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[Henk]

In his spare free hours, David would go to the countryside around Cork, and make paintings and sketches.
It went well with his botanical interest, he would discover nice views while doing research.
But there was no Paris nearby, where his paintings would be bought  by the art loving Parisiens.
It was always busy in the ports of Cork.
Almost daily, there were ships leaving for America, New Zealand and Australia.
Loaded with Irish people, emigrating to the New Worlds.
He had interesting talks with some of these people.
"I am going to Peterborough in Ontarion, our uncle is already there with his family.
Often, the people had sold all they owned in Ireland, and were not in the situation to buy paintings of the country they were leaving forever.
"Maybe I have to go to America one day, to sell these pictures", David thought.



He helped out in the ports of Cork, sometimes for money, sometimes for a free meal in exchange for a drawing of one of the officers.
The town was always busy, like any market-town with a port.


Poverty was nothing new for David, coming from the poor French Atlantic coast.
He knew how hard it was to escape from that, and only few would manage to.
He had seen that in all the places he visited.



Glad he was one day, when he could board a cargo-ship from Cork to Normandy.
The captain saw his sailors-logbook, and was pleased to have crew that knew their way on board of the ship, and in the destination-ports.
The ship was due to go back the day after, David was very near the village where he was raised, and took the first chance to visit his aunt.

His aunt was very glad to see him on the doorsteps.
"Oh, you look very well, boy. How are you doing ?"
After exchanging the first news about the village and the families, she looked at him with a questioning eye.
"There was a lady here, some months ago. She knew a lot about you, and we had a nice talk.
Two women gossiping about a man, your ears must have been whistling ".

David laughed.
"No, if two blessed ladies like you talk about me, it is not called gossip. It can only do me good ".
She laughed while still having that questioning look.
"Is she your fiancee ?", she asked.
"No, Aunt. There was a time I thought she was going to be. No, she and Helene from Paris are two special friends. But Katherine's heart is not free, and I feel I am not ready yet ".
"How do you feel that ?", she asked.
David hesitated.

"I don't really see Brigitte often now, not clear anyway. Sometimes I dream I am walking in a forest.
I see a light shining through the woods, sometimes I get a glimpse of her.
All she does is wave at me, no signals, nothing".
"She probably wants to let you to carry on as you do, and wait what comes up" .
"That is how I feel it too".
David could not stay too long, he had to be back at the ship the next day.
"Bye, Aunt, thanks for your delicious stew !"
"Bye, David ! We will  meet again"
"I am sure about that !", said David, and somehow he felt very sure about that,without knowing why.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i121/theavdm64/new_breton-woman.jpg

[Henk]

Emmeline was impressed, when she had seen Cecil Spooner playing in "The Prince and The Pauper ", just before she left for Europe.
A very rich and a very poor boy discovering they were twins.
"I am from a rich background, will I have a twin-sister somewhere, who is living in the slums ?", she asked herself.



She knew about  Cecil's independent character, and admired it.
But for the moment, she was glad Bryan guided her through Dublin.
With her theater-group in the States, she had visited small towns, and often boarded in lodgings near the theaters.
She was used to hear people singing, talking load or using strong language from the rooms where she slept.
The group would split, but her best buddies would always be around, to keep an eye on each other.
Dublin was different.
She loved the Georgian architecture in the city, and how the city tried to keep that in good shape, reminding of the 18th century wealth of Ireland.
Sometimes they would go out of the city, into the green country-side.
Emmeline loved that.
At other times, they would have a walk on an early Sunday morning, when few people were out on the streets.



The area around Montgomerey-street was an area where the heartbeat of  the city could be felt best.
Many pubs, small theaters and other enterprises.
Because of the latter, Bryan begged her not to go there alone, but always with him.
People she worked with in the theater called it "Monto". Either with a smile or with a disapproving face.





She was glad to have Bryan as friend.
But was there more than that ?
Although he seemed to enjoy her presence, she had her doubts about the rest sometimes.

[Bets]

Helene was fascinated by Trinita dei Monti, a french church on at the top of the Spanish steps. 



Inside the church were a few wonderful things like the Mater Admirabilis, a mural by a young french girl said to have miraculous properties.

But what really caught Helene's attention was the research at the convent, which she toured.

The french nuns who ran the convent showed her the murals painted all over their cloistered courtyard, which were beautiful, mathematical means devised to trace the patterns of the sun and the moon.

They reminded her of Da Vinci's sketches.

Something that tried to capture time and the cosmos.  Here in the eternal city, Helene wished she could hold time still.

[muppets123]

David caught the ship back to Cork and soon rejoined his colleagues.  They headed for the  Dingle Peninsula.  Days were filled with digs around ancient Celtic sites.  They found ruins  of ring forts and utensils that dated back to the Bronze Age.  He explored a few caves, rock monuments and marveled at the petroglyphs   David loved the pictures depicted in the Celtic crosses in the old cemeteries.  He also collected a large variety of plants




One afternoon,  a sudden rain shower came up and he took refuge in an old church at the edge of small forest  While he waited out the storm, he looked out the window and started to sketch the crosses  in the graveyard.  Between cloudbursts he thought he saw something moving, almost floating  among the crosses.  The figure sort of danced and flitted about  the crosses  in the  fog and mist.
 

"Brigitte, is that you?"   No answer.  He ran to search the area where he thought he had seen the mysterious figure.  Driven by an unknown force, he even ventured  into the forest, checking any  patch of fog or hollow for a clue. There was nothing.  He was so sure he had seen her.  Cold, wet and defeated, he came back to the shelter of the church.


A few days later, David  climbed steep hills to the Gallarus Oratory with easy, relaxed strides. The Oratory, dating somewhere between the sixth and tenth century is a simple, rugged church that has withstood the harsh elements and invasions for centuries.



The oratory is made only of local stones fitted carefully together, using no mortar.   David read that according to local legend, if a person climbs out of the oratory via the window, their soul will be cleansed.  David was glad that he was alone when he arrived at the oratory.  He entered, sat quietly on the floor of the small space and closed his eyes and just  listened.  Eventually he even  said a silent prayer.  He was deep in thought  when he  heard footsteps and a child's  joyful bantering.
A moment later a little boy and his mother entered.  David immediately got to his feet.  The little boy was fascinated with the building. He ran his hands over the stonework.  He liked the way they felt and how they fit together.  He put his hands around one and gave it a small tug.   The stone came out and his mother gasped.
"Michael Timothy, you put that back!", she scolded.   "You are going to have this whole building tumble down upon us like the walls of Jericho!"
The little boy looked up sheepishly and put the stone back.  The building did not collapse and David smiled and tousled the boys hair.
"It's alright madam, I am sure this church as withstood more battles than just one curious youngster. "  David took one last glance at the window and departed.  He headed down the sloping  hillside, with questions and hope.   He stopped just just long enough to  collect some samples and make a few quick sketches of the giant fuchsia hedges. They were nearly six feet high and lined both sides of the narrow, winding  path and  were bursting with vibrant  colour.   An inexperienced  traveler could easily get lost, he observed.  Later that night, he relaxed  in a pub with a bowl of lamb stew and a pint of Guinness.  After dinner, he called Katherine and Helene.  He assured them that he was fine, and not wishing to upset katherine, he did not mention the apparition he saw in the churchyard a few days back.
"I hope you girls are behavng yourselves", he teased.
"Oh we are David, to be sure,  but we are also learning a great deal and having fun", they chimed in in unison.
 "Katherine, please have your picture taken for me in a gondola."
" I will .... and David...."  but the line went dead.



 
Personal note* My own Michael Timothy  actually did pull out a stone from the Oratory.  While the building survived, we were not too sure that Michael's face would not appear on an "Ireland's  most wanted " poster  hanging in the local post-office.*

[Bets]

Katherine and Helène were going north to Venice, but before they went north, they went south.

Down to the mediterranean seaside for a day.

They went to the Amalfi coast, with Islamic towns rambling up steep hills.



Katherine got out the little bathing dress she was still so ill-used to, took her courage in her hands, and went for a long dive through the turquoise waters.  Helene was herself decked in a fetching red costume, which Katherine was both awed at and admired.  They swam in the sweet, salty, sun-soaked ocean, and they swam into the dark caves full of strange light and echoes.



Then, they had to go to Pompeii, the legendary Roman town that had been preserved when a volcano erupted.



Katherine nearly fancied herself back in the Roman Empire as she walked the streets of large stones, from the Forum to the large ampitheatre, down the avenue of mansions to the avenue of mausoleums: the city of the dead that lay just outside the city walls. 



How she would like to be a Roman noblewoman for a day!  Those stately, intelligent creatures, powerful in their own right, lofty of status, and not altogether sexless!  Somehow they seemed to be, in some ways, the epitome of female strength in her mind:  women who were educated, respected, and passionately adored.  Yes: she should like to be a position of such prestige.

[MissAdventure]

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

Are you kidding?  Me mind? *snort* 

[muppets123]

Dear Anne,
The Mediterraean seaside and the Amalfi coast ares wonderful.  The waters were so warm and sweet  I could have stayed swimming all day.  Here is a picture of Helene and me in our  bathing costumes.  I could never be so bold as to wear the red one- that is Helene.
.

 However I did also wear the cute blue striped one that I bought back in Marseille.  I really like it.   That time seems so long ago.


 
I only wish Morgan and David could have seen me in it.   I miss them both... in different ways of course.  But it is nice, almost comforting to have men you love and trust around.  Well, when they are not being bossy and insensitive that is.  Do you ever feel that way about Gil?  No, I don't suppose your have. You seem to have the perfect relationship. How have you managed it my dear?  To be a perfect wife,   loving mother  talented career woman and not lose your sense of self?
Well, I must go. The sea air has given us insatiable appetities  and we are off to explore new gastronomic  delights.   It is a good thing we are walking  most places or I would have gotten as large as your Dolly.

All my love,
Katherine

[Henk]

Helene was happy.
"Katherine, do you remember that evening I had an architectural meeting in hotel Die Vier Jahreszeiten, in Munich ?  "
"Eh... yes, I remember that evening very well, although I remember the beginning better as the ending", answered Katherine.
The Hofbrauhaus in Munich was still in Katherine's mind now and then.

"Well", followed Helene, "this gentlemen is in Rome now. He wants me to meet him his hotel to discuss architecture from Roman times till now. I am so happy ! "

"I bet you are" , laughed Katherine.
"Architecture has always been your passion "
"It is !", answered Helene with a distant look in her eyes.
They had been swimming with two ladies they had met, it was time to say goodbye now.



Katherine was happy.
She loved Rome, Naples and the beaches she had visited.
So many impressions, and so  many more to come.
She imagined herself with Morgan, approaching the destination that she was heading for.



