The Project Gutenberg EBook of Aaron's Rod, by D. H. Lawrence

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Title: Aaron's Rod

Author: D. H. Lawrence

Release Date: October, 2003 [Etext# 4520]
Posting Date: December 3, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK AARON'S ROD ***

Produced by Doug Levy

AARON'S ROD

by D. H. Lawrence

CONTENTS

I. THE BLUE BALL
II. ROYAL OAK
III. "THE LIGHTED TREE"
IV. "THE PILLAR OF SALT"
V. AT THE OPERA
VI. TALK
VII. THE DARK SQUARE GARDEN
VIII. A PUNCH IN THE WIND
IX. LOW-WATER MARK
X. THE WAR AGAIN
XI. MORE PILLAR OF SALT
XII. NOVARA
XIII. WIE ES IHNEN GEFAELLT
XIV. XX SETTEMBRE
XV. A RAILWAY JOURNEY
XVI. FLORENCE
XVII. HIGH UP OVER THE CATHEDRAL SQUARE
XVIII. THE MARCHESA
XIX. CLEOPATRA, BUT NOT ANTHONY
XX. THE BROKEN ROD
XXI. WORDS

CHAPTER I. THE BLUE BALL

There was a large, brilliant evening star in the early twilight, and
underfoot the earth was half frozen. It was Christmas Eve. Also the War
was over, and there was a sense of relief that was almost a new menace.
A man felt the violence of the nightmare released now into the general
air. Also there had been another wrangle among the men on the pit-bank
that evening.

Aaron Sisson was the last man on the little black railway-line climbing
the hill home from work. He was late because he had attended a meeting
of the men on the bank. He was secretary to the Miners Union for his
colliery, and had heard a good deal of silly wrangling that left him
nettled.

He strode over a stile, crossed two fields, strode another stile, and
was in the long road of colliers' dwellings. Just across was his own
house: he had built it himself. He went through the little gate, up past
the side of the house to the back. There he hung a moment, glancing down
the dark, wintry garden.

"My father--my father's come!" cried a child's excited voice, and two
little girls in white pinafores ran out in front of his legs.

"Father, shall you set the Christmas Tree?" they cried. "We've got one!"

"Afore I have my dinner?" he answered amiably.

"Set it no