14 - Anglo-American Alliance A Comic Love Story of the Future by Gregory Casparian

Praised by io9 as the first lesbian science fiction novel, *An Anglo-American Alliance* is a whimsical exploration of love, transformation, and geopolitics set in the imaginative year of 1960. In this world, the Anglo-American Alliance reigns as a global government, heralding a new era of technological and social progress. Yet, even in this seemingly utopian time, the love that dare not speak its name remains taboo. The narrative centers on the secret romance blossoming between two women, Margaret MacDonald and Aurora Cunningham, at a ladies seminary in Cornwall. As they navigate their hidden desires, they also learn to harness the powers of science and technology to turn their dreams into reality. Please note While the novel offers progressive insights on sexuality and gender identity, it also reflects the prejudices of its era, containing instances of ethnocentrism, antisemitism, and casual racism that may be uncomfortable for some listeners. - Summary by ChuckW

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Chapter thirteen in PostScript of An Anglo American Alliance. This
is a LibriVox recording. All LibriVox recordings are in the
public domain. For more information or to volunteer, please visit
LibriVox dot org. Recording by Chuck Williamson. An Anglo American

(00:20):
Alliance by Gregory Casparian, Chapter thirteen. Spencer Hamilton, thunderous applause
of appreciation, greeted Abou Shimshek at the conclusion of his
interesting recital, and bowing right, and left his acknowledgments with
beaming countenance. He retired to his seat. An intermezzo of

(00:45):
malifluent music in the interim was followed by the celebrated
Dusky Quartet. This aggregation consisted of the following members. Madame
Celess Doomblulu, a South Africa soprano of heavenly sweetness and
a beauty of Hippopotamic gracefulness, Miscuza Malumbo, the Kafir Prodigy

(01:11):
with a contralto voice of tremulous colorature signor Bombasto Reels
of Kabalugan, a Filipino tenor of high pitch and clearness,
and the basso signor Dido Abbazuza a Maori celebrity of
thunderous profundity. Indeed, under the felicitous protection of British and

(01:37):
American sovereignty, these colonies had made such rapid advancement towards
civilization that they had produced an abundance of men and
women of extraordinary talent and capacity in art and music,
so as to eclipse their confreres of Hungarian and Polish
origin in days gone by. The portfolio of their operatic

(01:59):
creation Vans was a revelation, especially, did an operetta called
Fantasies Synegambion arouse the enthusiasm of the audience to such
a high pitch of spiritual tension that at the conclusion,
regardless of the color line, there was a simultaneous rush

(02:19):
of both sexes to where the singer stood. A scene
of indescribable osculatory battle raged the sound of the contact
of those luscious thick lips of the dusky quartet, echoing
and reverberating to the utmost recesses of the spacious hall.
It took quite a long time before this charming labial

(02:41):
fusillade of musical appreciation subsided. After another soothing interlude, giving
the assemblage a chance to recover their composure. A clamorous
applause brought forth the American violinist to make his first
debut in Bombay. As he stepped forward, Spencer Hamilton instantly

(03:04):
made a deep impression upon the audience. His masterful technique
and wonderful skill of execution. When he rendered a new
composition of his own called the Niagara, aroused anew the
enthusiasm of the throng, and under pressure of vociferous acclamation,
he was obliged to render another selection. With the appearance

(03:27):
of this splendid young specimen of manhood upon the platform,
there was created in the bosom of Aurora a strange
psychological condition. Although surrounded with many gallant officers and youths
of noble lineage, she was perceptibly affected by the sight
of this handsome young American musician. At a glance at

(03:50):
the violinist, there sprang in her heart afresh the memories
of her college days in America. A sudden sense of
sadness swept over, and her infatuation for her chum, Margaret
and the recollection of their solemn vows flashed vividly through
her perplexed brain. Evoking several deep sighs from the depths

(04:14):
of her constant heart. Notwithstanding the cringing advances of the
many officers of position and wealth, as well as scions
and nobles, she had fallen desperately in love with the stranger.
At first sight, he seemed to her an ideal, an affinity.
But alas she remembered her vow, Aurora was in a

(04:37):
very disturbed frame of mind when Spencer Hamilton came forward
for the encore. Spencer Hamilton, the violin virtuoso, had in
the meantime another mission to perform in connection with his
appearance as a musical artist. He was no other than
Margaret MacDonald, herself metamorphoe used by Hyderbin Rabba into the virile,

(05:03):
manly fellow who had assumed the name of Spencer Hamilton,
and as a violinist, had come to lay siege to
the heart of Aurora with his furtive glances. Now and
then he was reading the soul of Aurora. Now full
of perplexing emotions, he could hardly control his own emotions

