by Henry Green
'And you're certain this ain't just your idea to get rid of me?' she asked tearfully once more.
He put an arm round her shoulders.
' 'Ere,' he said, 'what's up all of a sudden? It's not like you to have nightmares or see shadows followin' you round.'
'I'm that bewildered,' she explained again, settling her cheek against his.
'Now don't you fret,' he comforted. 'You leave all the brain work to your old man. Lucky Charley they call him,' he said in a threadbare return to his usual manner. 'We want to get out of this country and when once we've made up our minds we want to get out fast.'
'Elope?' she cried delighted all of a sudden.
'Elope,' he agreed grave.
She gave him a big kiss. 'Why Charley,' she said, seemingly more and more delighted, 'that's romantic.'
'It's what we're going to do whatever the name you give it,' he replied.
'But don't you see that's a wonderful thing to do,' she went on.
'Maybe so,' he said soft into her ear, 'but it's what we're doing.'
'Oh I can love you for this,' she murmured. 'There I've said it now haven't I? You were always on at me to say. But go on.'
'That's all,' he announced. 'Only once I get hold of Michael we'd best get away out to-morrow.'
'Wait a minute,' she cried in a disappointed voice. 'And how about our month's notice?'
'We shan't hand it in mate that's all. We'll flit.'
'Oh but Charley that would be wrong,' she said in a low voice.
'Right or wrong it's what we'll do. We could get Kate to come along if you was to feel awkward.'
'Awkward?' she asked. 'How d'you mean?'
'Well,' he replied shyly. 'We can't get married before we've put the banns up a full three weeks on the other side. I was just askin' myself if you'd feel it was right our travelling without we were man and wife.'
She laughed. 'D'you reckon I can't protect myself from you after all this time?' she enquired gentle.
'I know you can right enough,' he replied, 'but I couldn't tell the way you'd see it.'
She did not answer this. She said,
'Kate would never come with us, not now.'
'How's that Edie?'
'On account of her Paddy.'
'Go on with that for a tale.'
'I thought you knew dear,' she said.
'Well I did in a manner of speaking but not to place any reliance on it.'
'It's true right enough. She says he needs 'er.'
'Then all I can say is that's disgusting, downright disgusting.'
'Dithtrething and dithtathteful?' she asked.
'No mate it's no joking matter. Why a big, grown girl like her an' that ape out of a Zoo.'
'There's the way things are Charley.'
'But how did this come about?'
'She was lonely,' Edith explained, 'an' she watched us.'
' 'Ere,' he said, 'don't go layin' Paddy at my door. Why it's unnatural.'
'Well she's made her bed an' she needs must lie on it.'
'All the more reason then for us to get quick out of here,' was his comment.
'And not say goodbye to a soul?' she now asked in an excited voice.
'Not to anyone,' he replied narrowly watching her.
'Oh I couldn't,' she cried as though all at once she had despaired. 'I must tell Miss Evelyn and Miss Moira.'
'That's been the cause of half the trouble in this place. Once they get hold of something it's taken right out of control.'
'But it wouldn't be right. Why they're innocent.'
' 'Ow d'you mean innocent?' he enquired. 'There's a lot we could lay to their door.'
'They're not grown up,' she explained. 'They've got their lives to live yet. They mightn't understand if I was to go off without a word.'
'They'll forget soon enough dearest,' he said.
'No Charley,' she insisted and appeared distressed, 'you don't know. It would be wicked that's all. D'you mean to say we've not got to say one word?'
'That's right mate.'
'But what about Miss Burch? How will she take it? Can you tell me? Or Miss Swift who's trusted me with the young ladies?'
He put his arms about her. He held her close.
'Look my own love,' he said, 'it's like this. Once we let it get about that we're goin' then they'll all of them begin to talk. Mrs Tennant will pay a call on Mrs Welch who will send for old Agatha out of her bed. Miss Swift'll 'ave 'ysterics an' the Captain will receive a phone call from Mrs Jack to stop you an' me on the boat. Michael will be threatened with the sack. They'll even tell the garage in Kinalty they mustn't hire to us.'
He could feel her trembling.
