XIII + 

The film had been finished, and everyone had gone away; Wesley and Whitefield, Bishop Philpotts and Miss La Touche, Mr.┬аIsaacs, and all his pupils from the National Academy of Cinematographic Art. The park lay deep in snow, a clean expanse of white, shadowless and unspotted save for tiny broad arrows stamped by the hungry birds. The bellringers were having their final practice, and the air was alive with pealing bells. + 

Inside the dining-room Florin and Mrs.┬аFlorin and Ada, the fifteen-year-old housemaid, were arranging branches of holly above the frames of the family portraits. Florin held the basket, Mrs.┬аFlorin held the steps and Ada put the decorations in their places. Colonel Blount was having his afternoon nap upstairs. + 

Florin had a secret. It was a white calico banner of great age lettered in red ribbon with the words тАЬWelcome Home.тАЭ He had always known where it was, just where to put his hand on it, at the top of the black trunk in the far attic behind the two hip baths and the cello case. + 

тАЬThe ColonelтАЩs mother made it,тАЭ he explained, тАЬwhen he first went away to school, and it was always hung out in the hall whenever he and Mister Eric came back for the holidays. It used to be the first thing heтАЩd look for when he came into the houseтБатАФeven when he was a grown man home on leave. тАШWhereтАЩs my banner?тАЩ heтАЩd say. WeтАЩll have it up for Miss NinaтБатАФMrs.┬аLittlejohn, I should say.тАЭ + 

Ada said should they put some holly in Captain and Mrs.┬аLittlejohnтАЩs bedroom. + 

Mrs.┬аFlorin said, whoever heard of holly in a bedroom, and she wasnтАЩt sure but that it was unlucky to take it upstairs. + 

Ada said, тАЬWell, perhaps just a bit of mistletoe over the bed.тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аFlorin said Ada was too young to think about things like that, and she ought to be ashamed of herself. + 

Florin said would Ada stop arguing and answering back and come into the hall to put up the banner. One string went on the nose of the rhinoceros, he explained, the other round the giraffe. + 

Presently Colonel Blount came down. + 

тАЬShould I light the fires in the big drawing-room?тАЭ asked Mrs.┬аFlorin. + 

тАЬFires in the big drawing-room? No, why should you want to do that, Mrs.┬аFlorin?тАЭ + 

тАЬBecause of Captain and Mrs.┬аLittlejohnтБатАФyou havenтАЩt forgotten, have you, sir, that theyтАЩre coming to stay this afternoon?тАЭ + 

тАЬCaptain and Mrs.┬аFiddlesticks. Never heard of them. Who asked them to stay I should like to know? I didnтАЩt. DonтАЩt know who they are. DonтАЩt want them.тБатАКтБатАж Besides, now I come to think of it, Miss Nina and her husband said they were coming down. I canтАЩt have the whole house turned into an hotel. If these people come, Florin, whoever they are, you tell them to go away. You understand? I wonтАЩt have them, and I think itтАЩs very presumptuous of whoever asked them. It is not their place to invite guests here without consulting me.тАЭ + 

тАЬShould I be lighting the fires in the big drawing-room for Miss Nina and her young gentleman, sir?тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, yes, certainlyтБатАКтБатАж and a fire in their bedroom, of course. And, Florin, I want you to come down to the cellar with me to look out some portтБатАКтБатАж IтАЩve got the keys here.тБатАКтБатАж I have a feeling IтАЩm going to like Miss NinaтАЩs husband,тАЭ he confided on their way to the cellar. тАЬI hear very good reports of himтБатАФa decent, steady young fellow, and not at all badly off. Miss Nina said in her letter that he used to come over here as a little boy. DтАЩyou remember him, Florin? Blest if I do.тБатАКтБатАж WhatтАЩs the name again?тАЭ + 

тАЬLittlejohn, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes. Littlejohn, to be sure. I had the name on the tip of my tongue only a minute ago. Littlejohn. I must remember that.тАЭ + 

