Loving - Henry Green [2]
�Yes'm.' 'So you never seen it before?' 'No'm.' 'And you've not even been in this place? Is that right?' �Yes'm.' 'AH right then and I don't want to hear any more. But if you so much as breathes a word of what 'as just passed I'll tan the 'ide clean off your back you little poulterer you h'understand?' 'Yes'm.' He turned, ran out. Then high shrieking giggles came faint with distance from without. Mrs Welch moved over to perforated iron which formed a wall of the larder, advanced one eye to a hole and grimly watched. The back premises of this grey Castle were on a vast scale. What she saw afar was Kate and Edith with their backs to her in purple uniforms and caps the colour of a priest's cassock. They seemed to be waiting outside O'Conor's lamp room. This was two tall Gothic windows and a pointed iron-studded door in a long wall of other similar doors and windows topped by battlements above which was set back another wall with a greater number of windows which in its turn was terraced into the last storey that was almost all blind Gothic windows under a steep roof of slate. Mrs Welch after seeming to linger over the great shaft of golden sun which lighted these girls through parted cloud let a great gust of sigh and turned away saying, 'Well if Aggie Burch can't hold 'em in leash it's none of my business, the pair of two-legged mice, the thieves,' she added. But as Edith reached for O'Conor's latch Kate screamed at her, 'And what if there's a mouse?' Then Edie, hands to the side over a swelling heart, gave back, 'Oh love you can't say that to me,' and leant against the door post. 'That you can't say love,' she said, dizzy once more all of a sudden. 'Aw come on I only meant it for a game.' 'Oh Kate.' 'You're soft that's what it is dear.' 'Not after what come to pass this very morning you didn't ought.' 'Why see who's brought 'erself to have a peek at him,' Kate said of a moulting peacock which head sideways was gazing up with one black white-rimmed eye. 'Get off,' she cried, 'I don't like none of you.' 'Quiet dear. It's likely his favourite.' 'Why what d'you know,' said Kate, 'she's not taken up with us at all at all, it's the buzzard above she's fixed on, would you believe.' 'A buzzard?' 'And if I said I didn't care.' 'No Kate you mustn't, don't strike her I said. You can't tell what might happen if he came to learn.' 'Oh Paddy,' Kate said, 'I'll bet he's well away after that dinner he ate. He'll never stir. But I shan't if you wouldn't rather.' 'She's his special I know,' Edith went on. 'I can't distinguish one from the other but there's something tells me. And who's to say if he is asleep in the dark?' 'You go on in to oblige me then,' Kate said. 'Not me I shan't. I couldn't.' 'Well I will at that.' 'Nor you won't either,' Edith said. 'You've made me frighted.' 'I will then,' Kate answered, raising the heavy latch. 'But love I'll never cause a sound even the smallest,' she said low. Edith plastered her mouth over with the palm of a hand. 'No,' she said muffled, 'no,' as O'Conor's life was opened, as Kate let the sun in and Edith bent to look. What they saw was a saddleroom which dated back to the time when there had been guests out hunting from Kinalty. It was a place from which light was almost excluded now by cobwebs across its two windows and into which, with the door ajar, the shafted sun lay in a lengthened arch of blazing sovereigns. Over a corn bin on which he had packed last autumn's ferns lay Paddy snoring between these windows, a web strung from one lock of hair back onto the sill above and which rose and fell as he breathed. Caught in the reflection of spring sunlight this cobweb looked ta be made of gold as did those others which by working long minutes spiders had drawn from spar to spar of the fern bedding on which his head rested. It might have been almost that O'Conor's dreams were held by hairs of gold binding his head beneath a vaulted roof on which the floor of cobbles reflected an old king's molten treasure from the bog. 'He won't wake now, only for tea,' Kate said. 'Because after he's had his he feeds the birds.' 'Oh Kate isn't he a sight and all.' 'Well come on we can't stand looking. What's next?' 'If I make a crown out of them ferns in the corner,' Edith said, "will you fetch something he can hold?' 'You aim to make him a bishop? Well if I 'ad my way I'd strip those rags off to give that pelt of his a good rub over.' 'Don't talk so. You couldn't.' 'Who's doing all the talking?' O'Conor gave a loud snore. Both girls began to giggle. 