John McGivering and I have just been collaborating
on the New Reader's Guide Notes for this less well-known tale: reading
through the text of the tale again, after we thought we'd finished, I ran across
a phrase on which we haven't commented, but on which I think we should - except
that I don't know the answer - can anyone out there help
please?
The phrase is "alluring to
brighter realms", as it comes in this exchange (the narrator (Kipling),
Pyecroft and the chauffeur, Leggatt, are talking to a dock policeman at Wapshare
(a very thinly disguised Rye)):
""What's it like at the Fuggle
Hop?", I demanded. We were very hot where we stood. The policeman
looked irresolutely at Pyecroft, who naturally echoed my question.
"Not so good as at the 'Astings
Smack, if I might be allowed," and alluring to brighter realms, the
policeman himself led the way."
The phrase sounds to me
as if it is a quote from a hymn, or at least the echo of a hymn - but if so
it's one I don't know.
