I’ve been reading Mr. Allenby Loses The Way by Frank Baker, author of my much-loved Miss Hargreaves, and I’ve even been able to call it work – hopefully it’ll be useful for the chapter I’m writing at the moment. It’s about a man who is given five wishes by a fairy… but nowhere near as twee as that sounds. Anyway, this isn’t a review of the novel (not least because I’ve only read the first 50 pages) but something else entirely. I was merrily reading along, when I came across this seemingly incidental piece of dialogue:
“All snatches of overheard conversation have something of interest in them. I once listened to an elderly lady who travelled with me in the same carriage from Bath to Cornford, telling her neighbour about a creature called ‘Agatha.’ But who, or what, was Agatha? I never discovered; I never wanted to discover.”
Does that mean anything to you?
Perhaps, even probably, not. You haven’t read Miss Hargreaves six times; you don’t love its every word with the passion that I do. But maybe you do remember that it was set in Cornford; that Miss Hargreaves arrived on a train from Bath; that Norman made up Agatha and was told she was “sinking”, without ever knowing what sort of animal/person Agatha was…
Sorry if that was gibberish for those of you who haven’t read Miss Hargreaves (if you haven’t, I’ll want to know a VERY good reason why you haven’t). But I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to see her mentioned in this novel, published six years after Miss Hargreaves. It’s my favourite novel, and she is my favourite of all characters – any small sign that she broke out of the bounds of her book delights me. It was so unexpected, and a treat for those with keen eyes and a good memory. Or, y’know, a borderline obsession with Miss H.
Have you ever come across this? A character slipping outside their book and popping up in another? Not in a series, that’s no surprise, but a brief waft past, like this – a little gift from the author to the observant reader. Hmm?
First off, I'm very proud of myself for understanding the reference (and I've only read Miss H. once!). And I love how he put it in a second book, because it just makes her all the more "real" doesn't it?
Well done you! Miss H obviously made an impression… and yes, it was a lovely touch on Baker's behalf. She gets around!
Have not read Miss Hargreaves but have every intention to this year, soon! In fact, it's already in my 'most-looking-forward-to-read' stack, thanks to you. As for characters popping up in unexpected places, can't think of any right now. But I agree that when it does happen, it's certainly delightful.
Hurrah! I do hope you manage to get to it soon, and enjoy spending time with Miss H :)
Finally reading Miss Hargreaves is one of my top resolutions for 2012. It will happen. It must.
Oh, Claire, it must, it must! But you are spoiling me with all my much-loved books that you're reading, so I shan't get *too* angry if you don't.
Having just read 'Death Comes to Pemberley' (P D James) I confess that some of the bits I enjoyed the most were when she made reference to characters from Emma and Persuasion. It was rather fun to think of various people being 'taken in' by Lydia and Wickham – particularly those peripheral characters one likes to dislike.
I'm sure there must have been many thumbnail sketches beloved by authors and popped in where they could be popped, over time – but I can't think of any just now.
A modern equivalent might be the cameo appearence in a film – eg Colin Dexter in Morse and Hitchcock in each of his films.
Human nature is frail – we all like an 'in' joke!
Does that make us frail?? Gosh!
I did enjoy Old Friends and New Fancies by Sybil Brinton, where characters from all 6 Austen novels turn up and intermarry!
I understood the reference (yay!). I, too, love this sort of thing. I cannot think of one off the top of my head, but I know that I've come across some. I even love the more frequent serendipity of references to other books that you've just recently read within the tale of another. I rec'd Death Comes to Pemberley for Christmas, and OVW has just reminded me it needs to be closer to the top of the stack. :)
And for a superficial plug for Miss Hargreaves…the reprint cover has to be one of the prettiest colors of blue in print. Such a calming color. ;)
You get ten points!
I adore the colour. It is my favourite – my bedrooms in Worcestershire and Somerset were/are both painted that colour – it's so happy and cheering! And so you can imagine how delighted I was that they chose that colour for Miss H. It's like it was meant especially for me :)
WELLLLL…as a matter of fact, I purchased 'Miss Hargreaves' about a year ago on your recommendation, but JUST started reading it on the train yesterday morning, and about 20 minutes ago read the bit with Agatha ('Do you think Agatha's a monkey) sinking. Kismet! I'm absolutely loving, actually more than expected! :)
Lovely coincidence! And NATURALLY you are loving it, how could you possibly do anything else?
Funny how Miss H pops up in your conversation with alarming frequency, isn't it Simon? Thank goodness I've read it! Barbara Pym often pops one of her characters into another book. I feel about her books as you do about Miss H so I'm always pleased to wave at one of them as they're mentioned in passing. My favourite example isn't in a novel, though. It's the letter Jane Austen wrote to Cassandra about sseeing Jane Bingley's portrait in an exhibition but not one of Elizabeth Darcy. She thought Mr Darcy would have too fine a sense of delicacy to want his wife's portrait exhibited.
Funny that, isn't it? ;) Yes, you're safe now… I'm lucky the doves aren't all as hardened bullies as I am, otherwise we'd never have a moment's peace.
I forgot to include it in the blog post, but I was thinking of Jane Austen's letters too – she also gives outlines of what happens to them, doesn't she? Or it's Austen-Leigh's Memoir, or something… I love the extension of characters beyond their books.
Barbara Pym does this quite a bit,sometimes characters are mentioned in passing, sometimes they are explored in more depth from one novel to another yet her novels are definitely not a series.
I love donkeys too.
I've only read one Pym novel; I must revisit her, it's been seven years now…
Oh dear, I bought Miss Hargreaves years ago (on your recommendation of course) but have still to read it :oS I'm not sure if this counts, but E.M. Forster's Howards End includes a reference to a 'wretched, weedy’ character called Mr Vyse, who I like to think is Cecil Vyse from Forster's A Room with a View. I mean, Vyse is hardly a commen surname.
Oo, nice example – even though I've read both, I didn't spot that.
And, yes, Miss H soon, please!
This is wonderful! Many years ago I read Miss Hargreaves and have never forgotten her. (Yes, I would have reread her a few times.) However I did forget the name of the author and I lost the book ages ago. Now I rediscover that the author is Frank Baker. What's more, he has written other books. I cannot wait to get my hands on some.
Miss Hargreaves and the spur of the moment philosophy or law of the universe – or whatever it was – have remained an inspiration for me. I do half believe in them. Life is actually very like that and I have always since valued the imaginative excuse for being late or whatever.
Wonderful to know that there are others out there like me.
Sheila N
http://candobetter.net/
Anthony Trollope's characters pop up in his different novels, also in Angela Thirkell. 'Rosamund'