D.H. Lawrence's Short Stories Thread

[Janine]

"attle" is a special word, a typo for battle.

Oh I thought it could be rattle, you know baby..wa wa! a 'rattle of the wills' Who is the biggest baby here, he or she?

[Virgil]

Oh I thought it could be rattle, you know baby..wa wa! a 'rattle of the wills' Who is the biggest baby here, he or she?

I am the biggest baby here, for sure.

[Janine]

I am the biggest baby here, for sure.

Yes, I had you in mind when I wrote that.

[Virgil]

Ok, the conclusion:

The next day he would not let her have any fire, because of attracting attention with the smoke. It was a grey day, and she was cold. He stayed round, and heated soup on the petrol stove. She lay motionless in the blankets.

And in the afternoon she pulled the clothes over her head and broke into tears. She had never really cried in her life. He dragged the blankets away and looked to see what was shaking her. She sobbed in helpless hysterics. He covered her over again and went outside, looking at the mountains, where clouds were dragging and leaving a little snow. It was a violent, windy, horrible day, the evil of winter rushing down.

She cried for hours. And after this a great silence came between them. They were two people who had died. He did not touch her any more. In the night she lay and shivered like a dying dog. She felt that her very shivering would rupture something in her body, and she would die.

At last she had to speak.

"Could you make a fire? I am so cold," she said, with chattering teeth.

"Want to come over here?" came his voice.

"I would rather you made me a fire," she said, her teeth knocking together and chopping the words in two.

He got up and kindled a fire. At last the warmth spread, and she could sleep.

The next day was still chilly, with some wind. But the sun shone. He went about in silence, with a dead-looking face. It was now so dreary and so like death she wished he would do anything rather than continue in this negation. If now he asked her to go down with him to the world and marry him, she would do it. What did it matter? Nothing mattered any more.

But he would not ask her. His desire was dead and heavy like ice within him. He kept watch around the house.

On the fourth day as she sat huddled in the doorway in the sun, hugged in a blanket, she saw two horsemen come over the crest of the grassy slope--small figures. She gave a cry. He looked up quickly and saw the figures. The men had dismounted. They were looking for the trail.

"They are looking for me," she said.

"Muy bien," he answered in Spanish.

He went and fetched his gun, and sat with it across his knees.

"Oh!" she said. "Don't shoot!"

He looked across at her.

"Why?" he said. "You like staying with me?"

"No," she said. "But don't shoot."

"I ain't going to Pen," he said.

"You won't have to go to Pen," she said. "Don't shoot!"

"I'm going to shoot," he muttered.

And straightaway he kneeled and took very careful aim. The Princess sat on in an agony of helplessness and hopelessness.

The shot rang out. In an instant she saw one of the horses on the pale grassy slope rear and go rolling down. The man had dropped in the grass, and was invisible. The second man clambered on his horse, and on that precipitous place went at a gallop in a long swerve towards the nearest spruce tree cover. Bang! Bang! went Romero's shots. But each time he missed, and the running horse leaped like a kangaroo towards cover.

It was hidden. Romero now got behind a rock; tense silence, in the brilliant sunshine. The Princess sat on the bunk inside the cabin, crouching, paralysed. For hours, it seemed, Romero knelt behind this rock, in his black shirt, bare-headed, watching. He had a beautiful, alert figure. The Princess wondered why she did not feel sorry for him. But her spirit was hard and cold, her heart could not melt. Though now she would have called him to her, with love.

But no, she did not love him. She would never love any man. Never! It was fixed and sealed in her, almost vindictively.

Suddenly she was so startled she almost fell from the bunk. A shot rang out quite close from behind the cabin. Romero leaped straight into the air, his arms fell outstretched, turning as he leaped. And even while he was in the air, a second shot rang out, and he fell with a crash, squirming, his hands clutching the earth towards the cabin door.

The Princess sat absolutely motionless, transfixed, staring at the prostrate figure. In a few moments the figure of a man in the Forest Service appeared close to the house; a young man in a broad-brimmed Stetson hat, dark flannel shirt, and riding-boots, carrying a gun. He strode over to the prostrate figure.

"Got you, Romero!" he said aloud. And he turned the dead man over. There was already a little pool of blood where Romero's breast had been.

"H'm!" said the Forest Service man. "Guess I got you nearer than I thought."

And he squatted there, staring at the dead man.

The distant calling of his comrade aroused him. He stood up.

"Hullo, Bill!" he shouted. "Yep! Got him! Yep! Done him in, apparently."

The second man rode out of the forest on a grey horse. He had a ruddy, kind face, and round brown eyes, dilated with dismay.