'But Charley dear,' she protested, 'this is a free country surely to goodness?'
'It's priest-ridden love,' he replied.
'But Mrs Tennant's got no right to stop someones, not if we give her a month's wages.'
'A month's wages my eye. That's a fine way to start bein' married, to throw good money down the drain.'
'All right then Charley. You know best I expect.'
'No,' he went on, 'it's on account of that ring. She's got her suspicions you see love. She let Albert find his way but with us she'd raise holy Cain, making out I was carryin' you off.'
'But that's what you are doin' surely dear,' Edith announced. She settled deeper in his arms.
'It's you cartin' me off body and soul more likely,' he answered. He fastened on to her mouth. His face was very white and green and grey.
When he lifted his lips from hers he asked,
'Then you will to-morrow, without a word said to anyone?'
'I expect so,' she replied.
'You don't sound very certain,' he remarked.
'Oh I will, I will,' she cried very loud and wildly kissed him.
'You could tell Kate if you wished,' he said when he had a chance.
'I'll not say a word to a soul,' she promised.
At this he began to flush. The colour spread until his face had become an alarming ugly purple.
'Why I do declare you're blushin',' she cried delightedly. 'You who never have.' Then as he leant himself back, obviously stretched and tested by what he experienced, she said nervous again.
'What's up with you? You're not goin' sick on me are you?'
'I'll be O.K.,' he said faint.
'Not just when we've got this great journey?' she added.
'It was only that I feared you'd never consent,' he explained in a weak voice, with closed eyes. 'If I know anything it's that they'll keep us here one way or the other if we let a word out. Oh sweet'eart darlin' I'd hardly liked to think you'd see it my way.' He closed his eyes. An arm was limp over her shoulders. 'We'll go straight to Peterboro' where my mum'll have a bed for you. Arthur Sanders the sergeant of police I was at school with will put me up at his place till we can have the ceremony. And we must find us a room for a start.'
'Yes,' she said. She kissed the inside of his hand.
'Why look who's here,' she exclaimed. He opened his eyes and found Badger wagging his tail so hard that he was screwed right round into a crescent. The dog seemed deeply ashamed of some-thing.
'You go on out of it,' Raunce ordered. 'This no place for you when you're only after one of those pigeon to knock off.' The hound left, looking back twice as he went. And once he turned to stand with pricked ears, with a wild yearning look of grief.
'That dog's more trouble than he's worth,' Raunce muttered. He let his eyelids shut down over his eyes. 'He'd never catch a mouse that had lost all its legs not now he wouldn't,' he added in a voice of deep content.
'Well this is a fine elopement,' she remarked amused. 'I didn't gamble on you going to sleep on me I must say.'
'It's me dyspepsia,' he excused himself from behind shut eyes. 'That's a condition don't let up on you however you're placed.'
'You rest yourself dearest,' she answered then murmured happily to herself that in another minute she would have forgotten what they had come out for.
Accordingly she picked up the bag of scraps. She began to feed the peacocks. They came forward until they had her surrounded. Then a company of doves flew down on the seat to be fed. They settled all over her. And their fluttering disturbed Raunce who reopened his eyes. What he saw then he watched so that it could be guessed that he was in pain with his great delight. For what with the peacocks bowing at her purple skirts, the white doves nodding on her shoulders round her brilliant cheeks and her great eyes that blinked tears of happiness, it made a picture.
'Edie,' he appealed soft, probably not daring to move or speak too sharp for fear he might disturb it all. Yet he used exactly that tone Mr Eldon had employed at the last when calling his Ellen. 'Edie,' he moaned.
The next day Raunce and Edith left without a word of warning. Over in England they were married and lived happily ever after.
Living
for Dig
'As these birds would go
where so where would this child go?'
1
Bridesley, Birmingham.
Two o'clock. Thousands came back from dinner along streets.
'What we want is go, push,' said works manager to son of Mr Dupret. 'What I say to them is – let's get on with it, let's get the stuff out.'
Thousands came back to factories they worked in from their dinners.
'I'm always at them but they know me. They know I'm a father and mother to them. If they're in trouble they've but to come to me. And they turn out beautiful work, beautiful work. I'd do anything for 'em and they know it.'
