Page
THE CHINA MAIL, SATURDAY, AUGUST 27, 1955.
Part
"IF THE IR.A. DIDN'T TAKE 'EM. WHO DID?"
London Express Bervios
The letter from Aldershot
Whenever Rascoe went to the window, there they were ...
W
I
A
· Another story to keep you guessing.
ft FACT
DID
or
FICTION?
IT HAPPEN ?
That is what you have to find, out,
The answer will be published on Monday
"Which with romission of sentence," said another. "should be up pretty soon, Keep your uyes open for the morning mull."
We all breakfasted at the high table in the ball. None of us was at his best at that hour, but one morning my torpor Was shaken by the sight of a letter on Roscoe's plate. The postmark was
Aldershot, not surprising considering Rosco's connection with the OTC. But that hand- writing, I thought, was too illiterate for even the crassest orderly clerk.
great to bridge, he said: "For God's sake leave me alone." He half-pushed me out of the room and stammed and locked the door behind me.
Next morning there wasn't o boy in St. Botolph's who didn't know that They had come back. 'They were staying at the pub in the vilinge and that after- noon They came up to watch the OTC inspection, two shabby men in greasy raincorts brown pork-pie hats, shiny with age.
and
In the middle of the inspec- his tion, one of them aloared throat so loudly that Roscoe looked furiously in their diree good tion.
And when he saw who they were, he dropped his sword.
HEN
was young
1 man
Rosene came in, fussing up went to teach the hall in his chalky gown. He at St Botolph's, was in a comparatively The only respect in which mood until he looked down and saw the letter; and then his St Botolph's was like Har- face went grey. He clutched row was that it was on the the back of the chair.
What made that top of a hill. The hill was in
awful
was the sound the middle of England, six boys' voices; 400 miles from anywhere, with of them chatter- away; and the exception of a miserable ing
Roscoe recolling
'school.
The Senior
me.
hamlet depending on the
Classics Master under whom I was to work was a Mr Roscoe, whom I disliked as heartily at sight as he did Fiftyish. petulant and womanly, he fussed down the corridors and exploded in the
In #ittle potent bursts of rage. An ab- surd litle usher he was, but not dotally to be despised; for he was an excellent scholar in his pedantic way, Quite surprising- ly good for that school. Almost, I said with malicious suspiciously good.
common
room
A martinet
im-
Insight,
from the sight of
that' grubby en- om velope Aldershot as it had been he
the the punched in polar plexus. Then he picked it up, thrust it in his pocket and sat down.
But I thought no more about - it uzti SOME
three weeks later, when running upstairs I saw a cheque
book Lying landing
outside ROSDOC'S
door. There was name on it, but
on
The
no
That was the beginning of a moment lamentable performance, which
of the the inspecting brigadier
cca The men who knew what Roscoe had done a quarter of a century before.
cut
very evening because Roscoe announcod himself and re- fired to the sanatorium bungalow.
I went to see him next day on prolence of discussing his work and the old man already seemed better, as if lying in bed propped up on pillows was a better protection, than the Ser- vice revolver und the locked
or of his study.
Thal afternoon, I saw the two my walk by and stand outside
where
Wes
the classroom
taking Roscoe's form. They saw me and I could see the surprise penetrate to their laces, before they turned away grey prison
and walked off.
Sent packing
After they had gone for a few yards, they looked round as I their trust in humanity was so low that they could not believe their own eyes. When 1 maio my baboon face at them, they shuffled off.
A few days later, They asked to see the Headmaster on private. business, With what they thought was tunning, they pre- tended to be old boys of the school where the Head had taught for many years previous 10
his coming to St Botolph's. Perhaps
that more loyalty 10 his staff made the Head
send them packing. "They said they were friends
of Mr Roscoe,
than
" he confided to
of course cannot be
ine, which truc. But
he was going to say, "I'm afraid that there can bo no question of Mr Roscoo's returning next term."
Instead, he asked me whether 1 felt that I could take over Mr Roycoo's work, "in case ho didn't feel up to it atter the holidays."
