The Book of Night Women

by Marlon James

  Massa Humphrey face turn red and he say that he would have thought Spanish Town so exciting that nobody would have time to concoct rumour.

  —Exciting? If there is only one thing I’ve come to understand about the colonies, my dear man, it is that one does nothing here but wait. That is all.

  The governor go on to say how he grow up hearing about the exciting exploits of Jamaica but he was disappointed that he didn’t run into a single buccaneer yet. Massa Humphrey laugh and say that when he come here he was hoping to see a mermaid. The governor laugh. Lilith watching from the hole in the kitchen door. Lilith wondering what to do to get the massa attention.

  —Move along, girly, Pallas whisper behind her and push. Lilith almost trip inside the kitchen. Pallas grab a tray and go back through the door. Lilith decide to rest her feet.

  —The ball pleasing you? somebody say. Lilith jump. Homer. She standing by the table pouring soup into little bowls all on a silver tray.

  —Some people come late, yet they still want all nine course, she say. —Everything so pretty, me never see nothing like that yet, Lilith say.

  —Yes, yes, outside nigger only see a little. Then sometimes they see too much, Homer say.

  —Me not no field nigger, Lilith say.

  —Must be my mistake. Forget say is in midwifery you born, not bush. That be your mama, Homer say.

  —What you playing? Why you talking so now? Me hear enough ’bout mother and father fi know me no care for either.

  —Me not playing nothing. Me just saying that some people born under curse. Curse to do exactly what people before them do.

  Lilith stand there fidgeting, she look down at her bosom and feel like covering it up.

  —The massa say anything to you yet? Homer say and Lilith look up, surprised.

  —W-why him goin’ say nothing to me? Lilith say.

  —Look like you be waiting for somebody to say something, Homer say.

  —Me don’t know what you labba-labbaing ’bout, Lilith say.

  —Eh-eh, you using word from the slave ship? Then so it must go, everybody using mouth more and more and ear less and less, Homer say. They quiet again. Homer pour soup in the bowls.

  —We meeting tonight, she say.—’Bout serious, serious things. You can come if you want to. The backra goin’ be so tired that we can meet till morning. We can help you with more reading. You remember reading? You remember the little that me teach you? Remember Joseph Andrews? Him in all sorta mix-up now, that be a fact. When we done you can even scratch out you name.

  —Me already have two mama and two daddy and neither serve no damn use.

  —Me never say me want to be you mother, chile.

  —You finger be the last thing me want in me pussy.

  Homer eye shock open and her mouth quiver. Lilith think is the first time she ever see Homer shake.

  —H-h-how about, how about a fist in you mouth, then? she say, but her eyes didn’t mean it. Lilith look down like she shame. But then she raise her chin high like white woman.

  —Carry these to the grand table outside, Homer say and point to the tray. Lilith stand up like she don’t want to carry it.—Make sure the governor get serve pumpkin soup, not pepper pot, Homer say and Lilith hurry up and grab the tray.

  —Careful! Homer say, remember you never get Andromeda training.

  —Me not no fool, me can carry a tray, Lilith say. Lilith pick up the tray and it wobble a little, but she settle it. She go to the kitchen door and one of the mens open it.—You welcome, he say and frown. Lilith sail through the door.

  —And remember to offer Rogets first, Homer shout. Lilith look back and hiss.

  Then she turn round.

  Too late.

  Too late see that Miss Isobel’s chaperone was licking her lips for more soup right in front of her. Too late. Lilith walk right into the woman and the whole ballroom hear the crash. The silver tray ram into the chaperone like a bull. The bowls shatter and porcelain cut through the chaperone dress. The soup, boiling hot, splash all over her dress. The soup spread over the chaperone neck, bosom and belly like fire. She scream. She scream again and again, like an animal, like something burnin’ in hell. She scream and fall back on the ground. Five white man rush to her. One grab a pitcher of water and try to wet her with it. Some of the white womens screaming and some look away. The mens try to hold the chaperone, but she screaming and bawling and soup and porcelain on the floor. Massa Humphrey run over and Miss Isobel rush to the woman, who jerking like she having fits. Massa Humphrey face red like God at Judgement.