Noise of lathes working began again in this factory. Hundreds went along road outside, men and girls. Some turned in to Dupret factory.
Some had stayed in iron foundry shop in this factory for dinner. They sat round brazier in a circle.
'And I was standing by the stores in the doorway with me back to the door into the pipe shop with a false nose on and green whiskers. Albert inside was laughin' and laughin' again when 'Tis 'im comes in through the pipe shop and I sees Albert draw up but I didn't take much notice till I heard, 'Ain't you got nothin' better to do Gates but to make a fool of yourself?' And 'e says to Albert, 'What would you be standin' there for Milligan?' And I was too surprised to take the nose off, it was so sudden. I shan't ever forget that.'
'And that was all that 'e said to you Joe?'
'Not by a mile and a bit. 'E went on about my being as old as he was, and 'ow 'e'd given up that sort of thing when 'e was a kid, and he told on me to Joe Brown that was foreman in this shop at that time, but 'e didn't take much notice I reckon. Yer know I couldn't take that nose off, I was kinder paralysed. And it was just the same when I see old Tupe fall at me feet this morning, I was that glad I couldn't move one way or t'other to pick 'im up.'
'What does 'e want to go fallin' about for at his age?'
'That's what I told him. I said "You'll go hurtin' yourself falling about one of these days" I said, "and when you do it won't only be but your deserts. It's a judgment on you" I said "to be tumbling at my feet, you dirty old man" I said "for all the things you've said about me and my mate." There were several there. They heard it. Then he started cussin'. I laughed! It 'urt the cheeks in me face.'
'I can't see 'em.'
'You silly bleeder and 'ow does your little bit like it when you come 'ome and lay yer head up against hers on the pillow and her 'as only been married to you three months and as can't be used to the dirt.'
'All right with yer has 'as's, all right.'
'But I'd like to see that Tupe dead and I don't mind who knows it. So 'e will be if 'e goes on fallin' about. Every bloody thing that 'appens straightaway 'e goes and tells Tis 'im. I shouldn't wonder if 'e hadn't fetched him when I 'ad the green whiskers on me face. And that was six years ago now. Dirty sod.'
'Ah. He's not like the one you work with Joe. 'E tells too much, Tupe does, always nosing into other people's doings.'
'Tis 'im, who was works manager, and Mr Dupret's son were going about this factory. They went through engineer's shop. Sparrows flew by belts that ran from lathes on floor up to shafting above by skylights. The men had thrown crumbs for them on floor. Works manager said they were in the way, it made him mad, he said, to see them about, 'the men watch them Mr Dupret while God knows what may be up with the job on the lathe. I say to them – don't throw crumbs to sparrows on the floor, one of these days you'll get hurt from not watching your job. We pay them while they bet on these sparrows. And you can't stop it. You can't keep the sparrows out. I've had a man on the roof three weeks now patching holes they come in by. But they find a way.'
Works manager and Mr Dupret's son went through sliding doors and works manager said this was the iron foundry. Black sand made the floor. Men knelt in it. Young man passed by Mr Dupret and works manager.
'What a beautiful face.'
'What? Eh? Well I don't know. He works for that moulder over in the corner. He's getting an old man now but there's no one can beat him for his work. The best moulder in Birmingham Mr Dupret. And he's a worry. That's his labourer there by him now. That man gets on my nerves. I'd have sacked him years ago but I didn't dare. Joe Gates 'is name is. I've seen that man make paper aeroplanes and float them about the shop and I couldn't do anything for fear I might put Craigan in a rage. He won't work with no one else Mr Dupret and he's the best moulder in Birmingham. But then the best engineer I ever met couldn't see you to talk business with you but he 'ad his pet spaniel on a chair by him. There's no accounting for it, none.'
Foreman came up and works manager asked him about stamping frames he would be casting that evening and they talked and Mr Dupret looked at the foundry. He walked over nearer to where Craigan worked. This man scooped gently at great shape cut down in black sand in great iron box. He was grimed with the black sand.
