Cumnock School - Chronicle Yearbook (Los Angeles, CA)

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L I T E R A T U R E Herbert didn't see the danger, but Lionel did. There was only one thing left to do. It wasn't so hard as before. The down hill grade is easy. Lionel sneezed again. He did it again. He sneezed. It was Lionel I Herbert was almost hys- terical. But-- Yes, he did. He's catching cold in that rumble seat. It's all my fault. I shouldn't let him ride there. Oh, Lydia! What shall I do? I suppose, she said with a smooth sarcasm, that you want that dog here and want me to sit in the rumble. Would you? Missing the irony, he wrung her hand gratefully. Oh, Lydia! Lionel will be so thankful. There would have been one of those awful reverberating silences, had not Herbert reached for the emergency brake to bring the great red roadster to an abrupt stop. Lionel was silently holding his breath and waiting for an explosion. Lydia was seething with a quiet white heat. Herbert was merely oblivious. Lionel and Lydia changed seats without a word. As the car started a gentle breeze fanned her. ln a voice too low to be audible, Lydia swore. The gentle wind wafted her words back to her face, and ever so slowly the rouge began to peel. ll There are times when our guardian angels have problems of their own and cannot be disturbed by mundane matters. During these times we may find ourselves in unaccountably great amounts of trouble, for the fates have deserted us while they go on little fliers of their own. Lionel had decided to spend a week in the mountains. Matters more weighty than human relations were occupying LioneI's mind, philosophical and intellectual they were: but his only relaxation came in concentrated study, and he spent his vacations in deep reflection. How- ever, from the purely practical viewpoint, it would have been better if Lionel had forgone his intellectual pleasures for the benefit of Herbert. When Lionel returned he was somewhat ta-ken aback to find Herbert married to Lydia. Stoical resignation, Lionel realized, is all very well in its placeg he firmly believed, however, that its place is merely the hiatus between action and reaction. He decided to make the best of it for the time being. Herbert, of course, was completely out of control, being ruled by an- 78

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L l T E R A T U R E 4' Adore what, Herbert? You don't mean- Why, mathematics. Well, if you don't mean mathematics, Herbert, what DO you mean? You said you adore something. Let me guess what it is. Do let me guess, Herbert? I'd rather not, he confused himself a little more. Why, you bashful boy! Then l'll just have to tell you myself. He looked a little helpless. The harpoon was poised, but the blow was not driven home. lt was halted by a sharp sound from the rumble seat. Lionel had sneezed. When we say that Lionel sneezed, we mean some- thing historic like Socrates drank the hemlockf' or the famous words of Nathan Hale. There was so much of the fine, so much of the dignified in Lionel that the very thought of a sneeze in public disgusted his finer sensi- bilities. Nevertheless, Linoel sneezed, blasting his dignity to bits in order to save a friend. Noble. Did you hear that? The drowning man clutched at the sneeze. Hear what? That sneeze. Lionel sneezed. He sneezed, Lydia. Oh, the dogf' Her back hair flew up ever so slightly. Hope he isn't is catching cold or anything. Now, l was-- Coldl Oh, dear, maybe he is. He has such a delicate constitution. We don't get much exercise, we both have delicate constitutions. Surely not a cold! lt might be fatal, Lydia. Think of it, fatal. Oh, my poor Lionel! Now, don't distress yourself, dear. Lionel will be all right. If he gets sick, l'll take care of him. Tell me, did Lionel ever have a mother? Why-er-no, he looked troubled. I don't think he did. That's just what you need, Herbert. Both you and Lionel need the care of a fine woman. Why, yes, he began to agree. 'l see what you mean. l think we need a governess of something. Oh, not a governess, silly boy. She made the point delicately. Not only someone to take care of you, but someone to care for you l Yes, yes, of course. l think so. Not so much for me, really, as for Lionel. I must think of Lionel, you know. But who would want to care for us? Did you ask me that? she smiled. Of course l asked you. 77

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L I T E R A T U R E 4' bert turned green. We had seen Lionel standing at the door, he must have overheard the conversation. This would be the end. Lionel, wal-king into the room, looked at Lydia, she smiled. This was, of course, unpardonable. He looked at Herbert, Herbert looked at his shoes. Lionel turned to the fireplace and paced up and down for a moment in deep thought, attempting to reach a judgment. Herbert looked sheepishly at Lydia. We'd better sit down, Lydia, he suggested in a tremulous voice. What for? she inquired innocently. Let's sit down, Lydia, he repeated, a trifle more insistantly. Somewhat bewildered, she obeyed. He fell into a chair beside her, and grasped her hand. Then Lionel turned. He looked at them carefully, seeming to weigh and study them. Clearing his throat in a judicial manner, he gazed steadily at Herbert. Then he shook his head. Herbert quickly withdrew his hand from Lydia's. The die had been cast. Even Lydia began to sense something. It almost seemed as if she had been judged and found wanting. But Lydia had heard of the court of appeals. You act so strangely, Herbert. Are you ill? The appeal was not granted, for the judge shook his head gravely. And that dog. He acts so queerly. ls he mad? Herbert shrank from her. You act strangely, too. Are you crazy, Herbert? You've been work- ing too hard. And that dog . . . you must get rid of that dog. Do you hear me, Herbert? You must get rid of that dog. Herbert gulped a couple of times, You don't know what you're saying Lydia, he managed to gasp. You seemed to like him a few moments ago. I refuse to stay in the same house with him, she flared. Lionel looked at Herbert, and then significantly at the door. The mar' tried to protest, but it was useless. You must choose, Lydia played her trump card confidently, between that beast and me. I will not have him acting as though he owns the place. I will not tolerate him any longer. Herbert, you must choose between that dog and your wife. The melodrama bored Lionel. He had spent a strenuous day of con- templation and was in need of rest. He fixed Herbert with a steady eye. Sl