Rosie Plum and Other Stories by Theodore Francis Powys

Author:Theodore Francis Powys
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: fiction, short stories
Publisher: Distributed Proofreaders Canada
Published: 1966-06-15T05:00:00+00:00

Mr. Hayhoe spoke these lines aloud and shivered, for a dank heavy fog which surrounded him became icy cold. He had not gone many steps further before a form appeared before him which seemed huge. Mr. Hayhoe felt compelled to go towards the spectre. The figure stooped. It was only an old man gathering fuel.

Mr. Hayhoe was extremely relieved when in a moment or two the form rose up and showed the well-known face of Shepherd Poose, who had been collecting a few broken hurdle sticks to carry home for the fire.

“Ah,” cried Mr. Hayhoe joyfully to Mr. Poose, “I thought you were the Devil.”

One would have supposed that to be mistaken for the Devil might have troubled a good man, but Poose was mightily entertained by the idea and invited Mr. Hayhoe to sit in his hut until the fog lifted. While Mr. Hayhoe sat contentedly upon a bag of chaff, Shepherd Poose rummaged under a sheep’s skin and after some hunting brought out a tattered book, well thumbed and read.

“ ’Tis best thee read a chapter,” he said to Mr. Hayhoe and handed him the Bible.

Mr. Hayhoe read how the Devil tempted Jesus. As soon as he finished reading and handed the book back to its owner the fog vanished. Outside the hut all became clear and the sun shone. Mr. Hayhoe bid the shepherd good morning and went his way. In a little while he was safely at home and, having an excellent appetite, made a very good breakfast.

He felt so well then that he wished to walk out again instead of writing a sermon, which was his usual employment in the morning.

“Perhaps you will meet Tinker Jar,” said Mrs. Hayhoe, “for he is still in the village”, and she began to clear away the breakfast things.

“Or I may meet the Devil,” said Mr. Hayhoe, again thinking of Milton. “For I discern thee other than thou seems’t . . .”

When Mr. Hayhoe next met Lord Bullman, and remembering what Tinker Jar had advised, he told his Lordship how he had mistaken Shepherd Poose for Satan.

“I wonder you did not mistake me for the Devil, too,” laughed Lord Bullman and invited Mr. Hayhoe to dine at Dodder Hall the next Sunday.

Mr. Hayhoe accepted the invitation.

The news that the curate of Dodder did nothing but talk of the Devil soon got about and Farmer Pully sent to the vicarage to offer to drive Mr. Hayhoe to Maidenbridge on market day.

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