, the guy is still not over the tragic death of his sister. But Katherine's goal is very clear "
"The Tah Mahal ?", asked Morgan, "is that all ?".
"Think further, my friend', answered Anne with a smile.
"By the way, David is not with them at the moment. He is in England, and probably going to Ireland. "
"Mmm, that is funny. Emmeline is in Ireland now, with her group."
"Is she ? I am going to be jealous of all those people travelling over the world . Oh, we have to talk later, Morgan. The first speaker is going to make a speech now ".

Promising to meet again before leaving, they went to their seats.

[Henk]

David wanted to make one more crossing to Bristol and back, before going into the green hills of Ireland.
The salty air, the sea gulls flying around hoping to catch a fish, the wide open Sea around him, he was at home where ever the Sea was.
The captain was glad with David's decision.
David was not a heavy drinker, and except the one time he fell asleep, he could always be counted on.
And they liked to share their stories.
This time, David would sail as navigator.
The ship used the sails when the wind was good, and the engines when needed.
Modern industry could not wait for their supplies anymore, depending on the wind.

The ship was halfway the Irish Sea on the way to Bristol, there was time to have some fresh air on the deck.
The captain joined him.
Two man looking to the Sea, that had given them so much, and taken.

There was one other ship coming from the South West. Far away, still.
According to the course it took, it was also heading for the same harbor.
For a while, there was silence, and they almost wanted to go back to the pilothouse.
David had one more look at the other vessel, which was now coming nearer.
He could not believe his eyes.
"Can I have your binoculars for a moment, please, Captain ? "
"Sure, laddy !"
David looked again, and  shouted out: "The Cutty Sark, captain, it is the Cutty Sark ! "
"You are kidding me ?", said the captain, very anxious to have a look too.
"Oh, what a beautiful ship that is, you are right, David !" .
Because they were heading for the same direction, the ship came nearer and nearer.

A few younger sailors were standing near them, and looked surprised at the two excited men , being so happy.
"What is all this about, cap ?", asked one of them.

"Boy, this is one of the most beautiful ships that ever sailed the Seven Seas. It was the fastest sailing-ship  ever, and has been carrying tea to Australia, and all other goods to all continents.



"Yes, but how did she get her eh...strange name ?", the young lad asked.
The captain looked at David, who was always ready to tell a story.

" The ship is now called Ferreirra , and owned by a Portugese trader.
This is the story.
It was very late on a dark and stormy night when Tam, who had been to Market to sell his wares and had called at the local inn afterwards for a few drinks, began his journey home. Tam was riding his old mare Meg down a lonely road, when he drew close to the church at Kirk Alloway.

Through the cold night air he heard a strange and scary sound, and as he looked into the night sky he saw the glare of fire!

There, in the churchyard, dancing around a huge bonfire was a coven of witches and warlocks. Tam sat on his horse, rigid with terror! The witches danced on and Tam noticed that one of the hags was younger and more beautiful than the others. Her name was Nannie, but Tam didn't know this; all she was wearing was a short petticoat so he called her 'cutty sark', which is an old regional Scottish name for this garment.

Well, the dancing became wilder and wilder and Tam became more and more engrossed. At last, he could bear the suspense no longer and he shouted out,

"Weel done 'cutty sark'!"

With a flash the bonfire went out, and a soul-tearing howl went up from the witches and warlocks, as they began to race towards Tam, desperate to get to this mortal who had ruined their revelry.

Poor Tam. He was in fear of his life, and for a moment just sat there, but after a few seconds that seemed like lifetimes, he managed to spur Meg on, in a desperate race to save his life.

Now, witches cannot cross running water, and fortunately for Tam, the river Doon was nearby. He set Meg galloping madly towards the bridge, with the witches in hot pursuit.

Nannie, being younger and faster than the rest, was the closest to him, and was reaching out to grab Meg’s tail, just as the mare reached the bridge.

Luckily for Tam (although not so for Meg), the horse's tail came away in Nannie's hand just as the mare galloped over the bridge. Tam was saved! The witches and warlocks stood on the river-bank cursing and screaming at Tam who had had a very narrow escape."




"That is a great story, Sir !  I will watch my steps , when the pub closes in the night, and not go into the woods !"
The two older men laughed.
They had to go up now, to steer their own ship safe in harbor.
 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This tale is probably one of the first that got me in contact with the beautiful Scottish and Britihs tales and legends. I read it when I was only 17, in Dutch.
The Cutty Sark is a true major British monument . Laying in the dry docks in Greenwich, England.
A large renovation-program is bringing it back into good shape, the plan is to have it ready for exhibition again in 2010.

Nannie is still holding on to the tail...



More about Cutty Sark on her own site: Here

Robert Burns wrote a poem about it, I posted that in an older Anne3-forum.

Robert Burn's Cutty Sark : Here

[Henk]

Morgan had found a table in the lounge, with a view on the grass and the Ocean.
Anne had made a phone-call to Gilbert and talked to the children.
After that she entered the lounge.
Morgan was reading a newspaper, and did not seem to notice her.
"What a gentleman", she smiled.

Anne looked around.
There were no people she knew here.
Emancipation of the genders did not run high on PEI, she thought with a smile.
"Who needs emancipation, when we have women like Rachel and Marilla ?"
But some laws were still not in line with that, Anne knew.
Somewhere she was a bit glad, there were no people here she knew, at least not from Avonlea.
It would not have mattered really, but it saved a little bit explaining to the ladies in the General Store, if she would ever meet them.
"It would not make a difference, but whatever I will write about , I will not refer to this meeting"

She walked towards Morgan's table.
"Hello, Morgan. Can I sit with you ?", she asked.
"Ofcourse, Anne ! What a pleasure !"
He was really glad Anne joined him.
Some talks at the tables around him reminded him of some saloon-talks he had, and he did not want to get engaged in some witty talk without any sense.

After they had assured they "were doing fine", Anne asked the attention of one of the waiters.
"What are you drinking, Morgan ?", she asked.
Morgan looked surprised, but when noticing Anne's look in her eyes, he made his choice.
He wanted to make a funny remark about it, but decided not to.
Nothing was said, when Anne put that round on her hotel-bill.
But when she gave him a wink, he could not hold his laugh.

They talked about the speakers from that afternoon.
"Some could use someone to edit their speeches, I think "
"That is true !", Anne agreed.
"But I have something for you".
She gave Morgan a piece of paper with a telephone-number.
"What is that, Anne ? Your telephone ?"  ,Morgan asked surprised.
"No. I phoned Gilbert just now, and asked him to give me Katherine's recent number.
She is in the Sacher-hotel in Vienna "

"Oh thanks, Anne !"
He looked at the clock.
"It is after noon now, would she be there, you think ?"
"She was supposed to have dancing-lessons this afternoon, she will attend a ball in the weekend ".

Morgan excused himself, and hurried to the telephone-desk.
Anne looked at his hurry, and was glad.
"This is going to work ".

Katherine had dressed up for the afternoon. After all, this was Vienna.

"Telephone. for me ? Who could that be ?"
She excused herself from her partners, and took the telephone, which was handed over to her.
"With who ?", she asked a few times. The line was distorted,
"With Morgan !"



For a moment, Katherine was out of this world, but when she recovered, she had a talk with Morgan.
The character of this talk was too private to tell to others, but this telephone talk had a happy ending :

[muppets123]

 Katherine had sent a telegram to Morgan earlier that day. She was surprised when it came back as undeliverable no forwarding address when she go back to their hotel.  After finding out he was in PEI with Anne it made sense.... well at least the part  about him not receiving the telegram did.



They  also attempted to call the  David's professor friend in Stuttgart to find out when David was supposed to be arriving in  Ireland and where he was to be staying.  They  man said  David  was supposed to arrive in Dublin  yesterday but  had not as yet.  He did say David was meeting his colleagues at the Museum of Natural History to start their expedition from there.  He gave the  girls the name and phone number of the museum curator.

Katherine was desperately concerned that the ship might have gone down so they called the museum.  The curator assured them he has  heard no word of any shipwrecks  but did not know why David's  arrival was delayed.  He promised to have  David contact them though as soon as he  arrived so that the girls would not  worry about him.   Somewhat comforted, the girls hung up and Katherine was happy to have heard Morgan's voice.  She went to dinner and a concert with Helene and their other companions... but in the middle of the night she was visited by the vision of David's mermaid  from the picture and  he was painting in Holland the night before they left.




Katherine tossed and turned from her dream for quite a while.   She could not fall back to sleep.  Finally she kicked off the covers, put on her robe and went  down to garden to have a heart to heart talk with Brigitte.

