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Handbook of Energy and
Environmental Security
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Handbook of Energy and
Environmental Security
Edited by
Muhammad Asif
King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Academic Press is an imprint of Elsevier
125 London Wall, London EC2Y 5AS, United Kingdom
525 B Street, Suite 1650, San Diego, CA 92101, United States
50 Hampshire Street, 5th Floor, Cambridge, MA 02139, United States
The Boulevard, Langford Lane, Kidlington, Oxford OX5 1GB, United Kingdom
This book and the individual contributions contained in it are protected under copyright by the Publisher
(other than as may be noted herein).
Notices
Knowledge and best practice in this field are constantly changing. As new research and experience broaden our
understanding, changes in research methods, professional practices, or medical treatment may become
necessary.
Practitioners and researchers must always rely on their own experience and knowledge in evaluating and using
any information, methods, compounds, or experiments described herein. In using such information or
methods they should be mindful of their own safety and the safety of others, including parties for whom they
have a professional responsibility.
To the fullest extent of the law, neither the Publisher nor the authors, contributors, or editors, assume any
liability for any injury and/or damage to persons or property as a matter of products liability, negligence or
otherwise, or from any use or operation of any methods, products, instructions, or ideas contained in the
material herein.
ISBN: 978-0-12-824084-7
vii
viii Contents
4. Conclusion.................................................................................................................272
5. Glossary list...............................................................................................................274
References.......................................................................................................................274
CHAPTER 14 Environmental sustainability in Asia: insights from a
multidimensional approach............................................................ 277
Thai-Ha Le, Ha-Chi Le and Canh Phuc Nguyen
1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................277
2. Literature review .......................................................................................................279
2.1 The concept of environmental sustainability .................................................... 279
2.2 Constructing a composite index for environmental sustainability ................... 280
3. Methodologies...........................................................................................................281
4. Empirical results .......................................................................................................283
5. Concluding remarks ..................................................................................................304
Appendix.........................................................................................................................304
Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................309
References.......................................................................................................................309
CHAPTER 15 Pearls and perils of resources recovery and reuse
technologies ................................................................................... 313
Maksud Bekchanov
1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................313
2. The development stages of waste and wastewater management and reuse ............314
3. Waste and wastewater generation across the world .................................................316
4. Available resources recovery and reuse options.......................................................319
4.1 General description............................................................................................ 319
4.2 Treated wastewater as an economic asset: current status and
potential options ................................................................................................ 320
4.3 Nutrients from waste: current status and potential options.............................. 324
4.4 Energy from waste: current status and potential options ................................. 327
4.5 Construction materials and protein from waste................................................ 331
5. Poverty alleviation and disease prevention effects of RRR .....................................332
6. Health and environmental risks related with RRR technologies .............................332
7. Conclusions ...............................................................................................................334
Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................334
References.......................................................................................................................335
CHAPTER 16 The macroeconomic impact of climate change ............................ 341
Guller Sahin
1. Introduction ...............................................................................................................341
2. Macroeconomic impact of climate change...............................................................343
xiv Contents
3. Climate change impacts, vulnerability, and adaptations in the Nile Basin .............433
4. Analysis of the NDCeSDG synergies for the Nile Basin riparian countries .........435
5. Analysis of priority climate actions and relevant SDGs..........................................437
5.1 Climate actions and “affordable and clean energy” (SDG7) ........................... 437
5.2 Climate actions and “clean water and sanitation” (SDG6) .............................. 437
5.3 Climate actions and “zero-hunger” (SDG2) ..................................................... 442
5.4 Climate actions and improved “life on land” (SDG15) ................................... 442
5.5 Actions to support “partnership for goals” (SDG17) ....................................... 446
6. Mobilizing financial resources..................................................................................446
7. Key findings and recommendations..........................................................................449
Acknowledgments...........................................................................................................450
References.......................................................................................................................450
CHAPTER 22 Energy and environment: sustainable development goals