'Oh do be quiet dear,' Edith said picking a handful of ferns and starting to twist them. Then they were arrested by movement in the sunset of that sidewall which reflected glare from the floor in its glass. For most of one side of this room was taken up by a vast glass-fronted cupboard in which had once been kept the bits, the halters and bridles, and the martingales. At some time O'Conor had cut away wooden partitioning at the back to make a window into the next chamber, given over nowadays to his peacocks. This was where these birds sheltered in winter, nested in spring, and where they died of natural causes at the end. As though stuffed in a dusty case they showed themselves from time to time as one after another across the heavy days they came up to look at him. Now, through a veil of light reflected over this plate glass from beneath, Edith could dimly see, not hear, a number of peacocks driven into view by some disturbance on their side and hardly to be recognized in this sovereign light. For their eyes had changed to rubies, their plumage to orange as they bowed and scraped at each other against the equal danger. Then again they were gone with a beat of wings and in their room stood Charley Raunce, the skin of his pale face altered by refraction to red morocco leather. The girls stood transfixed a. s if by arrows between the Irishman dead motionless asleep and the other intent and quiet behind a division. Then dropping everything they turned, they also fled. Miss Swift was deaf and could not always hear her charges' words as along with Evelyn and Moira and Mrs Welch's Albert she came that afternoon to the dovecote round by the back. She groaned while she settled herself in the shady seat and the doves rose in a white cloud on softly clapping wings. 'What's troublin' 'er?' Albert asked. 'It's only nanny's rheumatism,' Miss Moira quoted. 'Why come to that I got an uncle 'as 'is joints boiled Tuesdays and Thursdays over at St Luke's down the old Bow Road.' 'Now shall poor old nanny tell you a story of the two white doves that didn't agree?' Moira nudged Evelyn and pointed. A pair of these birds on a ledge were bowing beak to beak. The two girls copied them, nodding deeply one to the other as they sat on either side of Miss Swift. This woman rubbed a knee with both hands without looking at it. She had closed her eyes. 'Once upon a time there were six little doves lived in a nest,' she began and Raunce came out of an unused door in that Castle wall. The rusted hinges creaked. The two girls waved but Mrs Welch's Albert beyond Evelyn might almost have been said to cringe. Raunce put a ringer to his lips. He was on his way back from the round he had made of the peacocks' corn bins and during which he startled Kate and Edith. Then Miss Evelyn and Miss Moira each put a finger to their mouths as they went on bowing to each other. Raunce made off. Miss Swift continued, 'Because they were so poor and hungry and cold in their thin feathers out there in the rain.' She opened her eyes. 'Children,' she said, 'stop those silly tricks' and the girls obeyed. 'But the sun came out to warm them,' she intoned. 'Jesus,' Albert muttered, 'look at that.' This dovecote was a careful reproduction of the leaning tower of Pisa on a small scale. It had balconies to each tier of windows. Now that the birds had settled again they seemed to have taken up their affairs at the point where they had been interrupted. So that all these balconies were crowded with doves and a heavy murmur of cooing throbbed the air though at one spot there seemed to be trouble. 'You're very very wicked boy,' said Evelyn to Albert looking where she thought he looked. What she saw was one dove driving another along a ledge backwards. Each time it reached the end the driven one took flight and fluttered then settled back on that same ledge once more only to be driven back the other way to clatter into air again. This was being repeated tirelessly when from another balcony something fell. That's ripe that is,' Albert said. 'I didn't see,' Evelyn cried. 'I didn't really. What came about?' 'And then there was a time,' the nanny said from behind closed eyes and the wall of deafness, 'oh my dears your old nanny hardly knows how to tell you but the naughty unloyal dove I told of. 'It was a baby one,' Albert said. 'A baby dove. Oh do let me see.' 'I daresn't stir,' he said. 'Where did she fall then?' Evelyn asked. 'Quiet children,' Miss Swift said'having opened her eyes, 'or I shan't finish the story you asked after, restless chicks,' she said. 'And then there came a time,' she went on, shutting her eyes again, hands folded. 'What? Where?' Moira whispered. 'It was a baby one,' Albert said, 'and nude. That big bastard pushed it.' 'The big what?' Evelyn asked. 'Oh but I mean oughtn't we to rescue the poor?' 'Where did she drop then?' Moira wanted to be told. But a rustle made them turn about on either side of Miss Swift who sat facing that dovecote shuteyed and deaf. They saw Kate and Edith in long purple uniforms bow swaying towards them in soft sunlight through the white budding branches, fingers over lips. Even little Albert copied the gesture back this time. All five began soundlessly giggling in the face of beauty. 'Did you see Mr Raunce?' Kate asked at last. 'E went that way,' Albert answered while the two girl children sat with forefingers still on their mouths. 'What did 'e come out of?' Kate asked. 'That door,' Albert said. 'And then they were in great peril every mortal one,' Miss Swift continued. 'And oh Edith,' Miss Evelyn announced, 'we've been watching the doves they are so funny.' 'I shouldn't pay attention if I was you dear.' 'Why shouldn't I pay attention?' 'Not if I was you I shouldn't.' 