[muppets123]

  Emmeline looked down from her window in the cozy little guest room to the Dublin street below.  It was about an hour before sunset and the air buzzed with excitement.  Children playing in the street after school; merchants trying to make their last sales of the day; students heading off to the library or the pub for supper, discussions and a pint.  She  sat in a rocking chair and  massaged her tired, aching feet.   As an apprentice,  she and another girl were staying in the home of the chief wardrobe mistress of the Abbey Theatre. Room and board  for approximately 10% of her salary but---  oh what an experience this would provide.  She would be able to work with the best  of the experienced  actors, directors and dramatic coaches in Ireland as well as gain insight from some of the rising stars in the industry. She would be immersed in  best of Shakespeare, Swift, Yeats,  Shaw, Joyce, Wilde, Stoker and countless others.  She smiled  happily as she took pen to paper and wrote her favorite teacher from Kingsport.
 
Dear Anne,
It still seems strange to call you that instead of Miss Shirley and  even stranger that  I am finally here in Dublin.  This apprenticeship is a dream come true for me and I have you to thank for it.  From encouraging me at KLC and working with on Mary Queen of Scots; to   proofreading my written application and rehearsing with me  my auditions  pieces, I don't think I could  have done it without you.  I am truly in your debt for your guidance, friendship and confidence.  Thank goodness I don't have to do a formal audition again tomorrow, but I do have to prepare  two short pieces of dramatic recitation.   I will probably  do a small portion from Mary Queen of Scots and perhaps  Mecutio's Queen Mab speech from Romeo and Juliet.   Nothing wrong with showing versatility.   I had contemplated doing  The Highwayman, but I would never be able to do justice as compared to your rendition.
 
The boat trip over  was wonderful and guess what the name of the boat was?  The Zephyr!  Can you  Imagine?  Why you would think that was almost fate, Anne.  Do you remember what you said to papa when we were on board his boat, The Mistral?
 

SCENE: Harris' boat The Mistral
MORGAN HARRIS: Here she is, great lady of the West Indies.
ANNE: She's magnificent.
EMMELINE: What does "mistral" mean, papa?
MORGAN HARRIS: It means a rough, cold wind.
ANNE: Oh, no, Captain. It should be christened after a delicious, perfumed wind, like a zephyr.
MORGAN HARRIS: Then I shall name the next one The Zephyr in your honor.
 
( courtesy of http://greengables-2.tripod.com)


 
Anne I am so glad the first readings are not until tomorrow. My poor little feet are in agony.  The theatre is only a mile and a half from where I am staying, but I must have walked at least six miles today trying to find it.   Blame it on  my terrible sense of direction and my overactive imagination.   You know what that's like, the imagination part I mean.  The parks here are beautiful. Lovely green oasis's  protected by wrought iron gates.   There is so much for the scope of the imagination there. Unfortunately,  One park remembles the next.  I somehow kept getting lost between St. Stephen's Green and Merrion Square because from the outside they look alike.  I walked around in circles out the circumnavigating square parks.   It was a good thing that I was a drama major and not a geography or geometry  major.

St Stephen's Green.  circa 1900
 Hopefully, within the next few weeks I will learn the landmarks better.   Well,  I want to soak my sore feet in a warm  bath before supper and I  eed to submerge myself in these recitations.  I should probably rehearse them at least five more times tonight.  I really wish you were here to help calm the butterflies in my stomach.  Thank you for your continued support, suggestions and friendship.
 
Your devoted former student and current friend,
Emmeline
 
 The next morning she awoke with a smile, had a light breakfast and set off to the theatre only turning down a wrong street once.  She walked in the wrong direction for a couple of blocks when she realized her mistake and turned around.   Emmeline  made it to the theatre in plenty of time.
 
*personal note-- I managed to get lost  almost every day in  Dublin  but the  most hilarious time was in  Limerick.   We were walking to the Limerick museum  and we had " "followed the map for 2 hours walking in circles. "  Finally frustrated with ourselves and each other, Michael and I sat on a  wall and had a huge argument... only to discover 10 minutes later that we were sitting on a walled ledge around the very same museum we were trying to find.    Needless to say we both got a wonderful  laugh out of the experience... but it has not improved our map reading skills much.*

[Henk]

"Time to move on, dear Kate ".
Helene pushed Katherine a few times gently, to wake her up.
"Go away, Mermaid, leave him alone !", gasped Katherine, pushing Helene's arm away.
"Mmm, I am here on Mother Earth, I am not swimming !"

Katherine opened her eyes, looking surprised at Helene.
"Oh, what a dream that was. It was all about David. I really hope we will hear from him soon."
"Maybe he is enchanted by one of those red-haired Irish or Scottish lassies, and is forgetting the rest", said Helene teasing.
How true her words were, she did not know, because David and his captain were invited on board of the Cutty Sark.
Admiring the craftsmen in Scotland, who had build this elegant vessel. But forgetting was David not. One more trip back to Ireland, and he would stay there after.

The  goodbye ball had been great, and the regret of leaving Vienna was not entirely on their side.
"Yes, it is time to move on, Helene. I am starting to root here.  Staying longer in this lovely city makes it harder to leave ".

The carriage took them to the station.

The trunks were loaded in the train-compartment, and the familiar sound of a conductor blowing the whistle made them realize they were on to another chapter:

Ljubljana in SLovenia.





"Anne would love it here", said Katherine. "All those romantic castles and old houses and farms we see.
That is one thing that makes us Canadians jealous. There is so much history here, every part where we travel ".
"Yes, that is true", said Helene.
As usual, Helene had her Thomas Cook guide ready, for check her first impressions.
"It says here, the Slovenians are exporting loads of bee-hives to America and Canada. It is even a local art: Painting bee-hives "
"We have to go after that, once we are settled ", said Katherine.

[Henk]

Once they left the trainstation,a large music band was waiting.



"For us?" , asked Helene.
"Yes, we have become famous, and are well known here ", said Katherine .
"You are joking, pulling my leg", answered Helene.
She was surprised herself that she used that phrase, because she still could not see why somebody would pull any part of the body,just to have fun.
The band was not playing, the guest they were  waiting for had not arrived yet, it seemed.

Hotel Sacher in Vienna had made an arrangement with the befriended Grand Hotel in Ljubljana, to ensure the women would have lodgings with  a similar standard.

"Let's see if we can get  a carriage or something", asked Helene.

They looked around, not seeing any carriage yet for hire.
"Are you looking for something ?" asked a gentleman, who drove up to them with an automobile.
"No , thank you !", answered Helene, who was still more the city-girl, cautious for attention not asked for.
"Oh , I am sorry, I don't mean to embarrass  you. "
While they were standing there, the girls noticed several by-passers greeted the man in a friendly way.
Men and women. They could not i understand what was said but it sounded like "Goodmorning, Baron Codelli, how are you today ?" . They heard many times, and every time the man had a cheerfull greeting in return.
"If you will allow me to introduce myself, I am Baron Codelli, I build this car myself, nice isn't it ? "
"How do you know we speak English ?", asked Helene.
"Well, as fine as you two are looking, your fashion of dressing is not from this area ".



A men known by so many in a good way could not be that bad, thought Helene, and she would give another answer this time.
Her wish was fullfilled." You want me to take you to a hotel ?", he asked again.
"If that is not too far out of the way, we would be very obliged", Helene said a little bit more friendly.
"Not at all ! Please step in my car, the porter will bring your luggage with a separate carriage later.

They drove along a canal, where the houses were mirrored in a beautiful way...



They were used to stay in nice luxury hotels, but again they were impressed by the inviting majesty of a grand hotel.



First thing Katherine did after dinner was to call Morgan, and give him her contact-details.
"We got  lift from a gentleman, named Anton Codelli", she said after the first excitement of hearing him again.
"By who ?", asked Morgan, almost yelling.
She repeated the name, expecting an angry Morgan.
"Well, you make good friends, Katherine. I know that man from reading about him.He builds first class cars, I wish I could drive in one !"
"I did !", said Katherine.
"You lucky !", replied Morgan.
Promising to phone two days later again, they said goodbye to each other.
"Be  good girl !"
Be a good boy !".

---------------------------------------------

Thanks to Tonya, who was willing to provide some pictures and information about Slovenia.

[muppets123]

Emmeline had a wonderful first day at the Abbey Theatre.   She listened  with  wide- eyed enthusiasm to the director and  drama coaches.  She enjoyed meeting her fellow classmates.   Her recitations went well although she was still nervous and she recieved much praise from the director as well as several helpful pointers.