"He's not passed out?" he asked anxiously.

"Looks like it," said the first young man coolly.

The second dismounted and bent over the body. Then he stood up again, and nodded.

"Yea-a!" he said. "He's done in all right. It's him all right, boy! It's Domingo Romero."

"Yep! I know it!" replied the other.

Then in perplexity he turned and looked into the cabin, where the Princess squatted, staring with big owl eyes from her red blanket.

"Hello!" he said, coming towards the hut. And he took his hat off. Oh, the sense of ridicule she felt! Though he did not mean any.

But she could not speak, no matter what she felt.

"What'd this man start firing for?" he asked.

She fumbled for words, with numb lips.

"He had gone out of his mind!" she said, with solemn, stammering conviction.

"Good Lord! You mean to say he'd gone out of his mind? Whew! That's pretty awful! That explains it then. H'm!"

He accepted the explanation without more ado.

With some difficulty they succeeded in getting the Princess down to the ranch. But she, too, was not a little mad.

"I'm not quite sure where I am," she said to Mrs. Wilkieson, as she lay in bed. "Do you mind explaining?"

Mrs. Wilkieson explained tactfully.

"Oh yes!" said the Princess. "I remember. And I had an accident in the mountains, didn't I? Didn't we meet a man who'd gone mad, and who shot my horse from under me?"

"Yes, you met a man who had gone out of his mind."

The real affair was hushed up. The Princess departed east in a fortnight's time, in Miss Cummins's care. Apparently she had recovered herself entirely. She was the Princess, and a virgin intact.

But her bobbed hair was grey at the temples, and her eyes were a little mad. She was slightly crazy.

"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.

Later, she married an elderly man, and seemed pleased.

I'm going to let you guys comment first. I'm not sure I really have too many comments here. I've said everything about the story that I think needs to be said. This is the conclusion of the events. I'll probably drop one more post on the story. The conclusion I must admit seems like a western movie. But I don't think the form of a western movie had really yet been established in 1925.

Edit: Actually I will have comments, but maybe tomorrow. I didn't really care for the ending if you ask me.

[Janine]

Ok, the conclusion:

Yay! we might actually finish this story soon and maybe, just maybe, we can get to either another one - hopefully short or over to the 'Richard II' thread. I still have a grain of hope for that.

I'm going to let you guys comment first. I'm not sure I really have too many comments here. I've said everything about the story that I think needs to be said. This is the conclusion of the events. I'll probably drop one more post on the story. The conclusion I must admit seems like a western movie. But I don't think the form of a western movie had really yet been established in 1925.

Oh gee, thanks. I will try to comment tonight. I been kind of busy all day. I can't believe it is this late already. It is snowing here. Looks pretty.

Haha...it did indeed feel like a Western made for TV or film. Of course, it did have Lawrence's unique touch to it. Yes, perhaps the Westerns we recall as kids were not fully fleshed out until our era. They were big when I was growing up. Now they are rare or they are movies like 'Brokeback Mountain' - what can I say? Other than that, I only recall movies set in the South West into Mexico nowdays. I don't think Western books are big now either, or am I wrong?

Edit: Actually I will have comments, but maybe tomorrow. I didn't really care for the ending if you ask me.

Oh good. I will try to go directly to the text you posted and comment on parts of it that stood out to me particularly. Later tonight would be best for me. I have to go eat dinner soon.

[Dark Muse]

Well I already made my feelings about the ending clear early on, but I will wait for your comments perhaps before I talk more about that.

There are a few comments I had for now. Upon reading his segment of the story, and what took place and the events that led up to it, now it seems to me that in a way, they both had killed or "defeated" each other. Both of their demons were perhaps too strong, or too much alike that in the end the demons had slain each other.

By the end The Princess's will finally broke, and she would have submitted to his wishes, but by that time, Romero no longer had it within him to try and impose himself upon her anymore, just as he killed her will within her, she finally killed his desire in him. Though ironically even though they both end up having their way, by that time neither one of them can feel truly satisfied.

I did find it interesting how being that it was always Romero's physical prowess over her that was his greatest strength, his death ended up being a physical death, and while her will was her strength over him, her being left mad by the end, her will now shattered, was a sort of death for her.

Even though it claims

she had recovered herself entirely. She was the Princess, and a virgin intact.

She is still left not quite the same Princess any longer, and also interesting, that her "immortality" fades after this experience, the ending could be seen as a sort of death for her.

But her bobbed hair was grey at the temples, and her eyes were a little mad. She was slightly crazy.

She is showing signs of aging at last. And this description reminds me of the description given of her father at the beginning. I think it said something about his own eyes being a little crazy.