and global policy landscape.......................................................... 453
Liliana N. Proskuryakova
1. Introduction: the process of shaping energy and environment policy
landscape ...................................................................................................................453
2. The main international agreements with environmental and energy goals .............455
2.1 Green growth and sustainable development agreements.................................. 456
2.2 Environment and climate agreements ............................................................... 457
2.3 Energy agreements ............................................................................................ 458
3. Harmonizing environmental and energy policies from the security
perspective.................................................................................................................459
4. Universalism, regionalism, or nation-state protectionism: what is the future
of international relations around energy and environment?.....................................462
5. Conclusions ...............................................................................................................464
Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................464
References.......................................................................................................................464
Further reading ...............................................................................................................467
CHAPTER 23 Energy and environment: sustainability and security................... 469
Tri Ratna Bajracharya, Shree Raj Shakya and Anzoo Sharma
1. Introduction to environmental sustainability............................................................469
2. The linkage between energy and environment.........................................................470
2.1 Environmental issues of fossil fuel ................................................................... 470
2.2 Environmental issues of renewables ................................................................. 472
3. Environmental security .............................................................................................473
4. Complementarities and conflicts issues of energy security and environmental
security ......................................................................................................................475
Contents xvii
7. Potential niches for RRR options to enhance food, energy, and water security .....519
7.1 Demand for fertilizer......................................................................................... 519
7.2 Energy demand and water availability.............................................................. 521
8. Enabling environment for RRR options ...................................................................522
8.1 Affordability of technological change and access to credit ............................. 522
8.2 Business opportunities and financing arrangements along the sanitation
chain................................................................................................................... 522
8.3 Regulation and policies ..................................................................................... 523
8.4 Institutions and stakeholders ............................................................................. 525
8.5 Governance quality and business climate......................................................... 525
9. Conclusions ...............................................................................................................525
Acknowledgment ............................................................................................................527
References.......................................................................................................................527
CHAPTER 26 Climate change and sustainable energy systems ......................... 531
Tri Ratna Bajracharya, Shree Raj Shakya and Anzoo Sharma
1. Global climate change and its impacts.....................................................................531
2. Sustainable energy systems for mitigation of climate change.................................534
3. Sustainable energy systems for adaptation to climate change.................................537
4. Global and national initiatives ..................................................................................542
5. Conclusion.................................................................................................................543
References.......................................................................................................................544
Chrystyane Abreu
Production Engineering Coordination, Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow
da Fonseca, Nova Iguaçu, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nurfadzilah Ahmad
School of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam,
Selangor, Malaysia
Ijaz Ahmad
National Skills University, Islamabad, Pakistan
Rosley Anholon
Manufacturing and Materials Engineering Department, Universidade Estadual de Campinas,
Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
Muhammad Asif
Department of Architectural Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals,
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia
Jasim Azhar
Architecture Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran, Saudi
Arabia
Tri Ratna Bajracharya
Center for Energy Studies (CES), Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Pulchowk,
Lalitpur, Nepal
Maksud Bekchanov
Research Unit Sustainability and Global Change (FNU), Center for Earth System Research and
Sustainability (CEN), University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany; Center for Development
Research (ZEF), University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
Andy Chan
Department of Civil Engineering, University of Nottingham Malaysia, Semenyih, Selangor,
Malaysia
Sajal Chowdhury
ZEMCH EXD Lab, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne,
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Ramon Soares Corrêa
Production Engineering Department, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro,
Brazil
Nofri Yenita Dahlan
Solar Research Institute (SRI), Universiti Teknologi MARA, Shah Alam, Selangor, Malaysia;
School of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA Shah Alam,
Selangor, Malaysia
xix
xx List of contributors
David Dapice
Harvard Kennedy School, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
Ajith de Alwis
Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri
Lanka
Sandip S. Deshmukh