She took careful notes on everything from elocution and  style differences to movement across the stage.

Next the director had them engage in several exercises where they practiced moving about  like different characters, animals, or objects.  She  loved this and was in her own element, especially when she could play things that were not human.... birds, animals, fairies, greek goddesses, or emotions such as  love, jealousy and death.

After lunch, the  drama coaches had them pair up in goups of two or three and the read and acted passages from Jame's Joyce's short story: The Boarding  House.  She was given the part of Polly, the 19 yr old daughter of Mrs. Mooney, the  landlady of a boarding house.   One scene was  she played was opposite her  mother and another scene was opposite  Mr. Doran, a lodger in the house, with whom Polly has a romantic affair.
http://revver.com/video/599181/the-boarding-house-by-james-joyce-part-one/

http://revver.com/video/599304/the-boarding-house-by-james-joyce-part-two/
http://revver.com/video/599702/the-boarding-house-by-james-joyce-part-three/.

After the workshops,  Emmeline chatted easily with several of her fellow actors and agreed to go out with them the next night for dinner at a local public house.  She walked home in the  early evening sun with a elated feeling of adventure and purpose in her heart.  She felt as if her feet never hit the pavement.  Even though she took three wrong turns and walked two miles out of her way, her feet did not hurt in the least.

Note:  While boarding house was first published in 1914,  it is close enough to the time  period and is was one of my first positive experiences with the works of James Joyce, that I felt it should be included

[Henk]

"Well, Baron Codelli is a gentleman, don't you think, Helene "?"
"Yes, he is, being so kind to show us around in Ljubljiana", agreed Helene.
"He is so proud of his automobile, the first here in Slovenia ".

Helene looked through the window near the reception-desk.
"He is already there, let us not keep the man waiting ".



The Baron was not in his car, he was talking with the man from the carriage-to-hire, about the future of horse-drawn carriages.
"Well", said the man," you don't talk to a car like  you do to your horse in the morning".

He helped the ladies boarding the vehicle, and started.

First he made a little tour through the centre of Ljublijana.





Again, Katherine was marvelling at the beautiful and romantic buildings of the city.

She told the Baron about her life in Canada as teacher.
"Oh, there is a girl's-school around the next corner, I am sure you are welcome there for a visit ".
Indeed the nun who opened the door was willing to show them the monastry and school.
One class was outside, asked to come together to be introduced to Katherine and Helene.



For the first time after leaving Kingsport, Katherine was feeling her teacher-blood running through her vains again.
She wanted to ask questions to the children, but the language was too much an obstacle.
She and Helene were surprised by the nun speaking English with a French accent.
Helene asked how she learned that.
"Well, I lived not too far away from you a few years ago", she said to Katherine.
"I am from New Brunswick, raised with French and English speaking. I joined this order in Quebec.
We are the Ursulines-order, in Canada for some centuries now "
"Oh, I heard that once. What a surprise that is ! "

After been shown around , the women thanked for the visit, and decided to let the Baron not wait any longer.

They went back to the centre, entered a restaurant to have a delicious filling Gobova kremna juha, or creamed mushroom soup for the non-Slovenian readers, like me.

[Henk]

Katherine had to buy new writing-paper, to schribble all she saw on her journey.
"All roads lead to Rome, we are going to take one of them, the iron road "
Her previous adventures were all posted and published in Le Petit Journal and Le Petit Parisien "

"Rome, I am excited to go there !", sighed Helene.
"So do I", agreed Katherine.
Both were glad they had been traveling for so long without real fights and arguments.

But first they were shown around by the Baron, who took them to some bee-hives in the mountains.
The Baron appeared to be a witty talker, full of ideas.
His talking about electro-magnetism sometimes was beyond the understanding of the two ladies, but they liked his passion for new inventions.

"Our major export-product: Beehives "



"How beautifull they are painted", said Helene.
"They are, isn't it ?", said the Baron.





"What is that meaning ?", asked Helene, pointing to a bee-hive with a rather strange painting on it.
"Haha", said the Baron, "that is the Devil sharpening the woman's tongue. She is the local gossip ".
They were all laughing now.
Both girls had some pictures in their memory of women fitting that profile, and perhaps some men too.



"It is a pity you are staying so short with us, I could have taken you to my family, to introduce you to them",
the Baron said, while shaking hands in the station.

They could not understand what the conductor was yelling, but they knew what it meant:
"All aboard !"
Katherine was quiet for a while,looking outside to something far away. Making Helene wonder is something was bothering her.
"All well, my friend ?", she asked.
"Yes", said Katherine.
"But that is the thing with traveling, like we do. Everytime we meet people. And sometimes we really like those people, and want to know them better. And before we know, we are shaking hands again, saying goodbye.
We all promise to write or keep contact, but you know too, most of them we will never see again "
"True, I feel that too", said Helene.
"But I will be home after Rome, back to Paris "
"Yes", said Katherine.
"Paris feels like going home even for me. I will see so many people back, which I knew well already.My students, Colette and all the others. To have a nice drink in the petit restaurant again.
but...."
"I know..." said Helene,taking Katherine's hand.
"Eventually you will leave us too. But don' worry, we will keep contact, and before that we will show Paris who we are !"
"Indeed", smiled Katherine, wiping her eyes.

"Rome, here we come !" .
The train was going through the mountains, giving a beautiful view. Katherine and Helene could not tell, because they both were dozing off, and slept a long time.
Before they knew, it was
"Rome, there they are ! "

Rome Termini station.

[muppets123]

On a crisp, bright, Sunday morning, Emmeline sat at her desk and wrote a letter to Morgan.

Dear Papa,
Dublin is wonderful and I am thoroughly enjoying this internship.  I have met so many fascinating people and am learning so much. I am very glad Anne ( Miss Shirley) helped me convince you that a career in theatre is not a tragic waste of time or money.  I have even had a chance to do a little sightseeing. Yesterday I went to St. Patrick's Cathedral and the Museum of Natural History.


Next week our director is bringing in a special guest to speak to the class and conduct a workshop. You won't believe it, but I am actually going to be able to hear and study with the famous playwright, George Bernard Shaw. I am so excited I can hardly sit still! Papa, this is an incredible experience for any actress, especially me. Not only has he written some wonderful plays papa, but he is also a big supporter of women's rights and equality of pay for women and socialism though peaceful means.  Isn't that thrilling? Goodness, I have not even picked out a scene yet from one of his plays that I would like to perform for him and have him coach and critique.  My head is spinning with the possibilities!   Women in Shakespeare's time would not have had this opportunity and here I am in the middle of it. I hope you can understand how desperately important this is and how happy this makes me.  But at the same time I feel I am still your little girl and really want your blessings. It would mean so much to know I have your approval and that you trust me.

I have met some fun and talented young people here,  including an artist by the name of Bryan O' Connor.  He is a set designer and painter for the theatre but he also does portraits and landscapes.  He says he would like to paint my picture. I have never posed for anyone before papa. This is so exciting.
*She paused a moment to think about her budding romance with Bryan.
They met when she went with a group a students to the  pub for dinner the second night after class.  They talked and laughed and sang pub songs. The next day after class he asked if he could walk her back to her lodgings.  Three days later he asked her to accompany him for a picnic in St. Stephen's Green with some other friends. They fed the ducks and swans in the park, pitched horseshoes and played charades. It was splendid. Yesterday, they went to St. Patrick's and the museum. They enjoyed ice cream together and had a sunset walk, along the river Liffey, where Bryan kissed her on the Ha'penny bridge. She did not want the day to end. *




I hope you are doing fine papa. Take care and say hello to everyone for me. I must do some studying and then I am going to rummage around the costume shoppe in the theatre, to see if I can find an appropriate dress to wear for my portrait. See, you did teach me some financial responsibility papa. After all, I am being given only a small stipend each week and 10 % of it goes to my room and board.  So why waste my money shopping for a dress to wear for the painting when I have a whole treasure chest of wonderful costumes from the theatre at my disposal?  But I wouldn't trade this experience for all the tea in China or diamonds in Africa.  It will be just like playing dress up when I was a little girl. I hope it is not wicked of me to say so, but praise be to god who has given us the playwrights, the dreamers, the angels and the fairies.

