Free The Place of the Lion by Charles Williams

am willing to be destroyed. I have given myself to them.”
    â€œWell, I haven’t,” Anthony said, getting up. “Not yet, anyhow. And Mr. Sabot hasn’t, nor Miss Tighe.”
    â€œYou fool,” Foster said, “can you stand against them?”
    â€œIf they are part of me, as you tell me, perhaps I might; I don’t know,” Anthony answered. “But if they are, then perhaps the authority which is in me over me shall be in me over them. I’m repeating myself, I beg your pardon.”
    Mr. Foster got up, with a not quite good-humoured smile. “You’re like most of the world,” he said, “you don’t know necessity when you see it. Well, I’d better go now. Goodnight, and thank you.” He looked at Quentin and offered him no word.
    â€œNecessity, as no doubt Abelard said,” Anthony remarked, “is the mother of invention— invenio , you know. The question is what shall I venio in . We’re none of us clear about that, I think.”
    He drifted with their visitor to the hall, and returned to find Quentin again restlessly roaming about the room. “Look here,” he said, “you go to bed, old thing.”
    â€œBut what are you going to do?” Quentin asked wretchedly.
    â€œO Lord,” said Anthony, “how do I know? I’m going to sit and meditate. No, I don’t want to talk any more and it’s no use going to Smetham till I’ve got my ideas clearer. Damaris can fend for herself to-night; at the rate things are going there doesn’t seem to be any immediate danger. O Lord, what danger can there be? Do go away, and let me think or I shall be no good to anyone. Was ever such a lion-hunt? Goodnight, and God bless you. If you’re waking in the morning, I shall probably have gone first, so don’t bother about calling me. Goodnight, my dear, don’t worry—the young lion and the dragon will we tread underfoot.”

Chapter Five
    SERVILE FEAR
    In the morning however it was Anthony who woke Quentin by entering his room before he was up—it might also be said before he slept, for what sleep he had was rather a sinking into silent terror than into normal repose. Anthony sat down on the bed and took a cigarette from a box on the table.
    â€œLook here,” he said, “I’ve been thinking it all over. What about us both going down again for the week-end, and having a look round?”
    Quentin, taken aback, stared at him, and then, “Do you think so?” he asked.
    â€œI think we might as well,” Anthony said. “I should like to see Mr. Tighe again, and find out what he feels, and I should very much like to hear whether anyone else is seeing things. Besides, of course,” he added, “Damaris. But I’d like it a great deal better if you came too.”
    As Quentin said nothing he went on, “Don’t you think you might? It wouldn’t be any more tiresome for you there, do you think? And we might, one way or another, get something clear. Do think about it. We’ve talked about ideas often enough, and we should be able to do something much better if we were together.”
    Quentin, a little pale, went on thinking; then he looked at Anthony with a smile. “Well, we might try,” he said, “but if the lion is about you will have to save me.”
    â€œGod knows what I should do!” Anthony answered, “but you could tell me what you wanted. If I go alone I shall always have to ring you up, and that’ll take time. Imagine me among lions and snakes and butterflies and smells, asking everything to wait while I telephoned. Well, that’s all right. I think I shall go down to-day—after I’ve made arrangements at the office. I suppose you can’t come till to-morrow? About mid-day or so?”
    â€œIf London’s still here,” Quentin said, again faintly smiling. “Let me know where you’re