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Hi Everyone, I am thinking of which story we can do next. I will try and post some commentary or something interesting about Lawrence tomorrow. I have been kind of slow this month but was glad to get this short break from this thread and will pick up again in November. I will review some new stories soon for possibilities. Hope all of you are enjoying your break.
Hehe well without you keeping my occupied here, I have been running amok getting myself in trouble elsewhere.
No doubt...hhahaah...but you started all those great social groups so don't be too hard on yourself. I love those groups and my art files have been rapidly growing.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Don't worry, we will get back on track soon and I will pick a new story for November 1st. Going out now so will try and post something about Lawrence later if I am not too tired out.
Can I pick the story this month? :D
Sure thing, Virgil. Did you have a particular one in mind? I've read most of the stories by now, so I will PM you about it further.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
We won't anounce it until the 1st of the month though - OK?
First of November works great for me. Thanks. :)Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
Great! I will back in the 'Lawrence mode' by then.:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
I'll identify the new story for discussion tomorrow. :D Is Dark Muse going to join in? Quark is a lost cause.
Ok, I guess tomorrow will be ok; Monday would be better for me, but it will take awhile to read this next story, right? Let's not discuss it, until we all are done reading, what do you think?Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Yes I am still here and plan on joining in
Virgil, will you be writing up an introduction today? Can you post a nice photo or painting with the introduction? I find that eye-catching. If you need one, I will go on the net and look for one for you; also I have tons of files of pictures and one might fit the story. Can't wait until you announce it now. I missed our little Lawrence story discussions.
Ok I've selected "The Princess" written in 1925 while Lawrence was living in New Mexico. We've read several stories of Lawrence characters who achieve or come lose to acieving a transfiguration, but this story is about a character, Dollie Urquhart, who is incapable of such a trasformation. She is a woman who is fascinated by nature, but a fascination that is in the head not the spirit. She wants to go see "the wild animals move about in their wild unconsciousness" and "look over the mountains into their secret heart." But she cannot handle the intensity of the experience.
Here's the link for the story: http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks04/0400311h.html#s12. Now this is a long story, so we'll have to break it up into parts. Let's give everyone a number of days to read it before discussing.
As to a painting, this is the best I could do:
http://www.treadwaygallery.com/ONLIN...mages/0554.jpg
Good introduction, Virgil , and hey, that picture is not half bad either. I was thinking of just trees - aspen trees if possible and mountains. I read the story before, but will be reading it again to refresh my memory - thanks for the online text - that always helps. Yes, a few days would be great -maybe start discussing middle of the week, what do you think?Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Sounds good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
Great - will read it tonight...
I will try and get it read on time, but I will have to squeeze it in between a bunch of other stuff I have to do.
Take your time; that is understandable. We won't start discussing without you. We can all wait till we all have it read. I have some notes on it also in a few other books which should help with our full understanding. I want a chance to read those first anyway.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Do you need another weekend for this D-M? We can wait until Sunday. I have very busy week.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
I have just started reading the story today. If it is not inconvenient to wait that would be good for me, but I don't want to hold up the discussion.
We will defintely wait. I suspect you will really like this one. So is starting Sunday reasonable?
Yes, that should be enough time for me to get the story finnished.
Yeah, Sunday would be good for me, as well. This week seems kind of busy already. I did read the story last night and like it very much. I will probably look at some other books that refer to the story and get some other perspectives on it. This will give me time to do so.
I just finished reading The Princess, and for the most part I LOVED it. It was an awesome story, by far my favorite thing I have read by Lawrence so far. At least short story wise.
But when I got to the end, that very last sentence was really disappointing, and I felt like it cheapened the whole of the story. It felt so much like a cheesy "Hollywood" ending.
It felt just tagged on there unnecessary serving no real purpose. It is like Lawrence just went too far and spoiled the masterpiece.
If that last line was left out. It would have been so much more powerful and left such a greater stronger impression.
When I read:
That was totally just like BAM!Quote:
"Since my accident in the mountains, when a man went mad and shot my horse from under me, and my guide had to shoot him dead, I have never felt quite myself."
So she put it.