Your devoted and extremely happy daughter ,
Emmeline

Morgan read the letter while he waited for Anne to finish her shopping in Lawson's store. He half smiled and half groaned. Women's rights again.  Now his daughter was caught up in suffragette fever. First Katherine and now Emmeline. And she is dating an artist to boot. Oh, the trials of being a parent.
" Morgan, what is the matter?" asked Anne as she saw his pained expression when she came out of the store..
" It's nothing, Anne, it's just ... well this... " he responded while shoving the letter at her in disgust.
"Morgan, this is wonderful news!" beamed Anne as she read the letter.
"Right. Just wait until your children grow up and do this type of thing to you, Anne. Then tell me how wonderful it is."
"Morgan, it's really not so tragic," Anne laughed, hoping her optimistic spirit would be infectious.
"You are right Anne, and I do love Emmeline so... but an artist??? Good lord, I thought I was in trouble when she said she wanted to become a stage actress. But for her to be interested in an artist as well?  Somebody up there must really have it in for me", he said rolling his eyes up to the heavens.
"Morgan, based on that performance I would say Emmeline inherited some of her dramatic talent from you. Now let's go have some tea at the White Sands and try to relax." She laughed encouragingly as she linked her arm though his and they walked down the street to his automobile.  She had no idea that Rachel Lynde, Eulalie Bugle and Mrs. Biggins were watching the scene unfold from the steps of the general store.


1909Packard M18 Runabout

[Henk]

"This city is so full of history, Helene, I am looking forward to discover it all !"
"All of it ?"
"Well, at least a part of it"
"Me too, but I am very tired, if I am honest. We have been running like chicken the last few days "
"Mmm, I am glad you say that. I have only scribbled down some notes during our stay in Slovenia. I would not mind to work on that today, and have them posted. I would like a rest-day today, do you ?"
"So would I", agreed Helene, heartedly .

Helene helped to bring back the images from the last few days back in their memory, and before they knew they were giggling like first year Kingsport girls.

"I really loved to see that picture of you in Slovenian dress, Katherine. I hope the Baron will keep his promise,and send it to Paris when it has been developed ".



"I imagined I heard the churchbells ringing three times, when I saw the church in the lake of Bled, Katherine. I made a secret wish, like legend says I could."
Katherine looked at Helene for a few moments, before she reacted:" I imagined that too, Helene , and I also made a wish" .



Katherine studied the drawn picture for a while, she was given by the Baron, on Jurjevo.
That ritual had amused them a lot.
Helene had bought a little guide, in English, about Slovenia.
"You should name it St George day, I think, Katherine"
"That is what I thought, too", said Katherine.
She was thinking of Rachel, who probably would not agree with these "pagan"  festivities.
"Man in the Green he is called, or Robin in the Woods in England.  The famous Robin Hood figure is kind of the same . This figure has many names, and is celebrated in many countries in Spring".



They went down for a light lunch, which consisted of a strange sort of flat bread they had never seen before, topped with tomatos and cheese,tasting deliciously .


------------------------
All pictures, except the "flatbread": Thanks to Tonya !

[Fire Djinn]

WOW!!! You guys have really taken off here, I missed a couple weeks, and boy I had tons of reading here. It's just great you've continued on, and the pictures and developing story is awesome, cudo's to you both, the pictures are great! Keep up the awesome work, however, when it's all over it'll be a sad sad day.

[muppets123]

however, when it's all over it'll be a sad sad day.

Thanks FD... means a lot that people are reading and enjoying it... yeah It is gonna be sad when its over.... but we don't have plans to end it too quickly.  I once had  an idea to keep it going for all of 2009 and while it may not go quite that long, we  and Katherine still have a lot of dreamin' to do

Thanks  to Tonya for her input  The pics are cool and thanks for bringing a little bit of Slovenia into our backyards.

[Henk]

Thanks Fire, and it has been very educating too.
I learned a lot about my own environment, but also the other regions Katherine visited.
And about some pet-topics.

It is easier to remember random facts when connected to a story like this, instead of just reading them without any connection.
Where else can we send Katherine to, Muppets, with or without Morgan: Up North Canada ? Alaska ?
Asia ? North and South pole, the Moon ?

[muppets123]

Where else can we send Katherine to, Muppets, with or without Morgan: Up North Canada ? Alaska ?
Asia ? North and South pole, the Moon ?

LOL Great one Henk.  Personally I could see Katherine donning a grass skirt and doing the hula in Hawaii or French Polynesia and throwing a boomerang and playing with kangaroos and koalas  in Australia.   She and Morgan can drill for oil in Alaska.  ... ohh the possibilities ... Maybe I should mase that pastabilities since she is  currently  in Italy   Sorry guys---  couldn't resist.

[muppets123]

The Maid of the Isles docked in Dublin early in the morning.  David had long finished his portrait of the Captain and had become good friends with him and some of the crew.
"Aye laddie, don't ya be a stranger now.  If ya ever want work on a ship again I'll recommend ye." the Captain said with sincerity.
"Thank you sir. I'll remember that". They shook hands and David headed off into town.  He checked into his lodgings at Trinity College and after he got clean up and had a cup of coffee, he headed off to meet his colleagues at the Museum of Natural History.


"David, it's grand to see ya" The curator said. Thought maybe a siren coaxed you off to join her in the underworld or you took a wrong turn and ended up in the West Indies."
"No such luck, sir. 'Fraid Ireland is stuck with me for awhile", David answered with a smile. His dark blue eyes sparkled liked a Provençal autumn morning. The days at sea had done him good.  He was tanned,  muscluar  and full of energy.  He knew his long legs would carry him with ease across the Burren and down to Dingle and  Galway.  It had been so good to spend the days in the sun, and sea air.  He had almost forgotten what it was like to be out there with his father on the fishing boats off Bretagne or  scrambling up beaches and rocks, exploring caves and having adventures with Brigitte.

"Before I forget David, there was a lass calling for ya"... the curator's voice pierced though David's thoughts. " A lassie by the name of Katherine.  Here's the number where she said she could be reached.  She pleaded desperately that you give her and Helene a call when ye arrive.. Aye lad, 'Tis a dangerous thing indeed to be stringing along two ladies at the same time mind ya."

"Umm Thanks... they are my travelling companions and friends.  I am sure they are worried since I was later than orginally planned, "David replied though not offering further explanation. " Have the others arrived?"
"They left word to meet them here at 10 tomorrow morning,  They hired a car and a truck to carry the equipment and finds. They also left you some information  on the geological and archeological dig sites."
"Good. I need to also stop off at the Botanical Gardens this afternoon to pick up some provisions and maps.   May I use your office phone to call my friends and assure them that I am all right?"
"Of course, dear fellow. This way".... and he led the way past the dinosaur and whale bones to his office.

1911 Austin Lorry


*personal note, The Natural History museum was the first museum we saw in Dublin.  I  vividly remember seeing the whale skeleton  being suspended from the ceiling. Viewing it from below and also a third story level gave me my first realization as to just how large these animals really are.*

[Henk]

Helene and Katherine went to a small museum in Roma.
They had seen the Colosseum and other monuments, and were impressed by all the history around, above and beneath them.
"We don't have that old history in Canada", sighed Katherine, "It is all new !"
"Mmm", answered Helene.
"Depends where you are looking for it, dear friend", she said.
"How do you mean ?", asked Katherine.
American and Canadian history was always a favorite subject for her, to teach her students in Kingsport.
Special at the end of the weeks, when the concentration of the girls was not very high anymore.
When telling stories about older presidents, there would always be questions like: "Was he married, how did his wife dress ? ".

"We do have some older buildings that have been standing there for a few hundred years. But nothing like what we see here, monuments dating back a few thousand years".
"Mmm", said Helene again.
"It still depends where you look for it. I read about the Indians. They seem to have a knowledge and understanding of Nature and the Creation, that might be as old as Time. It is not written down, does that matter ?"
Helene knew from David about the old Celts.
"Their Knowledge was not allowed to be written down, for several reasons", she said.
"I remember you telling about your friend Anne, how she said she could imagine to be in a cathedral when she was out in the woods" .
Katherine looked at Helene, and admired her for her sometimes simple but very true statements.

There were not many people inside the museum, only one older couple, who were on the way out already.

[Henk]

"You saw what ? "
Rachel could not believe her ears.
In days long gone, she would have no doubts about the quality of all the latest news she heared in Lawson's store.
Often, the people that were spoken of were well known to Rachel.
Unless it was a member of a family living far out West.
Or worse, down in the United States.
But all who were as  lucky as Rachel to live in Avonlea and on the nearby farms were living in the best parts of Canada, as she would call it.
To keep it that way, Rachel had always been  willing to give advise to those people, who were living their lifes not exact like she saw as the right way.
She had grown milder the last few years, thanks to Marilla.
Marilla ideas of right and wrong were not much different from Rachel's, but she was more open to the idea of people living their lifes their own way.
As long as that way would not harm them or any others, she would say "We are not the one's wo will judge in the end, Rachel ".
Rachel still believed sometimes, the powers that Marilla referred to could not do without her help on Earth.
She had grown milder, but there were still definite things on both ends that were either  cherished or condemned by her.
One who was beyond every doubt, and had won her heart a long time ago, was Anne.
Anne's name would never be used by her in any story to be told in the open, to people not related to Anne.
Questions about how Anne was doing , she would always answer with " fine"or "good".
The look in her eyes would tell that there was nothing else to expect on that matter, and a change of subject was needed.

