The Ash Tree by M.R. James

 

The Haunting of M. R. James: An “English Catholic Sensibility”? 

THE ASH TREE by M.R. James 

A story of the ”poysonous Rage” of Mrs Mothersole tried in Bury St Edmunds  during the Witch Trials era, a story of a Popish Plot and of the thus ironic Italianization of a stately home by the descendant (“pestilent innovator’) of the earlier Sir Matthew Fell who had been beset by the ash tree that ‘almost or quite’ touched the house after he saw Mrs M climbing it and cutting off its twigs with a curved knife, and thus committing her to trial. And what this story harbours are ’catarrhs and agues’ as infection, and animal distemper, and further poysons (perhaps Papal ones) as this tree forthwith seemed to harbour monstrous spiders et al and makes a white tom-cat more than just squeal in terror or pain when it fell into its hollow. Until the tree is flushed out by fire. 

It was the Vicar Crome (presumably Protestant), though, who, with a double irony, resorted to using the Bible as a fortune-cookie or I Ching, a method called ‘Sortes’! (It takes all sorts.)

A “violent Smart” in a spiritual ‘half-darkness’? 

Having already written above, I found this article on line: The Haunting of M. R. James: An “English Catholic Sensibility”?

All my ongoing reviews of M.R. James: https://dflewisreviews.wordpress.com/my-ongoing-reviews-of-m-r-james-stories/