Morgan was not happy.
He played with the horse-toys in his study-room.
"We are drifting apart. I need to be here to look after my business, while Katherine is sofar away with Davids, Henry's and all those other people I don't know.
How glad I would be if she came with me to go out West together, and ride our horses through the Rockies."
As we can see above, Katherine had another animal in mind before she would settle on a horse-back.



David was happy.
He had been able to sell some paintings in Cork, his reputation as painter was growing.
He still boarded a ship once in a while, to earn some extra money.
Brigitte was quiet in his dreams, only once he had imagined he saw her at daytime.
But he was too busy to think a lot about that.
Somewhere he knew she was waiting for something, he had decided to let things go and wait what would happen.



Emmeline was happy.
Bryan was giving her all the attention he could give, and she felt loved.
She felt safe with him, and he introduced her to many interesting people.

She wanted to go back to The States and Canada after this study in Dublin, but sometimes she hoped there might be a reason to stay in Ireland.
Bryan was not that far yet, she knew.
Would he ever ?
He had made more paintings from her.
The one with the ships in the background was her favorite, without knowing why.

[Bets]

Then they went north, first through the countryside of Umbria, which was a landscape of wide, mellow valleys, fields and vineyards.  Katherine wanted to stop in Orvieto, a spectacular medieval walled town perched 1000 feet above the valley.  Katherine and Helene stepped out of the train and attempted to find the funiculo, the inclined tram, powered on water, that took them up to the top of the tufa cliffs.





At the top were all the winding, labyrinthan streets of the town.  There was the great Gothic cathedral - Italy's first - at the main square, a marvelous affair of black and white marble.  And there were countless churches and small shops on the quaint, cobblestoned streets.



But really, they went up to go back down.  The mount on which Orvieto sat was burrowed through by caves and tunnels, some dating back to the Etruscan (pre-Roman) times.  St. Patrick's well - A tall, deep well, dating back to the 16th century, ran in a vertical shaft straight down for 175ft.   Two criss-crossing spiral staircases wound around it, and Katherine and Helene actually had the stamina to walk all the way down and back up, imagining they were medieval women balancing jugs of water, and leading donkeys up to the town!

"How glad I am that we are born in the 19th century after all!"  Helene panted.



Finally they sat down for a cafe latte.  A burly italian man joined them, and began to converse in Italian.  Katherine struggled to understand what he said, and for a while he tried to speak to Helene in broken French - but then he left, and like a benevolent fairy, he gave Katherine a volume of Italian love poetry as a parting gift.

Katherine read the book of poems over and over again, not able to comprehend all of the words, but loving their musical sounds.

[Henk]

Morgan's workers sensed their boss not being himself the las few days.
With all the modern ways of communication at their disposal, they could talk with the whole world, if they wanted, if there was a telephone on the other side.
But Morgan himself was not able to speak with Emmeline, everytime he tried.
"She is not in", or "Bryan is taking her to the countryside".
She had given him her number of her lodgings by letter.
The line was bad often, but he could always hear people singing and laughing in the background.

Bryan had made a painting of the lower floor of the inn, where the locals would come together every night.


Morgan was not interested in the art-quality of the painting this time.
Her letter made him worry.

"Dear Daddy.
I hope you believe me when I tell you how happy I am.
This is not the luxury hotel I dreamed off. But it is very cosy and busy.
I hear people walking past my door, and laughing , the whole night.
I get to know many people this way.
Not all, because Bryan seems to be keeping me away from some of them, I have no idea why.
Bryan is not always here, he is working on his paintings sometimes in the country-side.
I make walks with friends from the college too, but they never want to come to my hotel, I don't know why.
Maybe too busy ?
I hope we can talk soon by telephone, daddy !.
I am so sorry we miss each other everytime you try.

I will write again soon, bye !
Your loving daughter,
Emmeline "

"PS : Kiss for you ! "

Morgan looked out of the window.
He was not feeling good about this letter.
Emmeline had still to learn a lot of things they did not tell in the schools.
Maybe he was too serious thinking, and should not worry..
But he did worry, and it made him think of Katherine less even.

[muppets123]

Emmeline was having a wonderful time at the Abbey theatre.    She selected two scenes from Pygmalion to perform for Mr Shaw.  In both scenes she played Eliza.  One was a group scene-   The Parlor of  Professots mother's home, where  she  tries out her  new found  speech and  manners.   She particluarly like the story about Eliza's aunt and influenza.
 
MRS. HIGGINS [at last, conversationally] Will it rain, do you
think?

LIZA. The shallow depression in the west of these islands is
likely to move slowly in an easterly direction. There are no
indications of any great change in the barometrical situation.

FREDDY. Ha! ha! how awfully funny!

LIZA. What is wrong with that, young man? I bet I got it right.

FREDDY. Killing!

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL. I'm sure I hope it won't turn cold. There's
so much influenza about. It runs right through our whole family
regularly every spring.

LIZA [darkly] My aunt died of influenza: so they said.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL [clicks her tongue sympathetically]!!!

LIZA [in the same tragic tone] But it's my belief they done the
old woman in.

MRS. HIGGINS [puzzled] Done her in?

LIZA. Y-e-e-e-es, Lord love you! Why should she die of influenza?
She come through diphtheria right enough the year before. I saw
her with my own eyes. Fairly blue with it, she was. They all
thought she was dead; but my father he kept ladling gin down her
throat til she came to so sudden that she bit the bowl off the
spoon.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL [startled] Dear me!

LIZA [piling up the indictment] What call would a woman with that
strength in her have to die of influenza? What become of her new
straw hat that should have come to me? Somebody pinched it; and
what I say is, them as pinched it done her in.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL. What does doing her in mean?

HIGGINS [hastily] Oh, that's the new small talk. To do a person
in means to kill them.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL [to Eliza, horrified] You surely don't believe
that your aunt was killed?
LIZA. Do I not! Them she lived with would have killed her for a
hat-pin, let alone a hat.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL. But it can't have been right for your father
to pour spirits down her throat like that. It might have killed
her.

LIZA. Not her. Gin was mother's milk to her. Besides, he'd poured
so much down his own throat that he knew the good of it.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL. Do you mean that he drank?

LIZA. Drank! My word! Something chronic.

MRS. EYNSFORD HILL. How dreadful for you!

LIZA. Not a bit. It never did him no harm what I could see. But
then he did not keep it up regular. [Cheerfully] On the burst, as
you might say, from time to time. And always more agreeable when
he had a drop in. When he was out of work, my mother used to give
him fourpence and tell him to go out and not come back until he'd
drunk himself cheerful and loving-like. There's lots of women has
to make their husbands drunk to make them fit to live with. [Now
quite at her ease] You see, it's like this. If a man has a bit of
a conscience, it always takes him when he's sober; and then it
makes him low-spirited. A drop of booze just takes that off and
makes him happy. [To Freddy, who is in convulsions of suppressed
laughter] Here! what are you sniggering at?

FREDDY. The new small talk. You do it so awfully well.

LIZA. If I was doing it proper, what was you laughing at? [To
Higgins] Have I said anything I oughtn't?

  

 The other  scene was opposite Proessor Higgins after the  ball when she is trying to find out her proper place in the world now that she is educated  and a lady.
 
[i]HIGGINS. In short, you want me to be as infatuated about you as
Freddy? Is that it?

LIZA. No I don't. That's not the sort of feeling I want from you.
And don't you be too sure of yourself or of me. I could have been
a bad girl if I'd liked. I've seen more of some things than you,
for all your learning. Girls like me can drag gentlemen down to
make love to them easy enough. And they wish each other dead the
next minute.

HIGGINS. Of course they do. Then what in thunder are we
quarrelling about?

LIZA [much troubled] I want a little kindness. I know I'm a
common ignorant girl, and you a book-learned gentleman; but I'm
not dirt under your feet. What I done [correcting herself] what I
did was not for the dresses and the taxis: I did it because we
were pleasant together and I come--came--to care for you; not to
want you to make love to me, and not forgetting the difference
between us, but more friendly like.

HIGGINS. Well, of course. That's just how I feel. And how
Pickering feels. Eliza: you're a fool.

LIZA. That's not a proper answer to give me [she sinks on the
chair at the writing-table in tears].

HIGGINS. It's all you'll get until you stop being a common idiot.
If you're going to be a lady, you'll have to give up feeling
neglected if the men you know don't spend half their time
snivelling over you and the other half giving you black eyes. If
you can't stand the coldness of my sort of life, and the strain
of it, go back to the gutter. Work til you are more a brute than
a human being; and then cuddle and squabble and drink til you
fall asleep. Oh, it's a fine life, the life of the gutter. It's
real: it's warm: it's violent: you can feel it through the
thickest skin: you can taste it and smell it without any training
or any work. Not like Science and Literature and Classical Music
and Philosophy and Art. You find me cold, unfeeling, selfish,
don't you? Very well: be off with you to the sort of people you
like. Marry some sentimental hog or other with lots of money, and
a thick pair of lips to kiss you with and a thick pair of boots
to kick you with. If you can't appreciate what you've got, you'd
better get what you can appreciate.

LIZA [desperate] Oh, you are a cruel tyrant. I can't talk to you:
you turn everything against me: I'm always in the wrong. But you
know very well all the time that you're nothing but a bully. You
know I can't go back to the gutter, as you call it, and that I
have no real friends in the world but you and the Colonel. You
know well I couldn't bear to live with a low common man after yound it's wicked and cruel of you to insult me by pretending
I could. You think I must go back to Wimpole Street because I
have nowhere else to go but father's. But don't you be too sure
that you have me under your feet to be trampled on and talked
down. I'll marry Freddy, I will, as soon as he's able to support
me.

HIGGINS [sitting down beside her] Rubbish! you shall marry an
ambassador. You shall marry the Governor-General of India or the
Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland, or somebody who wants a deputy-queen.
I'm not going to have my masterpiece thrown away on Freddy.

LIZA. You think I like you to say that. But I haven't forgot what
you said a minute ago; and I won't be coaxed round as if I was a
baby or a puppy. If I can't have kindness, I'll have
independence.

HIGGINS. Independence? That's middle class blasphemy. We are all
dependent on one another, every soul of us on earth.

LIZA [rising determinedly] I'll let you see whether I'm dependent
on you. If you can preach, I can teach. I'll go and be a teacher.

HIGGINS. What'll you teach, in heaven's name?

LIZA. What you taught me. I'll teach phonetics.

HIGGINS. Ha! Ha! Ha!

LIZA. I'll offer myself as an assistant to Professor Nepean.

HIGGINS [rising in a fury] What! That impostor! that humbug! that
toadying ignoramus! Teach him my methods! my discoveries! You
take one step in his direction and I'll wring your neck. [He lays
hands on her]. Do you hear?