And now, without any warning, somebody was talking about Anne and Gilbert in Lawson's store.
Not only talking, but using their names in a way that could only be called plain gossip.
Gossiping  was far from Rachel.
This was gossiping about the ones she loved with all her heart, and would protect with her life, if needed .
"You saw what ?", she asked again, not wanting to believe what she heared.

"Well, I don't need glasses, even at my age. We took Uncle Joshua, who is visiting us,  to the White Sands Hotel, because he wanted to be at the Sea.
He loves the Sea so much, it is such a change from where he lives, in the mountains in the States."
The fact that Uncle Joshua lived in the States did not add to Rachel's thoughts about the man, unknown to her.
"He is probably tired of having the same stew and potatos every day, and goes to the hotel to have a decent meal", she almost thought, if her conscience had not stopped her of thinking that way.
"As true as I am standing here, I saw Anne with that man, she called him Morgan".
"Well, that is very odd !", Mr. Lawson joined the conversation.
"She was in this shop, in the early hours, a few days ago, also with a man she called Morgan "
"You better have your scale checked, to avoid cheating your customers ", Rachel wanted to say, but she did not, and was biting her lips instead.

Most people in Avonlea did not know the history of Anne and Morgan.
Soon all the other ladies joined the conversation, except Rachel, who refused to believe anything of it.
It were only a few minutes before she left the store, deciding to find out what was happening with Anne.
Even in that short time, Anne had already been divorced twice,had left Gilbert three times and become a sufragette in New York and in Boston at the same time.

"Marilla, what is happening ?", was the first thing she asked when entering Green Gables.
She told all what she heared to Marilla.
Marilla could not stop laughing.
"Yes, they have been in the shop, and what is more, they have even been here in my kitchen. A pity you were not at home .
Don't worry, let them talk ! Anne is back, Morgan is traveling between Boston, Halifax and Prince Edward Island for his business.
Tomorrow he will be in the White Sands hotel again, Gilbert and Anne are going to visit him together."

Rachel had missed the latest reports about Morgan and Katherine, but when she was informed by Marilla, she was much happier again.
" I never doubted Anne !" she could say to Marilla with a honest heart.

[muppets123]

Katherine breathed a sigh of relief when she heard David on the other end of the line.

"I'm am so glad you are  all right. "

"I am fine, please don't worry.  But I may be a little later than planned in meeting back up with you and Helene. Have you two been having a grand time?  Hope you are having some adventures.  If you  get to  Venice you must have a gondola ride." 


"What?....   What?"   the line started to crackle..." David the connection is starting to go"....
Then it went dead.

"Well at least we know he is  arrived in Ireland safe and sound " reassured Helene.  "Now what's on the schedule today?"

Meanwhile, Emmeline was scrounging around the costume shoppe at The Abbey.  She  took her time and let her imagination soar as she tried on different costumes.  She thought of some of the scenes she played earlier that week from Queen  Mab to  Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing.



She thought about her old principal Miss Brooke as Beatrice... oh how her sharp tongue  could sting.   She remembered that Miss Brooke was less than encouraging when she wanted to play the lead in Mary Queen of Scots and how Miss Brook  had so little faith  in her and how  Miss Brooke wanted that mean spirited Pringle girl to play the part.  Well she would show them now.


She made a mental note to write Anne about all this.
   She was so absobred in her daydreams and being transported back to her being a young girl at KLC, that she was totally unaware of someone watching and making sketches of her.


note* Thanks Henk for the Queen Mab picture*

[Bets]

Katherine and Helene never tired of - literally - roaming the old city, armed with a copy of Goethe's Italian Journey.


Goethe, Italian Journey


Map of Rome, 1897, Rodolfo Lanciani

Most of the time they stayed within the old city walls, the Aurelian Walls, and studied the old monuments.  They walked up every one of the seven hills, and gazed down at the glory of Rome at sunset from the Palatine (where the old Roman emperors dwelled).  Though Katherine could not draw very well, she brought out her notebook and tried faithfully to reproduce the scene before her eyes.  History unfolded before her eyes.  She was not dissatisfied.



One day they stumbled on Quattro Fontane behind the old palace on the Quirinale.  Katherine and Helene gasped in amazement as they found themselves at a crossroads where gilt fountains were etched into every corner.  They were bubbling with water from the ancient aqueducts, while gods and goddesses reposed above the basins.  The fountains marked the highest point on the Quirinale, which was the highest hill in Rome.



A friend, met by chance, brought them to the Basilica of San Clemente another day.  It was, to all appearances, a simple Byzantine church:  dark, dim and mysterious inside, with stone pews and glittering golden mosaics.  The moody gloom suited Katherine.  But it suited her more when their friend revealed that the church was built on top of an earlier Basilica, which archeologists had just begun to excavate in the 1860s. The climbed down a set of rickety stairs to the forgotten cave-like chapel, underneath the present one.  It dated back to the 1st century.  Far in the background, Katherine could hear the creepy trickle of spring water:  legend has it that the first century church was built on top of ancient Roman temple, dedicated to the goddess of the sewers.  Katherine thrilled with awe and mystery to the layers of history beneath her.


San Clemente Basilica, present-day


San Clemente Basilica, underground

When they re-emerged to the level of the street and the sunlight, Katherine felt - as she had often felt on this trip - that life had partaken of a surreal quality.  So much time had passed in human history!  So much had changed!  And yet here she was, standing at a single point, where all the centuries were together beneath her feet.

[Henk]

Gilbert went to his practice in a good mood.
Anne had told him all about her meeting with Morgan, and about their visit to Avonlea.
He never worried about Anne seeing Morgan again, he kept telling himself.
But he was very relieved when she was back and was not keeping that a secret for her.
"It had nothing to do with Morgan, I am just glad to have you at home again ", he told her after the first kisses.
Her green eyes had that teasing look, when he said that.
It made him think of his meeting with Christine, and how Anne must have felt about that.
"And I am glad to see you again, my dear Gilbert",  Anne replied before she gave him a kiss that melted all the last remaining doubts away.
Anne was convinced about Morgan's love for Katherine.

Morgan was coming to stay with them on Saturday and Sunday.
That  idea would have been impossible for Gilbert  /before Anne's visit  to the White Sands hotel.
Now he was looking forward to meet Morgan.

The chance to talk to a man with the calibre of Morgan was appealing to him.
Business was not Gilbert's interest, but the involvement of Morgan in several scientific projects made him a very interesting person to talk with.
Gilbert would never want to leave this village and the people that lived in it, but he was looking forward to talk about something else for a chance, instead of the potato-harvest, the weather and how many cows farmer Johnson had sold on the auction.

After all, Morgan had been married and had lost his beloved wife.
Waiting  to be together with Katherine, when she had finished her quest.
It made Gilbert feel sorry for him.

He did not expect a lot of patiens this day.
The flue of this winter had been mild, and seemed to have left Prince Edward Island.
A few housecalls to make in the afternoon, that was all.
"I want to read about that project in Europe I found in the magazine last week, when it is not busy"

Only one hour after Gilbert entered his practice, he was wondering which sudden epidemia had struck the island.
Like Mrs. Bucket, who usualy would solve all her little medical problems herself.
She came to see the doctor for a head-ache.
She looked at him with a curious look in her eye, and wanted to know how "Doctor" was doing, and how his dear wife was.
After that  Mrs. Flandria and  Mrs.Bohemian, also with  minor medical complaints that were described in this year 's Farmers Almanac on page 42, together with the solution.
When they left, the waitingroom was full with patients. The lively talks stopped when he looked into the room. They all looked at him with the same curious eyes.
 