'Why shouldn't I?' Miss Evelyn asked. 'Because they're very rum them birds,' Kate said also whispering. 'Why are they rum?' Miss Moira asked. 'I'll say they're rum,' Albert announced. 'One of the old 'uns shoved a young bird and 'e fell down right on 'is nut.' 'Well I never,' Kate remarked to Edith. They watched that dovecote over the children's heads. 'Sssh,' said Edith watching rapt. The children turned. There were so many doves they hardly knew which way to look. 'And then there came a time when this wicked tempting bird came to her father to ask her hand,' Miss Swift said, passing a dry tongue over dry lips, shuteyed. 'It don't seem right not out in the open,' Kate mentioned casual. 'And again over there too and there,' said Edith. 'Where?' cried Miss Evelyn too loud though not sharp enough as she thought to interrupt Miss Swift. The nanny just put a hand on her arm while she droned. 'Oh what are they doing then?' Miss Moira cried. 'They're kissing love,' Kate answered low. 'Hush dear,' said Edith. 'But where Kate I don't see. Oh look at those two oh look she's got her head right down his beak, she's going to strangle him,' and Moira's voice rose. 'Nanny nanny stop it quick.' 'Good gracious child what's this?" But the children had got up and as they rose every dove was apart once more and on the wing, filling the air with sighing. 'Why now Edith and Kate whatever do you think you're about?' 'We've just finished our dinner,' Kate replied. 'Wandering all over the grounds where anyone might see. Who's ever heard?' the nanny said. 'Sit down children and you Albert. If you're going to stay with us you'll do as you're told.' 'Yes'm.' 'Well we're accustomed to let our dinner settle,' Kate said. 'And I make no doubt you use that to get away of an afternoon and let the work look after itself. You'll have Miss Burch after you.' 'Come away, dear,' Edith said to Kate. 'Doves kissing indeed,' Miss Swift called surprisingly after their backs, 'stuff and nonsense. That's the mother feeding her little one dears. If you sit quiet enough you'll see for yourselves,' she said to the children. 'And now where was I?' 'You were at that bit where the kind old father says he can marry her 'cause he's getting too old to know better.' 'Well now that's right,' Miss Swift began once more and the doves, spiralling down in the funnel made by trees which were coming out all over in a yellow green through chestnut sheaths the colour of a horse's coat, settled one after another each outside the door to his quarters and after strutting once or twice went on quarrelling, murdering and making love again. 'So then not knowing any better he let him have her hand,' the nanny said. Breathless the children watched this leaning tower. Very soon one white dove was crouching with opened beak before another with stuck-out chest. Not long after that they were at it once more and the fat bird, grown thin now, had his head deep down the other's neck which was swallowing in frantic gulps that shook its crescent body. Elsewhere another bird trundled an egg to the edge. Yet another chased a fifth to a corner until it fluttered over behind where these two began again. In pairs they advanced and retreated. Then one more small mass fell without a thud, pink. 'There y'are,' said Albert. 'Where? I didn't see. Oh I've missed again,' Evelyn said. 'Did you?' to Moira. 'You're none of you listening you naughty children,' the nanny said. 'Here's poor nanny wasting her breath and you don't pay attention. We'd better get on with our walk if you ask me.' 'Why nanny?' 'Are you coming?' 'Yes'm.' 'But why nanny?' 'Because nanny says so. Come on now. We'll go down by the fish 'atchery,' and she made off, holding Evelyn by the hand. She dragged on her right leg. 'Tell you what,' Albert said to Moira as they loitered to follow, 'I'll bite 'is little 'ead off'n.' 'You'll what?' 'Like they did in the local where I was evacuated.' 'What's the local?' 'In the pub down in the country. There was a man there bit the 'eads off of mice for a pint. The lady I was evacuated with said so.' 'You shan't you wicked boy I'll call nanny.' 'I'll show yer,' he said darting sideways towards the base of that tower. 'You wait till I find'm,' he said and she burst out wailing. Miss Swift came back, mopped the child's face. The others watched as though disinterested. She did not ask Albert. 'I'll tell Mrs Welch about you' was all she told him. Later that same afternoon Raunce was in the pantry lending his lad a hand with the tea things. That is to say while his Albert washed the cups and saucers, the spoons and plates, Raunce held up a heavy silver tray like a cymbal to polish it. 'Ha' he went at the expanse of mirror metal, 'ha,' then he rubbed his breath away as he whistled through his teeth in time to the short strokes in the way a man will when grooming a horse, and squinting terribly the while. Suddenly he spoke. Bert grew quiet at his voice. Raunce said, 'I could have laughed right in her face,' and stopped. 'When was that?' Albert enquired. 'Yes so I could and with you sitting there still as a mouse.' The boy looked speechless at him. 