That Hideous Strength

Mark has dinner with Curry, Feverstone, Busby (the bursar), and others. The group discusses the events of the meeting and how the warden, whom most of the group thinks is ineffectual, may want to go back on the sale of the Wood. The group imagines thatJewel, an elderly man who represents the old way of doing things at Bracton and who was silenced rudely by Feverstone during the meeting, has complained to the warden, along with others. Mark feels sorry for Jewel, though Feverstone reminds him that red tape and murkiness will have no place in the new world order that will come with change. Mark notes how Feverstone makes Curry and the bursar ill at ease. He watches as Feverstone toys with them intellectually and is elated to see that Feverstone is letting him in on the joke when he winks at him. Feverstone then asks the bursar and Curry what the N.I.C.E. is about and the two are shocked at the question, as Feverstone is thought to represent the N.I.C.E. Busby rattles off his concept of the Institute, including its use of applied sciences to make business and government more efficient.

When Curry leaves to meet with the Warden, Busby does, too. When Mark and Feverstone are alone, they burst out laughing. Feverstone then changes his tone to a jovial one and they converse. Feverstone admits that the Fellows, whom the Progressive Element despises, actually have more intelligence than Curry or Busby. Curry and Busby do things dogmatically, however, which is why they’re perfect for bringing the N.I.C.E. to Edgestow. He then admits that the N.I.C.E. wants the college for a recruiting ground, and that Mark should join the Institute. Feverstone begins telling Mark, who is elated again at being on the inside of things, that the college and bureaucracy will have no sway once the N.I.C.E. takes hold. Feverstone says that humanity will have to choose between red tape and order, with the N.I.C.E. representing order.Feverstone adds that there are three main issues to deal with. The first is an interplanetary issue, which Feverstone dismisses. The second deals with the rivals of the N.I.C.E. on Earth. Feverstone says both human and vegetal rivals need to be dealt with. The third problem is “Man himself” (40). Mark is enthralled by Feverstone’s speech. Feverstone goes on to talk about sterilization of those deemed unfit and what amounts to a brainwashing of those left over. The ultimate goal is a new type of man.

Mark seems eager to be part of the N.I.C.E., but he doesn’t understand how he can help. Feverstone assures him that the N.I.C.E. already knows what his contributions can be: mainly writing down their objectives and camouflaging their intentions, at least in the beginning. Though Mark doesn’t quite like the idea of being a glorified journalist, he does enjoy the possibility of making far more money and being included in an inner circle. When Feverstone says that he might be “dealt with” like one of their other members, meaning killed, Mark also takes pause. Feverstone had earlier alluded to their war on man being a very real one, with danger and consequences for all involved. Feverstone then invites him to meet John Wither, who runs things at the N.I.C.E., along with other notable figures. Before they can continue, they’re interrupted by Curry’s return.

Mark returns home to a distraught Jane. She’s had another vision, this time of Miss Ironwood, the woman the Dimbles encouraged Jane to visit. Jane had been home alone for some time and had called on the Dimbles to tell them she’d see the woman. She noted how strange Mrs. Dimble seemed to act, and how they told Jane that Miss Ironwood would seek her out. Jane envisioned Miss Ironwood, who lives at St. Anne’s, as a stern woman dressed in all black. Mark remains elated from his conversation with Feverstone, and he is glad that he had a few drinks, now that he has to deal with Jane’s frightened and needy state. He also knows Jane’s routine: when she gets needy in this way, she makes up for it later by being cold.

Just as Mark expects, Jane is cold toward him the next morning. Jane is annoyed at her behavior from the previous night. As they sit at the table, Lord Feverstone arrives. Jane doesn’t care for Feverstone for some reason. To make things worse, Feverstone mistakes the maid, Mrs. Maggs, for Mark’s wife. Jane, insulted and angered, leaves for town, though she’s really heading to see Miss Ironwood. As Jane takes the train to St. Anne’s, a hilltop village, Feverstone drives madly toward the Blood Transfusion Office at Belbury, where the N.I.C.E. is presently located. Jane makes it to Miss Ironwood’s and wonders if she’s made a mistake, but then hears someone walking toward her from inside the complex. At the same time, Feverstone rushes toward Belbury, with Mark wondering all the while at his devilish driving. 

At Belbury, Mark is introduced to John Wither, the Deputy Director of the N.I.C.E. Wither is described as an old man who, though kind and agreeable, is annoyingly vague and always preoccupied with other thoughts. Mark tries to inquire about his role at the N.I.C.E. but Wither’s way of conversing leaves Mark confused and uneasy. When he and Feverstone leave Wither’s office, Mark tries to ask Feverstone about his position but Feverstone runs off to chat with colleagues.