тАЬHis father used to live over at Oakshott, sir. A very wealthy gentleman. Shipowners, I think they were. Young Mr.┬аLittlejohn used to go riding with Miss Nina, sir. Regular little monkey he was, sir, redheadedтБатАКтБатАж a terrible one for cats.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell, well, I dare say heтАЩs grown out of that. Mind the step, Florin, itтАЩs all broken away. Hold the lamp higher, canтАЩt you, man. Now, what did we come for? Port, yes, port. Now, thereтАЩs some тАЩ96 somewhere, only a few bottles left. What does it say on this bin? I canтАЩt read. Bring the light over here.тАЭ + 

тАЬWe drank up the last of the тАЩ96, sir, when the film-acting gentlemen was here.тАЭ + 

тАЬDid we, Florin, did we? We shouldnтАЩt have done that, you know.тАЭ + 

тАЬVery particular about his wine, Mr.┬аIsaacs was. My instructions was to give them whatever they wanted.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, but тАЩ96 port.тБатАКтБатАж Well, well. Take up two bottles of the тАЩ04. Now, what else do we want? ClaretтБатАФyes, claret. Claret, claret, claret, claret. Where do I keep the claret, Florin?тАЭ + 

Colonel Blount was just having teaтБатАФhe had finished a brown boiled egg and was spreading a crumpet with honeyтБатАФwhen Florin opened the library door and announced тАЬCaptain and Mrs.┬аLittlejohn, sir.тАЭ + 

And Adam and Nina came in. + 

Colonel Blount put down his crumpet and rose to greet them. + 

тАЬWell, Nina, itтАЩs a long time since you came to see your old father. So this is my son-in-law, eh? How do you do, my boy. Come and sit down, both of you. Florin will bring some more cups directly.тБатАКтБатАж Well,тАЭ he said, giving Adam a searching glance, тАЬI canтАЩt say I should have recognized you. I used to know your father very well indeed at one time. Used to be a neighbour of mine over at where-was-it. I expect youтАЩve forgotten those days. You used to come over here to ride with Nina. You canтАЩt have been more than ten or eleven.тБатАКтБатАж Funny, something gave me an idea you had red hairтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬI expect youтАЩd heard him called тАШGinger,тАЩтАКтАЭ said Nina, тАЬand that made you think of it.тАЭ + 

тАЬSomething of the kind, I dare sayтБатАКтБатАж extraordinary thing to call him тАШGingerтАЩ when heтАЩs got ordinary fair hairтБатАКтБатАж anyway, IтАЩm very glad to see you, very glad. IтАЩm afraid itтАЩll be a very quiet weekend. We donтАЩt see many people here now. Florin says heтАЩs asked a Captain and Mrs.┬аSomething-or-other to come and stay, damn his impudence, but I said I wouldnтАЩt see them. Why should I entertain FlorinтАЩs friends? Servants seem to think after theyтАЩve been with you some time they can do anything they like. There was poor old Lady Graybridge, nowтБатАФthey only found out after her death that her man had been letting lodgings all the time in the North Wing. She never could understand why none of the fruit ever came into the dining-roomтБатАФthe butler and his boarders were eating it all in the servantsтАЩ hall. And after she was ill, and couldnтАЩt leave her room, he laid out a golf links in the parkтБатАКтБатАж shocking state of affairs. I donтАЩt believe Florin would do a thing like thatтБатАФstill, you never know. ItтАЩs the thin edge of the wedge asking people down for the weekend.тАЭ + 

In the kitchen Florin said: тАЬThatтАЩs not the Mr.┬аLittlejohn I used to know.тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аFlorin said, тАЬItтАЩs the young gentleman that came here to luncheon last month.тАЭ + 

Ada said, тАЬHeтАЩs very nice looking.тАЭ + 

Florin and Mrs.┬аFlorin said, тАЬYou be quiet, Ada. Have you taken the hot water up to their bedroom yet? Have you taken up their suitcases? Have you unpacked them? Did you brush the ColonelтАЩs evening suit? Do you expect Mr.┬аFlorin and Mrs.┬аFlorin to do all the work of the house? And look at your apron again, you wretched girl, if it isnтАЩt the second youтАЩve dirtied today.тАЭ + 

