That Hideous Strength - Ch 5 - Elasticity

Next morning, Mark discovers the report about Cure Hardy is a hobby for Crosser, not part of Mark's job.  This steams him and he goes off to see Withers, the Deputy Director.  But Withers informs Mark he must make an appointment through his secretary.  Mark sets an appointment at 10 the next morning.

As Mark came out of Withers' office, he ran into Fairy Hardcastle.  He tells her he must find out exactly what his position is or leave the NICE.  The Fairy took him by the arm, intimately and authoritatively, said they needed to talk, took him to her office, and had drinks brought in.

Unclarity

The Fairy advises Mark not to bother the D.D. (Deputy Director).  His position is secure as long as the D.D. is on his side, which he is, but might not be if Mark bothers him.  Mark replies he just wants to make everything clear.  The Fairy responds the D.D. hates to make anything clear, and he runs the place well by not making anything clear.

Mark says he just wants to know what he is suppose to do.  The Fairy offers him work writing articles and pen name letters for the local newspaper to rehabilitate the image of Alcasan (the Arabian radiologist executed by beheading for poisoning his wife, as we saw back in Ch. 1).  Mark complains he is a sociologist, not a journalist - but the Fairy sees this as the perfect work for the kind of sociology they practice at the NICE, especially through their police department.  Mark also views this sort of work as dishonest propaganda which the public would never swallow.  The Fairy thinks otherwise, but she can see Mark will not participate, so she sends him on his way (which makes Mark feel once again that on the outside).

While wandering around with nothing to do, feeling on the outside, he discovers the NICE has a considerable zoo for vivisection.

Mark sees Withers (the D.D.) at his appointment the next day.  He finds, as the Fairy said, Withers hates to make anything clear - he constantly speaks in double-speak, in effusive praise, and in hedging language.  He again reassures Mark has a position at the NICE, though he says he doesn't have the authority to offer him a position.  When Mark asks what his salary will be, Withers replies that is not a matter for him to decide, but that members in his position usually draw 1500 a year (which Mark considers generous), but it will adjust itself, it could be higher.  When Mark mentions a contract, Withers stares at him blankly.  Then he pulls a form out of his drawer, but says he's never actually used it.  He then ends the meeting without answering any other issue Mark has raised.

Mark receives a letter from Curry (the Sub-Warden at Bracton), saying they are sad to hear about his resignation as a fellow, as they heard about from Lord Feverstone (Dick Devine), but glad to hear he has settled in with the NICE.  Mark still does not feel settled in with the NICE, and wants to maintain his fellowship at Bracton as a fall-back position.  He writes a reply letter saying Feverstone must have misunderstood him, he is still not sure he will take the position with the NICE, and may well return to Bracton.

Mark later sees Feverstone and asks him to sort out everything with Bracton, since he started the mess.  Basically Feverstone refuses to do so, and warns Mark not to be mean to him or others at the NICE.  Knowing Feverstone's influence at Bracton, Mark now worries if he losses his job at the NICE, he will have no job to return to at Bracton.

The Fisher King

Meanwhile, Jane ran into Camilla Deniston in town who invited her to join with her husband in taking a drive out of town to have some lunch.  Jane accepts knowing Mr. Denniston and Mark used to be friends.  During lunch, they reveal they live at St. Anne's, where Jane met Grace Ironwood.  They all belong to a society run by a Mr. Fisher-King, a recent name he took, who received an injury to his foot, on his last journey, which won't heal.  (When Lewis, the medieval scholar, brings up the name of the Fisher King, he immediately ties us to the Arthurian legends.  There, the Fisher King carries on the charge to keep the Holy Grail.  However, because of a wound he received to his groin or leg, he cannot move, and so finds it difficult to do so.  More about this later.)

[Mr. Denniston also refers to Mr. Fisher-King as the Pendragon, another Arthurian reference.  More about that later.]

The Dennistons urge Jane to join their society and use her gift of visions to help them for the good of all.  They warn otherwise she will fall into the hands of their enemies who will use her gift to promote evil.  Jane doesn't know what to make of all this, though she likes the Dennistons.  She finds it disturbing that they say she will have to submit to this Mr. Fisher-King, but especially that she must obtain Mark's permission before she comes.  This all goes against her sense to remain independent. Jane says for now - she won't join, but she will inform them of any more dreams she has.  They are pleased with this for now.

Ch. 4 - The Liquidation of Anachronisms

Ch. 6 - Fog

Overview of the Book

List of Characters