The monkey candle-holder stands next to a row of books in my sitting-room. The poor monkey has not held a candle for years. On the wall beside the animal is the oil paining still in its ornate gold frame. I wonder if it misses its sibling picture - somewhat smaller but more detailed although I can't recall the detail because, as far as I know, my sister has it. I still don't know whether the vase on the floor is original or a copy. In the old house, it always stood with a twin but, as far as I know, one of my siblings now has it - unless he or she sold it.
And there - on the top of the cupboard is Jonathan the skull, and on his head is the bejewelled cap once, according to my father, belonging to the maharajah of Peshtawar before his untimely death in a riding accident in 1862, The dark stains on the side of the cap were caused by the poor man's bloody death after falling from an elephant - so the story went.
As far as I know, my sister still has the sitting-room suite that once belonged to my grandparents . She had it re-covered at great expense some thirty years ago. On my mantelpiece is the cigarette box and the inscription to my father on his birthday in 1946 and paid for by his friends - as far as I know, that is.
Once upon a time, all the objects mentioned above lived under my grandfather's roof with my own father and his four siblings and now they are scattered.
I haven't seen either of them for years.
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