LIZA [defiantly non-resistant] Wring away. What do I care? I knew
you'd strike me some day. [He lets her go, stamping with rage at
having forgotten himself, and recoils so hastily that he stumbles
back into his seat on the ottoman]. Aha! Now I know how to deal
with you. What a fool I was not to think of it before! You can't
take away the knowledge you gave me. You said I had a finer ear
than you. And I can be civil and kind to people, which is more
than you can. Aha! That's done you, Henry Higgins, it has. Now I
don't care that [snapping her fingers] for your bullying and your
big talk. I'll advertize it in the papers that your duchess is
only a flower girl that you taught, and that she'll teach anybody
to be a duchess just the same in six months for a thousand
guineas. Oh, when I think of myself crawling under your feet and
being trampled on and called names, when all the time I had only
to lift up my finger to be as good as you, I could just kick
myself.

HIGGINS [wondering at her] You damned impudent slut, you! But
it's better than snivelling; better than fetching slippers and
finding spectacles, isn't it? [Rising] By George, Eliza, I said
I'd make a woman of you; and I have. I like you like this.

LIZA. Yes: you turn round and make up to me now that I'm not
afraid of you, and can do without you.

HIGGINS. Of course I do, you little fool. Five minutes ago you
were like a millstone round my neck. Now you're a tower of
strength: a consort battleship. You and I and Pickering will be
three old bachelors together instead of only two men and a silly
girl.[/i]

Mr. Shaw applauded her work in both scenes.  He gave deserving praise and constructive criticism, which she took to heart.  He also  addressed the group regarding the new work he was writing, a moralistic comedy based on the Aesop fable Androclese and The  Lion.  He emphasized how it is the responsibily of playrights, actors, artists,  anyone in the artsreally,  to use their craft to  draw attention the political, economic, and moral  problems in society.  Emmeline  listened with an insatiable appetite, that was only matched by her growing  desire for Bryan.  He  been out of town, but true to his word,  was back in time for his favorite girl's stellar perfomance.  He brought her back another gift  saying that she had brought him luck and her had even sold one of her paintings.  It was the one he did of her as Queen Mab.



When Bryan was gone, she often found herself wondering where he was and what he was doing.  However, she was determined not to become, as Professor Higgins put it," a millstone around his neck".   She would amuse herself with game of croquet in St. Stephen's Green with some of her theatre friends, window shopping or reading poetry.


She even tried to speak to some of the girls in the hotel cafe that Brian kept her away from.  They were not very friendly towards her, with the exception of one or two.   Emmeline  also loved when Bryan took her zipping along the back country roads on a borrowed motorcycle. Sometimes she rode in the side car.  If it  didn't have a side car, she shared the seat with him and hung on for dear life.   "What would the Pringles think of me now? she thought.  And then she laughed wildly as she realized she didn't care.   She only hoped that her father would understand.





 *note:  Both Pygmalion and Androcles and The Lion were wrtten in 1912.  Shaw, who was dedicated Socialist, very often used his plays as vechicles for social, political, religious and moral commentary.  BTW Thanks Henk for doing  the  Queen Mab  pic 

[Henk]

David had been walking through the hills almost the whole day.
There was no ship waiting for him till the next week, and the gallery had been  happy to inform him they had sold a few of his paintings.
He had taken his sketchbook, and all he needed for a few days, in his small backpack.
"I miss my good friends Katherine and Helene sometimes. But they follow their path, I follow mine ".
His path was leading to cottage, where a man was taking a rest from his daily duties.
"Hello, Sir. Excuse me for bothering you ! But could you tell me a place in the village, where a tired man can find some rest ?"
"Oh, a good place ? Go further down this road, and you will see The Swan.
O' Connell has a few rooms where you can sleep and eat well. There is always music, and his angelwater will never dry"
"Thanks, Sir. I will go there ".

David followed the road, while looking around looking at the houses.

"Are you new here, stranger ?", he heard a female voice behind him.
A woman was walking behind him, carrying a large bag,
"Yes, I am passing through here, on my way to yonder hills ".
"What is behind those hills ?", she asked smiling.
"I don't know yet ", David asked.
"But now I am here, and I will stay here for the night. In the Swan, if the landlord wants to have me ".
The woman looked at him.
"Why not, you don't look like a beggar ", she decided.
"My husband is waiting for me there, and so is Uncle Jim.
We will do some singing tonight for the folks. And perhaps the folks will sing with us .And if you like singing, you are welcome too ! ".
"I like singing, yes I do ! ", said David.
Somehow he was glad she mentioned a husband, it eased the conversation.
"I am David, from France", he introduced himself.
"I am Loreena", she answered.


The welcome in the pub was warm.
He had a room with view on the hills. After taking a bath he went down to meet the locals.
The landlady had made a delicious meal, and the "angelwater" made him feel relaxed.

Loreena and the two men unpacked their instruments, and started to play after the tuning.



David shed some laughs and tears with some of the songs.
One song he was still singing in his bed, later that night.

My love said to me
My mother won't mind
And me father won't slight you
For your lack of kind
Then she stepped away from me
And this she did say,
"It will not be long, love
Till our wedding day"

She stepped away from me
And she moved through the fair
And fondly I watched her
Move here and move there
And she went her way homeward
With one star awake
As the swans in the evening
Move over the lake

The people were saying
No two e'er were wed
But one has a sorrow
That never was said
And she smiled as she passed me
With her goods and her gear
And that was the last
That I saw of my dear.

I dreamed it last night
That my true love came in
So softly she entered
Her feet made mo din
she came close beside me
And this she did say,
"It will not be long, love
Till our wedding day."


David went to bed late.
"Goodnight, folks !"
"Slán agus beannacht leat !"

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note: I  know this song from different singers. This one is sung by Loreena McKennitt, who also plays the harp.
 I did not know her before this, but now I do, and I am glad.

She moved through the Fair

[Bets]

Then Katherine and Helene were in Tuscany - one of the most beautiful places they had seen of yet.  The rolling hills were guarded by upright lombardies, and the vineyards undulated before their eyes.  The horizon was faint, misty, the grounds yellow.  Here and there an old citadel rose out of the ground, or an austere church peered out into the horizon.



They went to Siena, a fascinating place all the streets sloped down to a grand, sloping piazza, in the centre of town "Piazza del Campo", where horses were kept in front of the Palazzo.  There was a certain charm in how all the streets lead downward, so that it was impossible to get lost no matter where you went.  Then, through a series of arched opening, it broke into the wide, semicircular piazza, lined with cafes and art shops.  Katherine and Helene went into the palace and up the Torre, looking over the red-roofed parts of the medieval and Renaissance town.

=======

Then of course they had to go to Verona and Mantua.

As Helene said, they would never forgive themselves if they didn't.

The birthplace of Juliet!  The rival town of Mantua!

Verona was quaint and beautiful.  "To think we're at the spot of one of the greatest love stories of all time!"  Helene exalted.

They stopped under Juliet's balcony. beside a lilting bronze statue of the legendary heroine.

"You know, they say if you touch her bosom, you will find true love."  Helene giggled.

Then Mantova was a delightful peninsula, jutting out into the three lakes, with a charming old city run over by Renaissance cathedrals and villas.  It was the birthplace of Virgil and the home of a grand palazzo.  Katherine fell in love with it.

"If I were Juliet, I would have married Paris.  Fool!  Little fool!"  Katherine said with mock laughter.

[Henk]

In the few spare hours Morgan had for leisure, he liked to play a round of auto-polo.
It needed a lot of concentration, which Morgan did not have this day.
His thoughts were changing  between Italy and Ireland.
"Katherine is still on the move, as she calls it. But how about Emmeline ?
I can not feel relaxed with this, I don't know why "

The lack of concentration showed itself soon.



He made his decision.
"I have to go "

Back at the office he went straight to Mrs. Streichholzer.
"Mrs. Streichholzer, can you take this letter please ? "

[Henk]

Gilbert was reading through the medical journals.
"Anne, you know, they are doing some very interesting research in Paris".
"I can easy believe that", answered Anne, wiping Una's mouth.
"Pasteur discovered a lot in the field of microbes for example, and how microbes spread and grow".
"Mmm", said Anne.
She looked at the napkin she used for cleaning Una's face, and decided to use a clean one.



"Furthermore", continued Gilbert," As a student at the Ecole Normale, Pasteur observed that the organic compound tartrate, when synthesized in a laboratory, was optically inactive (unable to rotate the plane of polarized light), unlike the tartrate from grapes, because the synthetic tartrate is composed of two optically asymmetric crystals."

"Is that so ?", answered Anne.
She had read Katherine's letter the day before, tellling about her adventures in Italy.
Katherine promised to send some pictures soon.
"Tuscany is one of the most beautiful places in the world, Anne !", she had written.
"Almost like Prince Edward Island, Anne !"
Anne laughed.
Just in time she could bring her attention back to Gilbert, who just started to talk about the previous journey they made to Europe..
"Yes, much too short that journey was, Gilbert. I would love to go back one day, and drive with you through the beautiful countryside of England and France ".
Anne had not forgotten driving Morgan's car a few weeks ago.



Morgan decided to take the regular steamer to  Europe.
The Zeppelin which he wanted to use was not available within a week.
That was not the only reason.
The storm on his last flight had learned him that a Zeppelin could also make extreme movements in all directions.
Which did not agree at all with the stomach of himself and many of the other travellers.
Hanging out of the window of a Zeppelin, a few hundred meters above sealevel was even less pleasant as hanging over the railing of a ship.

"I might take one of those Holland America Line ships this time. I hear they have delicious stroopwaffels on board ".


One more time, before he left he looked at the old piano.
The old piano where Emmeline was not allowed to play on, till Anne opened Emmeline's world by opening the curtains first.

It was tuned well, but nobody ever played it.
"No, there is not much music in my life at the moment", he whispered.

[Henk]

"Aren't we blessed, Helene ?", asked Katherine.
"Yes, we are", Helene answered.
She seemed to be absent-minded the last few days.
 Katherine had an idea where that came from.
"Have you more architectural meetings coming soon ?", she asked.
"Architectural ? Eh...yes !", Helene answered, not able to keep her cheeks from blushing.
She paused a little, looking to the meandering road that disappeared between the cypresses, as if she expected somebody soon.
 

[muppets123]

Katherine  sat in a comfortable wicker chair on the veranda, sipping a glass of chianti and perusing travel brochures of Venice.

  She was enjoing Tuscany immensely and this delighful Bed and Breakfast made her think of the time she spent at Gabrielle's farm.   "Each  part of Italy has a charm all its own, I wish Morgan could see it", she thought dreamily as she pictured the two of them on a romantic  gonola ride.

She had tried to call him several times  in the last few days, only to get no answer at home.  She tried calling him at the office, only to be told he was away.  Finally a secretary told her he was taking a steamer to Europe.
"Maybe he's coming to visit to surprise me", she told Helene.  "Maybe I should go shopping for a special outfit to wear for him when he comes.  Can you picture me wearing something like this for our gondola ride?"


