The Japanned Box

           ItWASacuriousthing,saidtheprivatetutor;oneofthosegrotesqueandwhimsicalincidentswhichoccurtooneasonegoesthroughlife.IlostthebestsituationwhichIameverlikelytohavethroughit.ButIamgladthatIwenttoThorpePlace,forIgained—well,asItellyouthestoryyouwilllearnwhatIgained.

           Idon’tknowwhetheryouarefamiliarwiththatpartoftheMidlandswhichisdrainedbytheAvon.ItisthemostEnglishpartofEngland.Shakespeare,theflowerofthewholerace,wasbornrightinthemiddleofit.Itisalandofrollingpastures,risinginhigherfoldstothewestwards,untiltheyswellintotheMalvernHills.Therearenotowns,butnumerousvillages,eachwithitsgreyNormanchurch.Youhaveleftthebrickofthesouthernandeasterncountiesbehindyou,andeverythingisstone—stoneforthewalls,andlichenedslabsofstonefortheroofs.Itisallgrimandsolidandmassive,asbefitstheheartofagreatnation.

           Itwasinthemiddleofthiscountry,notveryfarfromEvesham,thatSirJohnBollamorelivedintheoldancestralhomeofThorpePlace,andthitheritwasthatIcametoteachhistwolittlesons.SirJohnwasawidower—hiswifehaddiedthreeyearsbefore—andhehadbeenleftwiththesetwoladsagedeightandten,andonedearlittlegirlofseven.MissWitherton,whoisnowmywife,wasgovernesstothislittlegirl.Iwastutortothetwoboys.Couldtherebeamoreobviouspreludetoanengagement?Shegovernsmenow,andItutortwolittleboysofourown.