Then you read the last tagged on sentence and it is totally crippling. And deflated what I felt.
I knew you would love this one Muse. :D I guess we'll discuss that last line when we get to it.
LOL in my mind I just want to edit that line out and pretend it does not exisist
Dark Muse, you could have your version and Lawrence's version. :lol:
Hahaha, yes that is quite tempting
Ok it's Sunday, how about we start. How about we discuss the early years of Dollie's life.
A couple of things cross my mind as I look at this beginning. First her name, "Dollie". It echoes A Doll's House and for similar reasons it I think characterizes Dollie as child like. She sort remains in her childish outlook throughout her life.Quote:
To her father, she was The Princess. To her Boston aunts and uncles she was just Dollie Urquhart, poor little thing.
Colin Urquhart was just a bit mad. He was of an old Scottish family, and he claimed royal blood. The blood of Scottish kings flowed in his veins. On this point, his American relatives said, he was just a bit "off". They could not bear any more to be told which royal blood of Scotland blued his veins. The whole thing was rather ridiculous, and a sore point. The only fact they remembered was that it was not Stuart.
He was a handsome man, with a wide-open blue eye that seemed sometimes to be looking at nothing, soft black hair brushed rather low on his low, broad brow, and a very attractive body. Add to this a most beautiful speaking voice, usually rather hushed and diffident, but sometimes resonant and powerful like bronze, and you have the sum of his charms. He looked like some old Celtic hero. He looked as if he should have worn a greyish kilt and a sporran, and shown his knees. His voice came direct out of the hushed Ossianic past.
For the rest, he was one of those gentlemen of sufficient but not excessive means who fifty years ago wandered vaguely about, never arriving anywhere, never doing anything, and never definitely being anything, yet well received in the good society of more than one country.
He did not marry till he was nearly forty, and then it was a wealthy Miss Prescott, from New England. Hannah Prescott at twenty-two was fascinated by the man with the soft black hair not yet touched by grey, and the wide, rather vague blue eyes. Many women had been fascinated before her. But Colin Urquhart, by his very vagueness, had avoided any decisive connection.
Mrs. Urquhart lived three years in the mist and glamour of her husband's presence. And then it broke her. It was like living with a fascinating spectre. About most things he was completely, even ghostly oblivious. He was always charming, courteous, perfectly gracious in that hushed, musical voice of his. But absent. When all came to all, he just wasn't there. "Not all there," as the vulgar say.
He was the father of the little girl she bore at the end of the first year. But this did not substantiate him the more. His very beauty and his haunting musical quality became dreadful to her after the first few months. The strange echo: he was like a living echo! His very flesh, when you touched it, did not seem quite the flesh of a real man.
Perhaps it was that he was a little bit mad. She thought it definitely the night her baby was born.
"Ah, so my little princess has come at last!" he said, in his throaty, singing Celtic voice, like a glad chant, swaying absorbed.
It was a tiny, frail baby, with wide, amazed blue eyes. They christened it Mary Henrietta. She called the little thing My Dollie. He called it always My Princess.
It was useless to fly at him. He just opened his wide blue eyes wider, and took a child-like, silent dignity there was no getting past.
Hannah Prescott had never been robust. She had no great desire to live. So when the baby was two years old she suddenly died.
Another thing that I see is the class distinctions that are in so many of Lawrence's works: the "Princess" versus the common people she encounters. I'm not sure I can piece together the significance of it, other than to say it has removed her from the vitality of life. For Lawrence the lower classes are more connected to blood consciousness. Dollie and her father are definitely ethereal. In fact Colin is described as "a fascinating spectre" and a "ghost." That's as far from blood vitality as possible.
Third there is the celtic and the Scottish and the American elements to the story. I'm not sure what Lawrence is after but there does seem to be associations that Lawrence is trying to make.