"My dear, surely that will take his breath away. Perhaps you should have a doctor handy when you wear it" giggled  Helene.
Katherine swatted her playfully with the rolled up travel brochure.  "Ohh you.... just for that I won't show you the dress I was looking at for India."
"Ohh please,"   Helene laughed ... "I'll be good, honest." And with that  both girls,  nibbled on some grapes and olives their host had put out for them and had some  more wine.
" Fine, but promise you won't laugh"
"I promise"
Katherine showed her the picture of a sari she had been admiring in a catalog.

[Henk]

Morgan would have appreciated Katherine's efforts to make an impression on him, if he would have known.
For the moment, fashion was not his first interest.
He had booked a cabin on board of a cargo-ship sailing direct fNew York to Southampton through one of his relations.
From Southampton he would travel to Newquay where he could take the ferry to Holyhead in Ireland.
The cabin was fine, clean sheets and towels were provided everyday.


No dance gala's, no shows, no orchestras. The few guests had to entertain themselves.
Morgan liked to listen to the stories of the sailors, there were always a few off-duty.





Emmeline did not know he was coming, it would be a surprise for her.

------------------
On her days off, Emmeline was enjoying herself with dancing outside, in the fair Spring-weather.
Bryan always seemed to know where the dancing was.
He would praise her dancing, kiss her and give her all his attention.







But Bryan was not always there.
He wanted to paint in the Nature, all by himself.
Emmeline asked him sometimes to show his paintings to her.
Bryan assured her he would show them when they were ready.
Not yet.

[Henk]

"Where are my shoes ?"
Emmeline was impressing her colleague-actors with a rather dramatic performance, where an actress is near nervous breakdown, because she can not find her shoes, while she has to be on stage within a few minutes.
But it was not a performance Emmeline was doing.
She had to be on stage within a few minutes, and her shoes were  nowhere to find.
Not because they had disappeared.
They were still where she put them, under her chair in the dressingroom, but Emmeline's mind was not open for simple and easy solutions at this moment.
It was her Big Night.



She would  play in the Abbey, in Dublin. In the role of Maurya in "Riders to the Sea".

The difficult role of an Irish older woman, who has lost nearly all the men in her family to the Sea.
Who is begging her last son Bartley not to sail to Connemara to sell his horse.
Sensitive Emmeline had shed many tears, when she was rehearsing for her role.
Bryan had been kind to her, and told her about the hard life of the people that depend on the Sea.
"The Sea Giveth, The Sea Taketh".
Emmeline knew that, coming from an island herself.
But now she was becoming a mother who lost many sons herself, in the play.
Unfortunate, Bryan could not come to see her .
"Oh, please, Emmeline, forgive me. But I have to finish this painting, it is going to be my masterpiece !"
"Don't worry, Bryan. Your painting is as important as my debute here in Dublin".
Emmeline kissed him before she left for the theatre.
It was not hard for her to put all the drama she had in her into her character that night.

[Fire Djinn]

Awesome job well done, It's always a pleasure coming in here and reading another adventure Katherine's been on, or in the odd case where she's been and gone, and left an impression. I'm sure David would agree.

[Henk]

Thanks, Fire
---------------------------------------------------
David had reached Galway.
He had been sleeping in inns, or with people having a room ready for the occasional visitor.
Making long walks, sometimes stopping to make some sketches.
The musical evening a few days earlier had not been repeated.
Also because David was not looking for it, too tired in the evenings.

This day, David was feeling fresh. The walk from the small village to Galway had not been long.
The inn at the quay had a room free, with view on the water.



He spend the day walking around Galway, and went back to the inn before supper.
"The O' Hara's will be here tonight, and there are some sailors in too. There will be music for sure ".



The inn was full, David loved to hear all the different accents and the stories from the sailors.
The oldest O'Hara started to play his violin, the others joined.
Soon the whole inn was singing the song that all knew so well.

Shendandoah Bruce Springsteen



Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you,
Away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to hear you
Away, I'm bound away, cross the wide Missouri.

Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter,
Away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I love your daughter
Away, I'm bound away, cross the wide Missouri.

Oh, Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave you,
Away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I'm bound to leave you
Away, I'm bound away, cross the wide Missouri.

Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you,
Away, you rolling river
Oh, Shenandoah, I long to see you
Away, I'm bound away, cross the wide Missouri.
----------------------------------------------------------------

 

[muppets123]

David really enjoyed to the pub sessions.  Sometimes he joined in with his hearty baritone and rasied his voce,  and a pint or two in song.  He even got to hear some men sing and speak in Gaelic which fascinated him.   A group sang a traditional  Irish working song called Dúlamán which deals with seaweed.  David  was reminded of his own fisher days when he heard the explanation of the Gaelic translation of the story behind the song.

Dúlamán (seaweed) became a very important commodity in Ireland.  The people who lived along the west coast  often had to  farm on stony land.  One solution to the problem was the spreading of seaweed, which rotted, and then was used as soil.  Additionally, certain types of seaweed are edible and very nutritious, (dulaman maorach) and saved many from starvation during the famine, especially if they lived near the sea or a river.
Another type of seaweed was used as a dye for linen....(dulaman gaelach) ..which could explain why green was a popular colour.
The men who made their living from dulaman were called after the particular seaweed they sold. 'Dulaman Maorach' was only one of the many suitors hoping to win the hand of 'Dulaman Gaelach's' beautiful daughter. A conversation between the two men reveals that her father did not want her to wed this man but it seems that Dulaman Maorach elopes with her, regardless.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MEtWjtCnqn8&feature=related

 
Lyrics in Gaelic
 
A 'níon mhín ó, sin anall na fir shúirí
A mháithairin mhín ó, cuir na roithléan go dtí mé

[Curfá:] ( Chorus)
Dúlamán na binne buí, dúlamán Gaelach
Dúlamán na farraige, b'fhearr a bhí in Éirinn

Tá ceann buí óir ar an dúlamán gaelach
Tá dhá chluais mhaol ar an dúlamán maorach

Bróga breaca dubha ar an dúlamán gaelach
Tá bearéad agus triús ar an dúlamán maorach

[Curfá 2x]

Góide a thug na tíre thú? arsa an dúlamán gaelach
Ag súirí le do níon, arsa an dúlamán maorach

Rachaimid chun Niúir leis an dúlamán gaelach
Ceannóimid bróga daora ar an dúlamán maorach

[Curfá]

Ó chuir mé scéala chuici, go gceannóinn cíor dí
'Sé'n scéal a chuir sí chugam, go raibh a ceann cíortha

[Curfá]

Cha bhfaigheann tú mo 'níon, arsa an dúlamán gaelach
Bheul, fuadóidh mé liom í, arsa an dúlamán maorach

Dúlamán na binne buí, dúlamán Gaelach

[Curfá]

Dúlamán na binne buí, dúlamán Gaelach
Dúlamán na farraige, b'fhearr a bhí, b'fhearr a bhí
Dúlamán na binne buí, dúlamán Gaelach
Dúlamán na farraige, b'fhearr a bhí, b'fhearr a bhí
B'fhearr a bhí in Éirinn
  

 The men explained they were from the Blasket islands off the Dingle peninsula. That the Blaskets and the Aran islands were still strongholds in the Gaelic community, even if the language was starting to lose favour in cities like Dublin.  He promised he would come back and visit and hear more of their stories. He particularly was intrigued about the stories of selkies as he had heard of them as a boy and as a young fisherman.   He knew there were many different versions and  legends about the miraculous shapeshifters who lived in the sea as seals and who could shed their sealskins and take on human form.   If their sealskin was stolen from them, they were doomed to remain on land as a human and often married  a mortal.  If they located their sealskin, they were  forced to return to the sea,  leaving behind their spouse and children that they have grown to love.  If you look into the big  eyes of a seal sometimes you  get an uncanny sense that they filled with trust, love and sadness. 

 

 
 There were even some tales of selkies who as humans, sacrificed themselves so to speak, in order to save a loved one.  While in human form,  they donned their sealskin to rescue a husband or father from drowning,  only to be separated from them as they could not become human again.  An old man  playing a Bodhran drum advised David that many folks believed selkies were the souls of people, particularly children who had been lost at sea.

 
David  had an odd feeling that time was standing still that night.   Suddenly, he became aware of the time and  reluctantly annouced to his companions that he had to leave as he and his colleagues were heading up to the Cliffs of Moher just after sunrise.   He bid his new friends goodnight by joining them in a round of the traditional Irish song of farewell, The Parting Glass.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XhJp0W0ku2w

[muppets123]

 Early the next morning, David and his colleagues set out for the cliffs of Moher. A light rain and mist was falling, as often does in Ireland.  The weather could change five time in a day from rain and mist to sun and back again.  Or sometimes, a steady soft rain fell most of the day, just to clear out in time for sunset.  He had seen some spectacular ones here with a mix of  sun and clouds casting multihued reflections on the sea walls, the sides of old churches and whitewashed cottages.  Sometimes they would be accompanied by rainbows.  He thought of the rainbows and sunsets  he showed Katherine in Provence.  That seemed like a lifetime ago.  On the way, they passed flocked of sheep, farms and little seaside villages.  People were still out working in the fields and he was reminded of the gaelic songs he had heard the night before.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H44h_xPzrw8&feature=related

He was told that if the mist lifts, he would even be able to see the three Aran Islands from the top of the cliffs.   The Islands are  Inishmore, Inishmaan and Inisheer.  He hoped to be able to get there too as he heard there were 437 varieties of wildflowers and plants growing on the islands.  They even passed a few wild  goats who handled the slopes and rocky ledges with ease.


 The cliffs rise  over 700 ft about sea level and while they are not the highest point in Ireland,  they are impressive for their rugged  beauty.  David made sketches of O'brien's tower, which was built in 1835 as an obersavtion  tower.  He also collected mineral  and plant samples.







But something at the base of the cliffs also caught his interest.   The sea caves.  Formed by the crashing waves over the course of time, they hollowed out the  sections of cliff walls into cubby holes that held all sorts of mysterious secrets.  They beckoned him to explore with an unknown force.  After spending the morning with his colleagues,  he advised them he was going to head down to the beach for some plant and rock sample and to make some sketches of the cliffs from below.   The rain had stopped for the moment.  He told them he would meet them  later that night for supper in the pub of their lodgings.



* personal note:  In 1997, Michael and I had the joy of hiking up the cliffs in the rain  it was erie...and Michael is not too fond of heights to begin with... but once the rain stopped ( on the way down of course ) the view was specatular.  Michael came up with a famous line back then which has still stuck  with us to this day:  "If God had wanted me to climb on cliff ledges and mountains, he would have made me a moutaingoat."

