The Ginger Man - J. P. Donleavy [79]
MARY.
He moved out with bottle. Under the eagle. Into good air. Night and Ireland. Like licking moisture from leaves. Eating up green. And up the Geary Road. I do not trust this acute joy. Misery is my forte. O'Keefe will be caught by Lady Eclair. Be on a maid. And Eclair will beat his bottom with a Bible. Poor chef. I'd put it that there are only a few more days before I see the end.
He pushed in the front gate. A bit twisted. A light coming through the garage window from the kitchen. Must watch that. I'll just pretend I'm Egbert and check up. A few windows need attending to. The back door locked. Good thing, Miss Frost. That's the way I like to see things, everyone on their toes.
Sebastian knocked. Miss Frost's shadow twisting the key. She smiled. A little shy around the eyes, a little embarrassed around the teeth, her face atwinkle.
"Good evening, Miss Frost. A bit of softness"
"Good evening, Mr. Dangerfield, are you very wet?"
"No. Pleasant out. Nice smell."
"A friend of mine got me some sausage meat from Bray."
"Jolly good show. How are you, Miss Frost—tell me, how are you?"
"O, I'm all right A little tired. I was in the shop today"
"On your feet?"
"Yes."
"Miss Frost, give me a kiss."
"O, Mr. Dangerfield."
Sebastian approaching in the hard kitchen light. He put the brandy on the table and reached out for her wrist Tightening his fingers around the bone and she let go of the frying pan and it fell on the floor. Miss Frost in her gray sweater and her mouth a little uncontrolled. This evil man from Mars, hand on the flat of her back. Pressing with dignity. And whatever else happened, if we have that, we're all right Whispering in Miss Frost's ear.
"Miss Frost, you have a lovely nape of neck. Chew your ears. Ever chew ears ? O Miss Frost, chewing ears is the thing, down on the lobes. Especially the lobes. Get down on those soft things of flesh."
"O, Mr. Dangerfield, you'll bite them off."
"Tender."
"You like them that way?"
"Mixed with eyes."
"Hee,hee."
"Eyes."
"You go on."
"Miss Frost, are we going to put the sausage in that nice pan? Lash it with a bit of butter. Sizzle. O I think we're going to like this with the drink that's in it. Now would you say, Miss Frost, that there's a bit of drink to go with it?"
"Hee, hee. O please. Dear me."
"Give you a little bit of the mouth along the shoulders. You'll take this off later like a good girl, Miss Frost Later? Yes? Smell them. The sizzle. The silly sizzle of them, Miss Frost. And do you know, Miss Frost, you're a very fine person."
"You've had a few."
"Five for the road Never let it be said that I took to the highway or even byway without fuel for me little heart Hear it in there. Go ahead, feel it Here. Little feeble now until I get my fangs fastened to this meat Meat"
"Dear me"
Sebastian released Miss Frost from his arms. Your gray sweater and their shape in there. And your hips have a nice swell. Want to press a tip of warm nose in your white cool ear. And smelling this new bread. Get the juices well around the teeth. I think, Jesus, we're just two little bread breakers. I want a big loaf. Bigenough to get inside. Safety. Miss Frost, take my clothes off and put me in a big loaf of bread. A touch of gold on the crust. Float my ears and eyes. Do that, put me in there and save me. Little naked body, shrivelled with fright of the world and cock by which I'll poke my way to poverty and my tiny buttressed buttocks, fold me all up like these noiseless nomads and put me in the bread. Don't burn my balls, just brown and cozy, fat with fine crust And take me out in the morning baked to a fine turn and put it on the table. And I'll be there inside. My little self with my lovely strange eyes looking better than ever. Then, Miss Frost Eat me.
Dangerfield cutting the bread. A nice little pile now. I feel I'm just a crazy boat on British waters screaming what ho bastards on port, starboard and everywhere. Are you mad? Want us to founder? Or spill me into the sea? Or twist me in the rigging. Fire all the guns. We're at sea you bunch of vulgar pigs and when I tell you to fire, fire. Batten down all balls and by Jesus, any erection gets the guillotine.