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Originally Posted by Virgil
I will get back to the rest shortly, but I just wanted to take a moment to add a bit to this thought. As to what you say about her being more "etheral" she is always refered to as a fairy, or fairy-like throughout the story. Which can also reflect on the Scottish part of the star as well. Considering they have many myths and superstions which revolve around the fairy-folk, and it also gives if a sort of "Pagan" feeling. Her and her father seem to be more "old world"
This reminds me of the Great Gatsby, towrd the begining, where Nick talks about how his family is in the habbit of bragging about be descended from Dukes, when in fact that was not the acutal truth. Though in his bragging, I do not find him to be truly mad, I take it more as just a genreal Scottish pride.Quote:
Colin Urquhart was just a bit mad. He was of an old Scottish family, and he claimed royal blood. The blood of Scottish kings flowed in his veins. On this point, his American relatives said, he was just a bit "off". They could not bear any more to be told which royal blood of Scotland blued his veins. The whole thing was rather ridiculous, and a sore point. The only fact they remembered was that it was not Stuart.
Quote:
He was a handsome man, with a wide-open blue eye that seemed sometimes to be looking at nothing, soft black hair brushed rather low on his low, broad brow, and a very attractive body. Add to this a most beautiful speaking voice, usually rather hushed and diffident, but sometimes resonant and powerful like bronze, and you have the sum of his charms. He looked like some old Celtic hero. He looked as if he should have worn a greyish kilt and a sporran, and shown his knees. His voice came direct out of the hushed Ossianic past.
I just adored this description of the father. It really paints the image of this figure out of Celtic lore, some great chieftain king. And it also really sets him apart from the others, particularly the American relatives. Tough we do not really see much of them, they come off as a bit snobbish. I cannot help but to feel for him, for the way in which they treated him and seemed to look down to him. But he was so full of this robust pride. I found him to be really quite endearing, and charming.
This line struck as a bit odd. It made me think of like lazy-eye, or something like that.Quote:
with a wide-open blue eye that seemed sometimes to be looking at nothing
I loved this description of his voice. Soft, and yet powerful. He does not have to raise his voice to make himself heard. It adds to the sense of nobility about him.Quote:
Add to this a most beautiful speaking voice, usually rather hushed and diffident, but sometimes resonant and powerful like bronze,
Here we can see his disconnection from other people, as though he is set up to be an attractive man and one who is at least well off enough not to have to work, while still travel over the world, he does not marry until late in life. What makes him decide to marry now is unknown, perhaps it was for her wealth? For his very disconnectedness it does not seem as if he was driven by any true feelings of love.Quote:
He did not marry till he was nearly forty, and then it was a wealthy Miss Prescott, from New England. Hannah Prescott at twenty-two was fascinated by the man with the soft black hair not yet touched by grey, and the wide, rather vague blue eyes. Many women had been fascinated before her. But Colin Urquhart, by his very vagueness, had avoided any decisive connection.
Quote:
Mrs. Urquhart lived three years in the mist and glamour of her husband's presence. And then it broke her. It was like living with a fascinating spectre. About most things he was completely, even ghostly oblivious. He was always charming, courteous, perfectly gracious in that hushed, musical voice of his. But absent. When all came to all, he just wasn't there. "Not all there," as the vulgar say.
I just love this line
The use of the word mist, seems to touch back to the old Scottishness of Mr. Uruhart. It also adds to that vague feeling about him. That there was something obsecure about him, something drifting and elusisive.Quote:
Mrs. Urquhart lived three years in the mist and glamour of her husband's presence
This gives him the impression of being something of an empty shell. He lives within his own world, and has no real concern or care for the physical world around him. Though it is suggested again that he is not right in his mind. I think he is simply a bit eccentric, he does not fit into the norms of soceity and so it is presumed that something must be wrong with him.Quote:
It was like living with a fascinating spectre. About most things he was completely, even ghostly oblivious. He was always charming, courteous, perfectly gracious in that hushed, musical voice of his. But absent. When all came to all, he just wasn't there. "Not all there," as the vulgar say.
This is just stunningly beautiful.Quote:
He was the father of the little girl she bore at the end of the first year. But this did not substantiate him the more. His very beauty and his haunting musical quality became dreadful to her after the first few months. The strange echo: he was like a living echo! His very flesh, when you touched it, did not seem quite the flesh of a real man.
I love that.Quote:
he was like a living echo!
