Ronald and I

In Short

Alfred Pretor's collection of linked village tales and biographical sketches centers on the playful, clever youth Ronald and his companions in the remote English settlement of Broadwater. Blending gentle satire with genuine affection, the narratives explore local eccentricities, from an unorthodox rector who smokes cigars during church services to a sharp-witted dog named Judy. Moving from rural domesticity and parish controversies to foreign travel and personal loss, the book endures through its vivid character studies, affectionate humor, and sharp eye for the quiet absurdities of nineteenth-century provincial life.

The Story

The collection opens in the remote, wind-swept English coastal settlement of Broadwater, where a mysterious and much-dreaded family coach standing in the stableyard finally meets its destruction during a violent winter gale. With the ghostly carriage destroyed, a young woman from nearby Thorpe Hill opens the way for lasting friendship with the narrator and his youthful companion, Ronald. Ronald soon reveals a penchant for audacious pranks, famously repurposing a school sermon to address a local publican and charming the congregation while casually embracing a young woman playing the harmonium. Life in the parish is marked by eccentric local figures, most notably a leisurely rector who eats a delayed breakfast in the reading desk, smokes cigars through the second lesson, and frequently retreats to the churchyard to enjoy his smoke in the open air. Other sketches shift the scene abroad to a sun-drenched Mediterranean town grappling with a devastating cholera epidemic, where a compassionate priest and a devoted helper labor heroically amid the suffering. Back home, domestic peace is continually tested by an uncle whose favorite pastime is nagging his household. When the uncle attempts to write a formal marriage proposal to the same woman who previously captured his interest, he discovers his affections rejected because her heart belongs to his nephew Ronald. This revelation sparks open rebellion among the household servants and family members, leaving the uncle entirely isolated in his fury. Further village life is enlivened by Judy, a remarkable terrier with feline habits and an aptitude for unearthing archaeological finds, alongside Matthew, a chronically lazy and perpetually repentant gardener who decorates his jacket with multiple blue pledge ribbons. The narrative later shifts focus to Bindo, a gifted singer whose life of luxury and public adulation takes a poignant turn when he dedicates himself entirely to nursing his impoverished, dying friend Harry through a rapid decline. After Harry passes away, Bindo navigates a period of drifting before finally securing work and setting sail for Brazil aboard the Magdalena, leaving behind his old associations for a fresh start. The collection ultimately concludes with reflections on the creative process itself, as the narrator struggles with the elusive nature of plotting, draws inspiration from midnight dreams, and contemplates the dark, enduring power of literary masterpieces like Wuthering Heights.

How It Unfolds

• The destruction of the coach — A violent winter storm brings down a heavy chimney stack directly onto an ancient family carriage at Broadwater, shattering the vehicle and clearing away lingering local superstitions. The permanent removal of this ominous carriage paves the way for fresh, unhindered friendships among the young residents of the neighboring estates.
• The village pulpit and parish life — Ronald startles the community by reciting an advanced school sermon from memory that wins over local laborers and village churchgoers alike. Meanwhile, the local rector combines his morning meal, Sunday services, and steady cigar smoking into a seamless, highly unorthodox routine that scandalizes traditional observers.
• Epidemic in the south — A narrative shift to a foreign Mediterranean setting reveals the grim horrors of a severe cholera outbreak unfolding beneath a brassy sky. A dedicated local priest and his foreign companion work tirelessly among the stricken townspeople until the disease finally abates.
• Domestic friction and romance — Back at the family estate, an uncle engages in constant domestic nagging and attempts a formal written marriage proposal to a beloved neighbor. His romantic plans are thoroughly thwarted when the lady rejects him, revealing her enduring affection for his nephew Ronald instead.
• Animal companions and domestic staff — The daily rhythms of country life are richly enlivened by Judy, a quiet terrier with feline traits and an unexpected talent for archaeological discovery. Alongside her works Matthew, a chronically lazy gardener who marks his frequent, theatrical bouts of repentance with blue pledge ribbons.
• The singer's devotion and departure — Bindo, a celebrated young singer, abruptly abandons his luxurious lifestyle and pawns his personal valuables to nurse his destitute friend Harry through a fatal illness. Following Harry's death and a period of aimless wandering, Bindo ultimately secures steady employment and departs for Brazil.
• Literary reflections on creation — The collection closes with the narrator struggling to construct a workable story plot from midnight dreams, domestic observations, and literary fragments. These final musings draw careful comparisons between the everyday difficulties of writing and the unmatched psychological power of classic novels.