[Virgil]

Been snowing all day here and it took me a half hour longer than usual to get home. D-M, you make some fine observations. I don't remember what you had said about the ending. You might want to restate thoughts. I will think about what you've said as I relook at the ending. I'm just too exhausted to think coherently tonight.

[Dark Muse]

To sum it up in a nutshell, I thought the very last line in the ending took the power out of the story and felt like a "cop out" the typical "hollywood ending" I just felt that the story left me with a greater feeling of impact before that bit about her being married was thrown in at the end.

[Janine]

Well I already made my feelings about the ending clear early on, but I will wait for your comments perhaps before I talk more about that.

Dark Muse, I recall that and see that you stated it again after Virgil posted. I will have to read that part again also. I don't have a clear recollection of the actual ending at this time...we've been disgussing this story for sometime now, because of a slowpoke. Just kidding with you, V....is there much snow up there? We are getting a nice coating here. I went out and took some photos. It was so pretty in my backyard - a real winter wonderland tonight - sticking to all the trees. I will put them into my computer soon and view how they came out. I think I got some good shots of the lake. It looks to me like we got about 5 or 6 inches of snow - the tree branches are totally coated; it is one of the prettiest night snowfalls I have ever seen before.

There are a few comments I had for now. Upon reading his segment of the story, and what took place and the events that led up to it, now it seems to me that in a way, they both had killed or "defeated" each other. Both of their demons were perhaps too strong, or too much alike that in the end the demons had slain each other.

I had noticed that part too just while reading the part of the text Virgil had posted. I thought the same exact way. I feel this story is a tragedy of sorts. No one wins at the end and like in "Hamlet" they all are killed off...slain.

By the end The Princess's will finally broke, and she would have submitted to his wishes, but by that time, Romero no longer had it within him to try and impose himself upon her anymore, just as he killed her will within her, she finally killed his desire in him. Though ironically even though they both end up having their way, by that time neither one of them can feel truly satisfied.

Well stated; I believe I do agree with this. It is indeed very ironical and no one is satisfied...that is completely true.

I did find it interesting how being that it was always Romero's physical prowess over her that was his greatest strength, his death ended up being a physical death, and while her will was her strength over him, her being left mad by the end, her will now shattered, was a sort of death for her.

They are both shattered and dead - one physically so and one spiritually so.

Even though it claims

she had recovered herself entirely. She was the Princess, and a virgin intact.

I think that Lawrence is being ironical in this statement. I feel that was his intention entirely. I don't see that she is recovered - only in a superficial sort of way and the same would apply to her 'viginal' state being 'intact'.

But her bobbedhair was grey at the temples, and her eyes were a little mad. She was slightly crazy.

Here Lawrence states honestly her true state of mind - 'a little mad and slightly crazy.' The two statements offset each other in my mind, making the first more ironic. She is far from ok within herself but appears the same to others; she hides the truth inside.

She is still left not quite the same Princess any longer, and also interesting, that her "immortality" fades after this experience, the ending could be seen as a sort of death for her.

Interesting about her 'immortatily' fading as well....all along she was the fairy princess who never ages or dies or experiences the ravages of life; now all of that illusion her father helped to create is meaningless and gone - like an evaporated vapour of a dreamworld. Reality has hit her and left her with only death within herself. She is indeed shattered and she could never be the 'same Princess any longer'.

She is showing signs of aging at last. And this description reminds me of the description given of her father at the beginning. I think it said something about his own eyes being a little crazy.

That seems appropriate to me - the aging part since nymphs and fairies and woodland princesses never age, as I said. Now she is in the real world of reality and she ages, probably faster from this ordeal than she would have normally. Also, doesn't she marry an older man? That also says a lot about how she now views herself. She saw herself as ageless before but now she is aged immediatedly after this ordeal - aged within her pysche.

That is a good parallel and reference to her father with his eyes being 'a little crazy.'

[Virgil]

The Princess sat on the bunk inside the cabin, crouching, paralysed. For hours, it seemed, Romero knelt behind this rock, in his black shirt, bare-headed, watching. He had a beautiful, alert figure. The Princess wondered why she did not feel sorry for him. But her spirit was hard and cold, her heart could not melt. Though now she would have called him to her, with love.

But no, she did not love him. She would never love any man. Never! It was fixed and sealed in her, almost vindictively.

I do think that sums the story up. She was hard and fixed and could not "melt."

The real affair was hushed up. The Princess departed east in a fortnight's time, in Miss Cummins's care. Apparently she had recovered herself entirely. She was the Princess, and a virgin intact.