The language in this passage is without compare. It has such a romanticism to it. It is quite poetic.
He is like something come from Avalon. Or some sort of FaeQuote:
His very beauty and his haunting musical quality became dreadful to her after the first few months.
Virgil, it is interesting how her mother refers to her as "My Dollie" and her father "My Princess." I had not even thought of a reference to the Ibsen play - "A Doll's House"...how do you see that connection exactly? Do you think Lawrence did think of that story when calling her Dollie? Also, what do you mean by the following statement? "Dollie and her father are definitely ethereal."
Colin, the father, is described as "a fascinating spectre" and a "ghost," but is Dollie also described as being the same? I didn't notice that in my reading. It is a good observation that this aspect of the father would be the farthest from the blood consciousness reality or 'vitality', as you worded it. I didn't see Dollie as exactly like her father in his vague ways; described in the text as being "ghostly oblivious" or "absent" . I see 'The Princess' more so as a woman struggling against her own consciousness of blood vitality, but wanting it at some point, even though she rejects it at the same time within herself. This is jumping too far ahead, I know, but I think we will see that she is driven on by an unconscious desire to find that aspect of herself, and connect with the natural world and herself. In time, we will see the duality of this/her position, which is the core source of conflict in this story, I believe. It is the same sort of duality we always see in Lawrence's works and in Lawrence himself.
In response to your last question, this may help. I just got a little insight while reading a passage from one of my references books about this story. The book is "The Minoan Distance, The Symbolism of Travel in D.H.Lawrence" by L.D Clark.
Clark states:
I think this line is quite interesting in the part that you quoted above:Quote:
Dollie Urquhart, a "princess" because her eccentric father always calls her that, is brought up to believe that he and she are the last of a royal race. Collin Urquhart sounds quite like Lawrence himself when he says tht a "demon" rules at the core of everyone, and that a certain few of these demons form a natural nobility. The aloneness that Urquhart cultivates in the midst of a busy and much traveled life, and teaches his daughter to cultivate, on the surface appears Laurentian enough. But it is all sham, in fact, for Colin Urquhartdoes does not draw his isolation from a profound inner source. He is simply vague and absent and draws only on a vain pride.
Sorry, DM, we were actually posting around the same time. This is an edit on my part. I will let Virgil answer your post and mine, probably tomorrow.Quote:
His very beauty and his haunting musical quality became dreadful to her after the first few months. The strange echo: he was like a living echo! His very flesh, when you touched it, did not seem quite the flesh of a real man.
I forgot to mention how the father is not just associated with ghost or spectres but with voices and echoes. So non-corporeal.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Lawrence also makes a deal of his Scottishness and Celtic roots. Why? Any particualr reason. Again he has this northern person and southern person identities. Northern seems to be less corporeal.
There is no question his disconnection for society is important. It reminds me of the central character of The Man Who Loved Islands. Remember him? But certainly this disconnect is important here in its own right. Dollie apparently inherets this quality. How many of his other characteristics does Dollie inherent?Quote:
Here we can see his disconnection from other people, as though he is set up to be an attractive man and one who is at least well off enough not to have to work, while still travel over the world, he does not marry until late in life. What makes him decide to marry now is unknown, perhaps it was for her wealth? For his very disconnectedness it does not seem as if he was driven by any true feelings of love.Quote:
Quote:
He did not marry till he was nearly forty, and then it was a wealthy Miss Prescott, from New England. Hannah Prescott at twenty-two was fascinated by the man with the soft black hair not yet touched by grey, and the wide, rather vague blue eyes. Many women had been fascinated before her. But Colin Urquhart, by his very vagueness, had avoided any decisive connection.
Yes I agree.Quote:
The use of the word mist, seems to touch back to the old Scottishness of Mr. Uruhart. It also adds to that vague feeling about him. That there was something obsecure about him, something drifting and elusisive.
I do think that is the heart of his character, and perhaps what he passes on to Dollie.Quote:
He lives within his own world, and has no real concern or care for the physical world around him.