Uneasy still, Mark goes into a large room where lunch is being served. He looks for Feverstone in vain but can’t find him. After lunch, he sees an old colleague from Bracton College, William Hingest (aka Bill the Blizzard), and is relieved to know at least one other person.

Hingest tells Mark that the N.I.C.E. didn’t need Bracton’s permission for the land, and that he was leaving the N.I.C.E.’s employ, as their shadiness doesn’t suit him. He tells Mark that he should leave too, but Mark says that he hasn’t made up his mind yet about the Institute. Hingest then introduces Mark to the man he will probably work for, Steele. Steele hasn’t been informed about Mark working for him. He and another colleague, Cosser, seem to take offense when they hear that Feverstone has taken Mark to see the D.D. without even consulting them. They tell Mark not to take much notice of Feverstone, and then another man, Professor Filostrato, “rescues” Mark from the two. Filostrato is a noted physiologist, a large Italian man whom Mark dined with previously. Filostrato also tells Mark to take no note of people like Feverstone or Steele and suggests that Mark might even replace Steele. He also tells Mark to remain on the good side of the D.D. and someone named the Fairy, a formidable woman in charge of the Institutional Police. The Fairy, also known as Miss Hardcastle, then introduces herself to Mark. He notes her stern appearance. She’s a larger woman who looks severe and always has a cheroot in her mouth.

At St. Anne’s, Jane is taken to see Miss Ironwood once she informs a young woman that the Dimbles have sent her. When she walks through a garden, she remembers a saying about gardens and the female body and wonders where she read the saying from. She’s taken into the large house and, while waiting, sees a book. To her surprise, the book has the same saying in it about the female body from earlier. The woman who let her in returns and introduces herself as Camilla Denniston, and then she takes Jane to see Miss Ironwood.

Jane is again shocked to find that Miss Ironwood appears exactly as she had imagined her: stern-looking and dressed in all black. After she tells Miss Ironwood about her dreams, she asks if anything can be done to help her. Miss Ironwood calmly tells her that nothing can be done because Jane is not sick. She then tells Jane that, due to the fact that her maiden name is Tudor, she is most likely descended from the Warwickshire line of the family. This means that Jane, like her ancestors, has the gift of vision, or dreaming realities. Jane becomes annoyed with Miss Ironwood; she wants to be cured and doesn’t necessarily believe in what she is hearing, though Miss Ironwood tells Jane that, deep down, she probably knows that what Miss Ironwood is saying is true. When Miss Ironwood mentions that the things Jane is telling her about her dreams are consistent with information “they” already have, Jane again takes offense at the thought that the Dimbles are using her for information. Miss Ironwood gives Jane three possible outcomes: to try and get rid of her gift and cause herself pain, to help Miss Ironwood and her colleagues save the human race, or to have her gifts fall into the wrong hands, which would also cause Jane a great deal of pain. Jane doesn’t like the talk about “us” and “them” and ultimately leaves.

Back at Belbury, Mark dresses for dinner. He’s in better spirits after having a drink with Miss Hardcastle. Though she came off as a disagreeable person and seemed to know she was giving off this appearance (which amused her), Mark was made to feel like part of the in crowd and therefore warmed up to her. She spoke about the police force being the real power in the Institute and how her role is to fight red tape. They own most of the newspapers, and they want to rehabilitate offenders, instead of punishing them, so that they can continue to mete out justice. A punishment is a finished, finite outcome, while rehabilitation means that they can continue their reeducation indefinitely. She then tells Mark not to worry too much about pinning down what his role at the Institute is to be; he simply needs to make himself useful. She also tells him to be cautious about annoying Wither and a man named Frost.

At dinner, Mark sits next to Hingest, who again tells Mark about his distrust of the N.I.C.E. Hingest is leaving that very night, and the Fairy asks him for a ride at dinner, in front of everyone, which angers him. He tells her that he isn’t going in her direction. Mark sees him off after dinner, and Hingest again warns Mark about getting mixed up with the N.I.C.E. At the same time, Jane is escorted out of St. Anne’s by Camilla. Jane likes Camilla, but still feels annoyed at the outcome of the meeting with Miss Ironwood. She ruminates on her marriage with Mark and how much she’s given up, admitting to herself that Mark probably has no idea of sacrifice in regard to marriage. When the phone rings back at home, she’s surprised to hear an angry Mrs. Dimble. Mrs. Dimble tells her that something awful has happened and asks if she can stay the night at Jane’s place, to which Jane agrees.