Creatures of Impulse

A short story

Sir Godfrey Tanner is settling down to retirement from the colonial service in his rooms at the Albany when his faithful valet, giving in to an impulse, drops a cube of ice down his back. Shocked by this, Sir Godfrey sacks Jevons.

However, life is not the same and Sir Godfrey takes himself to his nephew's school for a change of scenery. There, he gradually settles and learns to understand the boys. But then he is faced with temptation in the shape of an airgun ...

Characters

Sir Godfrey Tanner, K.C.M.G.	a retired Colonial governor
Jevons	his valet
George Tanner	a school owner
Thomas Billing	a pupil
Herbert	a large gardener

Publishing Information

Plum Stones

First published October 1914 in the Strand magazine (UK) and McClure's magazine (US).

Notes and Quotes

Title
- possibly borrowed from the W. S. Gilbert story published in the 1890 collection Foggarty's Fairy and Other Tales, originally A Strange Old Lady in Graphic magazine but re-named to match the following year's stage adaptation which enjoyed moderate success. It is about an old fairy who enchanted people to behave in a manner opposite to their natures.

K.C.M.G.
- Knight Commander of St. Michael and St. George, a knighthood. This order is associated with diplomatic service, which fits Sir Godfrey's job as a colonial governor.

Albany
- two blocks of chambers (apartments) around a courtyard, built in 1802.

Volplane
- glide.

Solar plexus
- a complex of radiating nerves at the pit of the stomach.

St. Vitus
- St. Vitus's Dance, a disorder causing involuntary convulsive movements.

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As pointed out by Tony Ring in his Plum Stones notes, this story is a forerunner of The Crime Wave at Blandings. It is a tale of re-captured youth and forgiveness through understanding.