MIST Story Review: Strange by Richmal Crompton

Strange is a short story published in MIST and other stories, recently republished as MIST and Other Ghost Stories.


Synopsis

We begin with Gregory, our hero, telling an unnamed character that one of the strangest things that had ever happened to him, had happened at Tallis Court, the home of his wife's parents.

Gregory, an artist, was engaged to Nina, the daughter of Sir and Lady Lennox; the owners of Tallis Court. He had gone there to spend a week with Nina, when her brother announced that he had invited someone outside of the "small and unelastic" visiting list. His mother was uncertain about this admission from Gerald, but the new visitor, a man named Strange was soon admitted into the house and announced. Strange spent longer looking at Nina and Gregory than the others present.

Gregory was attempting to keep Ninas interest by giving her an update about the house they were building for their married life, and a chest with a secret lock. However, Strange had not only captivated those he was overtly speaking to, but also Nina who Gregory was sure he was trying to gain the attention of. After Strange's story about his time in Greece, everyone in attendance was enamoured, enthralled, and enraptured by this newcomer.

Not only was Strange a social chameleon, becoming a sportsman, a scholar, an eternal child in want of mothering, or a practial joker; he was a multi-talented muscian, with the whole party hypnotised and motionless at every note he played.

The only thing Strange won't do is attend the shoot. Even when he sees those partaking on their return, he displays no look of recognition and changes his path to avoid them. The only problem is, he is taken with Nina. It seems that Nina has no power or choice in this, enthralled by Strange as she is. Gregory struggles to fight for her, as he too, is taken by the mystique of Strange.

Gregory watches Strange and Nina play tennis, equating it to making love. He watches as they become closer. Lady Lennox asks her son to invite Strange to stay longer than a week as "A week is so soon over".

After tennis, Strange asks Gregory if Miss Nina is his fiancee, displaying an offensive grin. As Gregory nods, Strange retorts "I shouldn't have guessed it".

The night-time scene, with Strange so beautifully playing Pan's pipes, triggers the end of this dream-like week. Gregory sees, in the moonlight, that Strange has pointed ears - generally hidden by his curly hair. A cold thrill of horror creeps over him, understanding how Strange could charm a soul. Nina, wearing a white silk wrap, goes to join Strange and dances; gliding through the garden.

Gregory joins, telling Nina to return to her bedroom. But this command alone isn't why she returns, Strange has released her. Gregory pleads with Strange to cease playing.

Strange replies with "You've spoilt it, it's no fun". Strange is frustrated that Gregory didn't respond with violence. He becomes saddened that Gregory has seen that he has brought Gregory "something", this something is what others have never seen.

Strange is gone the next morning. All, including Gregory, are saddened. Nina wonders if he came at all, or if it was all just a dream. The final sentence reveals that it was true as Pan's pipes are heard in the distance.



Review


This is a story that is so different to any I'd read in the past. It was interesting to read, but sadly didn't have much of an effect. Whether Strange was real or not, in the end, didn't seem to matter. There are always people in life that take prime importance, for a short time, in the life of our beloved. However, these people, however charming, are often found to be hollow - emotional tourists - who either vanish or become less than nothing in time.

Unfortunately, in this one, I felt that Crompton didn't capture my interest. This creature (Pan himself?) wanted to cause trouble, but didn't succeed. Gregory couldn't muster the required strength to fight for his love, but somehow ended up married to her anyway. What was it that I missed? Why did Strange relent so easily; perhaps without a fight there was no point? Perhaps I need to read this story again after I've had time to digest it.

To read the story, and the rest of the book, buy it from Amazon by clicking the cover below:

Radio Play: The Mystery of the Elms

The only known remaining complete recording of a Just William radio play is the 1947 "The Mystery of the Elms". The play was adapted from The Mystery of Oaklands, which appeared as the first story in "William" (10.1) .

The play, number 55 of 99, and episode 20 of series two, was first broadcast on 4 February 1947.The script for the play, which was written by Richmal Crompton, appears in volume three of David Shutte's books on the William plays for radio.