The People

Ronald is a bright, confident youth who wants to explore his world and make a distinct impression, though his arrogance and knack for bold pranks sometimes challenge those around him. He ends up happily winning the heart of his beloved neighbor despite family opposition. The uncle desires domestic order, respect, and romantic success, but his constant nagging and domineering attitude stand in his way. He ultimately ends up isolated and defeated when both the woman he courts and his own household reject him in favor of Ronald. Bindo is a talented, charismatic singer who desires artistic fulfillment and companionship, though his lack of financial foresight and impressionable nature hinder his stability. He is deeply transformed through selflessly nursing his dying friend Harry, eventually leaving his old life behind for a fresh start abroad. Matthew is a chronically lazy gardener who wants an easy life while frequently succumbing to drink, with his own lack of discipline standing directly in his way. He remains unchanged in his laziness despite his theatrical, repeated vows of repentance adorned with blue pledge ribbons. Finally, Judy the terrier possesses a quiet, thoughtful intelligence and desires purpose, ultimately distinguishing herself by unearthing historical artifacts rather than traditional truffles, remaining a steadfast, silent observer of human folly.

In Its Own Voice

Describing the physical setting of the opening village, the narrator captures the bleak desolation of the coastal winds.

Nothing less cringing than gorse and heather can show front against the brine-laden winds of the Atlantic.

Reflecting on the eccentricities of parish worship, the narrator notes the unusual accommodations made for the clergy.

A cigar was the indispensable accompaniment of the second Lesson, during which period its fumes could be seen ascending like “curling incense” to the blackened rafters of the roof.

Contemplating the psychological weight of classic literature, the narrator praises the intense artistic achievement of a famous novel.

Judging it for power alone—power that never flags from the first page to the last—I know of nothing that approaches “Wuthering Heights,” except the preface Charlotte Bronte wrote for it.

What It's Really About

Beneath its charming surface of village anecdotes and personal sketches, the book explores the deep tension between rigid institutional convention and genuine human individuality. Pretor examines how established social expectations, such as formal clerical decorum and strict domestic hierarchies, constantly clash with eccentric personal habits and spontaneous youthful desires. The narratives also probe the redemptive power of sincere human connection, showing how unwavering loyalty in times of crisis—whether nursing a dying friend through consumption or battling a foreign cholera epidemic—can profoundly transform a drifting life. Furthermore, the collection reflects on the bittersweet nature of memory, the heavy burdens of local superstition, and the solitary, demanding process of artistic and literary creation.

Why Read It Today

Readers who appreciate nineteenth-century English local color, gentle Victorian satire, and deeply human character studies will find much to love in these pages. Reading Pretor’s work feels like sitting by a warm cottage hearth while an observant, witty friend recounts the humorous eccentricities of bygone neighbors with dry amusement and deep affection. What stays with the reader long after finishing is the vivid gallery of distinct personalities, from the unconventional, cigar-smoking rector to the silent, highly observant terrier Judy. Modern readers should approach the text with patience, noting that its nineteenth-century prose style, period attitudes, and occasional regional dialect require a willingness to adjust to a slower, more deliberate narrative pace. Yet those who embrace these charming historical textures will discover a rich, warm, and rewarding literary journey through a vanished provincial English world that still resonates with authentic, recognizable human truth.