[Henk]

Morgan did not turn down the invitation of Connell to take residence in one of Connell's cottages near Dublin.
Connell had been a pleasant guest at the Harris House in Boston, mixing his talents for doing business with the ability to tell a good story.

Morgan had been able to have a short talk with Katherine the day before.
She did not have a lot of time to talk.
"I have got to pack my trunk again. We are going back to Paris tomorrow.
I am not in a hurry, but Helene is", she had said, not explaining why.

Morgan had also met Emmeline in her hotel.
He was not impressed by the hotel and its inhabitants, but Emmeline insisted she was safe, and was guarded well by Bryan.
Morgan asked about Bryan, but Emmeline seemed to avoid talking about him.
Instead she revelled in talking about the talks she had with people about the future.

"Daddy, one day we will be able to call somebody and see her or him, while we talk ! "


"Teachers just throw books in a machine, and all the wisdom in the books will be transferred into our brains by electric waves "


"Maybe I will be a star one day, and people come to see me in flying automobiles", she finished, laughing about the last idea.



Morgan stepped out into the garden, into a pleasant sunlight, after a short rainfall had passed.

"What am I doing here ? All seems to be fine with Emmeline",  he thought.
But there were some things he could not understand.
"I will find out", he decided.


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

Future pictures were used in a Paris Expo 1900 catalogue. Maker is not known .

[Henk]

"What's in a name ?", asked David himself.
He stopped and sat down when he saw a shrine dedicated to Brigid.



He sat there for a while.
"Brigid, Goddess of  Healing, Poetry , Smithcraft,  Fire and Prophecy", he whispered.

"Yes, Brigid, you have been all that to me. Thank you for all that".
David stood up and continued on his way.

[Henk]

"Back Home", Katherine said to herself, looking out over the city she had learn to love.
It felt like coming home for her.



The last few days had been busy, coming back from Rome and settling back in her old dark room in Paris.
When it came, it did not come as a surprise.
She knew what had happened when Helene came to her, with sparkling eyes and red cheeks.
"Katherine ?"
"Yes, Helene ?"
"He asked !"
"He asked you to go shopping ?", Katherine asked, feeling a sudden urge to make it not easy for Helene.
"No, he asked !", Helene said again, lookinh surprised at Katherine.
"To go to the museum ?", Katherine replied, while picking up a newspaper, acting as if she did not expect anything special.
Helene walked opposite Katherne, looking into Her eyes.
"No, he asked me to marry him  !"
"And you said no ?". Katherine answered.
Helene was looking desperate now.
"No, I said YES !", she almost yelled.
"I knew, you silly !".
Katherine hugged and congratulated Helene.

"It came as a surprise, I did not expect it ! "
"You did not ?". Katherine's teasing mood had not left completely.



The whole day after coming back was spend with searching for Helene's weddingdress.
Helene insisted it had to be something "simple and basic".
Katherine knew what that meant.

[Henk]

David was happy when he heard the news about Helene's upcoming wedding.
"She deserves a good man, who will respect her unique talents and loves her"

He had a long talk with Katherine, telling him all about her adventures on the long journey through Western Europe. She had not seen all, but it was now time to come home for a while.
David liked that she called Paris her home.
"Morgan is in Ireland too, I might come over and maybe see you, David. Morgan has a private reason to stay in Dublin for a while. There is no date set yet for Helene's wedding, I have to see what I can do ".

David's glass was empty, and so was the canvas he wanted to paint, and the pages he wanted to write.

                                               

                                               


                                         

 
"I guess I have to go home too. Brigitte is very quiet lately. I have done the things I wanted to do, I am nearly finished in Ireland", he thought.

Only the caves of Moher were waiting for David, after that he would go back to Paris, he decided.

[Henk]

How happy Emmeline was, to play in Gilbert and Sullivan's "Mikado ".
"It is a light opera,  Bryan !"
She had spend the evening before with Bryan, dancing on the music played in one of the pubs.
A nice evening it had been.
There had been many evenings like this, Emmeline thought.
Dancing, talking and, in Emmeline's case, one or two drinks.


His painting was nearly finished, this day he had to work further on it.
"I will see you tomorrow, Emmy !", he said before he kissed her goodbye.

Morgan had picked her up with a carriage, and brought her to the Abbey Theatre.
"I am so excited, papa. Bryan is going to show me his painting tomorrow, he said. He has been working so hard and long on it !" .
"He has, has he ?", Morgan said, trying to produce a smile.

The play went well.
The audience asked for an "encore" three times, where Emmeline and the other two actresses had to do "Three little Maids From School We Are " again.



(clip here)

Morgan congratulated her, when they had a little drink before he took her back to the hotel.
"I am so glad you are here, Papa", Emmeline said to Morgan.
"I am so glad to see you doing well here, my Love", Morgan answered her.
"I have spend too much time with my businesses, and neglected you far too long" .
"I am really glad and happy, Daddy. Are you not having problems now, with looking after your business while you are here ? "
"No. Seeing you was the first thing that brought me to Ireland. Strange we see each other more now, across the Ocean, as we saw each other in America and Canada.
 Mr. Connell is a good associate of me, and we have been looking in all the modern techniques that have been developed the last few years, for navigating and communicating. We might be able to do a few things together there "
"I hope for you, Daddy !" , Emmeline answered, while looking around.
"Are you expecting somebody ?", Morgan asked her.
"Eh...not really", Emmeline said.
The sad expression on her face was noticed by Morgan.
He did not say anything.
"It is late, I will bring you to your lodgings ".
"That is fine, thanks Dad ".

Morgan brought her to the inn, and went further to his cottage just outside Dublin.
Emmeline waved him goodbye.
The saloon and the lounge were closed, all guests had gone home, or to their room in the inn.
It was all quiet and dark now. Emmeline had the keys from the main door.

She walked to the shore, seeing a ship approaching.
It rained, but she did not care.



Tears welled up in her eyes.
"When you have a Dream, go for it", Miss Shirley always told me.
"But this Dream seems to float away, I cannot keep hold of it ".



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

Pictures :http://versus-veritas.deviantart.com/

[Henk]

Walking on Grafton Street, Morgan passed a shop that specialized in all the necessities needed by the actors and actresses.
Wigs, make up, period dress, it was all there.



He did not hesitate, and entered the shop.
"Hello Sir, can I help you ? "
A friendly older lady came up to him.
She measured him with her eyes, he noticed.
"I am in a terrible position at the moment", he said.
"I need to do audition this afternoon, maybe I can be in one of the plays as a gentleman "
"But you are a gentleman !", the lady laughed.
Morgan smiled.
"Maybe I am, I hope so. But I need to have a more Irish look, and I feel best when I am dressed exact in the fashion needed. I want to have my face made up too, it gives me more courage. I really hope to get that role, I am more nervous as you maybe can see "

The lady walked to the back, opened a door, and asked  "Lori, are you there ?"
Lori was there.
Morgan explained what he wanted, she started immidiately.
Lori was a professional make-up specialist, she liked her job.

Half an hour later, Morgan walked outside. He did not recognize himself when he looked in a shoppingwindow.
But the real test was there to come.
He knew Emmeline would walk here soon, for her daily shopping.
Morgan walked up and down the street, but not for long.
There she came.

Morgan had learned to use an Irish accent for fun, with all his Irish contacts in Boston.
"Excuse me, Madam, did I see you play in The Mikado yesterday ?", he asked, when she stopped to look in a window.
"Oh, yes, that was me !", Emmeline
"You did a great job, I liked it. Sorry for keeping you up, my lady."
"No worry, thanks for your compliments !", Emmeline answered.
Morgan greeted and walked further.
"She has not recognized me !", he thought.
"My plan is going to work ", he said to himself.

[muppets123]

Making his way down the the meandering path to the beach his mind wandered over everything that had happened on this journey.  He thought of Holland and Paris, his friendship with Katherine and Helene and the Boncouers, his visions  of Brigitte,  and even his position at the university.   He felt his life was going to be taking a turn very soon and he was powerless to stop it.  While he was excited and longing for change and hope, he was still hesitant to let go.  Perhaps Katherine and Brigitte feel the same way he thought.
 
When he hit the beach he took out his sketch pad and  made a few preliminary drawings of the cliffs. He collected samples of beach grass, wildflowers and soil.  Since the  tide was  partially out and he was able to wade in the shallow waters to  collect  algae and fossils from the tidal pools nestled among the rocks..... then he saw two caves. He returned to his backpack and took out a small  lantern and lit it.


  The rain started to fall once again as he made  his way over to the caves   He hardly noticed the drops splashing in the tidal pools as he was focused on the rock wall, following the contour of the  cliff to the opening of the one closest  shore, raised the lantern and peered inside.




 The cave was a chamber that  went  back about 30 feet with a  few rocks  and a shallow ledge about 2 feet wide carved out by the water at the back.  Holding the lamp aloft the light cast soft shadows on the back  wall; he thought he saw something moving in the corner.  His curiosity and something else  was drawing  him in. He waded  carefully through  the knee deep water into the cave but  saw nothing.  Were his eyes playing tricks on him?  He calmly  waded over towards the wall, holding the lamp high and checking every corner. Then he saw something move.




Not more than 10 feet in front of him, staring him face to face, was a seal.  They seal's gaze bore straight into David's soul and he thought for sure it was a selkie.  He held out his hand to the creature but it quickly slipped into the dark waters and  silently vanished.  David was puzzled and  felt slightly abandoned.  He proceeded to check out the back of the cave though he had no clue what he was looking for.
 
Suddenly a barking  sound made him whirl around so fast towards the cave entrance that he almost lost his  balance.
 His eyes opened wide.  At the mouth of the cave he saw the apparition of Brigitte with the  seal by her side.   The seal made a muted bark and looked lovingly at Brigitte. David knew.  The seal glided to the outside of the cave and was urging Brigitte to follow him. David silently watched the pair interact with each other.



"Brigitte, Please wait. There is so much  more to say," David managed to  speak in an urgent whisper.

The apparition turned towards him, and shaking her head, she gently moved her hand  to mimic the ebb and flow of the tide.  She then turn back to the seal who was still beckoning her to follow.  However, she made no move towards the seal or David.  The three were frozen, just suspended in time.  Then  David decided he could wait no longer.   He splashed his way to where he had seen them but they were both gone.

When he emerged from the cave,  the cliffs had become the canvas for a magnificent sunset.   David waded back to the beach, collapsed on the sand and sat staring at the cliffs and caves until almost twilight.  He tried to comprehend what had just happened.  Brigitte's disappeared but she didn't go off with the seal.  Was the seal even really there?  Was it a selkie?   It had to be. There was no mistaking those eyes filled with love, wisdom, trust, pain  and deep loss.   He then put on his shoes, walked back to the main road and hitched a ride back to his lodgings.