I think he does. But the connection is that Dollie is a forever child. She has been under her father's care and has not grown up. She's like a doll, much like the Ibsen character prior to leaving her husband.Quote:
Originally Posted by Janine
That's another reference to their non-corporeal nature. Actually I'm glad you found that. It was clear the father was non-corporeal; I wasn't sure if Lawrence referred to Dollie this way too. Apparantly yes.Quote:
Also, what do you mean by the following statement? "Dollie and her father are definitely ethereal."
I had the same question and you answered it yourself just above. ;)Quote:
Colin, the father, is described as "a fascinating spectre" and a "ghost," but is Dollie also described as being the same?
Good point. I guess Lawrence is having it both ways. She is already ethereal, but there is something in her that is pushing toward blood vitality. But no matter how it's pushing it will never get there.Quote:
I didn't notice that in my reading. It is a good observation that this aspect of the father would be the farthest from the blood consciousness reality or 'vitality', as you worded it. I didn't see Dollie as exactly like her father in his vague ways; described in the text as being "ghostly oblivious" or "absent" . I see 'The Princess' more so as a woman struggling against her own consciousness of blood vitality, but wanting it at some point, even though she rejects it at the same time within herself. This is jumping too far ahead, I know, but I think we will see that she is driven on by an unconscious desire to find that aspect of herself, and connect with the natural world and herself. In time, we will see the duality of this/her position, which is the core source of conflict in this story, I believe. It is the same sort of duality we always see in Lawrence's works and in Lawrence himself.
In response to your last question, this may help. I just got a little insight while reading a passage from one of my references books about this story. The book is "The Minoan Distance, The Symbolism of Travel in D.H.Lawrence" by L.D Clark.
We haven't gotten to the demon part of him yet. I think that is very significant.Quote:
Clark states:
Quote:
Dollie Urquhart, a "princess" because her eccentric father always calls her that, is brought up to believe that he and she are the last of a royal race. Collin Urquhart sounds quite like Lawrence himself when he says tht a "demon" rules at the core of everyone, and that a certain few of these demons form a natural nobility. The aloneness that Urquhart cultivates in the midst of a busy and much traveled life, and teaches his daughter to cultivate, on the surface appears Laurentian enough. But it is all sham, in fact, for Colin Urquhartdoes does not draw his isolation from a profound inner source. He is simply vague and absent and draws only on a vain pride.
The imporatnce placed upon the Cletic/Scottishness is interesting within the story. It seems to be this sort of conflict between the "old world" and the "new world" which appears in varrious ways in some of his other stories I have noticed. As you further down mentioned The Man Who Loved Islands, that story as well contained Celtic elements to it.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Yes his disconnection is an important part of his character, and a central role within this story. His daughter does go one to take up many of his aspects. She is not truly concerned with they physical world around her, and she holds herself apart from others. It is interesting that her mother really has no true significance as The Princess does not seem to share any of her mothers traits. Even physically she is made to resemble her father. Though she may not be quite as truly etheral as her father was.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
The Pricness is refered to as being fairy like many times throughout the story. In this way I think she like her father is being viewed in a non-copperal sense, being that Fae are etheral beings. It is also another connection to the Celtic roots of the story and the imporance of The Princess being tied to that Scottishness.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
Yes you are right. You mentioned this before and it didn't register. I was focused on the Mexican/Indian culture as part of the new world and that didn't fit. There is the culture of her American relatives which is new world, but the Mexo-Indian culture I think brings it back to older, perhaps even older than celtic in Lawrence's eyes.Quote:
Originally Posted by Dark Muse
Oh yes, good point. Fairy is non-corporeal too. I didn't catch that.Quote:
The Pricness is refered to as being fairy like many times throughout the story. In this way I think she like her father is being viewed in a non-copperal sense, being that Fae are etheral beings. It is also another connection to the Celtic roots of the story and the imporance of The Princess being tied to that Scottishness.
Virgil this phrase was by Dark Muse: "Dollie and her father are definitely ethereal." not me. I was asking if Dolly was described as being ethereal anywhere in the actual text. I don't recall that she was, only her father.