T
09
I suggested we might see what happedod, not mentioning that what commended the school to ine was that the wark wan easy it gave me time to write. What happened was that the term came to an end and Ross.DG was still taking asylum in the hospital. I did not say good- bye to him. The Headmaster
had been in and given him the sack, I think. At any rate, the last time I saw him he accused me of trying to steal his job, und my antagonism rovived. Once or twice during holidays I felt a twinge of guilt thought of Roscoe hiding la the sanatorium bungalow, with the matron and his
Of course, Roscoe was odd. Everyone admitted that. But perhaps it was the war. He had the cheque stubs were in Roscoe's short by suggesting that one of won a DSO and an MC and handwriting. I saw, too, since the company commanders should
when I was there, he still com- he had the habit of deducting take over; at which point They at the manded the OTC, corpulent and the amount he withdrew from took their departure. peppery on parade, a miniaturo his deposit, that he had over of the marinets that H. M. £700 in his account. Bateman favoured.
It took a couple of terms I knocked at Roscoe's door before I became accepted by and walked in without waiting
of the other masters. for an answer, He was stand Acceptance meant entry into the ing of his desk, and he looked I began to up at me with his eyes blazing
some
circle of gossip.
- one told me, "Then desk,
something happened and he
They were very clever, hav- alone ing learned, suppose from guilt. their last attempt at blackmail. England was a free country and there was no law against their They staying in the village. made no demands
on Roscoe. They just stucit around.
Next term
the
Next term I know before they
could
done a a quarter of a contury I wwont to Australia. After the "I think this is yours," I said, before, the men he had put in I asked myself, If as
as I suspected. svar, he thought it would have dangling the cheque book. blown over. But it hasn't, of course."
gaol
learn things about Roscoe, Ho with anger, "What the hell There was a public footpath told me that Roscoe was dead. came of a good family. One do you mean by breaking in across the meadow on to which we did everything wo brother was a high court Judge, like that?" he asked. In his the classrTOMMA looked: and another a naval captain.
was a Service revolver, whenever Roscoc hond
went to the for ham," said Matron, when I course Roscoe Was in which he slipped back in the window, there they were, the asked her. "Doctor come twice
men who know what he had and three times a day."
But what could the doctor do? They came twice or three times It was about & fortnight be- criminal than tapping on the # night, doing nothing more didn't moment ho Discounted the scandal, the recognise what it was. Then he fore the end of term when They window of his ward to remind "Good "ppeared, just as we were ghim that the only way he could prattle
in almost ran towards me. marooned
to set examination mid-England with nothing bet- God!" he said, and with char-ling realy
In a couple of days, their following was in a box.
leave the sanatorium without to talk of, But I consulted acteristic suspicion, he added: papers.
"Where did you get hold Roscoe was looking 60 dilige the back numbers of Croce that?" As though I had stolen of
that I approached him
could do your papers for
of men
And sure enough, there was
name G. St-C. Roscoo-an un- th usual combination of initials; and in 1909 the note Resigned Ondors. I kept my ears open from then on.
Small legacies
Roscoe,
1
For
a
I told him ond with the you," I said, "if you want to go
approach to positivo away."
nearest
emotion I had soon in him; he.... "Go away?” thanked me. He held the door For a moment I had got beneath his guard. "My dear Calder-Marshall, it -you think
open for me to leave.
WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED
DID IT REALLY HAPPEN!
YES
NO
I could almost smell his fear; the Hond would give you the
Put your ticle in the spade as you lean an 'etimol's and Classical "Sheth, in my absence,
above and keep this panel był anthered, had suddenly I wor very sorry for you are very much mistaken." received a suoccasion of small him, besieged in this lonely If I had been older, I would you until: Monday...when legocios. But each time he came school. Where onschg not have welted away roud the armwer will be given **** Velth.
to any money, They whoever can do?!! I audcod.
bravo hostu only she desper
··· dry that ·
qwert, daly pethoe
They word tumed up again
He sized ms up and then, in hit
"And the villy man, sive in,- Perhaps because he sew. I had. poscana Girerd 17), ICHOD, ED, KP-|
and blackmailed-hion out of it." wall they made theymurake of
minds the offer for love mot of 1 would almo, have known that
him hun af emellantent or pary, the Hood wouls) have trusted bacsisand:7eb30 For me to take over Rocca's
another story in this carles liy Arthur Gould Lee
Did yesterday's Landysh
by ARTHUR CALDER-MARSHALL ARTHUR CALDER - MAR-
SHALL, author and traveller, has experienced schools at both ends; as a boy at St. Paul's and, after Oxford, six and a half terms as clospic moster. He left to write such books as The Magic of My Youth. Forty-six, he is married and has two daughters.
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