  Lilith couldn’t move.

  Lilith tremble and she couldn’t move.

  Homer run to the chaperone.—The conservatory! Quick! Quick! She say to the white mens.

  Lilith couldn’t move. She looking but she not seeing, she listening but she not hearing, all the sounds come like one sound and she can’t hear nothing. She don’t even see it, when Massa Humphrey take all the rage of the lord and slam him knuckles in her face. Lilith stagger back, but she didn’t fall. Before she can even think, he punch her in the chest, then straight in the mouth and she fall and spit blood. He about to pounce ’pon her like animal, but Robert Quinn jump in and catch him first. The force of Massa Humphrey so mighty that he nearly throw Quinn to the ground.

  —Humphrey! Fer the love of God, man, not in front of yer guests! Quinn say.

  The girl head jerking and blood running from her nose. She bawling and coughing. She on the floor trying to get up. Massa Humphrey look around at guests all looking away. The pianist stop play. The governor whispering something to her ladyship, who hide her face with her fan. Massa Humphrey look around again, step back and leave the ballroom to go upstairs. Robert Quinn look down at the girl. Deal with her! he say to a slave-driver who dressed up, and that driver nod to three of him cohorts. The girl try to run but she weak and pain overpowering her. And she can’t see good. A slave-driver grab her by the hair and drag her outside round the back. Quinn point to the pianist and the violinist to commence playing. People talking and whispering and mumbling, but nobody leaving. Quinn go join Homer in the conservatory.

  Outside, the girl spin round two times and laughter rush in one ear and outside the other. The darkness giving her nothing. She can’t make out shapes. Her left eye swell and her cheek wet from either sweat or blood. A driver they call McClusky grab her and she stop spinning. He set her good. The girl standing now but she teetering. She didn’t see it coming. McClusky punch her straight in the face, between eye and nose. The girl fall back flat on the ground and near knocked out. She bite her tongue.

  —Jaysis, Charlie! Y’were s’pposed ta catch tha pussycat, y’were, McClusky say. The other drivers laugh. The girl only seeing a blur of white hands and faces and the faces have no eyes or nose or mouth. A hand grab her by the foot and drag her for a bit. Dirt scrape under her skin and rock cut up her legs. A hand grab her wrists and pull her up again.

  —Shall we play us a nigger game, mateys? A right spot of ketchy-shooby? McClusky say.

  —Wot says you, pussycat? he say to the girl.

  —Always up for a fair sport, ye is, McClusky, say another.

  —Well, mateys, why waste me time with something that me dingus can put to better use, eh?

  The girl hear laughter running in and out of her ears again. Two hands grab two ankles and she try to scream through all the blood in her throat choking her. More laughter and singing, Oh, she is a gal down in our alley, now, she is the gal that I spliced nearly, way, hey, bully in the alley, down cock alley, the wench fair sally. Two hands drag her to what look like the stable. They pull her up to her feet again and start to push her from one set of hands to the other, and again and again and up and down until she lose balance with the ground and fall again. Two hand catch her. More laughter. The girl feel her dress rip off her body and cold air rush into her bruises. More laughter. McClusky say something about first and another voice say something violent. The girl hear a scuffle and a shout.

 
—Mince her up, a voice say.

  One hand grab the girl left leg and the other grab her right and pull them as far apart from each other as sun and moon. She feel the air crawl between her. More laughter. A man pull down him pantaloon and slap him cocky till he ready. He throw himself on top of her to more laughing and shouting. The girl feel the whole weight of the man crushing her chest and forcing between her legs. A man with yellow hair, straight and sour. He grab her neck and her eyes go black.

  The ball still going and people still eating, drinking and merrymaking. Robert Quinn leave Homer to overseer things but Miss Isobel take over, even making Lady Nugent laugh with a comment about chère amies. Quinn gone with the chaperone to a doctor in Spanish Town. Massa Humphrey lock himself in the bedchamber and don’t come out. The girl on the ground in the stable not moving, the dust making more sound than her.

