Karma (Serapis Classics) E-Book

Algernon Blackwood

• Herausgeber: Serapis Classics
• Kategorie: Fachliteratur
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2017

Seitenzahl: 104

Beschreibung

Blackwood was born in Shooter's Hill (today part of south-east London, but then part of northwest Kent) and educated at Wellington College. His father was a Post Office administrator who, according to Peter Penzoldt, "though not devoid of genuine good-heartedness, had appallingly narrow religious ideas".Blackwood had a varied career, farming in Canada, operating a hotel, as a newspaper reporter in New York City, and, throughout his adult life, an occasional essayist for various periodicals. In his late thirties, he moved back to England and started to write stories of the supernatural. He was very successful, writing at least ten original collections of short stories and eventually appearing on both radio and television to tell them. He also wrote fourteen novels, several children's books, and a number of plays, most of which were produced but not published. He was an avid lover of nature and the outdoors, and many of his stories reflect this. English writer of ghost stories and supernatural fiction, of whom Lovecraft wrote: "He is the one absolute and unquestioned master of weird atmosphere." His powerful story "The Willows," which effectively describes another dimension impinging upon our own, was reckoned by Lovecraft to be not only "foremost of all" Blackwood's tales but the best "weird tale" of all time.

Leseprobe

Published 2017

All rights reserved

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROLOGUE

ACT I

ACT II

ACT III

EPILOGUE

PROLOGUE

PRESENT DAY

CHARACTERS

Phillip Lattin

 (45), British Agent in Egypt.

Mrs. Lattin

, his wife (40), mentally and physically ill; a woman of strong personality and exacting.

The Doctor

, unpretentious, simple in bearing, gentle in manner.

Nurse.

PROLOGUE

Scene—Room in Lattin’s London house. Mrs. Lattin lies on sofa. A picture of Ancient Egypt, showing the Nile, palms and temples on wall easily visible to her.

Time—Present day, evening.

Mrs. Lattin

What time is it, nurse—now?

Nurse

Close on half-past five.

Mrs. Lattin

(With irritability of a sick woman.) Not later? Are you sure? It’s so dark.

Nurse

(Soothingly.) The dusk is closing in; I’ll light your lamp.

Mrs. Lattin

Half-past five, you said? My husband expected to be back before this. Hasn’t he come? The appointment was for half-past two.

Nurse

The Foreign Office takes its time. Mr. Lattin will come to you the moment he gets in.

Mrs. Lattin

You’re sure? I thought I heard his step.

Nurse

I’ll go and see the moment the lamp is lit. But he never forgets. He always comes in here first.

Mrs. Lattin

But he’s so long to-day, longer than usual. And he looked so grave, nurse, when he left. He looked worried, I thought. You noticed it?

Nurse

He is taken up with these politics just now. It’s only natural, considering the crisis in Egypt. But he’s always so in earnest, isn’t he? I noticed nothing unusual. The Government is lucky to have him at such a time. No one could fill his place. (Brings lamp.) There’s the lamp. Is the shading right?

Mrs. Lattin

Fill his place! No, indeed. Phillip understands the natives better than anybody in the world. And the country too (wistfully). If only I could bring myself to go back to Egypt with him. (Irritably.) The light catches my eye there. To the left a little. Now to the right. Thank you.

Nurse

The doctors all agree it’s best not, don’t they? The dry climate——

Mrs. Lattin

It’s not that, nurse. Dryness is what I need—warmth and dryness. It’s something else. Egypt frightens me. I can’t sleep there. Dreams come to me.

Nurse

The doctors said it was the effect of the climate on the nerves.

Mrs. Lattin

Oh, I know. I’d face it if I could—another winter. It means so much to Mr. Lattin, doesn’t it? Nurse! It’s curious—it’s strange, don’t you think—that Mr. Lattin feels nothing of that I feel there? I mean——

Nurse

Hark! I think that’s Mr. Lattin’s step. I’ll go and see.

Mrs. Lattin

It can’t be the new doctor, can it?

Nurse

Dr. Ogilvie? Not yet. Six o’clock he was to come. He won’t be here before his time. These great specialists are busy men.

Mrs. Lattin

(Wearily.) I’ve seen so many doctors. I hardly feel as if I had the strength for a new examination. Dr. Ogilvie will do me no good.

Nurse

Still you will see him. For your husband’s sake.

Mrs. Lattin

Ah, yes, for Phillip’s sake. I think my husband’s coming, nurse.

(Enter Phillip.)

Nurse

Good-evening, Mr. Lattin. Mrs. Lattin is a trifle better. I’ll leave you for a little, but she must not tire herself. We are expecting Dr. Ogilvie at six.

Phillip

I’ll be very careful.

[Nurse exit.

(Phillip comes to his wife.)

Mrs. Lattin

At last, Phillip. I’m so glad you’ve come, dear. I’ve been waiting and longing so. They kept you—but you belong to me, don’t you? You’re tired, poor old thing. Come to me, Phillip—closer. (Stretches out hand.)

Phillip

I am a bit late. I’m sorry, Little Child. They kept me, yes. But you——?

Mrs. Lattin

I’m well enough to listen. You’re back; I forgive you. And it’s all arranged as you wished—as you hoped?

Phillip

Sir George was kindness itself——

Mrs. Lattin

You saw the Foreign Secretary!

Phillip

You didn’t know I was such a big-wig, did you? It is important, you see, dear. The situation out there is complicated. I’ve left them in the lurch a little, and my advice—er—my knowledge, Sir George was good enough to say—at such a time——

Mrs. Lattin

In the lurch, Phillip! How in the lurch? You’re only asking a longer leave than usual.

Phillip

There, there. I don’t want you to worry your dear head with politics. The new doctor will be here any minute now. That’s far more important.

Mrs. Lattin

I would rather know exactly. It doesn’t worry me.

Phillip

It’s all been arranged most satisfactorily, dear; and I’m very pleased. So you’re pleased with me—eh?

Mrs. Lattin

Phillip—what has been arranged?

Phillip

Sir George was most complimentary. The Government would recognise my services—my long services, he called it. He even discussed with me—asked my advice, if you must know the full weight of honour placed upon me!—as to my successor——

Mrs. Lattin

Successor!

Phillip

But, darling, some one must fill my place. There must be a locum tenens, as they say in the church.

Mrs. Lattin

You’ve—resigned!

Phillip

Dear one, there was no other way. It’s a formality, you see. I can always take it up again where I left it off. Our man in Egypt—just now—must be there. He must be on the spot, of course——

Mrs. Lattin

But six months’ leave! Surely, six months’ leave——

Phillip

Means the entire winter. There, there, Little Child, it’s nothing. You must not exaggerate like this. What is my work in Egypt compared to being with you. The doctors forbid you to go out. It’s quite simple: I prefer to stay with you. My world lies in your heart. I—I can always take up the work again when—when you’re better.

Mrs. Lattin

Resigned, resigned! You have actually resigned. Your career—I have broken your career—at last—completely. Is it wrong, then, that I need you so?

Phillip

Hush, dearest——

Mrs. Lattin

You have paid this tremendous price—and I have made you pay it.

Phillip

I wish to be always with you. That is my only wish, my only happiness.

Mrs. Lattin

For my sake you have sacrificed——

Phillip

It’s I who am selfish to tire you with all this stupid Government business. There, now; you’ve talked too much and I have done you harm. There’s only happiness in my heart. No more nonsense-talk about sacrifice. You must lie quiet and rest again. I can be always with you.

Mrs. Lattin

Yes, to the end—my end and yours. O God! Why did I not understand before?

Phillip

You must not speak like that. Love—our love—knows no end.

Mrs. Lattin

Oh, I am miserable, Phillip, miserable, miserable.

Phillip

Please, do not say such things.

Mrs. Lattin

But I must, I must. My selfishness has brought you to this last renouncement. Egypt has meant so much to you.

Phillip

Too much, Mary, too much. Egypt was coming between us.

Mrs. Lattin

Your work there, the great work I have ruined…! Egypt meant home to you.

Phillip

Home is where you are, dearest, and nowhere else. You have taught me this—in time. (To himself.) Egypt! Ah, Egypt!

Mrs. Lattin

I hate it. It terrifies me. There is pain for me in Egypt. An instinctive dread comes over me always—something from very far away. I have struggled against it, for your sake, but—oh, it’s so, so strong. If only you could forgive me——!

Phillip

Hush, dearest!

Mrs. Lattin

But it has come between us. You love it so. And it’s my fault that you can’t—your career, I mean——

Phillip

Dear one, whatever is, is right. There is nothing to regret. Egypt, indeed, has drawn me strangely. There is some power out there—a spiritual power—that has cast a glamour over me. It has been a passion with me.

Mrs. Lattin

My instinctive terror!

Phillip

And my instinctive love!

[They glance together in silence at a great picture above the bed—an Egyptian night-scene, with stars and Nile.

Yes … yes … strange indeed! From my earliest days it drew me. Those palms and temples, that majestic desert——!

Mrs. Lattin

Phillip, don’t! Those stars, that river bring me sadness—immense regret. I feel them always rising over me. They watch me!

Phillip

Forgive me. It was the marvellous beauty took me. I——

Mrs. Lattin

But it’s an unearthly beauty. And something in it—lost. It’s lost to you. And I—oh, but I do love you so; for ever and ever you are mine—aren’t you?

[He stoops and kisses her. She half rises, whispering:

Phillip, dearest—something strange comes over me. I see a lifting of this heavy English sky. I have been through this before—I have done this very thing before—long, long ago—injured you somehow! Oh, Phillip, can it be that we have lived before—pre-existence—is it true? (Sinks back.) I think … I think I must be near to … death!

Phillip

Hush, hush, my darling. These are sick fancies only. Your brain is tired. We must not talk like this.

Mrs. Lattin

I am tired, yes; but it is my soul that aches and not my body. Phillip, I want your forgiveness.

Phillip

There is nothing to forgive. I love you.

Mrs. Lattin

(Spiritually tortured and perplexed.) I want your real forgiveness—before I go. I have been suffering deeply, deeply. Curtains have been rising. I almost see. Something seems growing clearer to me. I’ve done wrong somewhere! Why have I pulled against you all these years—against your work? It cannot be my love that is at fault. You’re wholly mine—and yet I want your forgiveness somehow——

Phillip

(Deep patience.) All the love and forgiveness in the world I give you, Little Child. But you ask for what was always yours.

Mrs. Lattin

Your broken mission. You alone have the strength and patience Egypt needs. I have ruined all, all, all!

Phillip

There! I forgive you, then. (Kisses her.) I forgive you all, all, all. But please calm yourself. This excitement does you harm. You torment yourself for nothing. It is I who have been, and am, the egoist. All men who think their work is a mission are shameless egoists.

Mrs. Lattin