The Fireworks That Finally Explode

This flow traces Pop Larkin’s repeated desire for fireworks, the promise he makes to Edith Pilchester, and the deliberate breaking of that promise at the party.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Promise Refused

Fireworks Considered A Safety Concern Pop Larkin offers to provide fireworks, but the committee worries that late-running horses could be frightened. Pop accepts the reason reluctantly. A Private Reservation He decides that if there is only one firework, it will be for Edith Pilchester. His restraint is therefore only partly sincere.

A Cocktail Alternative

Celebration Without Explosions Another Plan Pop Larkin and Ma arrange a cocktail party as a replacement for the fireworks. They plan drinks and abundant food, with Cedric Charlton advising on party customs. A Promise Repeated Edith Pilchester asks Pop to promise no fireworks. He assures her there will not be even one, keeping his real intention to himself.

Guests Fill the House

A Party Outgrows Its Plan Unexpected Crowds Pop Larkin has invited acquaintances casually, and fifty or sixty people crowd into the billiard room, many without formal invitations. A Smoky Celebration Food, champagne, and drinks circulate as guests collide and glasses break. The party’s disorder makes Pop’s hidden fireworks plan easier to conceal.

The First Explosion

The Promise Breaks A Firework Under Ma The first firework goes off near Ma, while others are set off around the house and stairs. Pop’s guests rush from the smoke into the garden. Mischief Spreads Pop’s carefully withheld plan becomes a mass spectacle. The party turns into a noisy contest of targets, rockets, and startled visitors.

The Toast Interrupted

Engagement Announced in Smoke Pop Takes the Chair Pop Larkin announces that Cedric Charlton will marry Mariette Larkin and calls for a toast. The family’s major news arrives amid fireworks and confusion. A Final Blast A Roman Candle knocks Pop backward just as the guests raise their glasses. The explosion completes the evening’s comic refusal of solemn order.

When the gymkhana committee discusses the event

During preparations before the gymkhana

Half past eight on the party night

Later that evening, as the party reaches its height

A quarter hour after the fireworks begin