Colin sat entranced, his memory busy with a problem. Could he
distinguish the scents of apple-trees among the perfumes of the Rim of
the Mist. For the moment he thought he could. He was roused by Medway's
voice asking the story of the writing.
"Oh, it's just some nonsense that was running in my head, so I wrote it
down to see what it was."
"But you must have been reading. A new exercise for you, Colin!"
"No, I wasn't reading. Look here. You know the sort of pictures you make
for yourself of places you like."
"Rather! Mine is a Yorkshire moor with a little red shooting-box in the
heart of it."
"Well, mine is different. Mine is a sort of beach with a sea and a lot
of islands somewhere far out. It is a jolly place, fresh, you know, and
blowing, and smells good. 'Pon my word, now I think of it, there's
always been a scent of apples."
"Sort of cider-press? Well, I must be off. You'd better come round to
the club and see the telegrams about the war. _You_ should be keen
about it."
One evening, a week later, Medway met a friend called Tillotson at the
club, and, being lonely, they dined together. Tillotson was a man of
some note in science, a dabbler in psychology, an amateur historian, a
ripe genealogist. They talked of politics and the war, of a new book, of
Mrs Runnymede, and finally of their hobbies.
"I am writing an article," said Tillotson. "Craikes asked me to do it
for the 'Monthly.' It's on a nice point in psychics. I call it 'The
Transmission of Fallacies,' but I do not mean the logical kind. The
question is, Can a particular form of hallucination run in a family for
generations? The proof must, of course, come from my genealogical
studies. I maintain it can. I instance the Douglas-Ernotts, not one of
whom can see straight with the left eye. That is one side. In another
class of examples I take the Drapiers, who hate salt water and never go
on board ship if they can help it. Then you remember the Durwards? Old
Lady Balcrynie used to tell me that no one of the lot could ever stand
the sight of a green frock. There's a chance for the romancer. The
Manor-waters have the same madness, only their colour is red."
A vague remembrance haunted Medway's brain.
"I know a man who might give you points from his own case. Did you ever
meet a chap Raden--Colin Raden?"
Tillotson nodded. "Long chap--in the Guards? 'Varsity oar, and used to
be a crack bowler? No, I don't know him. I know him well by sight, and I
should like to meet him tremendously--as a genealogist, of course."
"Why?" asked Medway.
"Why? Because the man's family is unique. You never hear much about them
nowadays, but away up in that north-west corner of Scotland they have
ruled since the days of Noah. Why, man, they were aristocrats when our
Howards and Nevilles were greengrocers. I wish you would get this Raden
to meet me some night."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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