Florin added, тАЬAnyway, Miss Nina noticed the banner.тАЭ + 

In the library Colonel Blount said, тАЬIтАЩve got a treat for you tonight, anyway. The last two reels of my cinema film have just come back from being developed. I thought weтАЩd run through it tonight. We shall have to go across to the Rectory, because the rectorтАЩs got electric light, the lucky fellow. I told him to expect us. He didnтАЩt seem very pleased about it. Said he had to preach three sermons tomorrow, and be up at six for early service. ThatтАЩs not the Christmas spirit. DidnтАЩt want to bring the car round to fetch us either. ItтАЩs only a matter of a quarter of a mile, no trouble to him, and how can we walk in the snow carrying all the apparatus? I said to him, тАШIf you practised a little more Christianity yourself we might be more willing to subscribe to your foreign missions and Boy Scouts and organ funds.тАЩ Had him there. Dammit, I put the man in his job myselfтБатАФif I havenтАЩt a right to his car, who has?тАЭ + 

When they went up to change for dinner Nina said to Adam, тАЬI knew papa would never recognize you.тАЭ + 

Adam said, тАЬLook, someoneтАЩs put mistletoe over our bed.тАЭ + 

тАЬI think you gave the Florins rather a surprise.тАЭ + 

тАЬMy dear, what will the Rector say? He drove me to the station the first time I came. He thought I was mad.тАЭ + 

тАЬтАж┬аPoor Ginger. I wonder, are we treating him terribly badly?тБатАКтБатАж It seemed a direct act of fate that he should have been called up to join his regiment just at this moment.тАЭ + 

тАЬI left him a cheque to pay for you.тАЭ + 

тАЬDarling, you know itтАЩs a bad one.тАЭ + 

тАЬNo cheque is bad until itтАЩs refused by the bank. TomorrowтАЩs Christmas, then Boxing Day, then Sunday. He canтАЩt pay it in until Monday, and anything may have happened by then. The drunk Major may have turned up. If the worst comes to the worst I can always send you back to him.тАЭ + 

тАЬI expect it will end with that.тБатАКтБатАж Darling, the honeymoon was hellтБатАКтБатАж frightfully cold, and Ginger insisted on walking about on a terrace after dinner to see the moon on the MediterraneanтБатАФhe played golf all day, and made friends with the other English people in the hotel. I canтАЩt tell you what it was likeтБатАКтБатАж too spirit-crushing, as poor Agatha used to say.тАЭ + 

тАЬDid I tell you I went to AgathaтАЩs funeral? There was practically no one there except the Chasms and some aunts. I went with Van, rather tight, and got stared at. I think they felt I was partly responsible for the accidentтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬWhat about Miles?тАЭ + 

тАЬHeтАЩs had to leave the country, didnтАЩt you know?тАЭ + 

тАЬDarling, I only came back from my honeymoon today. I havenтАЩt heard anything.тБатАКтБатАж You know there seems to be none of us left now except you and me.тАЭ + 

тАЬAnd Ginger.тАЭ + 

тАЬYes, and Ginger.тАЭ + 

The cinematograph exhibition that evening was not really a success. + 

The Rector arrived while they were finishing dinner, and was shown into the dining-room shaking the snow from the shoulders of his overcoat. + 

тАЬCome in, Rector, come in. We shanтАЩt be many minutes now. Take a glass of port and sit down. YouтАЩve met my daughter, havenтАЩt you? And this is my new son-in-law.тАЭ + 

тАЬI think IтАЩve had the pleasure of meeting him before too.тАЭ + 

тАЬNonsense, first time heтАЩs been here since he was so highтБатАФlong before your time.тАЭ + 

The Rector sipped his port and kept eyeing Adam over the top of his glass in a way which made Nina giggle. Then Adam giggled too, and the RectorтАЩs suspicions were confirmed. In this way relations were already on an uneasy basis before they reached the Rectory. The Colonel, however, was far too intent over the transport of his apparatus to notice anything. + 

тАЬThis is your first visit here?тАЭ said the Rector as he drove through the snow. + 

тАЬI lived near here as a boy, you know,тАЭ said Adam. + 

тАЬAhтБатАКтБатАж but you were down here the other day, were you not? The Colonel often forgets things.тБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬNo, no. I havenтАЩt been here for fifteen years.тАЭ + 

тАЬI see,тАЭ said the Rector with sinister emphasis, and murmured under his breath, тАЬRemarkableтБатАКтБатАж very sad and remarkable.тАЭ + 

The RectorтАЩs wife was disposed to make rather a party of it, and had arranged some coffee and chocolate biscuits in the drawing-room, but the Colonel soon put an end to any frivolity of this kind by plunging them all in darkness. + 

He took out the bulbs of their electric lights and fitted in the plug of his lantern. A bright beam shot across the drawing-room like a searchlight, picking out the Rector, who was whispering in his wifeтАЩs ear the news of his discovery. + 

тАЬтАж┬аthe same young man I told you of,тАЭ he was saying. тАЬQuite off his head, poor boy. He didnтАЩt even remember coming here before. One expects that sort of thing in a man of the ColonelтАЩs age, but for a young man like thatтБатАКтБатАж a very bad look out for the next generationтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

The Colonel paused in his preparation. + 

тАЬI say, Rector, IтАЩve just thought of something. I wish old Florin were here. He was in bed half the time they were taking the film. I know heтАЩd love to see it. Could you be a good chap and run up in the car and fetch him?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, really, Colonel, I hardly think thatтАЩs necessary. IтАЩve just put the car away.тАЭ + 

тАЬI wonтАЩt start before you come back, if thatтАЩs what youтАЩre thinking of. ItтАЩll take me some time to get everything fixed up. WeтАЩll wait for you. I promise you that.тАЭ + 

тАЬMy dear Colonel, itтАЩs snowing heavilyтБатАФpractically a blizzard. Surely it would be a mistaken kindness to drag an elderly man out of doors on a night like this in order to see a film which, I have no doubt, will soon be on view all over the country?тАЭ + 

тАЬAll right, Rector, just as you think best. I only thought after all it is ChristmasтБатАКтБатАж damn the thing; I got a nasty shock then.тАЭ + 

Adam and Nina and the Rector and his wife sat in the dark patiently. After a time the Colonel unrolled a silvered screen. + 

тАЬJust help me take all these things off the chimneypiece someone,тАЭ he said. + 

The RectorтАЩs wife scuttered to the preservation of her ornaments. + 

тАЬWill it bear, do you think?тАЭ asked the Colonel, mounting precariously on the top of the piano, and exhibiting in his excitement an astonishing fund of latent vitality. тАЬNow hand up the screen to me, will you? ThatтАЩs splendid. You donтАЩt mind a couple of screws in your wall, do you, Rector? Quite small ones.тАЭ + 

Presently the screen was fixed and the lens directed so that it threw on to it a small square of light. + 

The audience sat down expectantly. + 

тАЬNow,тАЭ said the Colonel, and set the machine in motion. + 

There was a whirring sound, and suddenly there appeared on the screen the spectacle of four uniformed horsemen galloping backwards down the drive. + 

тАЬHullo,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬSomething wrong thereтБатАКтБатАж thatтАЩs funny. I must have forgotten to rewind it.тАЭ + 

The horsemen disappeared, and there was a fresh whirring as the film was transferred to another spool. + 

тАЬNow,тАЭ said the Colonel, and sure enough there appeared in small and clear letters the notice, тАЬThe Wonderfilm Company of Great Britain Presents.тАЭ This legend, vibrating a good deal, but without other variation, filled the screen for some timeтБатАФ(тАЬOf course, I shall cut the captions a bit before itтАЩs shown commercially,тАЭ explained the Colonel)тБатАФuntil its place was taken by тАЬEffie la Touche in.тАЭ This announcement was displayed for practically no time at all; indeed, they had scarcely had time to read it before it was whisked away obliquely. (тАЬDamn,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬSkidded.тАЭ) There followed another long pause, and then: + 

тАЬA Brand from the Burning, a Film Based on the Life of John Wesley.тАЭ + 

(тАЬThere,тАЭ said the Colonel.) + 

тАЬEighteenth Century England.тАЭ + 

There came in breathless succession four bewigged men in fancy costume, sitting round a card table. There were glasses, heaps of money and candles on the table. They were clearly gambling feverishly and drinking a lot. (тАЬThereтАЩs a song there really,тАЭ said the Colonel, тАЬonly IтАЩm afraid I havenтАЩt got a talkie apparatus yet.тАЭ) Then a highwayman holding up the coach which Adam had seen; then some beggars starving outside Doubting Church; then some ladies in fancy costume dancing a minuet. Sometimes the heads of the dancers would disappear above the top of the pictures; sometimes they would sink waist deep as though in a quicksand; once Mr.┬аIsaacs appeared at the side in shirt sleeves, waving them on. (тАЬIтАЩll have him out,тАЭ said the Colonel.) + 

тАЬEpworth Rectory, Lincolnshire (Eng.)тАЭ + 

(тАЬThatтАЩs in case itтАЩs taken up in the States,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬI donтАЩt believe there is a Lincolnshire over there, but itтАЩs always courteous to put that in case.тАЭ) + 

A corner of Doubting Hall appeared with clouds of smoke billowing from the windows. A clergyman was seen handing out a succession of children with feverish rapidity of action. (тАЬItтАЩs on fire, you see,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬWe did that quite simply, by burning some stuff Isaacs had. It did make a smell.тАЭ) + 

So the film went on eventfully for about half an hour. One of its peculiarities was that whenever the story reached a point of dramatic and significant action, the film seemed to get faster and faster. Villagers trotted to church as though galvanized; lovers shot in and out of windows; horses flashed past like motor cars; riots happened so quickly that they were hardly noticed. On the other hand, any scene of repose or inaction, a conversation in a garden between two clergymen, Mrs.┬аWesley at her prayers, Lady Huntingdon asleep, etc., seemed prolonged almost unendurably. Even Colonel Blount suspected this imperfection. + 

тАЬI think I might cut a bit there,тАЭ he said, after Wesley had sat uninterruptedly composing a pamphlet for four and a half minutes. + 

When the reel came to an end everyone stirred luxuriously. + 

тАЬWell, that was very nice,тАЭ said the RectorтАЩs wife, тАЬvery nice and instructive.тАЭ + 

тАЬI really must congratulate you, Colonel. A production of absorbing interest. I had no idea WesleyтАЩs life was so full of adventure. I see I must read up my Lecky.тАЭ + 

тАЬToo divine, Papa.тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you so much, sir, I enjoyed that immensely.тАЭ + 

тАЬBut, bless you, that isnтАЩt the end,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬThere are four more reels yet.тАЭ + 

тАЬOh, thatтАЩs good.тАЭ тАЬBut how delightful.тАЭ тАЬSplendid.тАЭ тАЬOh.тАЭ + 

But the full story was never shown. Just at the beginning of the second partтБатАФwhen Wesley in America was being rescued from Red Indians by Lady Huntingdon disguised as a cowboyтБатАФthere occurred one of the mishaps from which the largest super-cinemas are not absolutely immune. There was a sudden crackling sound, a long blue spark, and the light was extinguished. + 

тАЬOh, dear,тАЭ said the Colonel, тАЬI wonder whatтАЩs happened now. We were just getting to such an exciting place.тАЭ He bent all his energies on the apparatus, recklessly burning his fingers, while his audience sat in darkness. Presently the door opened and a housemaid appeared carrying a candle. + 

тАЬIf you please, mum,тАЭ she said, тАЬthe lightтАЩs gone out all over the house.тАЭ + 

The Rector hurried across to the door and tried the switch in the passage. He clicked it up and down several times; he tapped it like a barometer and shook it slightly. + 

тАЬIt looks as though the wires were fused,тАЭ he said. + 

тАЬReally, Rector, how very inconvenient,тАЭ said the Colonel crossly. тАЬI canтАЩt possibly show the film without electric current. Surely there must be something you can do?тАЭ + 

тАЬI am afraid it will be a job for an electrician; it will be scarcely possible to get one before Monday,тАЭ said the Rector with scarcely Christian calm. тАЬIn fact it is clear to me that my wife and myself and my whole household will have to spend the entire Christmas weekend in darkness.тАЭ + 

тАЬWell,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬI never expected this to happen. Of course, I know itтАЩs just as disappointing for you as it is for me. All the sameтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

The housemaid brought in some candles and a bicycle lamp. + 

тАЬThereтАЩs only these in the house, sir,тАЭ she said, тАЬand the shops donтАЩt open till Monday.тАЭ + 

тАЬI donтАЩt think in the circumstances my hospitality can be of much more use to you, can it, Colonel? Perhaps you would like me to ring up and get a taxi out from Aylesbury.тАЭ + 

тАЬWhatтАЩs that? Taxi? Why, itтАЩs ridiculous to get a taxi out from Aylesbury to go a quarter of a mile!тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm sure Mrs.┬аLittlejohn wouldnтАЩt like to walk all the way on a night like this?тАЭ + 

тАЬPerhaps a taxi would be a good idea, Papa.тАЭ + 

тАЬOf course, if youтАЩd care to take shelter hereтБатАКтБатАж it may clear up a little. But I think youтАЩd find it very wretched, sitting here in the dark?тАЭ + 

тАЬNo, no, of course, order a taxi,тАЭ said the Colonel. + 

On the way back to the house he said, тАЬIтАЩd half made up my mind to lend him some of our lamps for the weekend. I certainly shanтАЩt now. Fancy hiring a taxi seven miles to drive us a few hundred yards. On Christmas Eve, too. No wonder they find it hard to fill their churches when thatтАЩs their idea of Christian fellowship. Just when IтАЩd brought my film all that way to show themтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

Next morning Adam and Nina woke up under AdaтАЩs sprig of mistletoe to hear the bells ringing for Christmas across the snow. тАЬCome all to church, good people; good people come to church.тАЭ They had each hung up a stocking the evening before, and Adam had put a bottle of scent and a scent spray into NinaтАЩs, and she had put two ties and a new kind of safety razor into his. Ada brought them their tea and wished them a happy Christmas. Nina had remembered to get a present for each of the Florins, but had forgotten Ada, so she gave her the bottle of scent. + 

тАЬDarling,тАЭ said Adam, тАЬit cost twenty-five shillingsтБатАФon Archie SchwertтАЩs account at Asprey.тАЭ + 

Later they put some crumbs of their bread and butter on the windowsill and a robin redbreast came to eat them. The whole day was like that. + 

Adam and Nina breakfasted alone in the dining-room. There was a row of silver plates kept hot by spirit lamps which held an omelette and devilled partridges and kedgeree and kidneys and sole and some rolls; there was also a ham and a tongue and some brawn and a dish of pickled herrings. Nina ate an apple and Adam ate some toast. + 

Colonel Blount came down at eleven wearing a grey tail coat. He wished them a very good morning and they exchanged gifts. Adam gave him a box of cigars; Nina gave him a large illustrated book about modern cinema production; he gave Nina a seed pearl brooch which had belonged to her mother, and he gave Adam a calendar with a coloured picture of a bulldog smoking a clay pipe and a thought from Longfellow for each day in the year. + 

At half-past eleven they all went to Matins. + 

тАЬIt will be a lesson to him in true Christian forgiveness,тАЭ said the Colonel (but he ostentatiously read his Bible throughout the sermon). After church they called in at two or three cottages. Florin had been round the day before distributing parcels of grocery. They were all pleased and interested to meet Miss NinaтАЩs husband. Many of them remembered him as a little boy, and remarked that he had grown out of all recognition. They reminded him with relish of many embarrassing episodes in GingerтАЩs childhood, chiefly acts of destruction and cruelty to cats. + 

After luncheon they went down to see all the decorations in the servantsтАЩ hall. + 

This was a yearly custom of some antiquity, and the Florins had prepared for it by hanging paper streamers from the gas brackets. Ada was having middle-day dinner with her parents who lived among the petrol pumps at Doubting village, so the Florins ate their turkey and plum pudding alone. + 

тАЬIтАЩve seen as many as twenty-five sitting down to Christmas dinner at this table,тАЭ said Florin. тАЬRegular parties they used to have when the Colonel and Mr.┬аEric were boys. Theatricals and all the house turned topsy-turvy, and every gentleman with his own valet.тАЭ + 

тАЬAh,тАЭ said Mrs.┬аFlorin. + 

тАЬTimes is changed,тАЭ said Florin, picking a tooth. + 

тАЬAh,тАЭ said Mrs.┬аFlorin. + 

Then the family came in from the dining-room. + 

The Colonel knocked on the door and said, тАЬMay we come in, Mrs.┬аFlorin?тАЭ + 

тАЬThat you may, sir, and welcome,тАЭ said Mrs.┬аFlorin. + 

Then Adam and Nina and the Colonel admired the decorations and handed over their presents wrapped in tissue paper. Then the Colonel said, тАЬI think we should take a glass of wine together.тАЭ + 

Florin opened a bottle of sherry which he had brought up that morning and poured out the glasses, handing one first to Nina, then to Mrs.┬аFlorin, then to the Colonel, then to Adam, and, finally, taking one for himself. + 

тАЬMy very best wishes to you, Mrs.┬аFlorin,тАЭ said the Colonel, raising his glass, тАЬand to you, Florin. The years go by, and we none of us get any younger, but I hope and trust that there are many Christmases in store for us yet. Mrs.┬аFlorin certainly doesnтАЩt look a day older than when she first came here. My best wishes to you both for another year of health and happiness.тАЭ + 

Mrs.┬аFlorin said, тАЬBest respects, sir, and thank you, sir, and the same to you.тАЭ + 

Florin said, тАЬAnd a great pleasure it is to see Miss NinaтБатАФMrs.┬аLittlejohn, I should sayтБатАФwith us once more at her old home, and her husband too, and IтАЩm sure Mrs.┬аFlorin and me wish them every happiness and prosperity in their married life together, and all I can say, if they can be as happy together as me and Mrs.┬аFlorin has been, well, thatтАЩs the best I can wish them.тАЭ + 

Then the family went away, and the house settled down to its afternoon nap. + 

After dinner that night Adam and the Colonel filled up their port glasses and turned their chairs towards the fire. Nina had gone into the drawing-room to smoke. + 

тАЬYou know,тАЭ said the Colonel, poking back a log with his foot, тАЬIтАЩm very glad that Nina has married you, my boy. IтАЩve liked you from the moment I saw you. SheтАЩs a headstrong girlтБатАФalways wasтБатАФbut I knew that sheтАЩd make a sensible choice in the end. I foresee a very agreeable life ahead of you two young people.тАЭ + 

тАЬI hope so, sir.тАЭ + 

тАЬIтАЩm sure of it, my boy. SheтАЩs very nearly made several mistakes. There was an ass of a fellow here the other day wanting to marry her. A journalist. Awful silly fellow. He told me my old friend Canon Chatterbox was working on his paper. Well, I didnтАЩt like to contradict himтБатАФhe ought to have known, after allтБатАФbut I thought it was funny at the time, and then, dтАЩyou know, after heтАЩd gone I was going through some old papers upstairs and I came on a cutting from the Worcester Herald describing his funeral. He died in 1912. Well, he must have been a muddleheaded sort of fellow to make a mistake like that, mustnтАЩt he?тБатАКтБатАж Have some port?тАЭ + 

тАЬThank you.тАЭ + 

тАЬThen there was another chap. Came here selling vacuum cleaners, if you please, and asked me to give him a thousand pounds! Impudent young cub. I soon sent him about his business.тБатАКтБатАж But youтАЩre different, Littlejohn. Just the sort of son-in-law IтАЩd have chosen for myself. Your marriage has been a great happiness to me, my boy.тАЭ + 

At this moment Nina came in to say that there were carol singers outside the drawing-room window. + 

тАЬBring тАЩem in,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬBring тАЩem in. They come every year. And tell Florin to bring up the punch.тАЭ + 

Florin brought up the punch in a huge silver punch bowl and Nina brought in the waits. They stood against the sideboard, caps in hand, blinking in the gaslight, and very red about the nose and cheeks with the sudden warmth. + 

тАЬOh, tidings of comfort and joy,тАЭ they sang, тАЬcomfort and joy, + 

Oh, tidings of comfort and joy.тАЭ + 

They sang тАЬGood King Wenceslas,тАЭ and тАЬThe First Noel,тАЭ and тАЬAdeste Fideles,тАЭ and тАЬWhile Shepherds Watched Their Flocks.тАЭ Then Florin ladled out the punch, seeing that the younger ones did not get the glasses intended for their elders, but that each, according to his capacity, got a little more, but not much more, than was good for him. + 

The Colonel tasted the punch and pronounced it excellent. He then asked the carol singers their names and where they came from, and finally gave their leader five shillings and sent them off into the snow. + 

тАЬItтАЩs been just like this every year, as long as I can remember,тАЭ said the Colonel. тАЬWe always had a party at Christmas when we were boysтБатАКтБатАж acted some very amusing charades tooтБатАКтБатАж always a glass of sherry after luncheon in the servantsтАЩ hall and carol singers in the evening.тБатАКтБатАж Tell me,тАЭ he said, suddenly changing the subject, тАЬdid you really like what you saw of the film yesterday?тАЭ + 

тАЬIt was the most divine film I ever saw, Papa.тАЭ + 

тАЬI enjoyed it enormously, sir, really I did.тАЭ + 

тАЬDid you? Did you? Well, IтАЩm glad to hear that. I donтАЩt believe the Rector didтБатАФnot properly. Of course, you only saw a bit of it, most disappointing. I didnтАЩt like to say so at the time, but I thought it most negligent of him to have his electric light in that sort of condition so that it wouldnтАЩt last out for one evening. Most inconsiderate to anyone who wants to show a film. But itтАЩs a glorious film, isnтАЩt it? You did think so?тАЭ + 

тАЬI never enjoyed a film so much, honestly.тАЭ + 

тАЬIt makes a stepping stone in the development of the British film industry,тАЭ said the Colonel dreamily. тАЬIt is the most important all-talkie super-religious film to be produced solely in this country by British artists and management and by British capital. It has been directed throughout regardless of difficulty and expense, and supervised by a staff of expert historians and theologians. Nothing has been omitted that would contribute to the meticulous accuracy of every detail. The life of that great social and religious reformer John Wesley is for the first time portrayed to a British public in all its humanity and tragedy.тБатАКтБатАж IтАЩm glad you realized all that, my boy, because as a matter of fact, I had a proposal to make to you about it. IтАЩm getting an old man and canтАЩt do everything, and I feel my services should be better spent in future as actor and producer, rather than on the commercial side. One needs someone young to manage that. Now what I thought was, that perhaps you would care to come in with me as business partner. I bought the whole thing from Isaacs and, as youтАЩre one of the family, I shouldnтАЩt mind selling you a half-share for, say, two thousand pounds. I know that that isnтАЩt much to you, and youтАЩd be humanly certain to double your money in a few months. What do you say to it?тАЭ + 

тАЬWellтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ said Adam. + 

But he was never called upon to answer, for just at that moment the door of the dining-room opened and the Rector came in. + 

тАЬHullo, Rector, come in. This is very neighbourly of you to come and call at this time of night. A happy Christmas to you.тАЭ + 

тАЬColonel Blount, IтАЩve got very terrible news. I had to come over and tell youтБатАКтБатАжтАЭ + 

тАЬI say, I am sorry. Nothing wrong at the Rectory, I hope?тАЭ + 

тАЬWorse, far worse. My wife and I were sitting over the fire after dinner, and as we couldnтАЩt readтБатАФnot having any lightтБатАФwe put on the wireless. They were having a very pretty carol service. Suddenly they stopped in the middle and a special news bulletin was read.тБатАКтБатАж Colonel, the most terrible and unexpected thingтБатАФWar has been declared.тАЭ + 