Virgil, To one of your comments the commentary book author notes, that the man she goes up the mountain with, is one of dark color; this is often seen in Lawrence's works. He is suppose to be a sort of Tony Luhran (American Indian blood) who in reality lived with the woman who invited Lawrence out to the ranch to begin with - Mabel Dodge. In "The Plumed Serpent", which follows this story the men are also of a darker race. This racial thing can be seen throughout Lawrence's work during this time period. I think in the story, "The Woman Who Rode Away" it is also evident. I know it is a main part of the "The Virgin and the Gypsy". I just watched the film adaptation of that book. I think, not only does Lawrence contrast cultural differences and colors of the skin, but also the idea of the darkness and light, and the future and the past, or old and new. As we get into this story further, I will show evidence of this idea. I do think that Ramono was representative of this 'mysterious' Indian darkness, most likely the 'darkness of the blood', knowing how Lawrence thought of these things.
I will read both your posts again when I get back from the drugstore.
Sorry, did not mean to confuse. I was contrasting the Celtic as the old, vs. the American as the new when I had first mentioned it. That Mexico/Indian culture had not even crossed my mind. I was thinking more of the Pagansim of the Celts.Quote:
Originally Posted by Virgil
I will see if I can find and post some of the fairy references made about The PrincessQuote:
Originally Posted by Janine
I did not re-read the whole story, but here are just a few of the exmples that I found which descirbe The Princess in an etheral way:
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She was something like a changeling, not quite human.
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The Princess she was, and the fairy from the North
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She looked at her interlocutor with that cold, elfin detachment of hers.
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And she had that quality of the sexless fariries, she did not change.
Dark Muse, those references are good and perhaps Lawrence is referring back to the Celtic heritage of the father. They lived in England first, didn't they? I read this story about a week or more ago and now I already forget the details.
Thanks for listing those. She is seen as very fairy-like. I think this is really key - "she had that quality of the sexless fariries"...sort of like a other-being....interesting...."she is described as cold and detached." That is perfect to set up the story and what will ensue. 'Changling' also would indicate that she does not truly fit into either world, the new or the old, the one of sensual world of nature or her father's cold world of vagueness. Both the world of the Celts and the world of the American Indians bring up the idea of myth which is very characteristic Lawrence's texts and ideas. I read "The Plumed Serpent" and the Irish woman in the story seems to exist somewhere between two worlds as well, the world of Irish legend and myth and the pagan gods and the world of Mexico and the ancient gods. I think this story lead up to this novel. They both incorporate the two cultures and they find common ground in the idea of myth.
I am kind of exhausted tonight and can't post anything else but this.
Ok here's the next section.
Well, we definitely see the dichotomy that Dark Muse was alluding to between the father's world and the American relative's world.Quote:
The Prescotts felt a deep but unadmitted resentment against Colin Urquhart. They said he was selfish. Therefore they discontinued Hannah's income, a month after her burial in Florence, after they had urged the father to give the child over to them, and he had courteously, musically, but quite finally refused. He treated the Prescotts as if they were not of his world, not realities to him: just casual phenomena, or gramophones, talking-machines that had to be answered. He answered them. But of their actual existence he was never once aware.
They debated having him certified unsuitable to be guardian of his own child. But that would have created a scandal. So they did the simplest thing, after all--washed their hands of him. But they wrote scrupulously to the child, and sent her modest presents of money at Christmas, and on the anniversary of the death of her mother.
To The Princess her Boston relatives were for many years just a nominal reality. She lived with her father, and he travelled continually, though in a modest way, living on his moderate income. And never going to America. The child changed nurses all the time. In Italy it was a contadina; in India she had an ayah; in Germany she had a yellow-haired peasant girl.
Father and child were inseparable. He was not a recluse. Wherever he went he was to be seen paying formal calls going out to luncheon or to tea, rarely to dinner. And always with the child. People called her Princess Urquhart, as if that were her christened name.
She was a quick, dainty little thing with dark gold hair that went a soft brown, and wide, slightly prominent blue eyes that were at once so candid and so knowing. She was always grown up; she never really grew up. Always strangely wise, and always childish.
It was her father's fault.