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hyderabad Campus, Birla Institute of Technology &
Science, Pilani, Telangana, India
Daphne Gondhalekar
Chair of Urban Water Systems Engineering, Technische Universität München, Munich,
Germany
Osvaldo Luiz Gonçalves Quelhas
LATEC Laboratory of Technology, Business Management and Environment, Universidade
Federal Fluminense, Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Nazatul Faizah Haron
Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia
Mabroor Hassan
Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Sector H-10,
Islamabad, Pakistan; Green Environ Sol (Private) Limited, Sector H-10, Islamabad, Pakistan
Mazhar Hayat
National Adaptation Process, Ministry of Climate Change, Islamabad, Pakistan
Kasun Hewage
School of Engineering, University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus), Kelowna, BC,
Canada
Nur Iqtiyani Ilham
School of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Masai,
Johor, Malaysia
Hirushie Karunathilake
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
Vikrant P. Katekar
Department of Mechanical Engineering, S. B. Jain Technology Management and Research,
Nagpur, Maharashtra, India
Muhammad Khalifa
Institute for Technology and Resources Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (ITT),
Cologne University of Applied Sciences, Cologne, Germany
Muhammad Irfan Khan
Department of Environmental Science, International Islamic University, Sector H-10,
Islamabad, Pakistan
List of contributors xxi
Krishna J. Khatod
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Hyderabad Campus, Birla Institute of Technology &
Science, Pilani, Telangana, India
Vikniswari Vija Kumaran
Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman, Kampar Campus, Perak, Malaysia
Li Lan
School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
Mohd Talib Latif
Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti
Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Ha-Chi Le
Monash University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Phu V. Le
Natural Capital Management Program, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management,
Fulbright University Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Thai-Ha Le
Natural Capital Management Program, Fulbright School of Public Policy and Management,
Fulbright University Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam; University of Economics Ho Chi Minh
City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Li Li
School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Baoshan, Shanghai,
China
Neng-huei Lin
Department of Atmospheric Sciences, National Central University, Zhongli District, Taoyuan,
Taiwan; Center for Environmental Monitoring Technology, National Central University, Zhongli
District, Taoyuan, Taiwan
Gustavo Naciff de Andrade
Empresa de Pesquisa Energética, Centro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Canh Phuc Nguyen
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Masa Noguchi
ZEMCH EXD Lab, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne,
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Maggie Chel Gee Ooi
Institute of Climate Change, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia
Balgis Osman-Elasha
African Development Bank Group, Immeuble Zahrabed Avenue du Dollar, Tunis, Tunisia
Tharindu Prabatha
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Moratuwa, Moratuwa, Sri Lanka; School of
Engineering, University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus), Kelowna, BC, Canada
xxii List of contributors
Liliana N. Proskuryakova
National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russia
Richard R. Reibstein
Environmental Law and Policy, Department of Earth and Environment, Boston University,
Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Abdul Rahim Ridzuan
Universiti Teknologi Mara, Cawangan Melaka, Melaka, Malaysia
Paulo Roberto de Campos Merschmann
Production Engineering Department, Centro Federal de Educação Tecnológica Celso Suckow
da Fonseca, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Rehan Sadiq
School of Engineering, University of British Columbia (Okanagan Campus), Kelowna, BC,
Canada
Guller Sahin
Kütahya Health Sciences University, Evliya Çelebi Campus, Kütahya, Turkey
Noraina Mazuin Sapuan
Universiti Malaysia Pahang, Pahang, Malaysia
Nur Surayya Saudi
Universiti Pertahanan Nasional Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Nobuhiro Sawamura
Asia Pacific Energy Research Centre, Tokyo, Japan
Mohd Shahidan Shaari
Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Perlis, Malaysia
Shree Raj Shakya
Institute for Advanced Sustainability Studies (IASS), Potsdam, Germany; Center for Energy
Studies (CES), Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Pulchowk, Lalitpur, Nepal
Anzoo Sharma
Center for Rural Technology (CRT/N), Kathmandu, Nepal; Center for Energy Studies (CES),
Institute of Engineering, Tribhuvan University, Pulchowk, Lalitpur, Nepal
Mayuri Wijayasundara
Faculty of Science Engineering and Built Environment, Deakin University, Melbourne, VIC,
Australia
Wei Yang
ZEMCH EXD Lab, Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, The University of Melbourne,
Melbourne, VIC, Australia
Siti Hajar Yusoff
Electrical and Computer Engineering (ECE), Kulliyyah of Engineering, International Islamic
University Malaysia, Gombak, Selangor, Malaysia
Preface
The role of energy has never been more important. Despite the growing realization about the
importance of energy in the socio-economic well-being and advancement of societies, the global
energy landscape continues to face numerous challenges, above all, energy security issues. The nature
of energy security challenges for countries at different socio-economic and technological strata varies
significantly. Energy affordability, however, is becoming a global issue with fuel poverty on a rise even
in the developed countries. Long-standing geopolitical issues around the major oil and gas-producing
regions continue to send frequent shockwaves across the energy industry. The spectrum of energy
security challenges facing developing countries is quite broad. Notwithstanding the situation has
improved in recent years, access to refined energy fuels remains to be a serious issue as nearly one
billion people in developing countries lack access to electricity and over 2.6 billion rely on crude
biomass fuels to meet cooking requirements. Issues like poor grid quality, power outages and
breakdowns, and planned load-shedding are almost a regular phenomenon. The global environmental
scenario is also facing mounting challenges. As climate change is regarded as the biggest threat facing
the mankind, hopes to limit the global warming to 1.5 C are fading.
