When a stray black cat takes up residence with Elizabeth, she hopes it will bring some needed luck to her writing career. But cats will be cats and before long this one has switched allegiance to the young man in the flat opposite, James Boyd, a would-be playwright. At first, Elizabeth thinks James has stolen her cat but then realises that his need is greater than hers. He is going through agonies as his play is being rehearsed. Soon friendship grows between them, only to be shattered ...
| Elizabeth Herrold | a young woman |
| James Renshaw Boyd | a young man |
| Francis | a janitor |
| Joseph / Reginald | a black cat |
| Paul Axworthy Briggs | the Boy Novelist |
First published June 1915 in the Strand magazine.
Probably also published July 1915 in Redbook (US) as A Black Cat for Luck
'He was black, but comely.'
- Song of Solomon: Chapter 1, Verse 5.
Tournure
- shape, figure (French).
Janitor
- in the UK, a caretaker.
'Her manner shot down to zero.'
- her manner suddenly became very cold.
Tort
- a breach of duty, other than by contract, leading to liability for damages (e.g. negligence).
Misdemeanour
- evil-doing, a criminal act (the term has more specific meanings under some countries' laws, including the USA).
'Solomon couldn't have solved this problem.'
- probably refers to the judgement of King Solomon in finding which of two women was the true mother of a particular child as told in 1 Kings: Chapter 3, Verses 16 to 28.
'... where the Arch spans Fifth Avenue and the lighted cross of the Judson shines by night on Washington Square.'
- the Washington Arch is a large (86 ft high by 30 ft wide) white marble 'triumphal' arch built in 1895 in Washington Square where Fifth Avenue meets it. The Judson is the Judson Memorial Baptist Church on the corner of Thompson Street.
'... Lot's attitude towards the Cities of the Plain ...'
- i.e. disapproving, see Genesis: Chapter 19.
Half-Nelson
- a wrestling hold.
Austerlitz
- a battle often said to be Napoleon's greatest victory, in 1805.
Colonel Gœthale
- Lt. Col. George Goethals, the last of several chief engineers of the Panama Canal project, from 1907 to 1914.
Beyond the pale
- outside the bounds of acceptable behaviour.
Gus Thomas
- Augustus Thomas, prolific playwright, including one called The Man Upstairs (1895).
'If it's a fizzle, off goes my coat ...'
- fizzle means to splutter feebly so possibly PG had that in mind. There is also another meaning, fiasco, which sort of fits but is not used much today.
Pipe-dream
- unattainable or fanciful hope or scheme (originally from the dreams brought on by smoking opium).
'My lad, grapple [him] to you with hoops of steel.'
- Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 1, Scene 3.
Here Kitty, Kitty!