The Iron Man [Serial]

Mise en Abyme

I lifted Murphy's suitcase onto the foot of his bed. His Scipio, tucked beneath a strap, I lay at his right side. I opened the case; I did not think the pressure on his feet would be too much, as the contents were light. His things were here, the heaviest being a pair of dress shoes, which I removed and placed beneath the bed.

"This is not his watch?" Me'rah stood from her chair. Her fingers traced the bright silver pocket watch, and then the chain with crescent fob.

I took my own watch from my waistcoat, and turned it so Me'rah might see. It was somewhat more worn in appearance. "He gave me his when he saw I was without one, and purchased that to replace his."

"It was," Me'rah waved her fingers towards my watch, "the watch of Sheikh Jibril. He had no sons. Only daughters. He gave this watch to Tyron, when Tyron left for university."

"Sheikh Jibril? Is that Sina's father?" I asked. I was yet uncertain who was who in Murphy's family and whether mentions of an uncle or sheikh referred to one or more men.

"The same."

"I'm sorry. Are you--?" It had not occurred to me before now, but: how might Me'rah know their watches on sight unless she had been close? "Are you also...?"

"Tyron is my son."

I almost dropped my watch, though the fob would have caught it. I fumbled it back into its pocket. "Forgive me. I did not realize. I-- I am so sorry you had to see him this way. I wish I could have helped him." His mother! I did not know what I should say. "If there is anything I can do, just tell me."

Me'rah lifted the front of her veil and folded it over her head. I saw then some small resemblance of features with Murphy. They were both slender in build, tan of skin, with thin lips, and dark eyes and hair. She smiled, teeth faintly age-stained but pearly. "Sina confessed to me that you were present for her honor in Tyron's stead. I know you did everything possible and necessary for him."

I bowed my head.

"You said there is a book?"

I lifted Murphy's dress shirt to reach the paper novel. It was The Green Carnation, which I had been reading. "It's from his library."

"I know this one. Tyron learned to read English from this book."

"I learned from a Bible."

"English Bible?"

"That was very much Athené's reaction."

"Everything is Greek to His Highness," Me'rah said.

"You've met." I smiled, "He has me read classics aloud in Greek or Latin."

"You read with Tyron?"

"Not usually. Sometimes he shows me picture-novels." I shook my head, "I could. Do you think he would like it?"

Me'rah nodded. Her eyes shifted to Murphy. "We have waited. We have prayed. Maybe a familiar voice or story will help him return." 

When Hedone and Micah entered, I was reading Chapter Two, in which the mid-aged Mrs. Windsor was inviting her cousin, the young widow Lady Locke, to have a drink in her room after a night out. Betty Windsor hinted Emily Locke might consider marriage to young Lord Reggie Hastings, but Emily expressed curiosity towards the relationship Reggie had with the witty older gentleman Mr. Esmé Amarinth.

Me'rah was again seated, and took her warm cup of coffee with whispered thanks when Micah handed it to her. Hedone came to my side and held the wire rack with two metal take-away cups.

"The same?" I asked. I was delighted that so far from my former home there was the same post-war prevalence of tea and coffee houses, down to the similar caddies and cups.

"Chocolate in both."

I reached for a cup with my left hand, still holding the book in my right.

"What are we reading?" Micah asked. He drew a chair from somewhere behind me to sit beside my seat, leaving space for Hedone to perch on the wooden arm of my chair.

Me'rah answered him, speaking again in a language I did not quite recognize.

I continued the story, with Hedone reading over my shoulder as it were. "May I read some of the parts?" Xe asked after a while. I hadn't thought we would make it a drama, but the novel did have some play-like elements. There were long descriptive passages to establish scenes, but elsewhere long exchanges of dialogue. In some lines, dialogue was used to suggest a scene, such as Betty inviting Emily to lay on a particular couch before it had been otherwise established in the setting. It was curious; more something intended to be read aloud than a script for a picture-novel. 

Hedone read some of the dialogue between Reggie and Mr. Amarinth. Xer spoken English was always excellent, but Hedone had a rougher time reading English, which I empathized with after being made to read Greek. Yet, it was entertaining when Hedone made attempts to deepen xer voice to read Amarinth's lines, and then made xer voice more nasal when reading for Reggie.

This Amarinth character also suggested his young friend Reggie consider marriage with Emily Locke, but only if Reggie was prepared to be a bad husband. It was not like a current picture-novel where one simply saw a man take another in his arms-- the panels playing Chinese Shadows if they were any closer. There was so much tiresome dialogue hinting at something not explicitly said. Was Reggie disinterested in marriage because he liked being a general scamp and bachelor, or because he didn't fancy women? Or, was he possibly intrigued by this prospect of marriage only to gain Emily's ample allowance?

"Do you think they will marry?" Hedone asked.

"I hope not." I sighed. "The only sympathetic character is Emily."

"You don't like Reggie?"

"Practically all we know of the character is how beautiful he is. So, no."

"You share resemblance," Me'rah said quietly.

"Mashallah!" I replied, like an Egyptian.

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Chapter 59 for the regular Tuesday update. The Iron Man reached 2,000 reads since the last update!

The media is another track from Two Steps From Hell, "Miracles", I picked it for it's sound/mood, mostly.

I think I already described The Green Carnation in a previous chapter. It'll be relevant in one way or another for several future chapters.