William was played by John Clark in this episode, as he was for the first 61 episodes.


In the story, William and Ginger, are discussing being detectives, like from the mystery books, and sussing out if a murder has taken place. Of course, they hear Colonel Messiter's house and hear him having an animated discussion with his niece, Jenny. The Colonel is saying that the gardener needs to get what's coming to him. While William and Ginger return to their homes for lunch, the Colonel speaks to his gardener, who he is displeased with as he hasn't touched the rhubard yet. He discovers that the gardener's mother is due for an operation and has his thoughts elsewhere. The Colonel sends the gardener off to be with his mother.

Upon their return, William and Ginger, at this time joined by Violet Elizabeth, cannot find the gardener anywhere. William decides he will dress up as the gardener and confront the Colonel and say "Do you know me", with Ginger saying that anything the Colonel says will be taken in reference against him.

The three children are taken for burgalars in Benson, the gardener's cottage. The Colonel and others go to confront them. Seeing the mess that the children have made, take the cottage as being ransacked int he search for Benson's money. William and Ginger enact their confrontation at the Colonel opens the bedroom door. Many voices speak over each other as the scene descends into chaos and the play ends.

I've embedded the play below, for your listening pleasure:


A short video of John Clark around the time he was playing William Brown has been made available by British Pathé and I have embedded it below:

MIST Story Review: The Bronze Statuette

The Bronze Statuette is the first in a collection of stories that is part of MIST and other stories, recently republished as MIST and Other Ghost Stories.

Synopsis
The Bronze Statuette is a short story that revolves around Marian Hastings. Prior to the events at Denvers House, Mariam was shown to be a largely undeveloped woman. She enjoyed house parties, playing tennis, and exchanging below average wit with her fiance, Harold Menzies.
After Marian and friends arrive at Denvers, Lord Cranburn showed the party a "little bronze statue" which represented a young god. Marian accepts the offer to hold the statue and seems to have become entranced by the object, asking for Lord Cranburn to leave it in the room when he returns to his study.
At this point Marian is a changed woman, by turns silent and happy, but a shrill that was forced and sounded hysterical. She would not let Harold kiss her that night and later, Lord Cranburn, discovers her back in the smoking room, holding the statue. "What are you doing with my statue, Miss Hastings?" he saids, in a low and gentle voice so different from her own, she replied "It's not yours - it's mine  -it's always been mine!".
The next morning the party visit the temple of Apollo at the end of the garden, which Lord Cranburn had brought brick by brick back from Greece - all apart from Mariam, who ragged and screamed at her friends before they left - an odd turn of events for a social lamb. She sits pretending to read, all the while gazing at the small greenish-bronze statue. That night she breaks off her engagement, without reason, with Harold.
Harold, understandably upset, is staring out of his window that night. He sees "a gold cloak slipping round the corner of the house". He recognises the cloak as Marian's. He follows her through a torrent of rain and lightning. She stops in front of the temple, speaks words of which we only receive broken fragments, apart from "Apollo".
We hear the final moments from Harold, at a later time, while talking to Cynthia, who he would marry a year later. He says that there was a flash of lightning, but he doesn't think it was lightning; rather a figure, which hovered over her. She seemed to have raised her arms and face to it. But this is all we receive, Harold cannot describe the rest, even to his dying day. Cynthia feels that it was very sad for Mariam, but Lord Cranburn simply replies "Was it?, I wonder".


Review
What I enjoyed about this story was the fullness in which the situation is set up in such a short story (seven pages) and the unreliable description of how it all ends. Mariam quickly turns from a happy-go-lucky girl, going with the flow; to an angry loner who only has eyes for this mysterious object that has suddenly entered her life. We are left to think what we like about this situation. We can go with the supernatural, or we could consider that Mariam is having a mental health episode - one that ends with disasterious consequences.

To read the story, and the rest of the book, buy it from Amazon by clicking the cover below: