What are you reading Geraldine
A Tragic Love
It is a book about Julien and Marguerite de Ravalet
I cannot say that I have heard of them
Not many people have
They were an incestuous brother and sister of high birth who were executed for their crimes
How dreadful
Julien was twenty-one and Marguerite was seventeen at the time of their deaths
She is said to have died of shock after witnessing her brothers execution but was decapitated nonetheless
And we call ourselves civilised
We are no better than the savages in the jungle
This all happened many years ago in seventeenth century France
It would not really cause a ripple these days
Possibly not
When I was a child there was a local farmer named Painter
He lived with his rather large family on Woodgrange Farm which was about a mile from my house
There were all kinds of rumours about the Painter family most of which were dreamt up in the local pub
Bur rather like Julien and Marguerite there was something rather odd about the two eldest as they tended to like each others company
Neither as they grew up appeared to have any outside relationships and their father who was a decent enough fellow wanted nothing to do with them
And then they suddenly moved to Bristol and I did not see them for over six years
That was until one day when I bumped into them at Temple Meads
They had remained together and were pushing a double buggy with two lovely children onboard
Twins I was told
Anita and Alan
It was obvious to me
But who was I to question love and I was very happy for them
But there are some who would frown on it
Indeed
Is it illegal
I would imagine so as it is said that incest can cause deformity
These days you would not notice as everybody seems to be quite nuts
Cynical you never change
I know
The 73 has just turned into the station
Is that your bus
Not today as I am catching the town bus
We live very tedious lives
Very tedious indeed
Will you be here tomorrow
Yes
Then we will continue our chat as I enjoy them
Perhaps when you are finished with it you can lend me your book
It will be a pleasure Phillip