Queen Anne’s Gate in Westminster, London, where in John Buchan’s famous tale Sir Walter Bullivant was hosting a top secret military council, on the eve of the First World War. Buchan, who was later appointed Director of Military Intelligence, held that the key to impersonation was not disguise or likeness but other people’s expectations. “You took Lord Alloa for granted” Hanny told the incredulous General Winstanley after the imposture was exposed. “It was natural for him to be here, and that put you all to sleep.”
Introduction
On the eve of the Great War, Richard Hannay has gone to Sir Walter Bullivant’s house in Queen Anne’s Gate to report failure in the search for the ‘Black Stone’ — a German spy and master of disguise whom Hannay alone can identify. Sir Walter, however, is closeted with Lord Alloa, head of the Navy.
THE door of the back room opened, and the First Sea Lord came out. He walked past me, and in passing he glanced in my direction, and for a second we looked each other in the face.
Only for a second, but it was enough to make my heart jump. I had never seen the great man before, and he had never seen me. But in that fraction of time something sprang into his eyes, and that something was recognition. It came involuntarily, for in a moment it died, and he passed on. In a maze of wild fancies I heard the street door close behind him.
I picked up the telephone book and looked up the number of his house. We were connected at once, and I heard a servant’s voice.
‘Is his Lordship at home?’ I asked.
‘His Lordship returned half an hour ago,’ said the voice, ‘and has gone to bed. He is not very well tonight. Will you leave a message, Sir?’
I rang off and almost tumbled into a chair. My part in this business was not yet ended.
Abridged
Abridged from ‘The Thirty-Nine-Steps’ (1915) by John Buchan.
Questions for Critics
1. What is the author aiming to achieve in writing this?
2. Note any words, devices or turns of phrase that strike you. How do they help the author communicate his ideas more effectively?
3. What impression does this passage make on you? How might you put that impression into words?
Based on The English Critic (1939) by NL Clay, drawing on The New Criticism: A Lecture Delivered at Columbia University, March 9, 1910, by J. E. Spingarn, Professor of Comparative Literature in Columbia University, USA.
Archive
Word Games
Spinners Find in Think and Speak
For each group of words, compose a sentence that uses all three. You can use any form of the word: for example, cat → cats, go → went, or quick → quickly, though neigh → neighbour is stretching it a bit.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Glance. Moment. Never.
2 Connect. Each. Street.
3 Lordship. Something. Voice.
Variations: 1. include direct and indirect speech 2. include one or more of these words: although, because, despite, either/or, if, unless, until, when, whether, which, who 3. use negatives (not, isn’t, neither/nor, never, nobody etc.)
Statements, Questions and Commands Find in Think and Speak
Use each word below in a sentence. Try to include at least one statement, one question and one command among your sentences. Note that some verbs make awkward or meaningless words of command, e.g. need, happen.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1 Spring. 2 Voice. 3 Ask. 4 Room. 5 Ring. 6 Number. 7 Connect. 8 Face. 9 Look.
Variations: 1. use a minimum of seven words for each sentence 2. include negatives, e.g. isn’t, don’t, never 3. use the words ‘must’ to make commands 4. compose a short dialogue containing all three kinds of sentence: one statement, one question and one command
Opposites Find in Think and Speak
Suggest words or phrases that seem opposite in meaning to each of the words below. We have suggested some possible answers; see if you can find any others.
This exercise uses words found in the accompanying passage.
1.
Behind.
2.
Better.
3.
First.
4.
Lord.
5.
Man.
6.
Once.
7.
Open.
8.
Out.
9.
Wild.
Variations: 1.instead of opposites, suggest words of similar meaning (synonyms). 2.use a word and its opposite in the same sentence. 3.suggest any 5 opposites formed by adding -less.
Add Vowels Find in Think and Speak
Make words by adding vowels to each group of consonants below. You may add as many vowels as you like before, between or after the consonants, but you may not add any consonants or change the order of those you have been given. See if you can beat our target of common words.
dl (10)
dale. deal. deli. dial. dole. dual. duel. ideal. idle. idol.
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