On the evening of 19th November CanonPennyfather had finished an early dinner at the Athenaeum, he had nodded to one or twofriends, had had a pleasant acrimonious discussion on some crucial points of the dating ofthe Dead Sea scrolls and now, glancing at his watch, saw that it was time to leave tocatch his plane to Lucerne. As he passed through the hall he was greeted by one morefriend: Dr. Whittaker, of the S.O.A.S. who said cheerfully:
"How are you, Pennyfather? Haven't see you for a long time. How did you get on at the Congress? Any points ofinterest come up?"
"I am sure there will be."
"Just come back from it, haven't you?"
"No, no, I am on my way there. I'm catching a plane this evening."
"Oh I see." Whittakerlooked slightly puzzled. "Somehow or other I thought theCongress was today."
"No, no. Tomorrow, the 19th."
Canon Pennyfather passed out through the door whilehis friend, looking after him, was just saying:
"But my dear chap, today is the 19th,isn't it?"
Canon Pennyfather, however, had gone beyond earshot.He picked up a taxi in Pall Mall, and was driven to the air terminal in Kensington. Therewas quite a fair crowd this evening. Presenting himself at the desk it at last came to histurn. He managed to produce ticket and passport and other necessities for the journey. Thegirl behind the desk, about to stamp these credentials, paused abruptly.
"I beg your pardon, sir, this seems to be thewrong ticket."
"The wrong ticket? No, no, that is quite right.Flight one hundred and – well, I can't really read without my glasses – one hundredand something to Lucerne."
"It's the date, sir.This is dated Wednesday the 18th."
"No, no, surely. At least – I mean – today is Wednesday the 18th."
"I'm sorry, sir. Todayis the 19th."
"The 19th!" TheCanon was dismayed. He finished out a small diary, turning the pages eagerly. In the endhe had to be convinced. Today was the 19th. The plane he had meant to catch hadgone yesterday.
"Then that means – thatmeans – dear me, it means the Congress at Lucerne had takenplace today."
He stared in deep dismay across the counter; butthere were many others travelling; the Canon and his perplexities were elbowed aside. Hestood sadly, holding the useless ticket in his hand. His mind ranged over variouspossibilities. Perhaps his ticket could be changed? But that would be no use – no indeed – what time was it now? Going on for 9o'clock? The conference had actually taken place; starting at10 o'clock this morning. Of course, that was what Whittakerhad meant at the Athenaeum. He thought Canon Pennyfather had already been to the Congress.
"Oh dear, oh dear," saidCanon Pennyfather, to himself. "What a muddle I have made ofit all!" He wandered sadly and silently into the CromwellRoad, not at its best a very cheerful place.
He walked slowly along the street carrying his bagand revolving perplexities in his mind. When at last he had worked out to his satisfactionthe various reasons for which he had made a mistake in the day, he shook his head sadly.
"Now, I suppose," hesaid to himself, "I suppose – letme see, it's after nine o'clock,yes, I suppose I had better have something to eat."
It was curious, he thought, that he did not feelhungry.
Wandering disconsolately along the Cromwell Road hefinally settled upon a small restaurant which served Indian curries. It seemed to him thatthough he was not quite as hungry as he ought to be, he had better kept his spirits up byhaving a meal, and after that he must find a hotel and – butno, there was no need to do that. He had a hotel! Of course. He was staying at Bertram's; and had reserved his room for four days. What a piece of luck! What asplendid piece of luck! So his room was there, waiting for him. He had only to ask for hiskey at the desk and – here another reminiscence assailed him.Something heavy in his pocket?
He dipped his hand in and brought out one of thoselarge and solid keys with which hotels try and discourage their vaguer guests from takingthem away in their pockets. It had not prevented the Canon from doing so!
"No. 19," said theCanon, in happy recognition. "That'sright. It's very fortunate that I haven't got to go and find a room in a hotel. They say they're very crowded just now. Yes, Edmunds was saying so at the Athenaeum thisevening. He had a terrible job finding a room."
Somewhat pleased with himself and the care he hadtaken over his travelling arrangements by booking a hotel beforehand, the Canon abandonedhis curry, remembered to pay for it, and strode out once more into the Cromwell Road.
It seemed a little tame to go home just like thiswhen he ought to have been dining in Lucerne and talking about all sorts of interestingand fascinating problems. His eye was caught by a cinema. Walls of Jericho. It seemed aneminently suitable title. It would be interesting to see if biblical accuracy had beenpreserved.
He bought himself a seat and stumbled into thedarkness. He enjoyed the film, though it seemed to him to have no relationship to thebiblical story whatsoever. Even Joshua seemed to have been left out. The walls of Jerichoseemed to be a symbolical way of referring to a certain lady'smarriage vows. When they had tumbled down several times, the beautiful star met the dourand uncouth hero whom she had secretly loved all along and between them they proposed tobuild up the walls in a way that would stand the test of time better. It was not a filmdestined particularly to appeal to an elderly clergyman; but Canon Pennyfather enjoyed itvery much. It was not the sort of film he often saw and he felt it was enlarging hisknowledge of life. The film ended, the lights went up, the National Anthem was played andCanon Pennyfather stumbled out into the lights of London, slightly consoled for the sadevents of earlier in the evening.
It was a fine night and he walked home to Bertram'sHotel after first getting into a bus which took him in the opposite direction. It wasmidnight when he got in and Bertram's Hotel at midnight usually preserved a decorousappearance of everyone having gone to bed. The lift was on a higher floor so the Canonwalked up the stairs. He came to his room, inserted the key in the lock, threw the dooropen and entered!
Good gracious, was he seeing things? But who –how – he saw the upraised arm too late…
Stars exploded in a kind of Guy Fawkes' display within his head…
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