'Oh get on with your work,' Raunce quoted from another context. There was another lull while Albert redoubled his effort and the butler watched. 'It's not as if we had all night,' Raunce went on, 'which is to say I have not,' he said speaking genteely and he let a short guffaw, 'lucky Charley they call me, begorrah,' he added. 'Yes Mr Raunce,' mumbled Albert. 'It won't wash your acting the innocent my lad. The moment she come in that door between the scullery and where we was sitting over our tea I could tell you felt the draught.' 'I didn't feel nothing.' 'When Mrs Welch reported present on the steps there was something caused my eyes to settle on that cheese face of yours, something told me. And when she started about that waterglass of 'ers which is missing I says to myself Charley you don't have to look far, it's plain as my face in the mirror. What induced you to take the stuff?' 'I never.' ( 'Come on tell uncle.' ; 'I never took nothing.' ! 'You've no call to feel uneasy my lad. I've not made out I was any different from what I am now have I?' 'Mr Raunce I haven't so much as seen it.' 'Well, if you won't, then I will. I'll tell you. It's because you over-', heard me say what my old mother had written that they was on the very brink of starvation over in London with the bombing. You must've idea'd you'd go get hold of some to send 'em a few eggs in.' 'Gawd's truth I did not Mr Raunce.' 'Don't stand there like a stuck pig my lad. Get down to it for the love of Moses. We aren't finished with the day's work by a long chalk. But you got your parents in London yet?' he went on. 'Haven't you?' There was no reply except for the slop of sink water. 'Well haven't you?' 'Yes Mr Raunce.' 'All right then why make a mystery? You thought you might send 'em along an egg or two.' 'I tell you I never.' 'I'm not saying you did, all I'm telling you is you thought you might. There's times I despair of you my lad,' Raunce said. 'We'll not possibly make anything out of you that's one item dead certain. And another thing now. Once you can shine a bit of good silver up like this here you'll have learned a start of the trade that's took me many a long year to master. And I'm still learning.' 'I couldn't even name what that glass is for,' the boy uttered deep in his sink. 'D'you want me to fetch you one?' Raunce shouted at once. 'Would you provoke me to strike you? No? Then don't attempt impudence again. There's the National Service Officer waiting the other side for growing lads such as you soon as you're of age.' 'Yessir,' the boy said as though galvanized. 'And don't call me sir,' Raunce said calmer, 'give a Mr when you address me that's all I ask. Well if you won't tell you won't. You may be right at that. See nothing know nothing as they say in the Army.' Albert tried a furtive smile. 'I don't say I blame you,' Raunce went on after pondering a moment. He was picking his teeth with a needle he had taken from underneath the lapel of his coat. 'But one thing we will get straight here and now,' he said. 'Keep all of it to yourself if you wish. And clean your teeth of course before you have anything to do with a woman. Yet if I 'ave any more of that side from you there's one thing you can bet your life. A word to Mrs T. from me, just one little word and it's the Army for you my lad, old king and country and all the rest d'you understand.' 'Yes Mr Raunce.' 'Where'd those two girls of Miss Burch go working after tea did you happen to notice?' 'Over in the empty place.' 'Yes but what part?' 'I couldn't tell. I never 'card. On my oath I don't bloody know.' 'O. K. O. K. what's all the excitement?' Raunce said. 'If you don't know you don't,' he said. That's all there is to it. But I got a message to give one or both of 'em see? Lucky Charley they call me. I chanced upon one of their little games this dinnertime. And if that bell was to go just you. answer it. If they should want to know where I am say I'm down in the cellar d'you understand. All right? But I shan't be more'n a minute,' he said as he glided softly out softly whistling. The boy trembled. As has been explained most of this great house was closed. It was for Kate and Edith once or twice each week to open various dust-sheeted rooms to let the air in. When Raunce after making his way up the Grand Staircase, going through the Long Gallery and past the Chapel came to a great sombre pair of doors which divided one part of this Castle from the other, he passed once he had opened these into yet another world. And in spite of his training they made a booming sound as he shut them behind him. He stood to listen through a white-wrapped dimness. For what he heard was music. In a moment he knew he heard a waltz. 'What are they up to now?' he asked half under his breath. 