"My little Princess must never take too much notice of people and the things they say and do," he repeated to her. "People don't know what they are doing and saying. They chatter-chatter, and they hurt one another, and they hurt themselves very often, till they cry. But don't take any notice, my little Princess. Because it is all nothing. Inside everybody there is another creature, a demon which doesn't care at all. You peel away all the things they say and do and feel, as cook peels away the outside of the onions. And in the middle of everybody there is a green demon which you can't peel away. And this green demon never changes, and it doesn't care at all about all the things that happen to the outside leaves of the person, all the chatter-chatter, and all the husbands and wives and children, and troubles and fusses. You peel everything away from people, and there is a green, upright demon in every man and woman; and this demon is a man's real self, and a woman's real self. It doesn't really care about anybody, it belongs to the demons and the primitive fairies, who never care. But, even so, there are big demons and mean demons, and splendid demonish fairies, and vulgar ones. But there are no royal fairy women left. Only you, my little Princess. You are the last of the royal race of the old people; the last, my Princess. There are no others. You and I are the last. When I am dead there will be only you. And that is why, darling, you will never care for any of the people in the world very much. Because their demons are all dwindled and vulgar. They are not royal. Only you are royal, after me. Always remember that. And always remember, it is a great secret. If you tell people, they will try to kill you, because they will envy you for being a Princess. It is our great secret, darling. I am a prince, and you a princess, of the old, old blood. And we keep our secret between us, all alone. And so, darling, you must treat all people very politely, because noblesse oblige. But you must never forget that you alone are the last of Princesses, and that all other are less than you are, less noble, more vulgar. Treat them politely and gently and kindly, darling. But you are the Princess, and they are commoners. Never try to think of them as if they were like you. They are not. You will find, always, that they are lacking, lacking in the royal touch, which only you have--"
The Princess learned her lesson early--the first lesson, of absolute reticence, the impossibility of intimacy with any other than her father; the second lesson, of naïve, slightly benevolent politeness. As a small child, something crystallised in her character, making her clear and finished, and as impervious as crystal.
"Dear child!" her hostesses said of her. "She is so quaint and old-fashioned; such a lady, poor little mite!"
She was erect, and very dainty. Always small, nearly tiny in physique, she seemed like a changeling beside her big, handsome, slightly mad father. She dressed very simply, usually in blue or delicate greys, with little collars of old Milan point, or very finely-worked linen. She had exquisite little hands, that made the piano sound like a spinet when she played. She was rather given to wearing cloaks and capes, instead of coats, out of doors, and little eighteenth-century sort of hats. Her complexion was pure apple-blossom.
She looked as if she had stepped out of a picture. But no one, to her dying day, ever knew exactly the strange picture her father had framed her in and from which she never stepped.
Her grandfather and grandmother and her Aunt Maud demanded twice to see her, once in Rome and once in Paris. Each time they were charmed, piqued, and annoyed. She was so exquisite and such a little virgin. At the same time so knowing and so oddly assured. That odd, assured touch of condescension, and the inward coldness, infuriated her American relations.
Only she really fascinated her grandfather. He was spellbound; in a way, in love with the little faultless thing. His wife would catch him brooding, musing over his grandchild, long months after the meeting, and craving to see her again. He cherished to the end the fond hope that she might come to live with him and her grandmother.
"Thank you so much, grandfather. You are so very kind. But Papa and I are such an old couple, you see, such a crochety old couple, living in a world of our own."
Another important detail is the inseparability of the father and child. It's as if his personality is being transfered over to the daughter. Or at least part of his personality.
This sentence is the key to her personality and the key to the whole story:
Crystal is a very important word for Lawrence. It is the opposite of a personality that has the capacity to melt, to change state, to become something else. I'll show later in the story the significance.Quote:
As a small child, something crystallised in her character, making her clear and finished, and as impervious as crystal.
Here's also a subtle forshadowing:
This forshadows the climax of the story perfectly, the virginity, the self assuredness, the ay she infuriates people. :DQuote:
Each time they were charmed, piqued, and annoyed. She was so exquisite and such a little virgin. At the same time so knowing and so oddly assured. That odd, assured touch of condescension, and the inward coldness, infuriated her American relations.