It made him feel like he was the patient, with a room full of doctors coming to look at him.
In came Mrs.Dahliadeuxieme, who had come to live here from New Brunswick, with her two sons and a daugher.
And husband, but he was making long journeys at sea, staying away sometimes for a year.
Gilbert was greeted with a cheerfull " Hi Doctor !", with a delightfull French accent.
None of the patients this morning had looked really ill.
But none looked as healthy as Mrs. D,  who was dressed in a very elegant way, matching the Spring-blossom outside well.
"You poor man !", she started right away.
"Who would have thought that ?"
"Excuse me ? ", asked Gilbert.
"You two such a happy couple, and now you are a lonely man. You don't deserve that."
"Please would you like tell me what you are talking about, and for what complaints you are visiting me ?"
Mrs. D, explained to him, why Anne leaving him was not good for him.
When she started to talk about him making a housecall to her house, where nobody seemed to be ill, Gilbert made a decision.
Mrs. D left within a few minutes, when Gilbert gave her the advise she was not asking for.
She was the last one, which made it easy for Gilbert to finish this morning.
The housecalls in his book for the afternoon were real complaints, but none of them needed a lot of time.

Anne was surprised to see Gilbert home a little bit early.
Gilbert told Anne about his strange morning.
Anne did not look really suprised.
Marilla was on the telephone this morning, telling all about the gossip that had spread all over Avonlea.
It had reached their village too, it seemed.
"Josy Pye allways knew this would happen !", said Marilla.
Anne looked at Gilbert, and the glance of her eyes told him she was breeding on something.
"We are going to Avonlea this weekend, Gilbert. I wanted to see Marilla and Rachel anyway about things ".
Morgan was able to rent a car, his own car is in Boston. We will take our revenge !"

[Henk]

Morgan arrived on time, at Friday just after lunch.
Gilbert did not have any appointments anymore, while Anne wanted to go to the stores with Suzan.

"Hello, Gilbert !"
"Hello, Morgan !"

Only one week ago, Gilbert would have dreaded to meet Morgan ever.
He was sure, he would after such a meeting speak of "before" and "after"  Morgan's visit.
And now he was greeting him like an old friend from school, who came to visit him.

Morgan seemed to be at ease too, and within half an hour, they were discussing politics, economy and the latest scientific discoveries.

"Did you read that book of Jules Verne. Gilbert ?", Morgan asked.
"Yes, I did, and so did Anne ".
"Do you think humans will ever go there ?"
"Logical speaking, I would say it is impossible. But if we look back of what has been invented the last 50 years, I am not sure. I think one day, we will go there " .
"So do I", said Morgan.
"The older people still cannot really believe they can talk to somebody on the other side of the ocean, by holding a horn with a copper wire connected to it ".
Morgan thought about his latest talk with Katherine.

"You want to go there, Gilbert ?"
"I always go where my country-girl goes", Gilbert sung  to the tune of an old song.
He did not mean anything with that, but Morgan looked at him, when he was singing that.
"And if there are trees, dryad's bubbles and golden ponds on the moon, she might be willing to go ".
Both men laughed.



"Mr. Philips was having a film-projector in his barn a few weeks ago. There were some amazing  movies, unbelievable what they can do . One movie was about that book. "
"I saw that movie too, crazy indeed !"
 
"Voyage Dans La Lune" , Melies 1902

Anne came home.
Suzan started to prepare dinner, while Morgan was shown around the house.
The children were playing outside.They greeted Morgan by giving him a hand, running back fast to the far more important duties on their playground.
Morgan watched them, thinking of Emmeline's youth.
Anne  noticed Morgan becoming quiet.



The evening was spend with pleasant conversation.

Next day, Morgan was outside early, to check his car for the ride to Avonlea.
Gilbert was always using his bike for making his housecall, and sometimes the horse for the farms further away.
Morgan explained how the car worked, and Gilbert was very pleased when Morgan let him make a ride.
Anne was excited when she saw that.
"Oh, how wonderfull it would be to be able to drive like that !".
"You want to drive, Anne ?"
"Well, eh "
"Well , you drive us to Avonlea, will you ?", Morgan laughed.
Anne looked at Gilbert, who winked at her.
She made a few rounds, to get the feeling of it.
Only once she used the brakes too much.
"You are a born driver, Anne !" , Morgan said.

A basket full of sandwiches was made, extra rain-coats were supplied by Suzan, "because you never know ".
The drive went smoothly, Anne loved it.



First, they went to the general store, where they arrived before noon. Anne knew it would be busy at that time.
They were greeted by all people they met.
"Oh,Hello Anne and Gilbert !" or "Oh, Hello Gilbert and Anne !" .
Anne always loved to see the familiar faces back on her visits.
Some she would never see anymore, and some faces were new and young.
Even some remarks like, "Oh, we always hear so much good news about you two ", could not spoil her mood.

The visit to Rachel and Marilla was short. They would be back within a few weeks, and Anne had seen Marilla only last week.
The rest of the weekend went in good atmosphere.

Monday morning, Morgan made sure his car was in good shape, and shook hands with Anne and Gilbert.
"What are you going to do, Morgan", Gilbert asked.

Morgan looked at Gilbert, smiling.
"I always go where my country-girl goes", he sung to the same tune that Gilbert had used.
Anne did not know exactly what was meant by that, but she laughed when she heared what they meant.
"Which country-girl do you mean, Morgan ?
Emmeline or Katherine ?" , she asked.
"Ok", he said, and sung again "I always go where my country-girls go "
The engine of the car was started, Morgan was ready to leave.
"Bye, Morgan !"
"Bye Anne, Bye Gilbert, we will meet again !"

He looked back once before he disappeared beyond the bend in the road.



 -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note: I posted a few weeks ago somewhere, I am not really into Manga.
But the picture I used in this entry, "Memories of Avonlea" I found with Google, I found it  very charming picture,
Made by Irina Richards, I have her permission to use it.
Thanks Irina !
www.irinarichards.com

[Bets]

There are many roads that lead to Rome.  There is the wide avenue of Via Flaminia from the north which leads the grand Piazza del Popolo, the twin churches that marked the entrance to road.  There is an old cowpath by and beneath the Roman aqueducts, called Via del Mandrione, which weaves through farmfields and through the slums.  But Katherine's favourite was the old Appian Way:  the antique road on which it is said that the Apostle Peter left the city of Rome to escape persecution, and on leaving the city gates, met Christ, and asked him:  "Quo Vadis?  (Lord, whither goest thou?)   Jesus replied that he was coming to Rome to be crucified again, and Peter understood that he had to turn back to meet his death.



Katherine walked into the little Church of Domine Quo Vadis just outside the city gates with another thrill.  One of the books Anne had lent her in Summerside was Henryk Sienkiewicz's novel Quo Vadis, a love story in the time of the Early Christians.  Here she was, where the scenes of the book was laid.

Just beyond the church were the catacombs of Rome:  the dead could not be buried inside the city, so they were buried outside the city walls.  The Christina catacombs were all along the Appian way.  Katherine paused for a while before the catacombs of St. Sebastian before turning away:  it was a lovely spring day, and she was in no mood for a subterranean journey into the world of the dead.  She continued walking along the wide, paved stone road.



It was littered with monuments on her right and on her left:  mausoleums, fountains, milestones.  Sometimes an old church, sometimes an old villa stretched out in the fields.  Here is where Roman soldiers marched to go to battle, here is where travelers sojourned on their way from the towns beyond the Alban hills.  Here is one of that roads that is inseparably tied to the Roman Empire, one of the ways to the heart of Rome.

When she walked along the fifth mile, Katherine was greeted by the tinkling of cowbells.  A Lazio woman came along with a herd of young, white goats down the ancient limestone!  Katherine hollered "ciao!" impulsively.  The young woman replied with a thick Roman accent.  Katherine's Italian was too scanty for a real conversation, but there was a warmth in that Lazio woman's eyes that Katherine recognized, that reminded Katherine of the simple honesty of her own PEI folk.

[Fire Djinn]

Another person has joined your illustrious group, fantastic!!! Great job Bets!

[muppets123]

" Wilt thou dance with me?"  Bryan inquired as he set down his sketch pad and took Emmeline in his arms and waltzed her about the room.
"Bryan you startled me. I ... I.... didn't know anyone was there.  I so wanted to find just the right outfit for my portrait ", she giggled, slightly out of breath.
"There is no fairer princess in the land than you, my love"  he said kissing her several times. She returned his kisses in earnest but pulled back when she felt they were getting just a little too intense.
Emmeline blushed and broke from his hold. " You know all this make-believe has suddenly made me hungry.  What do you say we head over to St. Stephen's Green for an ice cream?"
"Actually I am going to take you to lunch at a little place across the way. But we can stop there and feed the ducks and swans on the way back if you wish.  I'd like to do some more sketches of you there anyway. I will wait down in the theatre for you while you change back to your street clothes."
Emmeline was glad for a few moments alone while she changed. She really liked Bryan but was afraid things were happening too fast. She wondered if this is what it felt like to be in love?  Were the butterflies in her stomach just from getting ready to perform a scene in front of George Bernard Shaw?  Or could they be from something else?  She had been in many plays in the States and Canada and opening night jitters were never quite like this. She really missed not having a mother to talk to at times like these.  And .... well her father....