Energy security and environmental security, integral dimensions of sustainable development in the
21st century, are becoming increasingly interwoven areas given their commonalities in terms of
dimensions, challenges, implications, and potential solutions. The energy- and environmental security
challenges not only affect the socio-economic well-being of masses but also have implications for
societies at large including their economic and political systems. The profound challenge the world
faces is therefore to meet the rapidly growing energy requirements without inflicting damage to the
environment as is manifested by the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The
COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced the importance of energy and environmental security. The world
needs to adopt the build back better strategy to sustainably recover from the impacts of the pandemic.
The Handbook of Energy and Environmental Security presents a holistic account of the global
energy- and environmental security scenarios. It discusses the topics of Energy Security and
Environmental Security separately as well as integratedly from a wide range of perspectives,
i.e., fundamental concepts, faced challenges and their solutions, technological, economic, and policy
dynamics, and case studies. In terms of structure, apart from the introductory chapter, the handbook
is divided into three sections. The first sectiondEnergy Securitydconsists of eight chapters. The
second sectiondEnvironmental Securitydcontains nine chapters. The third sectiondEnergy and
Environmental security: An Integrated Approachdconsists of eight chapters.
xxiii
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Acknowledgments
The book is a teamwork and I am grateful to the chapter contributors in helping me accomplish it.
I would like to thank the reviewers for their time and efforts in reviewing chapter abstracts and
manuscripts. Given the COVID-related challenges, all these efforts deserve even more credit. I would
also acknowledge the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM) for the provided
support.
xxv
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CHAPTER
Chapter outline
1. Climate change on the March .............................................................................................................1
2. Energy and environmental security ......................................................................................................2
2.1 Energy security .................................................................................................................2
2.2 Environmental security ......................................................................................................3
2.3 The energyeenvironment dilemma......................................................................................3
3. Shared future .....................................................................................................................................7
4. Global response .................................................................................................................................8
5. Conclusions .....................................................................................................................................10
References ............................................................................................................................................10
decades, it has been almost double that of the last century (NASA). As a result of warmer temperatures,
glaciers are shrinking across the world including in the Himalayas, Alps, Alaska, Rockies, and Africa.
An extremely alarming dimension of climate change is that it is growing in momentum. Most of the
temperature rise since the industrial revolution has occurred since 1960s. Extreme weather conditions
and climate abnormalities are becoming so frequent that the situation is already being widely dubbed
as climate crisis. With the recorded acceleration in accumulation of GHGs and consequent increase in
atmospheric temperature, the climate changeedriven weather-related disasters are becoming more
intense and recurrent. Seven most recent years have been observed to be the warmest since records
began, while the years 2016 and 2020 are reportedly tied for being the hottest year on record (NASA).
The year 2021 witnessed heatwaves, wildfires, storms, and floods across the world. North America, for
example, faced intense heat wave, besides recorded high temperatures and huge wildfires. California’s
Death Valley recorded temperature of 54.4 C (130 F), which is potentially the highest ever temper-
ature recorded on the planet, and British Columbia witnessed temperature of 49.6 C, obliterating
Canada’s previous national temperature record by 8 C (Samenow, 2021). While the heatwave killed
over 500 people in Canada alone, Europe and Asia were hit by unprecedented flooding. High tem-
peratures, heatwaves, and droughts contributed to record-breaking wildfires. The 2019e2020 wildfire
in Australia, burnt around 19 million hectares and resulting into an economic loss of over AU$100
billion became the costliest natural disaster in national history (Read and Dennis, 2020). The year 2021
also witnessed heat waves fueling massive wildfires in Australia, North America, and Europe. The year
also saw record-freezing conditions across North America and Europe. Massive snow storm and
hurricane deprived millions of electricity and other utilities for over a week in the states of Texas and
Louisiana. With these highlights from the year 2021, extreme weather events are now considered to be
a new normal as experts predict more intense natural calamities including wildfires, storms, floods, and
droughts.
