A. E. W. Mason

Name: The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers
Author: A. E. W. Mason

The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

Summary

“The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers”, published in 1920, is a work by A. E. W. Mason. It explores elements such as Harry Luttrell, Joan Whitworth and Stella Croyle.

Quotes from The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (A. E. W. Mason)

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ Men were for women, women for men, especially for those men who went out with a cheery song in their mouths to save them from the hideous destiny of women in ravaged lands. The soldier was here to-day on leave, and God alone knew where he would be to-morrow, and whether alive, or perhaps a crippled thing like a child!
Joan Whitworth and Harry Luttrell had been touched by the swift magic of those days; he, when he had first seen her in the shining armour of her youth upon the steps of the stairs; she, when Harry had first entered the hall and spoken his few commonplace words of greeting. ”

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A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ It seemed that the presiding genius of the maze was uttering his invocation as the sun went down. Joan and Harry Luttrell crept stealthily nearer, Harry now openly guided by a light touch upon his arm as the paths twisted. Words—amazing words—became distinctly audible; and a familiar voice. They came to the last screen of hedge and peered through at a spot where the twigs were thin. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ Hillyard looked quickly round the hall, as a qualm of pity for Stella Croyle seized him. But he could not see her. "Thank Heaven she has already gone up to dress," he said to himself. A marriage between Joan Whitworth and the Harry Luttrell of to-day, the man freed now from the great obsession of his life and trained now to the traditional paths, was a fitting thing, a thing to be welcomed. Hillyard readily acknowledged it. But he had more insight into the troubled soul of Stella Croyle than any one else in that company.
"No one's bothering about her," he reflected. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ The hedges are centuries old." She turned innocent eyes on Harry Luttrell. "I don't know whether you are interested in old hedges."
It is to be feared that "minx" was the only right word for Joan Whitworth on this afternoon. Harry Luttrell expressed an intense enthusiasm for great box hedges.
"But they aren't box, they are yew," said Joan, stopping at once.
Harry Luttrell's enthusiasm for yew hedges, however, was even greater and more engrossing than his enthusiasm for box ones. A pagoda perched upon a bank overlooked the maze and a narrow steep path led down into it between the hedges. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ The commiseration died on the instant in Millicent Splay.
"Well, really I don't see why you shouldn't be," she said coldly. "You will go a long way before you find any one to equal her."
Her whole attitude demanded of him an explanation of how he dared not to be in love with her darling.
"A very long way," Martin Hillyard agreed humbly. "All the way probably."
Lady Splay was mollified, and went on to her room. Down in the hall, Harry Luttrell turned to Joan.
"This is going to be a wonderful week for me."
"I am very glad," answered Joan, and they went up the stairs side by side. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ Joan responded dryly.
Millie Splay could hardly believe her ears. Cautiously she and her party advanced on tiptoe to the balustrade and looked down. Yes, there the pair of them were, now laughing, now in desperate earnest, practising the fox-trot to the music of the gramophone.
"Do I hold you right?" asked Harry. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ He stood transfixed; then turned and beckoned furiously. The lawn-tennis players forsook their rackets, Lady Splay and Stella Croyle their croquet mallets. Dennis Brown led them by a back way up to the head of the broad stairs. Here a gallery ran along one side of the hall. Voices rose up to them from the floor above the music of the gramophone.
Joan's: "That's the twinkle."
Luttrell's: "It's pretty difficult."
"Try it again," said Joan. "Oh, that's ever so much better."
"I shall never dare to dance it with any one else," said Luttrell. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ She wore a little white frock of chiffon and lace, as simple as could be, but even to a man's eyes it was that simplicity which is the last word of a good dressmaker. A huge rose of blue and silver at her waist was its only touch of colour. ”

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Source: Wikisource

A. E. W. Mason, The Summons — XXI: The Magnolia Flowers (1920)

“ The letter which he was holding carelessly in his fingers had almost slipped from them into the locked letter box.
Joan crossed to where he stood.
"That's all right," she said. "You can post your letter there. The box is cleared regularly."
"No doubt," Harry Luttrell returned. "But I am no longer sure that I am going to post it."
The letter to his friend at the War Office contained an earnest prayer that a peremptory telegram should be sent to him at Rackham Park, at an early hour on the next morning, commanding his return to London.
He looked up at Joan.
"You despise racing, don't you?" ”

A. E. W. Mason

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