  14

  HOMER SQUEEZE BLOOD OUT OF THE RAG AND DIP HER HAND in the bucket. She squeeze some of the warm water out and rub Lilith face careful. She touch Lilith neck, then forehead. She wipe the dirt and dry blood from Lilith mouth. Lilith between asleep and awake. She sputter little bit, then cough. Homer look up and search round her quarters. One candle burnin’ in the room with a dim orange glow. The light make the shadows jump. Lilith on Homer bed, which used to belong to Massa Humphrey when he be a little boy, but he never did come to the estate to sleep on it. Now Lilith on the bed as Homer washing her. Lilith eye open. The right one. The left eye swell and shut. She start bawl.

  —Hush now, girl chile, hush, Homer say. Don’t make them give you reason to cry more.

  Lilith see shadows on the wall moving. There be more womens in the room. Somebody fussing with her foot but she too weak to move. Bitch too heavy, Gorgon say. Lilith feel Gorgon touch her and jerk.

  —Her body have seven or eight bruise but nothing broke. But is like dey was tryin’ skin de gal neck, Gorgon say.

  Homer cut some sinkle-bible plant stalk and scrape the clear jelly out of the middle. It cool and tingle like mint. First she rub some on Lilith face, then neck. Gorgon rub down her breast and Lilith flinch. Gorgon scrape some jelly out of a stalk and rub her belly. They roll her over and Lilith bawl out. Homer and Gorgon rub her. Pallas and Iphigenia on the lookout.

  Miss Isobel is the last guest to leave. Quinn come back that night cursing, since the hotel in Spanish Town didn’t take too kindly to mens of Irish descent.

  —Ye’d think I was a bloody Jew, Robert Quinn say to nobody, although Homer be in him quarters.

  —What news ’bout milady, massa?

  —I have no knowledge, unfortunately. Doctor Willhew would have her stay the night. He may move her to Kingston tomorrow.

  —Lord have mercy.

  —How does the lass? he ask Homer.

  —She do as well as the lord allow, she say.

  —Maybe that’s not as good a thing as ye think.

  —Sah?

  —I’ve witnessed this in him before, that Humphrey Wilson. More than once and ’twas not a pretty sight. Not at all, but I’ve said too much.

  —Lawd Jesus.

  —Vicious thing, that temper of his. Quite mean. I’ve seen him unleash it on many in Europe, even those of the fairer . . . There was this time... Good God! I am remiss. Go now; I shall not discuss this with the likes of ye.

  —She deserve it, massa, Homer say.

  —Aye, ye’ll get no argument from me there. Couple estates in this very colony she would have been shot for what she had done. I hope the lass is made of strong stuff.

  —Pardon me asking, Massa Quinn, but strong for what? Homer say.

  —Because of this, this episode, woman. She brought out the absolute devil in Master Wilson and he’ll never forgive her for letting him show it. Alas, she has been whipped and disciplined by the driver and that should be enough.

  —Whipped, massa?

  —Well, what was the lass expecting, a wee spank on her little arse? A firm fifteen lashes she had coming for starters, maybe twenty.

  —No, massa. They...

  —What did they . . . ?

  —Massa . . .

  —Speak up, woman, what’s holding yer tongue?

  Silence come between the two. Quinn jaw drop.

  —Good God, certainly they did not...

  —They do what one expect from a man, massa.

  Robert Quinn jump up and march to Homer quarters. Homer rush behind, almost having to skip to catch up. Quinn march right up to Homer room and push in the door. Gorgon jump up and Callisto leap through the window. On the bed, blubbering, was Lilith.

  —Jesus Christ, Robert Quinn say.

  Morning sun come and wake Lilith up. One eye open wide and the other just a little. Lilith not knowing where she be and start cry again. Nobody not there, so she make the breeze hush her. Lilith hear a screaming but see nobody in the room. Lilith hear again and see herself seeing the chaperone. Lilith shift in the bed and yelp as her shoulder burn. She start to cry again and see the dark woman in the corner of the room. Homer? Lilith whimper, but the dark woman don’t move. Lilith close her eye tight, then open them again. The dark woman gone.

