Initiation

by Robert Hugh Benson

INITIATION - 1448 - PART I CHAPTER I - SIR NEVIL FLANNING w as doing at least thee things at once, in the private dining-room of the Hotel Emanuele in the Via Veneto in the City of Rome. He was eating an excellent luncheon, he was observing his fellow-guests, and he was giving as much attention to Mrs. Bessingtons conversation as that lady required. It cannot be said that Mrs. Bessington was easy to talk to in fact, that was an impossible feat. He had tried it in the first days of his acquaintance with her, and even now, when he forgot, tried it still. But he had found that she neither needed his remarks, nor even wished for them all she required was silence, noddings of the head, and very occasional assents or monosyllabic questions. She did all the rest. It was a little stupefying at first to be pelted with such an interminable torrent of words he had at first resisted a little, seriously believing that she might possibly wish to hear what he had to say then he had grown a little impatient and then the divine gift of hu mour had saved him and henceforth- except, as has been said, when he forgot-he sat still, now marvelling at the spate of talk that flowed forth so sedately, now deliberately thinking about other things, now, occasionally, playing a sort of intellectual solitaire which consisted in counting her full-stops- there had only been five during the whole of the curried-egg course, from the moment she took up her fork to the moment she laid it down again-and once, with an exquisite joy, switching her on to the Marchioness Daly, his hostess, who sat on his left, and whose horse-power, so to speak, very nearly, but not quite, rivalled Mrs. Bessingtonys. He believed that she was talking now about a cousin of hers who lived in Corfu but he was not sure. If it was not she, it was Selva, the actress, who was in Rome just now. Certainly a female cousin had been mentioned a while ago, and so had Corfu but an aunt had shot up from the horizon once or twice, and he was not certain therefore as to which occupied the place of honour at present. A Scotch maid of hers too--called RZacPherson - not the Scotch maid she had now, but another one-had certainly been spoken of but it surely could not be she who was now curtseying to the late King of Greece and tripping over her train as she did so. lNost interesting, said Sir Nevill, bringing his eyes back from their excursion. How very-Y Y Ah but thats not the end, pursued Mrs. Bessington, undismaped. It was a fortnight after that no, it couldnt have been that fortnight, because I know she caught influenza from having to waitabout for the carriage, and was laid up for three weeks it must have been . . . 99 She was off again and once more the young man began to look gingerly about him. . S f. . . He could not. quite make out his hostess. He had a lamentable habit of pigeon-holing his new acquaintances. and each pigeon-hole had a little label over it, with a sort of inscription. Into these, then, he was accustomed to place people. At first he had been inclined, in view of their common possession of an almost infinite store of words and opinions on every subject, to place the Papal hZarchioness and Mrs. Bessington together. They both talked unceasingly they both wore a glassy expression - of inattention when anyone compelled them to listen in return. The encounter between the two had been a glorious experience he had been stung by the splendour of the prospect and had wondered which would win. It was the ancient dilemma of striking impenetrable armour with a sword that could pierce everything...

Genres: Catholic

Hardcover

First published January 1, 1914

About the author

Mrsgr. Robert Hugh Benson AFSC KC*SG KGCHS was an English Catholic priest and writer. First an Anglican pastor, he was received into the Catholic Church in 1903 and ordained therein the next year. He was also a prolific writer of fiction, writing the notable dystopian novel Lord of the World, as well as Come Rack! Come Rope!.

His output encompassed historical, horror and science fiction, contemporary fiction, children's stories, plays, apologetics, devotional works and articles. He continued his writing career at the same time as he progressed through the hierarchy to become a Chamberlain to Pope Pius X in 1911, and gain the title of Monsignor before his death a few years later.

Reviews

[Levi Larsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

the journey of the main character is extremely relevant to my life and I love the author’s insight into human nature

[Mbuye · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are times when you think you know an author's style and subject very well indeed, and he turns and snarls at you.

‘Initiation’ by Robert Hugh Benson, published in 1914, is one such novel. It is completely different from either Msgr Benson’s historical novels, or his dystopian ones, or even the mystical ones like ‘The Necromancers.’ However, while there is, on the whole, a complete absence of dogma or open antiProtestantism, it is partisan to the extent that it explores the very Catholic value of redemption through shock, pain, suffering and sacrifice.

Other Catholic themes that run lightly through the novel are that of the Pietà, the symbolic and real meaning of the Holy Grail, attendance at Mass and so on, but they are really in a minor chord.

The framework story is interesting in itself, and very revealing both of character and personality. A rather shy, unassuming young man gets engaged to an ambitious, opinionated and rather brutal young lady. When the lady later breaks off the engagement, the suspense begins. If some of the characters seem to be stock cutouts, the principals certainly show themselves strong, with qualities that are either attractive or unsympathetic. Even long deceased persons have personalities that act powerfully on the living souls of the book.

Whether one likes Benson's general themes or not, his style and language is always powerfully vigorous and spirited. There is never a moment when the story seems to have lost its way, or the language languish into hyperbole or flowery description. ‘Initiation’ is no exception.