|
She sat silent with her hands on the notes.
Her father wasdead; her house was
shut up; she had no attachment at the momentanywhere.
She looked at her nephew
Northand at her niece Peggy.
Not tonight, she said, making a little gesture as
if to push awaythe table.
Austell has only just this minute gone, and the
Bishop. There was some juggling with decanters on thesideboard. Ill fetch my
glasses, said Eleanor, and she went upstairs.
Brandishing, flourishing my sword
in my hand. They turned intothe High Street; the heat seemed to make everything
drowsy andsilent.
There were relics of the old Dubbin if one half-shut ones
eyes. But its not the landscape any longer, shethought; its peoples lives,
their changing lives. Shewished that Morris would tell stories too.
Siegfried
took the broken pieces of the swordand blew on the fire and hammered, hammered,
hammered. The bazaar, she said, rolling up her embroidery.
It was still very
warm; it was still light enough tosee the hills in the distance.
Thats
finished, she said, laying the dress on thetable. The rugs were faded; the
pictures were faded.
Yes, Im sure Ive got everything, said Eleanor, and Celia
lefther. Now I cant see him any more, said Eleanor. Everybody says hes a very
nice fellow, said Celia.
Morris had taken this; Deliahad taken that; everything
had been shared out and separated.
All the windows were openand she heard the
trees rustling in the garden. You can call him Renny, said Peggy, pronouncing
it in the Englishway.
They and their doings had made her entire world.
Now I
cant see him any more, said Eleanor. Eleanor heardher whispering with her
brother in the hall.
They could hear heavy footsteps lurching up the stairs in
the nexthouse. But it was too low; too yellow; it was another house she
realised,not a star.
For by so many more there are who say ours So much the
more of good doth each possess. She fanned herself with a sheet of paper.
Then
a man who was wheeling a barrowalong the street shouted up to them:The Kings
dead! As Eleanorbent to give her the customary kiss, life once more took on
itsfamiliar proportions.
She was becomingmore and more interested in
birds.
Ought I to have urged him to go to the Bar?
|
