The Altar Steps

In the quiet of a London night, a small boy awakens to a world that seems to have turned upside down. A sudden jolt of terror makes him imagine earthquakes and the Day of Judgment, while the flickering candlelight becomes a beacon for a hoped‑for guardian angel. His mind races through fantastical explanations, turning ordinary bedroom objects into symbols of doom and wonder. The opening scene captures the fragile boundary between childhood imagination and genuine fear.

His mother, Mrs. Lidderdale, appears as a calm anchor, gently coaxing him back to sleep with soothing words and a pragmatic view of light and darkness. Their tender exchange, peppered with playful comparisons of gas lamps to flowers, reveals a deep bond and hints at the emotional undercurrents that will shape the story. As the boy clings to her sleeve, the narrative sets a tone of quiet domestic drama infused with spiritual questioning. Listeners will be drawn into a world where everyday details echo larger questions of belief, safety, and the mysteries that linger just beyond the bedside.