  Lilith see moonlight and think the day silver. She see sunlight and think the night yellow. Some morning she see Homer touching her face, some time she see Gorgon or Pallas or Iphigenia and flinch. The room close up and in the dark she think she see the dark woman but is only Callisto, looking up to the ceiling and whittling with her knife. She close her eye again and wake up to see Pallas.

  —Is, is morning? Lilith say.

  —Still night, Pallas say.

  Lilith don’t say nothing.

  —Is me did find you, Pallas say.—You lucky too, ’cause dem cum was all over you. Me clean you off and wash out you pussy before me call Homer. You remember that, Pallas say. She pull a green pawpaw out of her apron and cut four slice with a knife.

  —Now eat this, she say.

  Lilith don’t want to eat or talk or do nothing with she mouth.

  —Eat it!

  Lilith eat one slice and go to spit. She put back the rest.

  —Listen to me. Plenty man rape you tonight. One of them seed must did get in you. So you goin’ eat the green pawpaw until up in that womb clean out, you hear me? Don’t have no dutty stinking white pickney.

  Lilith eat the rest.

  —You eat. And you goin’ eat for the next couple day. Week and month if you have to. And if anything leave you pussy, just catch it in a cloth and tie it up and hide it. Don’t look, girl, me talking to you! Don’t look at it, you hear me? Don’t look at it.

  Lilith don’t say nothing. Pallas open her mouth then, like she ’bout to say something, then don’t. She turn away from Lilith.

  —Fuckin’ backra bastard sons of bitches. Sometimes me think the only reason they give me this goddamn one-bullet musket is because so much of them deserve kill that me could never make up me mind.

  Lilith try to look at her.

  —Enough goin’ soon be goddamn enough, she say and gone in the dark before Lilith notice she stop talk.

  Homer upstairs by Massa Humphrey door, hearing Robert Quinn tell Massa Humphrey that most of the broke-up porcelain did stick through the chaperone clothes but never cut her flesh. But the soup did burn her skin raw, her neck and bosom something awful.

  —And good show, Master Humphrey, how gentlemanly of you to act like a wild beast in front of your guests, Robert Quinn say.

  —Oh, don’t you get all British with me, sir, Massa Humphrey say.

  —I fear ye’ve driven them all away. I’m as British as ye’ve got left, Quinn say.

  —Lord in heaven, I thought this sickness was gone. I swore t’was the result of some malodorous European air, Robert. I’ve been doing so well these few years, haven’t I? Haven’t I? Massa Humphrey say. Quinn nod.

  —Goddamn!

  —Humphrey.

  —Robert Quinn, you’re here to save me from myself, he say.—I haven’t forgotten Venice, and that woman. This is why
I have never whipped slaves, Robert. I swear to good graces, I don’t know what malcontent comes over me, he say.

  —Nor I, Quinn say.

  —Is my standing in society quite ruined?

  —Oh please, sir, yer a rogue quite like meself and that ye shall always be. Yer no better, no worse than the Prince Regent himself. I daresay yer standing was quite awful to begin with.

  Massa Humphrey look stern at Robert Quinn for a good while, then laugh a little.

  —Goddamn, Robert, I feel this thorn is in my side for good.

  —Well, thank heavens for virtuous women whom ye shall drive yer thorn into. And Miss Isobel? Robert Quinn say.

  —Isobel! Isobel! Dear Isobel! She is furious, quite furious. At the slave and at me. Curious, she wants me to apologise for my . . . explosion but she also thinks the slave has not been disciplined enough. I shall endeavor to satisfy her as is in my power, Massa Humphrey say.

  —There is another matter, Humphrey, Quinn say. Yer man McClusky figures into it. He figures into it very badly. Seems he and the others had a fair bit of sport with the lass. She’s near half-dead now from look of things.

  Massa Humphrey don’t say nothing for a while. