The Secret Life of Algernon Pendleton by Greenan Russell H;

Author:Greenan, Russell H;
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dover Publications
Published: 2019-08-02T16:00:00+00:00

10

I AM COERCED

Each Fourth of July the town of Brookline holds a small fete at Amory Park for the local children, and there are sack races, ring tosses and similar competitions for prizes. Free Dixie cups are distributed to all. In the past I’d always attended this celebration, but this year—fearful that Madge might think such behavior childish—I did not. Instead I dragged a deck chair from the garage, set it up on the slight eminence in the backyard and contented myself with watching the festivities from a distance.

The sun was pleasant. Zephyrs brought me the cries of joy and groans of dismay of the young contestants in the meadow, along with the strains of recorded music and the crisp report, now and then, of a firecracker. Above me the sky was a delicious blue, while the grass at my feet was a rich, rich green that radiated life and energy. About the lawn, dandelions lay like louis d’or on the thick felt of a gaming table.

I was reasonably content. Idly, my mind played with the happy notion of an automobile. I hadn’t owned one in a dozen years, though I still kept my license. With an automobile, I mused, a man can do a great deal—go for little spins, visit people, offer lifts to ladies, and so on. What fun it would be to run up to Maine and see Aunt Beatrice, or to hop off to the Cape or the Berkshires! Yes, why not? A nice shiny car—yellow, or perhaps red. I could whirl about the countryside like Mr. Tchitchikov in his famous troika.

A crow cawed. Instantly (and mysteriously) my brain discarded the subject of automobiles and raised that of an anecdote I’d once read. A certain pope had a tame raven, and this bird stole the papal ring and hid it. The pope, believing a servant had committed the theft, excommunicated the alleged robber. The raven thereupon grew thin and lost both its plumage and its voice. Then one day the ring was found and the excommuncation lifted. In a few days the pet bird regained its flesh and feathers and was cawing more healthily than ever.

As I was debating the possible verity of this quaint story, a voice spoke behind me.

“I want to exhume your great-grandfather, Al,” it declared.

Twisting around, I saw Madge seated on the bench.

“Oh, hello!” I said. Then her remark registered. “Exhume my great-grandfather? Did I hear you aright?”

“Yes. I have good reason to think there’s something of interest in his coffin,” she replied, absently tapping the cane’s ferrule against the sole of her orthopedic shoe. “In his writings he hints at an important discovery he made during his first stay in Egypt. But he’s very coy about it, very secretive. Has anyone ever taken away any of those notebooks? I have the feeling one or two are missing.”

“Not that I know of, Madge.” I moved the deck chair so as to be facing her. “About this discovery, though—I don’t follow you. Why

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