" Father can't even understand me wanting to be an actress. How can I possibly talk to him about being in love?",  she thought to herself. " Still, he did love mother so much and was devasted when she died; he must know what it's like. I wish Anne were here", she sighed regretfully as she finished getting dressed and headed down the stairs.

The ate at a cozy pub.  Emmeline had sandwich of thinly sliced smoked salmon and cabbage with some type of herb sauce and a small bowl of potato leek soup.
The salmon reminded her of PEI and Boston.  Soon she was daydreaming about walking along the shore like when she was a little girl. She imagined herself as a butterfly fairy, dancing gracefully among the beach grass


"Hello... Emmeline... Are you in there?", Bryan teased.
" Ooops sorry , she mumbled softly blushing a bright pink
"Never mind girl, c'mom.. He stuffed some soda bread in his pockets and after paying the bill, they walked hand and hand to St. Stephen's Green.

They sat on a grassy bank by the pond and Bryan handed her the bread to feed the ducks and swans. They flocked to her as she tossed small pieces of bread onto the water. A few even did headstands and quackedand honked in appreciation. Her face lit up in childlike joy and then quiet contemplation.  Bryan watched silently and began to sketch her.  After a while he came up behind her, enfolded her in his arms and began to kiss her softly on the neck. She leaned back into him and closed her eyes.





A duck pecking at her feet brought her out of her daydreams once more.
"Sorry I have no more to give you ", she said sadly. She realized the sun was starting to set. " Bryan I think I'd better get back" I still have classes to prepare for. "
"As you wish, but I will call you tomorrow and we can finish where we left off, eh" kissing her passionatley and giving her a wink. He then stood up, helped her to her feet and they walked home quietly in the evening sun.

[muppets123]

No call came from Bryan the next day. The following day he was busy at the theatre and they did not have time to talk. Several times she saw him speaking with the director and then leave for a while. He would later return with rolls of canvas for backdrops under his arms. Once she saw him hauling spotlights or other supplies. Emmeline threw herself into her work and willed herself not to think about him. No call from came him that evening either. The day after he was not at the theatre at all.

"I am just going to call him to see if he is feeling well". she told herself.  " I am sure he is busy with work or some important business. The director did send him on several errands yesterday.".  Still, she missed the sound of his voice and the feel of his arms about her. "I am not going to be a bother to him, just one short call,  if he doesn't call me first. ... but I am sure he will. He said he would call..... and I have no reason to doubt him."
http://www.tnellen.com/cybereng/shorts/teleycal.html


When no call came from Bryan by 10 O'clock that evening she decided to call him....




*personal note * While A Telephone Call was first published in 1942 and  was set in the 1930's--, I thought it fit well here. Probably all young women have gone through this, and maybe a few guys too, since the telephone was first invented.  Even though technology has changed... the feelings and rationalizing haven't.  Why didn't he text or e-mail me when he/she said they would? . 

[Henk]

Morgan enjoyed driving with the car he had rented.
It was still warm, but the fresh bright feeling of Spring had  changed  for more humidity.
The drive to the ferry , which would take him  back into Nova Scotia would not take long.
He looked at the backseat, and smiled.
Anne had insisted he would keep one raincoat with him, "because you never know ".
It was not a stylish coat, it was a fishermen's coat, the ones they  wear when the Sea was wild.
Given to Gilbert by a thankfull patient.
His own raincoat was packed in the trunk.
He had driven from Avonlea to the ferry several times, on his previous visits.
That road was a rather busy road, mainly leading over the rocky parts where the ground would not turn into mud after rain.
This road took him through the woods, and even now with the dry soil, he had to steer well sometimes, to avoid hitting deep holes in the road.
The sunshine through the trees disappeared, one single raindrop hit his nose suddenly.
He looked up.
"This does not look good", he thought.
He stopped the car, to close the roof, but it was stuck.
Pulling it hard or soft, nothing released the lock.
"I have to get there fast, no other choice, otherwise I will miss the ferry".
First he dressed  himself with the raincoat.
He started the car, and drove further.
The rain was falling in large thick drops now.
The road he was driving on became muddy. it was not possible to see how deep the holes were, that were filling with water.
He tried to avoid them all, but the rain running over his face made it impossible to see well.
Morgan could always tell direction, when the Sun was shining, his experience with the shipping business had teached him a few things about navigating.
But this was different.
When the road became two roads, he stopped.
"Left or right, I have to make a choice now . I will trust my first impulse, I go right" .
Morgan was used to make choices fast, in his business-life.
General knowledge, experience and his instinct made him take the right choices often.
Not always.



The road was wide enough, with less holes ..
He stepped the gas a bit deeper.
The rain stopped as sudden as it had started.
"My lucky day", he grinned.
A little bit too early, because when he tried to avoid a hole by steering away, he never saw the branch  sticking out of the mud.
His frontwheel hit it, lifting it up, causing a change in the direction the car was driving.
Right into the woods.
"I am not out of the woods yet", was his first thought.
The car did not seem damaged a lot, but there was no way Morgan could move it out of its position.
He looked at his watch. The last ferry to the mainland would leave in 30 minutes.
"Katherine is expecting me to call this evening, which will be her lunch-time. Mr. Bradley is expecting his car back. This is a fine mess I am into "

[Henk]

Morgan looked up, when he saw the Sun shining again.
The clouds were gone, taking the humidity with them.
Birds were singing, the air filled with the delicate smell of a forest after rain.



It would have given Morgan more pleasure on another day, in different circumstances.
"She will wait for that telephone-call, and I am not there ", he thought.

In vain, he tried to recognize where he was. Going by the Sun, he guessed he had to go somewhere to the South East, but how ?
There was no other traffic on this road, no passers by, not even a dog barking somewhere to guide him to a farm or a cottage where he could ask for help.

He decided to start walking in that direction, through the bushes, and leave marks on the trees to be able to find the car back later.
The trunk was to heavy to carry, Morgan took the essentials out of it, and was ready to start.

"He, Mister ! In hurry again, as usual ? "
He heared a female voice behind him.
A woman was standing behind him, watching  him amused .
He did not know the woman.
She was not dressed in the  fashion that was popular in the villages and small towns of Prince Edward Island.
She looked like a gipsy or even a beggar, but her clothes were clean.
A browned face, revealing a life that took her into the Great Outdoors often.



"Who are you. and why do you say 'usual ?' ", he asked.
"The last time I saw you, you were in a hurry too. All that haste did not bring you any further, I see ", she laughed while looking at the not-so mobile automobile.
Morgan could not remember where he had seen her before.
"You seem to know me better, than I know you. May I ask how we know each other ? "

"I saw you in Digby a few months ago, in a saloon. You came hurrying in, and sat with me at a table. I  saw something in your face that made me say something "
"The fortune-teller ? "


"Fortune-teller, drama-teller, nonsense-teller, you name it !" , she answered.

"I just saw you were going away, that is what I wanted to tell you ", she said.
Morgan sometimes attracted people in the saloons, who would try to tell him things. Who would not succeed with it because the consumption of liquids interfered with the ability to tell a story understandable for the occasional listener .
"And now I see you are leaving again, or at least trying to ", she said with a serious face.
She was not one of those saloon-inhabitants, Morgan thought.
Realizing what she said, he had to laugh again.
"You are really good, Madame !
I could not have guessed seeing someone like me, with a wrecked car in a forest, would have any other intention than wanting to stay there, and go nowhere ".
"Maybe you are right ", she said with a distant look.
"But somebody is desperate to hear your voice, somebody who loves you very much and is very far away from here ".
"How do you know that ?", Morgan asked surprised.
"I don't know it, I just see it", she answered.
"You look so different now", Morgan said.
"I always dress for the occasion" she said. "But enough talk. Come long with me, I live not too far from here" .

Morgan followed her to her house, hidden in the woods.
It was a house like the ones in a fairytale-book.
Morgan looked at the broomstick in a corner, without any thoughts about it.
They entered the house.
All kinds of mysterious smells in the air, herbs drying on a rope, or growing in pots.

She went to a cupboard, opened it, and to Morgan's surprise, a real telephone was standing there.
"Does it work ?", he asked.
"Try it !", she said.