[Henk]

David changed his plan.
His paintings had sold well, he had been able to put extra money in the bank every week.
Instead of taking the direct connection to France, from Cork, he decided to take the ferry from Dun Laoghaire to Holyhead.
From there he could take the train to London, where he wanted to stay a few days before going back to Paris.

He was on time for the ferry, it had  not even  arrived yet.
A gentle breeze from Sea,  combined with a beautiful clouded sky made him feel at home.
Home would always be where the Sea was.
It gave him time to think about what he had seen the day before.

"Maybe I need to see a doctor, my imagination is becoming too vivid ", he thought.
"Brigitte, wether you are real, or you are only in my mind, I don't care.
You have brought me this far, and you never steered me wrong.
But now I have seen you twice in daylight, when I was awake.
You went away with the Swan a while ago, and you have been quiet after that.
I have followed my own thoughts, which brought me here.
And now I don't know where to go, or what to do.
I am going home, maybe back to Normandy or Bretagne for a while.
I have never found the crepes in Paris like Aunt makes them.
And how about a Calvados ? "

He grinned when he thought about his Aunt.
"Every sailor has only one wish. To be back safe with the woman who loves him", he thought.
"I am like the Flying Dutchman, I am wandering over the Seas and the Earth, hoping to find a good woman one day, who  will break my spell ".
He laughed, and stood up.
The ferry was approaching.



He watched it for a while, and took his sketchbook, to make some quick drawings.
A white sailing-ship approached the harbor faster than the ferry.



David knew the rules of the Sea.
"She will be first in, the ferry has to give way to her as sailing ship".
Indeed the ferry seemed to lower its speed, to give way for the sailing vessel.
He admired the elegant ship.

It approached fast, David could hear the captain yelling his commands to the crew, to lower the sails.



It entered the port slowly and cautious, with all the sails down.
The ferry was still in the distance, but it would be in soon too.

There was time to have a look from nearby.
David looked at the name plate.
"Cisne Branco".

David had a slight knowledge of all the European languages that could be heard on the waters.
He repeated the name a few times, searching in his memory for the meaning of the name.
He found it.
"White Swan !  Mmm, what is in a name ? "
It confused him.
"I have seen more pubs with a "swan" in the name, than I have seen real swans the last few weeks.
But a ship called White Swan ?"

"He, you fool, you are not ready yet !", he heard a woman's voice screaming, finishing his thoughts at once.
He looked up.
It was not for him, a woman was trying to get her husband walk faster with the large trunk he was carrying.

"You are right, madam. I am not ready yet "

He took his luggage, and walked to the nearest hotel.
"For one night please !".

[Henk]

Morgan had promised Emmeline to pick her up in the morning and bring her to the theatre.

"Thanks ,Dad !  We have rehearsing to do in the morning, in the afternoon I have to study. This evening we have a performance. A real busy day this is going to be. Can we see each other at lunch in the pub ?"

"Yes, that would  be nice indeed", Morgan agreed.
"I have to meet some people, but at lunch I am free. I am very delighted to have a lunch with my daugher in Dublin ! "
Emmeline smiled.
"I am too, Daddy. And Bryan will be there too, he will show us his painting today "
"I am looking forward to that, I really am !", Morgan said, looking away from Emmeline.

Emmeline waved to him before she entered the backdoor.
Morgan went back to Grafton Street, to the artists-shop.
"Hello, Mister !", the older lady greeted him.
"How did your audition go ?".
"Eh...well, I hope", Morgan answered.
"Is Lori in ?"
"Yes, she is, wait a minute !"
Lori came down, and greeted him as heartedly as the older woman.
"Another audition ?", she asked, while  laughing.
"Perhaps, if you are available in the afternoon, I might need your service, I am not sure yet "
 
"I want to show you a wig that fits you better", she said, making a gesture with her hand to follow her.
They entered the backroom which was used as dressingroom sometimes.  Lori closed the door.
"You are not an actor, are you ?", she asked him, looking him into the eyes.
Morgan tried to come up with a convincing reason, but failed.
"No, I am not".
"You are not cooking up some things we don't want to get involved with, are you ?"
"No, really, I am not. But I am trying to solve a case that involves one of the the dearest persons I have in the world."
"Is that true ?", she asked.
"Yes, as true as I am standing here. I cannot give you details yet, but it will only be a few days I will need it.
After that I will tell you what happened. And my pay is well, as you know "
"Your pay is very well, I must say, but I don't want to be involved in anything that might get the cops here ".
She looked at him, silently for a few moments.
"I knew ", she said.
"You were not actor. I don't kow why. But I don't think you are a liar either. OK, if you need me, I will be there after noon".
"Thanks !"
"But I would be pleased if you promise me one thing. If you see me by surprise somewhere, please don't come to me before I come to you. It might spoil the whole thing ".
"I promise", Lori answered.
Morgan greeted Lori and the woman in the shop, and went to look after his other businesses.

At lunchtime, he was at the he pub.
A few young boys were playing outside.
Morgan went to one of the boys. amd whispered something in his ear.
After that, he entered the pub.
He saw Emmeline siting in the back with a young man, she waved at him.
"This is Bryan, Daddy. And this is Daddy, Bryan ! ".

The two men shaked hands.
"I have heared so much about you, Mister Harris. I am so glad to meet you at last!"
"I hope you have only heared the good things", Morgan replied.
Bryan walked to the bar, to order a ploughmans' lunch and drinks for all.
Emmeline and Morgan shared a tea together.
After the first polite introductions, Bryan turned to Emmeline.

"I wanted so badly to show you this painting, but Mrs. Edwards did not want to wait, she insisted to have it immidiately , today !".
"It is OK, Bryan ".
"No, it is not OK, like you Americans and Canadians say. But I will make up for it. I will start a new painting this afternoon. "
The ploughman's lunch was finished, the drinks were renewed a few times.
Hot water for Morgan and Emmeline, ale for Bryan.
Emmeline looked at Bryan.
Morgan looked at Emmeline.
Bryan looked on the clock.
"I hope you both want to excuse me ?", he asked.
This Mrs. Edwards has a sister, who might be willing to have a painting made by me.
It is good when you have already somebody buying the picture before it is made !"
"Don't let us keep you from meeting her, Bryan", Emmeline assured him.

Bryan excused himself, and left.
Morgan went to the bar, to pay the bill.

"He is not often here in the evenings, is he ?". Morgan asked Emmeline.
"No, but he is busy, like I am often, when I have to play ".
"Ofcourse", Morgan agreed.
It was time for Emmeline to start studying her new role. She kissed Morgan, and left.

Morgan was sitting there for a quarter of an hour. before he left the pub.
Outside he looked around, it did not take a long time before the young boy came running around the corner.
"He, Mister, I know ! But you have to pay me first ! "
Morgan laughed, and gave him a few pences.
"He is in the Black Swan, I have seen him there often, we go there to play too "
"Thanks, boy ! ".
"I know enough", he said to himself.

[Henk]

Sofar, Morgan had not seen too much situations that shocked him.
There were cozy pubs where businessmen gathered, pubs where the workers had a rest after work, pubs where grandma and mom would be in the lounge, and dad, uncle and son would be in the saloon.
There were pubs that reminded him of the one's he had seen in Boston.
Some of them would become very cozy in the late hours, but Morgan had no desire to take part in this.

After the small boy had delivered his message, Morgan went to Lori, to get disguised again.
He walked straight to the Black Swan, where he discovered a scene that disgusted him at the first moment he entered the pub.
In other places, people were still having a late lunch, but here the people had already moved to another sort of leisure.
Screaming, off-tune singing and  dancing on the tables, made Morgan glad he was in disguise.
He had asked Lori to make him look like the average man in the street.





"Hi, Sir ! Haven't seen you here before, have one from me ! ", a kind gentleman offered him a drink.



Morgan accepted it, and walked furrter.
He spotted Bryan in a corner.



In the state Bryan already was, he probably would not have recognized Morgan anyway.
"I am going to be a rich man, I am going to be a rich man, lalalah" , he kept repeating, trying to make it sound like a song.
"How come, mate ?", Morgan asked, while nipping at his glass without really drinking.
"Haha, I am not going to tell you. You might steel that lassie with the rich father from me. No, she is for me ?"
"Going to be married ?", Morgan asked with a smile.
"Marry, me ? Oh no! But as long as she believes I love her, it is alright for me"
The rest of his words had to be omitted, but Morgan did not miss a word.
"Up to Monto, Up to Monto ", Bryan had changed the words, not the melody of his song.

"Have a great time, mate !", Morgan said.
He moved slowly through the bar, in the direction of the door.

"Poor girl, she is really in love with him, the bastard." , he thought by himself.

[muppets123]

Bryan left the Black Swan and Morgan tailed him.  Making his way to the Monto, they went through the seedier parts of Dublin and Bryan stopped to  talk to several ladies on the street.  It was crowded, even for mid afternnon,  so Morgan had no trouble blending in to avoid being seen.  Once or twice Morgan loss sight of his mark but  was able to pick him up again.



Bryan headed over to a well known gaming house and quickly got involved in everything from darts to poker.  He was laying bets down like crazy  telling everyone that the luck of the Irish was with him.  Of course, everybody was saying that.



Morgan watched from the window for a  bit but then moved inside to get a closer look and to try to catch some of the conversation.  He knew that drunk men talk freely and in their boasts,  give up valuable business information.
There was a young woman sitting on Bryan's lap and a staircase that led to the second floor. Morgan didn't have to think twice to know what that was.  He had seen enough.

.

He left in digust.  But now what?  Did he play along with the charade so he could learn more of Bryan's plans?   Or did he tell Emmeline right away?  Either way, his little girl would be hurt and he knew he had to do something.
As he left the place he  saw a poster  hanging  a shoppe window that made him laugh.  "How Ironic that this would be posted here in this neighbourhood", the thought.

[Henk]

Katherine's days were full, after coming back to Paris.
Very few hours she had to spend in her small room.
She did not hate this dark small room, like she hated her old room in Kingsport.
It was the only room, where she had time to write in her diary, edit the articles for the Petit Parisien and the Petit Journal.
Or only having the rest she sometimes needed.

Her three students were advanced well with their studies, but their English needed some refining still.
And she would see Morgan again, soon.
She understood the nature of Morgan's doubts about Emmeline's safety, delaying him traveling further to Paris.
It was almost Summer, the weather was what Katherine had hoped for.
Sunny and warm, but not too hot.
Meeting Claire, Henry and all the others again gave Katherine the feeling of coming home.
She missed David, what was he still doing in Ireland ?

Helene needed a lot of attention. A date was not set, Mr.Batiment had to make more travels in the weeks coming.

Her spare free hours were spend well.
She had seen croquet in Canada, where the Pringles would play this game in the summer.
"You know, it has a French origin, do you ?", Henri asked her.
"No, I did not, but I do love it ! "



Visits with the ladies, including Dahlia to the museums of Paris.