being paid toward better management of energy enterprises and new energy technologies. With the
debate around sustainable development in the 1990s, “affordability” became an important aspect of the
concept of energy security. Subsequently, the growing concerns over global warming and climate
change also started to influence the definitions of energy security. Over the years, the concept of energy
security has also varied spatially. It has been transformed in meaning and scope to match the emerging
challenges and local conditions. The modern concept of energy security has become an umbrella term
encapsulating multiple factors about energy prosperity in a society. Definitions of energy security
encompass indicators such as reliability, adequacy, consistency, affordability, sustainability, and
environmental acceptability of energy supplies. With the incorporation of economic and environ-
mental dimensions, energy security is synonymous to energy sustainability. The International Energy
Agency defines energy security as “the uninterrupted availability of energy sources at an affordable
price” (IEA, 2019). The United Nations Development Program regards energy security as “continuous
availability of energy in varied forms, in sufficient quantities, and at reasonable prices.” The European
Union’s (EU’s) perspective on energy security is viewed as “the uninterrupted physical availability of
energy products on the market, at a price which is affordable for all consumers (private and industrial),
while respecting environmental concerns and looking toward sustainable development.” The concept
of energy security has also been discussed under the four “A’s” approach. The four “A’s” dimensions of
energy security include availability, affordability, accessibility, and acceptability (Cherp and Jewell,
2014). Energy security can be improved through indigenous, adequate, and diverse supplies. Energy
insecurity undermines the socioeconomic well-being of societies and can be defined as “the loss of
welfare that may occur as a result of a change in the price or availability of energy” (Winzer, 2012).
"I think you said you were dining with the Lumsdens to-night," said
the magistrate, as they sat smoking after lunch. "How are you going?
Will you have the car?"
"I'd rather you'd lend me one of the saddle-horses," said Wimsey. "I
get few opportunities of riding in town."
"Certainly, my dear boy, certainly. Only I'm afraid you'll have rather a
wet ride. Take Polly Flinders; it will do her good to get some exercise.
You are quite sure you would prefer it? Have you got your kit with
you?"
"Yes—I brought an old pair of bags down with me, and, with this
raincoat, I shan't come to any harm. They won't expect me to dress.
How far is it to Frimpton, by the way?"
"Nine miles by the main road, and tarmac all the way, I'm afraid, but
there's a good wide piece of grass each side. And, of course, you can
cut off a mile or so by going across the common. What time will you
want to start?"
"Oh, about seven o'clock, I should think. And, I say, sir—will Mrs.
Frobisher-Pym think it very rude if I'm rather late back? Old Lumsden
and I went through the war together, and if we get yarning over old
times we may go on into the small hours. I don't want to feel I'm
treating your house like a hotel, but——"
"Of course not, of course not! That's absolutely all right. My wife won't
mind in the very least. We want you to enjoy your visit and do exactly
what you like. I'll give you the key, and I'll remember not to put the
chain up. Perhaps you wouldn't mind doing that yourself when you
come in?"
"Rather not. And how about the mare?"
"I'll tell Merridew to look out for you; he sleeps over the stables. I only
wish it were going to be a better night for you. I'm afraid the glass is
going back. Yes. Dear, dear! It's a bad look-out for to-morrow. By the
way, you'll probably pass the funeral procession at the church. It
should be along by about then, if the train is punctual."
The train, presumably, was punctual, for as Lord Peter cantered up to
the west gate of the church he saw a hearse of great funereal pomp
drawn up before it, surrounded by a little crowd of people. Two
mourning coaches were in attendance; the driver of the second
seemed to be having some difficulty with the horses, and Wimsey
rightly inferred that this was the pair which had been borrowed from
Mr. Mortimer. Restraining Polly Flinders as best he might, he sidled
into a respectful position on the edge of the crowd, and watched the
coffin taken from the hearse and carried through the gate, where it
was met by Mr. Hancock, in full pontificals, attended by a thurifer and
two torch-bearers. The effect was a little marred by the rain, which
had extinguished the candles, but the village seemed to look upon it
as an excellent show nevertheless. A massive man, dressed with
great correctness in a black frock coat and tall hat, and accompanied
by a woman in handsome mourning and furs, was sympathetically
commented on. This was Haviland Burdock of silk-stocking fame, the
younger son of the deceased. A vast number of white wreaths were
then handed out, and greeted with murmurs of admiration and
approval. The choir struck up a hymn, rather raggedly, and the
procession filed away into the church. Polly Flinders shook her head
vigorously, and Wimsey, taking this as a signal to be gone, replaced
his hat and ambled gently away towards Frimpton.
