Alexander the Caracal meets Miltiades the Canada Lynx

The Brothers Marx

Before a trio of more famous brothers belonging to a House of Marx became world famous, there were two brothers Marx who knew Quebec Castle well. They were Adolph and Burton, two brothers born nine years apart and now separated by allegiance. Adolph, the nineteen-year-old elder brother, had entered in Herr von Fell's employ while Burton, the ten-year-old younger brother, was very much loyal to Captain Smith, at whose residence he attended boarding school.

Driving his employer to Quebec Castle, Herr von Fell had allowed Adolph to follow him into the country house and so there did Adolph and Burton meet once more. When Burton led Adolph to see Alexander, now in the company of Nana Smith, Adolph looked at the caracal and asked: "Is he like Darius?"

"He is more affectionate, Adolph." Nana Smith said. "More vocal as well."

Looking to the old woman, the Elder Marx then asked: "Mrs. Smith... You aren't actually dying, are you?"

Laying her head back on the pillow, Nana Smith stroked Alexander and said: "Come sit, boys."

Both Adolph and Burton took a seat near Nana Smith, the elder boy on a nearby chair and the younger on the bed itself. Alexander stared at Adolph and then at Burton. How alike they looked and yet so different. Hair of gold, eyes of blue, yet even then they matched not. Both Adolph's hair and his eyes were darker. Indeed, his hair was bordering on brown while his eyes were so dark a blue, one would mistake them for black. Burton's hair and eyes on the other hand were lighter, not so much lighter that his hair bordered on white or that his eyes could be mistaken for white, but they were still lighter than his brother's. Their noses were aquiline, their skin like anyone else's of their background and they were quite average in build.

Making a chirping noise, Alexander looked to Burton as the boy started to pet him. Burton only smiled at the caracal as the feline laid his head down upon Nana Smith's lap.

"Are you actually dying, Mrs. Smith?" Adolph asked.

"Yes, Adolph. I am." Nana Smith answered, as she too began to pet Alexander. "I do believe my passing will be any day now. I have had this conversation with Alan more than once and I have told him that all that lives must eventually die. It is the way of all flesh as his dear father once said. Do you remember Mr. Carter?"

"I do." Said Burton, nodding.

"Yes." Adolph answered, taking on a solemn expression as he remembered reading the name of Alan's father among those killed by the Germans at St Eloi Craters.

Nana Smith closed her eyes for a moment before she said: "Boys, please know that always I will be with you. Alan, Ian and Hippolyta have not been my only grandchildren. All who have attended school here at Quebec Castle have been my grandchildren as well and ever shall I be with all of my family." Alexander looked up to Nana Smith and the old woman said: "I shall be with you as well, Alexander. When the Angel of Death comes, I will trade my life for yours."

"Do you believe he will come?" Burton asked. "In person, I mean."

"I do not pretend to know the ways of angels, Burton." Replied Nana Smith, looking up at the ceiling of her bedchamber. "I can only believe he will."

"How do you think he will look?" inquired Adolph.

"If the depictions of angels in the Bible are any indication, I daresay like something that no artist can ever dream up." There was scorn in Nana Smith's voice when she had spoken. Scorn for the artists who could only ever depict angels as humans with white, feathery wings. Did not Ezekiel make mention of angels resembling a wheel intersecting a wheel?

All this Alexander listened to. What did angels look like? Had he ever heard an angel described in the Bible? Perhaps in passing without knowing that was what was being described, but if that was the case then what was the Angel of Death's appearance? How would he know it? Could he have possibly defended Nana Smith? Could he drive away the Angel of Death? Could anything drive away the Angel of Death?