Morgan tried it. A friendly telephonist helped him to make his call.



"I am so happy to hear from you, Morgan. How are you doing ?"
Katherine was happy indeed.
Morgan kept the details of his visit to Anne and his drive back for later.

After exchanging some words too private for any open bulletin-board, they ended their chat.

( How four strong man were able to lift the car on a van, ship it to Halifax together with its unfortunate driver did not need to described here. )

[muppets123]

Emmeline was shocked when a woman's voice answered the phone in Bryan's apartment.
"Sorry love, he's not here at the moment.  Can I give 'im a message?"
"No,... no , umm that's alright, no message", she stammered and  hung up quickly.

Leaning against the wall, she tried to catch her breath and make sense of what she just heard.  Emmeline was confused and disappointed as well being a little jealous and angry. She went back to ther bedroom; slammed the door; flopped down on the bed and wept quietly into her pillow.  After a good long cry, she sat on the edge of the bed and  tried to  think about it logically.
" He wouldn't tamper with my affections if he were seriously involved with someone else. He... he ...just couldn't," she sniffled. " I know he's not that sort of a man. I couldn't feel this way about him if he was. But what sort is he? How well do I know him that I was ready to give him my heart?   I guess.... I don't know him all that well at all ... but as they say in the States, innocent until proven guilty.   Emmeline, don't be such a child. You've had beaus before.  Just talk to him about it tomorrow and tell him how you feel. But I don't believe I have ever felt quite this way about anyone.   But that's just it, I don't know how I feel, do I?  No, not really.  I mean, I know how he makes me feel when I am with him. And how I feel when he is not here... but that is really not the same, is it?  Silly girl, you have read so many romantic love stories and plays that you are ready to fall for anyone who comes along, resembling a prince.   No I am not .  But that doesn't mean I should throw away a chance for love based on flimsy circumstantial evidence either.  Oh mama, why did you have to leave us?  I cetainly can't talk to papa about this. Maybe I can call Anne? No, I can't bother her with my problems. She has her own children.  Goodness,  I can't go crying to her for  advice and support the way I did at Kingsport, now can I? I am a grown woman.  Still.... she is my friend. Oh Anne, I really do need a friend, a kindred spirit.  Well, I can't do anything about it now anyway.   I'll just talk to Bryan in the morning. Oh god.... but what if it's true? "  With that she rolled over and cried herselt to sleep.

[Henk]

Nothing worth mentioning happened to Morgan, when he was back in Boston.
The normal things, like

Buying new shoes, because the pair he was wearing on that rainy day in the forest was not suited for prolonged use.



Buying new clothes to the latest fashion
" I am going to show these Frenchmen how a gentleman from the States looks  "



The workers in his office had taken some liberties during his absence, which annoyed Morgan a lot.
It took him a few days to get them back into the normal routine.



Aunt Julia was always happy when Morgan visited her.
"You were always so cute as a young boy, when you were rehearsing  your naval signals for me and Uncle Jason. Can you still do that ? "
"Eh...yes, I think so, Aunt Julia", Morgan answered, thinking of a way to change the subject.
Aunt Julia insisted that he would do that for her again.
"I am sure that Captain Jason is sitting on a cloud above us, and  wants you to do that too".
Aunt Julia went to a cupboard, and gave him two flags.
Morgan knew he could not leave without giving his "naval performane", as he called it in his younger years.



No, there was not much happening on Morgan's front.

And David ?

David was tired, after a nice day in the Irish countryside, that had given him all the samples of the typical Irish climate: Sun, hail, rain, sun and rain again.
It did not bother David, he was raised on the coasts of Bretagne where the Western winds sometimes became a real storm.

He was sitting in the local pub in a village near Cork.
There were a few old books in a corner, and while enjoying a pint of that delicious dark liquid that some call "water of the Angels", he was having a great evening with reading some old limericks.

[Henk]

Poor Emmeline.
She had traveled the States and Canada, always in a group.
Lots of joy and laughter ,kindred spirits, always feeling safe.
Bryan liked to show of with his Canadian beauty in the pubs he frequented often.
Lots of joy and laughter, but Emmeline did not always feel comfortable with all the eyes looking at her.
Why did Bryan take her to all these places all the time ?

She fell asleep, hoping to find comfort there.
"What will Daddy think of me, what feels Bryan for me, why are all those men looking at me like that, all the time ?"
She fell asleep, but her dreams did not bring what she wanted...

[muppets123]

Emmeline was sitting on a stool in a rehearsal studio going over scene notes, when Bryan came up behind her. He slipped his arms about her and kissed her on the cheek.
" How's me favorite princess", he said giving her another peck .
She turned around and squeezed his hand. " Bryan,it's good to see you.  I should be upset with you, you know."
"Why?"
" Because you never called when you said you would ... and I was worried you might be ill... so I called you and... by the way who was that woman in your apartment last night?"
"Oh... She's just Mary, love.... nothing for you to worry about.  She's just one of the models that I paint portraits or advertisement posters for."
" But it was after 10 o'clock at night"
Listen love, with working here at the theatre most of the day, getting ready for the shows, nights and me days off are the only times I can work and earn some extra money.  As you may have  noticed, actors aren't the only starving artists in the theatre.  For most of us involved in the theatre profession, it is a labour of love rather than path to independent wealth. Most of us hold two or even three jobs. Hiring oneself out as a teacher, vocal coach, barkeep, waiting tables in a local pub, taxi driver, governess or what not. You name it and we've probably done it.   Me, I was just lucky enough to be able to get a second job doing what I love..... painting. It's probably the same way for theatre folk in Canada or the States, right?"
Emmeline pondered carefully. " Yes", she admitted with a sheepish look.
" Besides, painting those girls allows me extra money to get me favorite girl a special gift", he grinned pulling out a small box tied with green ribbon.
" For me?  Bryan you didn't have to" she giggled... "I never asked"
" I know you didn't but I wanted to. Nothing is too good for my special Canadian lass" Go on, girl, open it.
She opened the box to find a  charm bracelet with a shamrock charm and one of the ha'penny bridge.



" Bryan it's beautiful" she said, her eyes sparkling.
"Not half as pretty as you, princess. And most appropriate, as you have certainly charmed me". He pulled her close, brushing her bangs from her forehead and kissing her passionately on the lips. "This will remind you of your time in Ireland and where we had our first kiss.  May I help you put it on?"
Emmeline was speechless.... "Thank you ....It's lovely",she whispered as she watched him fasten it around her wrist and he brought her hand to his lips and kissed it softly.
"Y' know girl, you should start collecting charms from your travels. Each country you visit, buy one or two charms and add them to the bracelet. They will become mementos of the places you've seen and the people you've met." He held her face in his hands and  looked deep into her eyes.


Emmeline could feel herself melting into them and stepped back. She glanced around the room, hoping that no one was watching their intimate little scene
"That's a lovely idea Bryan. I will."
Bryan suddenly switched subjects. Perhaps to put her at ease she thought.
"So princess, have you decided on what scene you will perform for the great G.B?, he said with a teasing smile.
Emmeline was brought out of the clouds.
" Oh I  was thinking about a passage from Major Barbara. Or, maybe a scene from his new play, Pygmalion.
"Well you will be smashing, whatever you do. And I will be in the audience being your biggest fan. Afterwards we will go out to celebrate, eh?  I can borrow a chum's motorbike and take you out to the gardens and dinner in County Wicklow. That reminds me, in two weeks after the first play of the season opens, traditionally they have a big party at one of the estates in Wicklow. I would be honoured if you would go with me."
"Of course I will Bryan, Now I have a lot of work  to do ... and so do you."  She got up kissed him on the cheek  and went over to the stage manager to ask a few questions.
Bryan watched her go. Putting his hands in his pockets, obviously pleased with himself, he left the rehearsal studio, whistling as  he went backstage to check  on how the crew was coming along with set construction.

[Henk]

Morgan was becoming restless.
There was to much to do in Boston, from where he could manage his business-interests best.

But time would come soon, to go back to Europe.
To who first ?
Emmeline seemed to settle well in Ireland, and he would love to see her performing one day.
Katherine was still in Italy.
"I have to go to Venice, Morgan !", she had said to him on the telephone.
"I want to hear one of those romantic gondola-boys singing at me !"
"Without me ?", Morgan had asked, trying to sound cheerfull.

He picked up the newspaper, and was in a very good mood after that.

"The Red Sox show significant improvement finishing in 5th Place with a 75-79 record. Near the end of the season Smokey Joe Wood makes his pitching debut, he will go on to be suitable successor to Cy Young."