He followed the main road for about four miles, winding up through
finely wooded country to the edge of Frimpton Common. Here the
road made a wide sweep, skirting the common and curving gently
down into Frimpton village. Wimsey hesitated for a moment,
considering that it was growing dark and that both the way and the
animal he rode were strange to him. There seemed, however, to be a
well-defined bridle-path across the common, and eventually he
decided to take it. Polly Flinders seemed to know it well enough, and
cantered along without hesitation. A ride of about a mile and a half
brought them without adventure into the main road again. Here a fork
in the road presented itself confusingly; an electric torch, however,
and a sign-post solved the problem; after which ten minutes' ride
brought the traveller to his goal.
Major Lumsden was a large, cheerful man—none the less cheerful for
having lost a leg in the War. He had a large, cheerful wife, a large,
cheerful house, and a large, cheerful family. Wimsey soon found
himself seated before a fire as large and cheerful as the rest of the
establishment, exchanging gossip with his hosts over a whisky-and-
soda. He described the Burdock funeral with irreverent gusto, and
went on to tell the story of the phantom coach. Major Lumsden
laughed.
"It's a quaint part of the country," he said. "The policeman is just as
bad as the rest of them. Do you remember, dear, the time I had to go
out and lay a ghost, down at Pogson's farm?"
"I do, indeed," said his wife emphatically. "The maids had a wonderful
time. Trivett—that's our local constable—came rushing in here and
fainted in the kitchen, and they all sat round howling and sustaining
him with our best brandy, while Dan went down and investigated."
"Did you find the ghost?"
"Well, not the ghost, exactly, but we found a pair of boots and half a
pork-pie in the empty house, so we put it all down to a tramp. Still, I
must say odd things do happen about here. There were those fires on
the common last year. They were never explained."
"Gipsies, Dan."
"Maybe; but nobody ever saw them, and the fires would start in the
most unexpected way, sometimes in the pouring rain; and, before you
could get near one, it would be out, and only a sodden wet black
mark left behind it. And there's another bit of the common that
animals don't like—near what they call the Dead Man's Post. My dogs
won't go near it. Funny brutes. I've never seen anything there, but
even in broad daylight they don't seem to fancy it. The common's not
got a good reputation. It used to be a great place for highwaymen."
"Is the Burdock coach anything to do with highwaymen?"
"No. I fancy it was some rakehelly dead-and-gone Burdock. Belonged
to the Hell-fire Club or something. The usual sort of story. All the
people round here believe in it, of course. It's rather a good thing.
Keeps the servants indoors at night. Well, let's go and have some
grub, shall we?"
"Do you remember," said Major Lumsden, "that damned old mill, and
the three elms by the pig-sty?"
"Good Lord, yes! You very obligingly blew them out of the landscape
for us, I remember. They made us a damned sight too conspicuous."
"We rather missed them when they were gone."
"Thank heaven you didn't miss them when they were there. I'll tell you
what you did miss, though."
"What's that?"
"The old sow."
"By Jove, yes. Do you remember old Piper fetching her in?"
"I'll say I do. That reminds me. You knew Bunthorne...."
"I'll say good night," said Mrs. Lumsden, "and leave you people to it."
"Do you remember," said Lord Peter Wimsey, "that awkward moment
when Popham went off his rocker?"
"No. I'd been sent back with a batch of prisoners. I heard about it
though. I never knew what became of him."
"I got him sent home. He's married now and living in Lincolnshire."
"Is he? Well, he couldn't help himself, I suppose. He was only a kid.
What's happened to Philpotts?"
"Oh, Philpotts...."
Wimsey came down rather late for breakfast in the morning, to find
his hosts in a state of some excitement.
"The most extraordinary thing has happened," said Mrs. Frobisher-
Pym.