Mr Gates was talking to storekeeper, Albert Milligan. 'And the old man fell at me toes and I wasn't goin' to stretch out me 'and, "lie there" I said to him, "and serve you right you dirty old man" I said, "that has no right to be falling about at your age. Ye'll fall once too often," I said.'
'Ah, he'll kill himself one o' these days. It'll be a judgment on 'im. Everything that goes on 'Tis 'im hears of it through him. But as! to falling it ain't healthy for 'im, there was an old chap in 'ospital that had done just the same.'
'That's what I said to 'im. But 'ow would you be feelin' now Albert?'
'Middlin' Joe. I 'ad it bad again yesterday. I said to myself if you sit yourself down you'll grow morbid. So I kept on. It worked off in the end. Yes there was a feller opposite my bed that had lengths cut out of his belly and when they brought 'im in again, an' he come to after the operation, they told him 'e could eat anything that took 'is fancy. So he said a poached egg on toast would suit 'im for a start but when they took it to 'im 'e brought it up. Black it was. And everything they took him after he brought it up just the same till they were givin' 'im port, then brandy and champagne at the end.'
'Ah.'
'And one day I couldn't stick it no longer and I said to the sister, 'I want to go 'ome.' And she said "but you can't." And I said "I want to go 'ome" and she said "but it would kill you Mr Milligan." And I said I didn't mind, "I want to go 'ome" I said. So at last they sent the matron to me. She came and sat by the bed. She could do anything with you, and she said "What's the trouble Mr Milligan?" and I said "I want to go 'ome, I want to sleep in my own bed." And she said "but it'll kill you" and I asked if there weren't an ambulance as could take me. "I can't stick it with that poor feller over there" I said, "what's the matter with 'im that 'e can't keep nothing down. He'll die soon, won't 'e?" And she said "we can't keep them 'ere as God wants to take to himself Mr Milligan." I reckon that was a fine woman. Well I stayed and I seemed to do better after that. And the next day the chap next me said, "What was the matter with you yesterday Albert that you got jumpy like you did? Stick it, you'll be out soon." And I said "yes, I'll stick it," and we shook 'ands on that. But I wouldn't go back.'
'Well you can
't expect to get right in a day not after anythin' like what you 'ad. Any road yer looking as fat as an egg now, old sow pig.'
'Out yer go. I got more to do than stand talking to foundry rats. Gor glomey ain't 'Tis 'im about with the governor's son. Come out now, go on back to yer old man. 'E'll be 'owling for yer. But 'ere. Joe, you might've given the old bleeder a 'and up, there was one or two came in here this morning that didn't like your standin' by Tupey and not doin' nothing. And there was no one else but you about for a few moments. Though I'm not saying I shouldn't 've done the same.'
' 'Elp 'im, I'd be dead before. Look what 'e's done to others, what 'e's said along 'o their private lives. Give 'im a hand, might as well 'elp the devil shovel coals.'
'Ah. Well so long Joe.'
' 'Elp that carcase. It was as much as I could do not to wipe me boots on 'is lying mouth. I'll be — before I 'elp 'is kind.'
'And that'll come to you one of these days.'
Mr Gates went back to foundry with chaplets he had fetched from stores shouting against storekeeper's dirty mind, and laughing, but noise of lathes working made it so what he said could not be heard.
Standing in foundry shop son of Mr Dupret thought in mind and it seemed to him that these iron castings were beautiful and he reached out fingers to them, he touched them; he thought and only in machinery it seemed to him was savagery left now for in the country, in summer, trees were like sheep while here men created what you could touch, wild shapes, soft like silk, which would last and would be working in great factories, they made them with their hands. He felt more certain and he said to himself it was wild incidental beauty in these things where engineers had thought only of the use put to them. He thought, he declaimed to himself this was the life to lead, making useful things which were beautiful, and the gladness to make them, which you could touch; but when he was most sure he remembered, he remembered it had been said before and he said to himself, 'Ruskin built a road which went nowhere with the help of undergraduates and in so doing said the last word on that.' And then what had been so plain, stiff and bursting inside him like soda fountains, this died as a small wind goes out, and he felt embarrassed standing as he did in fine clothes.