Katherine noticed Dahlia had become very friendly to her after her return.
"A snake can hypnotize a mouse, but not another snake", Katherine could not help thinking.
Dahlia's friendly attitude was returned with even more friendliness from Katherine's side.
Katherine accepted an invitation by Dahlia, to spend a day together.
Dahlia was a very pleasant person to spend the day, with her delicate sense of humor.
Katherine enjoyed the day, remembering meanwhile, in her case there would be a "but".
There was always a "but" in Katherine's opinion.



After a light diner, Dahlia invited Katherine to hear her play the organ.
"The pianoforte is my territory, but I love to play the organ as well"
"I will love to hear it", Katherine agreed.


 
It was still light, Katherine was ready to leave, to arrive home before darkness.
"That was lovely music, Dahlia, thank you !"
"I am glad you liked it, Katherine. He liked it too ", Dahlia said, while inspecting the nails of her fingers.
"Henri liked it ?", Katherine asked.
"No, your charming friend Mr. Morgan. He loved everything we did" .
Katherine was without speech, and felt the blood moving from her cheeks.
It took a few moments to regain her self.
"What did you do, where were you, where have you seen each other ?"
"Oh, he did not tell you ? Sorry for me telling our little secret. We saw each other in London a few weeks ago.
Oh, Katherine, be carefull with drinks with Morgan, because... "
Katherine lost her control for a moment.
"You are lying, you serpent ! He would never do that to me "
Dahlia looked at Katherine with her most serene eyes, which brought Katherine's agitation to a level she had never felt before.
For one moment, something came in her eyes, that made Dahlia look away.
"We will see, we are finished".
Katherine walked out of the door, without greeting.
She managed to control her self till she came home.
A beautiful China set of six teacups had already been reduced to five, on the day of Morgan's written proposal.
Soon after Katherine entering her room, the set was reduced to four.
There was no Claire to pick it up the pieces this time.
She went down on her bed, burying her face in the pillows.
"Why, why ?", she cried.

Her decision was made.
"I will travel to Ireland soon, I will ask him in person, not by telephone. This cannot be true "

[Henk]

Morgan's opinion about the inn that was Emmeline's home for her stay in Dublin, was changing for the better.
It was not like the grand hotels he was used to, but he liked the atmosphere.
Specially after his visit to the Black Swan the day before.

There were more persons who were connected with the theater  in some way.
Actors discussing plays or their roles, people reading the newspaper-reviews out loud to others.
Some would engage in  a game of chess.
In the evenings there could be some spontaneous music.
Emmeline assured him, there were no fights here, or the real roughs she had seen in other places.
Morgan understood, when he saw the landlord.
A gentle person, kind to everybody.
Like the older ladies who came in in the morning for a social talk, greeting him with "Hi Joe !".
Strong as a horse, but usually him looking into the face of an unwanted guest was enough to convince the person there was only one way: Out



"Black Swan? ", Morgan asked her, having an early cup of tea with Emmeline.
"Mmm, I never heard about that one", said Emmeline.
"No, Bryan sometimes takes me to other pubs and places. Black Swan, is that nice, Daddy ?"
"I don't know, I passed it a few days ago" .
"Today, I have no duties. Bryan will come here to have lunch, after that he has to work . Will we go somewhere, Daddy ?"

"I am sorry, but I am occupied, I have to visit some people, maybe another time ?"

"Ofcourse. By the way, Dad, I will try some new clothes this afternoon, to show my friends here "
"How nice, when did you buy them ?"
"Haha, I did not buy them ! They are from the theater. That writer, B.S, is working on a piece about a poor girl".
"Fits you well !", said Morgan, laughing.
"Well, it is a play about a poor girl with a strong Cockney accent, who is being thought by a professor to speak proper English. I am good with dialects, I would love to play that role in the future "
"Not soon ?".
"No, he is still busy with another piece, it might take more years"
"You are going to wear those clothes here in the afternoon ?"
"Yes! "
"How sad I cannot be there, but you have to show me one day !"

Morgan was searching for a way to talk about Bryan.
"Is Bryan coming soon ?".
"I hope so, Daddy", Emmeline answered.
She looked excited, but for a moment he saw a glimpse in her eye.
"Do you really love him ?", Morgan asked.
"Yes, Daddy, why ?"
Morgan wanted to say something, but could not find the right words.
"What is the matter, Dad ?"
Morgan looked at Emmeline, and was starting to feel helpless.
Bringing the message hard would be the best way, but he hesitated.
"Don't you like him ?"
"No ", Morgan replied immidiately.
Emmeline looked at Morgan.
"Why ?"
"Well, I know some things about him ".
Emmeline was not the girl to explode at once in anger.
But the anger came.
"Daddy, I don't expect him to be a saint. he is not rich and he will have his tricks, but he loves me.
Don't you like him because he is from another class ?"
"Well, eh...", Morgan tried to continue.
"No, Dad, I have had enough of that "our kind of people" from the Pringles.
He is a hard working artist, it does not come easy to him ".
"It goes easier  than it comes with him", Morgan replied, realizing how vicious this should sound.
"What do you mean ?", Emmeline asked, feeling her cheeks becoming red.
"Well, he likes a drink", was Morgan's answer.
"Dad, please let's not talk about him anymore for now. I don't like this "
Tears were welling up in her eyes.
Morgan looked at the clock, and decided to go one with his plan.
"I hope for you it will turn out well", he said.
This did not help to bring Emmeline back in another mood.
"I will see you, tomorrow, I have to go now. Bye Love !"

He kissed her on her forehead, and left, walking straight to the costume-shop.

[muppets123]

After Morgan left, Emmeline paced  back and forth in the parlour.  She was angry and hurt. "How could daddy say those things about Bryan", she fumed.  Finally she was so aggitated she  knew she had to get out of there.  She ran to the theatre.  Up in the costume attic, Emmeline tried on the flower girl costume and rehearsed a few lines from Pygmalion. She was angry about what her father said, but deep down she was afraid and insecure.
   
'No, he couldn't be right", she argued with her heart. "Bryan wouldn't hurt me that way."  She desperately clung to those thoughts. She located a stage  make-up kit and applied the skills the make-up artist taught her in class.  Voila, she was transformed into the beguiling and stubborn flower girl with the Cockney accent.  " Just you wait Henry Higgins", she declared triumphantly.




 After running 2 more passages, she decided  she wasn't ready to go back to hear more of her father's harsh words.  So she rummaged about the attic to see what other treasures she could find.  She was delighted to discover the costume of a poor lass from a fishing village. Putting it on, she hummed the song she had heard in the pub a few nights before. "Poor, sweet Molly Malone", she  sighed.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DY4pcGqzOqQ&feature=related

Emmeline needed some air and a little time to think. She decided to go out in costume and walk down to the waterfront to observe the fishmongers. "This is an excellent way to soak in some local atmosphere and experiences that I can use on stage", she told herself.  It was also a way to escape what her daddy said about Bryan.  She could immerse herself in her character and not think about her own problems.  She had been so angry when she left that she had not brought much with her.  She folded up her skirt and blouse and placed them in prop wicker basket on top of her keys and little coin purse. She removed some of the stage make-up but left just a touch on for effect.  Then she set out for the waterfront.   Once there, she became engrossed in the scene at the wharf. It was very busy and she concentrated on observing and learning everything she could.



Wandering about the waterfront, she stopped in a little second hand curiosity shoppe. She loved these places as she could find unusual things at reasonable prices. It also gave her imagination the chance to think about the previous owners of an item and their lives. Perfect inspiration for a young actress.  She found a small leather bound book that was a collection of poetry. Also, she was drawn to a set of pendants that could be interchanged on a black velvet cord.  One appeared to be a more traditional  porcelain piece and the other, a more modern design out of silver.  As she stood there admiring them, the old woman who ran the shop approached her.




 
"Aye,  they are beautiful and would look so lovely on you m'dear."  One is a pendant of St. Brigid and the other is Brigid, the Celtic goddess of poetry.  Aye,  I see you like poetry too", she spoke  softly noticing the book Emmeline was holding.  Surely now you must have these.  I'll give ya a fair price, and to sweeten the deal I will even throw in a card that tells the story of  St. Brigid and the goddess; for they are connected you know."  Emmeline could not  resist and she was glad she had brought along some money.  She carefully counted out the coins.   She had just enough change left to get two scones at the bakery next door.  She suddenly realized how hungry she was.   She thanked the woman and safely tucked her package in the basket beneath her clothes.
 


She hurried to the bakery, bought one scone and a slice of Irish brown bread with butter.  She was sorry she did not have enough money for a cup of tea to wash them down.  She ate the bread and butter imediately, placing the wrapped scone in her basket, intending to eat it on the way home.

She cut through St. Stephen's Green on her way back to the inn, stopping to feed the ducks and the swans half her scone.  She thought she was slowly getting better with directions and she had only taken a wrong turn twice to get from the waterfront to the park. Upon reaching the inn, she hurried up the stairs to her room and changed out of the costume.  She could take it back to the theatre tomorrow.  She heard a soft rap at her door. He had come back after his errands and was waiting for her.

"Princess, are you in there?  I'd like to talk to you for a minute".
"Not now daddy, I'm really tired. I'd like take a rest before dinner, I will meet you at the pub in a few hours."   She waited till she heard his footsteps retreating down the stairs.

"Well, it's not really lying.  I am tired."  she rationalized.  And with that she lay on the bed still hearing the strains of Molly Malone run through her head.
 
 

[Henk]

David has spend his days wandering through Dublin.
When he read a book about the historic city of York, in England, he felt a sudden urge to travel there.
"Many people are convinced there is more between Heaven and Earth, specially in York" he read.
He spoke about that with the landlord in the inn, where he slept.
"A spooky ghost-town that is !", the landlord said, joking.
David was not inclined to make jokes about ghosts,and said nothing.
There were enough ships sailing between Ireland and England that could use a helping hand.
It was not hard for David to find a ship that wanted to take him as working passenger.

He walked the York City Wall, visited the Minster Cathedral and the beautiful York Railway Station.



After a few hour walking, he felt he might like a cup of tea.
He entered a lunchroom, but all tables were occupied.
As a Frenchman, he knew this was a sign of good food, but there was no free table.
A friendly couple looked at him, and invited him to sit with them.
 
"Hello, I am David from France. How are you ?"
"I am Thor and this is my wife Theadora", the man said.
"You are named after Odin, who likes to cut mountains into three pieces with his mountains with his hammer,  kills giants  and travel through the air?" , David asked.



"Oh, not on purpose ", the man laughed. I mean that name. I like the sound of it, some people call me Toro.
I don't smash mountains, but lies and not-logical thinkings" .
"And we came here with a carriage on wheels, no wings "
His wife, Theadora was enjoying a nice pastry with her tea.
"This is the best place of England", she said, taking another piece with her fork.
"A strange name it has:" The Place Before Betty's", but it is great !