But her bobbed hair was grey at the temples, and her eyes were a little mad. She was slightly crazy.

"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.

Later, she married an elderly man, and seemed pleased.

I too initially found this part of the ending troubling. But you know, I don't any longer. There has been a transfiguration after all. Her hair is now grey and she has restored her virginity and she is "slightly crazy." I'm not sure I care about that little tag to close it off, though I admit it fits. Little tags that are not part of the story I feel are best left off.

Amazing how many new insights I have gained reading this along with you two. Thanks. I'll address your comments tomorrow.

[Dark Muse]

I still personally dislike the fact that she was just married off at the end.

[Virgil]

There are a few comments I had for now. Upon reading his segment of the story, and what took place and the events that led up to it, now it seems to me that in a way, they both had killed or "defeated" each other. Both of their demons were perhaps too strong, or too much alike that in the end the demons had slain each other.

That is a brilliant observation. They do defeat each other. A wild stalemate.

By the end The Princess's will finally broke, and she would have submitted to his wishes, but by that time, Romero no longer had it within him to try and impose himself upon her anymore, just as he killed her will within her, she finally killed his desire in him. Though ironically even though they both end up having their way, by that time neither one of them can feel truly satisfied.

Yes both their wills broke, or perhaps neither. But certainly every physical part of them but the wills broke. It's as if their wills were all that's left of each other.

I did find it interesting how being that it was always Romero's physical prowess over her that was his greatest strength, his death ended up being a physical death, and while her will was her strength over him, her being left mad by the end, her will now shattered, was a sort of death for her.

Good point. I don't know how else lawrence could have ended the story. I guess they could have both lived, and that would have been unsatisfactory, or they could both have died. Somehow that's unsatisfactory too, but I guess that's arguable.

She is still left not quite the same Princess any longer, and also interesting, that her "immortality" fades after this experience, the ending could be seen as a sort of death for her.

Yes. D-M, you have made me reassess this ending. Thanks.

She is showing signs of aging at last. And this description reminds me of the description given of her father at the beginning. I think it said something about his own eyes being a little crazy.

Quite right. She has turned into her father after this experience.

To sum it up in a nutshell, I thought the very last line in the ending took the power out of the story and felt like a "cop out" the typical "hollywood ending" I just felt that the story left me with a greater feeling of impact before that bit about her being married was thrown in at the end.

I already gave my thoughts on that last line. I don't particularly like stories that add such a tag at the end. It does take away from the whole experience of the story.

[Janine]

Boo hoo, I am the only one that likes the ending and thinks it appropriate. I am the lone one out on this one. I guess we are done discussing this story.

Amazing how many new insights I have gained reading this along with you two. Thanks.

I certainly agree with this. I think we all put in sufficent and equal imput and learned from each other. This was one great discussion, even if it took us a few months - understandable, since it was a longer than normal story. In response, I too, thank both of you for all the fine insights.


I think a month off is in order. I will try to post some extraneous and interesting Lawrence material in the interum, thoughout the month. Then in March, we will start another story, ok with everyone? I have one picked out already, since it has a 'wintery' theme. We can just sqeeze it in before spring begins.

[Emmy Castrol]

I'm over eager for the next D.H. Lawrence short story! Which story will it be, Janine? Which ones of D.H. Lawrence's short stories have we already looked at in this thread? (The thought of going back and reading 178 pages is quite daunting!)

[Janine]

I'm over eager for the next D.H. Lawrence short story! Which story will it be, Janine? Which ones of D.H. Lawrence's short stories have we already looked at in this thread? (The thought of going back and reading 178 pages is quite daunting!)

So happy to see you here, Emmy! Welcome. I know you will love this thread and the discussions. I know what you mean....178 pages is a bit much to review....I told you it was a successful thread.

I know which ones we read so far in my mind; but, I need to actually review those pages to compile a list. Sorry you were not here sooner; we did a lot of Lawrence's best stories. I had wanted to do "Wintery Peacock" but every month the discussion got pushed up another month and now is nearly spring, although it still could snow, who knows, right? Do you think it is too late to do a 'winter' story? It's a good one, with a great deal of charm and wit; I reviewed it a few weeks ago. I can review more 'possiblities' if you think it is too late, approaching spring, to do this particular one. I'll check out my books and see what other ones might be suggested. I will officially announce one on the weekend. I usually write up something short about the story and post a nice picture to depict the mood.

Usually, Virgil and Quark and Dark Muse take part, too; so I will let them know when I decide. Virgil might be too tied up with other threads presently, but we have some new people interested in Lawrence so I am willing to do a story this month.