(05:25):
and began to render as an encore, a tune which
he expected would create a tumult in the breast of
Aurora Cunningham, putting forth all his energy so as to
make it his best effort in execution, he played to
one alone. At first, Aurora thought that the tune had
some vague resemblance to a musical production which she had

(05:48):
heard before, but could not tell when and where as
it proceeded. It gradually dawned upon her that somehow there
was a connection behire between the thought of Margaret and
the music. She became more and more agitated, and was
quite certain now that this soul stirring melody was the

(06:09):
creation of her dear beloved friend and confidante, Margaret MacDonald.
Then she realized that the words were her own the oath.
She gasped her brain in a delirium of intoxication, realizing
fully that the melody was nothing else than the very

(06:31):
composition of Margaret, and that she had written the words
at the Diana Seminary on the very eventful night of
the moonlight reception. She was unable to conceive how it
had become a public property. Was Margaret, after all, a
capricious traitor, a recalcitrant, who had forsaken her solemn vow

(06:53):
and desecrated their covenant? These and other thoughts drove Margaret
to the verge of collect and as Spencer, Hamilton concluded
the piece with a finale of deep pathos that reached
the pinnacle of tragic intensity. There was a commotion around
where Aurora was enthroned, for she had lost consciousness. Thinking

(07:18):
that the intense interest and excitement of the occasion had
caused her faintness, she was gently removed to her apartment,
and the program of evening's festivities was completed with a
brilliant reception and dance. Hamilton himself, however, was so affected
that he left the reception at once and returned to

(07:38):
his hotel, and there tried to regain strength for the
ordeal that he was planning to carry out next day.
The following morning, at the proper time for calling in India,
he left his hostelry and directed his steps toward the
Viceregal Palace, on the pretense of making inquiry concerning the

(07:59):
health of Aurora, but ostensibly to reveal the mysterious metempsychosis
of himself and to reassert his undying love for her.
Having arrived at the gate, he learned that Aurora had
been restored to her normal state of health and spirits.
He consequently sent in his card, and a few minutes

(08:21):
later was summoned to the drawing room of the Palace, where,
after a second's waiting, Aurora Cunningham appeared on the threshold,
somewhat flushed and agitated. Hamilton, on seeing Aurora, came forward and,
extending his hand, inquired most anxiously for her health, and

(08:44):
intimated that it would give him extreme pleasure to explain
certain circumstances which would lead to the gratification of her
own unspoken desires. I know, he said that the encore
at last night's musicale affected you very powerfully. I could

(09:05):
intuitively read from your perturbed countenance that you had become
aware of the authorship of the same Aurora. Aurora, I
am Margaret MacDonald. I am your confidante at the Diana Seminary,
whom you loved, and am now metamorphosed into a man

(09:26):
by the miraculous power of the vivisectionist and reincarnator Hyderbin Raba.
I have come to claim you as my own, Aurora.
I love you. Aurora, bewildered at this remarkable and dramatic
declaration and revelation, too spellbound to speak, even a word,

(09:51):
uttered a piercing shriek, and fell into the open arms
of Spencer Hamilton. At the sound of this cry of distress,
which echoed throughout the palace, footsteps were heard approaching from
every direction, soldiers, foot guard servants, and the Viceroy Cunningham
himself with his guests, rushed into the drawing room and

(10:13):
beheld this highly surprising tableaux of romantic love. Explanations of
very delicate and discreet nature were promptly given to the
Viceroy by the two lovers, and consent for their union
was presently forthcoming. PostScript. After a triumphal bridal tour through

(10:37):
England and America, Aurora and Spencer Hamilton settled in the
Central African Commonwealth, and by the strenuous qualities inherent in
both they had become popular and prominent and civic affairs.
Fifteen years later, in nineteen seventy six, through sheer merit
of a public life of usefulness and rectitude, Hamilton was

(11:01):
gazetted as Viceroy to the African Commonwealth. The year nineteen
seventy six was indeed an epoch making period. It was
the two hundredth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, and
at the same time the semi centennial of the happy
Anglo American Alliance. The double jubilee of these two nations,

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comprising nearly one half of the world's population, was celebrated
wherever the English tongue was spoken with commensurate grandeur, enthusiasm,
and eclat such as absolutely to eclipse all the durbers
volksfests and celebrations in the history of the world. And nonetheless,

(11:47):
the composite but flourishing African Commonwealth under the wise regime
of Spencer Hamilton was ablaze with prosperous pride in the unison.
For this grand and felicity dual occasion, the end end
of chapter thirteen in PostScript End of An Anglo American Alliance,

(12:11):
a serio comic romance and forecast of the Future by
Gregory Casparian