"Where are you from, Scotland ?", David guessed.
"No, but you are close. We are from Newcastle upon Tyne, visiting this great city for a few days.
I am a Geordie "
"A Geordie ?", David asked.
"Yes, a nickname for us. Our accent sounds a bit Scottish for foreigners. Through history, our accent is closed to the old Anglo Saxon English compared with Modern English.
Original I am not from Newcastle, I am from another city and I can switch off this dialect easy"
To David's surprise, the man spoke in a manner more sounding from Southern England.

They talked for a while, but David had to be back in Holyhead on time, his ship would sail back to Ireland the next day.
They greeted each other and left the lunchroom.

[Henk]

Emmeline went down to see her father.
She had taken a nice nap after dinner, and had dressed herself as beggar-woman.
Keeping her promise to her friends in the inn to show her outfit for a future role.

The landlord had send a note up to her room from her father.
"I will see you after dinner , I hope ? Dad "

It had been a long day, after her long walk at the waterfront.
Bryan had delivered a speech in the morning about the position of the working man and women in Ireland and the rest of twe world.
Emmeline and most of the guests were not  unsympathetic to the ideas of a fair treatment by the wealthy .
Emmeline had refused to be supported by her father, and was proud of it.

Bryan's speech was not understood very well by anybody.



The relation between Bryan and Emmeline had brought some of the people to her, asking what he meant.
"We heard "Me"and "I" often, and "All power to where it goes". But what did he tell us ?"

"I will ask him, when I see him", Emmeline replied several times.
"Maybe he is tired, he had to work hard yesterday".

Emmeline could not imagine how hard Bryan had worked the day before, till the early hours of this day.



She looked around, but could not discover her father.
All the others were there, and one man she did not know.
She decide to play her role to the full.
At the bottom of the stairs was the entrance to the kitchen.
She entered the kitchen, where the landlady was busy with cooking, for the late suppers.
"Oh my ...", the lady gasped, looking around frightened.
"Shhh, it is me, Emmeline ! Don't worry, I am playing a joke with them. I promised to show myself in costume, I did my make-up too ! "
The lady looked at her, and started to laugh hard.
"You really fooled me there, you naughty !"
"Yes, I remember you making that promise yesterday "
"I will pull their leg. Can I use your backdoor please ?", Emmeline asked.
"Ofcourse, my dear. Go ahead !"

Emmeline walked through the backyard, around the building, coming back in the street.
Some people she knew in this neighbourhood passed her.
For a moment, Emmeline wanted to greet them like usual.
Nobody looked at her, and she knew her disguise was good.
"See if I can fool them, maybe Dad comes in meanwhile.
I hope I can fool him too", she grinned.



She entered the inn through the frontdoor. The men were still having a talk.
She did not see Morgan, which surprised her.
"Dad is always on time, I hope all is well with him ".



The landlady and her husband were both behind the bar now.
He was informed by her, and both were busy cleaning glasses,  awaiting what was coming.
"Could you spare a penny for a poor woman, please ?", she asked the surprised men.
The surprise was big indeed.
The men were all speechless. One of them looked at Joe, who seemed to be too busy with his cleaning, to notice the lady.
What was the matter with Joe ? He was very quick with removing unwanted guests from his premises.
"Joe ?", one of the guests tried to fetch Joe's attention.
"Please, honorable men, please would you spare a penny for a poor woman like me ?", Emmeline asked with the most cracked voice as possible.
"Mmm", one of the men grumbled. "Let's give old granny a penny, she will probably leave after this ".
They all collected some lose change from theri pockets, and gave it to Emmeline.
With a handfull of coins, she walked to the bar, and gave all the money to the couple.
"Give them all a drink, Joe. This one is on me !", she said , using her normal voice.

Great was the consternation, till one of the men asked: "Emmeline, is that you ? "
Emmeline turned around, and took her wig off, and her fake nose.
"Emmeline Harris, nice to meet you all !"
 
"You have done a great job, Emmeline ! You must have that role when it comes up !".

She was invited at the table. She looked at the door, but Morgan was still not coming in.
The man congratulated her, and some of the ladies at the other tables came as well.
One man kep silent, Emmeline was convinced she had seen him before.
"Grafton Street ! You talked with me in Grafton Street !", she remembered.
"Yes, we talked indeed ! You see, I am not the only one who is your admirer here", he laughed.
Emmeline would have liked that comment at another time, but she felt a sting in her heart.
The one man she would have loved to be her admirer here was not present.
And neither was her Dad.
"I just came from another pub, the Black Swan. Could I persuade you to be my guest and go there with me ? "
"I would love to, but I have to change dress first !" , Emmeline replied after a few moments.
Her father had mentioned the Black Swan, it made her curious.
"No, please, don't change ! ", the man asked.
"There are lots of play-writers there, and directors. I would love to introduce you to them".
"OK, I will go like this ", Emmeline decided, putting her nose and wig back on.

All people laughed agian, seeing Emmeline disappear and the old lady coming back.
"Thank you very much for helping an old lady, You are all blessed ", she said with a cracked voice, leaving the pub with Mr. Phoney, as he had introduced himself.

The Black Swan was only a few streets further.
"How strange I don't know this special place yet. Nobody ever talks about it ", she thought.
For a moment she was not sure if she was doing the right thing.
"I don't even know this man".
Mr. Phoney talked about Canada, where his uncle had emigrated a few years ago.
"Maybe I will go to, one day ".
Emmeline listened with one ear, trying to say "yes"and "no" at the right time.

A noise was coming nearer, and before she knew, Mr. Phoney opened a door to a pub.
The noise, the smell of old beer and tobacco, the yelling and screaming. the use of words that Emmeline hated: Emmeline would never forget this moment, and never would she enter a place like this again.
"Are you sure, we are in the right place, Mr. Phoney ? ", she asked .
"There is at least one friend of yours here, Emmeline !".
He took her by her arm, and leaded her to the back of the pub.

Emmeline looked down, and felt her blood leaving her cheeks.
There was Bryan, in a most undesirable postition.



She wanted to scream, but Mr. Phoney pinched her in her side.
"Please, keep quiet for a few moments, I beg you !"

"How is the missis doing, mister ?", Mr Phoney asked Bryan..
Bryan did not really recognise the man he had seen earlier in the week.
"What missis, which missis ? Hundreds of missis, thousands, millions, who cares ! "
Emmeline was feeling ice-cold, and wanted to run away.
But something kep her.
What was this Mr. Phoney doing ?
The rest of Bryan's conversation was hard to understand, because he had a hard time to speak.
But Emmeline did understand.
"One day I will be rich, marrying this wealthy chicken, and I will have all the missises I want, and beer too.
Skip the missis, and keep the beer ! ", Bryan yelled.
There was more to come, but Emmeline knew enough.
"I am leaving", she said , walking away .

Mr. Phoney followed her into the street.
Emmeline walked fast, and did not seem to notice him at first.
"You did this on purpose ! Why did you do this ? ", she asked with an angry voice.
"You would not believe me, otherwise, would you  ? ".
Emmeline was shocked, and looked at Morgan.
"Dad, is that you ? ", she asked, recogizing Morgan's voice.
"Yes, my dearest girl on Earth. I hope you will ever forgive me, one day far in the future ".
"Dad, I should be angry with you, I should run to my bed, and collapse in a dramatic cry, like I have learned to do on stage".
"But you did not", Morgan asked.
"Somehow I knew this moment was coming. I have seen one painting he once made of me, and that is all.
Why was I not allowed to see his other works ?

I don't even hate him. He is out of my heart forever.
I will cry, but not now and here. "
"I understand, Emmeline"
"By the way, Dad "
"Yes ?"
"Who has done your dressing and your face ? He or she who has done it, has done a good job . But you did a good job yourself, I really did not recognize you ! ".
Morgan was glad she sounded cheerfull, but he felt a dark cloud would pass by in the night for Emmeline.
"I promise one thing, Dad", she said.
"Never an artists again for me ! ".

Morgan wished her a good night, and left for his cottage.

Emmeline went upstairs, and after refreshing herself, she looked into the dark night before going into bed.
"Bye Dream ", she whispered.
"But you were alread out there "

[Henk]

Katherine was not able to get a word in edgewise with Helene.
The coming wedding needed all Helene's attention, and Katherine's too.
Helene had become a real bossomfriend of Katherine, and one day she hoped to be at the other side of this.
Helene helping her with her wedding.

A few days were gone by after her last meeting with Dahlia.
Summer was near, and Spring had been very pleasant.
This, and Morgan's frequent phonecalls had helped her to forget about that very unsettling evening with Dahlia.
She would not bother about it to much, till she was able to ask Morgan himself about his meeting with Dahlia.
The day when Morgan and Katherine would be together again was coming near.

"Katherine, what do you think ? " , Helene asked.
"" You would not want to know that !", Katherine replied.
"Haha, you silly", Helene replied.

"I have read so much about the new things in America and Canada in the magazines" ,Helene said.
"Maybe it is an idea to do something new, instead of all those champagne and caviar weddings we French do all the time"
"Like what ?"

"Well, there is that new drink becoming popular , I think I go for that, I have seen the advertisements, they are so elegant ".
"What do you mean ?"

Helene showed her.







"You think so, do you ?", Katherine asked.
This drink had not reached Prince Edward Island yet, when she left, but she had heard about it.
"And what to eat with it, caviar ?".
"As side-dish. There is another thing becoming popular, I want to have that too !".
"What might that be ?".
"Well" , continued Helene, "There is some Louis Lunch wagon where people stand in line for a roll ?"
"A roll ?"
"Yes, a roll with broiled meat in it, and some lettuce and other things. A hamburger they call it."



"Mmm, sounds nice", agreed Katherine.
Both went through the magazine, till Katherine remembered.
"Helene, do you remember those fried potato-sticks we had in Belgium , in the beginning of our trip ? "
"Oh, yes, I do !", Helene remebered well. "French fries they called them. How full we were ".
"I think you better don't eat too much of all this before your wedding, Helene. Your dress might not fit anymore !", Kaherine warned her.
They went outside to have a walk. The darkness would stay away today till the late hours , and the weather was nice.

A severe  thunderstorm appeared just above Katherine's head in an instant.
"I want to have some variation with the music too ", Helene went further.
"I want one of those Waltz-orchestra's like we saw in Vienna "
"Great !", agreed Katherine.
"Waltzing with Morgan, Oh how nice that will be !"
"And I want to have some singers in the beginning, to warm the guests up."
"That is nice too", said Katherine.

"I had a very pleasant eveing yesterday with a very gifted singer and musician. She can sing and play music in a very romantic and enchanting manner . I will ask her to sing for us ! ".



Katherine sat up right in her chair.
"What is her name ?", she asked.
"Dahlia"