Book 3 — THE LIGHTING OF THE CANDLE. (continued 2)
Reading edition
A small, unclean, and insistent hand is tugging at her skirt, and Miss Carr, swaying unsteadily beneath the burden of a bulky and tattered volume, claims her attention.
"Show me pictures," she commands.
She and her tome are hoisted up, and the exposition begins.
"Where did you find this book, Beloved?" inquires Daphne. The book is an ancient copy of the 'Pilgrim's Progress,' and we have encountered it once before in this narrative.
"Over there," replies Beloved, indicating the bottom shelf of a bookcase with a pudgy thumb—"under ze 'Gwaphics.' What's ze name of that genelman?"
To Miss Carr distinctions of caste are as yet unknown. In her eyes every member of the opposite sex, from the alien who calls on Thursdays with a hurdy-gurdy to the knight-in-armour who keeps eternal vigil in the outer hall, is a "genelman." Even if you are emitting flames from your stomach, as in the present instance, you are not debarred from the title.
Daphne surveys the picture in a reminiscent fashion, and her thoughts go back to a distant Sunday morning at the Rectory, with her youngest brother kneeling on the floor, endeavouring to verify a pictorial reference in this very volume.
"What is he doin' to the other genelman?" continues the searcher after knowledge upon her knee, in a concerned voice.
"He is trying to hurt him, dear."
"What for?"
So the inexorable, immemorial catechism goes on, to be answered with infinite patience and surprising resource. Presently the cycle of inquiry completes itself, and the original question crops out once more.
"What did you say was ze name of that genelman?" with a puckered, frowning effort at remembrance.
"Apollyon, dear."
"Oh." Then the inquirer strikes a fresh note.
"Do you know him?"
"I used to," replies Daphne. "At least," she adds, "I used to know some one who I thought was like him. But his name turned out not to be Apollyon after all."
"What was his name, then—his pwoper name?" pursues Miss Carr, deeply intrigued.
Daphne turns to another illustration, coming much later in the book, and surveys it with shining eyes.
"His proper name, Beloved?" she asks.
"Yes. What was it?"
"Mr Greatheart," says Daphne softly.