'What's Edith after?' he repeated. He was grave all of a sudden. He started on his way, then almost at once stopped by a large bowl which sat naked on a window ledge and which had a sheet of cardboard laid over. He picked this up, set it aside, then dipped his fingers in the rustle of potpourri which lay within. Walking on again he sniffed once at his fingers he had dabbled in the dry bones of roses and to do this was a habit with him the few times he was over in this part. He went forward, still intently listening. To his left was a range of high windows muted by white blinds. On his right he passed objects sheeted in white and to which he had never raised the cloths. For this house that had yet to be burned down, and in particular that greater part of it which remained closed, was a shadowless castle of treasures. But he was following music. Also he went like the most silent cat after two white mice, and to tell them as well that what had been missing was now found to have been stolen by a rat. The music came louder and louder as he progressed until at the white and gold ballroom doors it fairly thundered. He paused to look over his shoulder with his hand on a leaping salmon trout in gilt before pressing this lever to go in. There was no one. Nevertheless he spoke back the way he had come. 'They'll break it,' he said aloud as though in explanation, presumably referring to the gramophone which was one of the first luxury clockwork models. 'And in a war,' he added as he turned back to these portals, 'it would still fetch good money,' talking to himself against the thrust of music. The little bitches I'll show 'em,' he said and suddenly opened. They were wheeling wheeling in each other's arms heedless at the far end where they had drawn up one of the white blinds. Above from a rather low ceiling five great chandeliers swept one after the other almost to the waxed parquet floor reflecting in their hundred thousand drops the single sparkle of distant day, again and again red velvet panelled walls, and two girls, minute in purple, dancing multiplied to eternity in these trembling pears of glass. 'You're daft,' he called out. They stopped with their arms about each other. Then as he walked up they disengaged to rearrange their hair and still the waltz thundered. He switched it off. The needle grated. The girls said nothing. They stood with arms up rolling their curls and watched. He went over to the window, twitched down that blind. He came back. He spoke at last. 'Oh all right,' he said, 'I only happened to be passing. O. K.? Yes I know it's none of my business. Go on play it once more if you like.' 'Not now,' Kate said. 'It was only that one of them might hear you,' he explained. 'It's over now,' Edith answered him. 'And that reminds me,' he went on seeming to forget he had just given another reason for his presence. 'What I came to tell you girls was I found out about the waterglass. It's my lad has been and had some. Only a trifle, not enough to notice. He took what he did more out of curiosity than anything.' 'Albert?' Edith exclaimed. 'Fortunate 'e didn't try a taste,' Raunce continued. 'He's that sort. He'd never think twice if it came over him to see what the effects might be. He's a crank that's why. I know I've tried along of that lad but there's some you can't do anything with.' Kate laughed. 'So it was Albert, Albert after all,' she said. 'I came special to mention the matter,' Raunce added and he had not-left Edith with his eyes. 'Ever since Mrs Welch barged in like that at teatime I thought well you never know maybe these girls will take what she said wrong, think it was addressed to them.' 'That cap didn't fit, we never took no notice,' Kate announced. 'It's Edith here,' Raunce said, 'with her talk of she must get home and being dissatisfied.' 'Well thank you very much,' Edith replied as though astounded. 'Don't mention,' he said. 'And I must be off. Busy Charley that's me,' he wound up with what seemed an empty return to his old manner as he abruptly turned away. He went straight out not saying another word. 'Well would you believe that?' Edith murmured half giggling. But Kate was looking at her like she might have been a stranger and she stopped. 'All right come on,' Kate said vicious, 'we're not goin' to stay here all night are we? I reckon we've done what we can. Enough's enough,' she said and they set about leaving this end of the great room as they had found it. And then made their way back to the part that was inhabited, their day's work done. It may have been a few days later that Miss Burch came in late for her elevenses. She looked worried. As she sat down she said, 'She's mislaid her big sapphire cluster.' There was no need to ask whose ring that was. Ever since the French maid went back to her own country Miss Burch had been in charge of Mrs Tennant's things. But Mrs T. was always finding what she had just lost, while she seldom bothered to announce that whatever it might be was no longer missing. Charley seriously said, and at the same time imitated Mrs Welch's nephew, 'Maybe she put'm down and forgot to pick'm up.' Except for Miss Burch they none of them bothered. It could be assumed if she did not in good time come across the ring that she would get another of equal value out of the Company and better because it was fresh. 'Which reminds me,' Charley asked his lad, 'did you remember to take her back that glove? Now don't give me the old answer, don't say which glove?' 'It's in the pantry Mr Raunce,' Albert said.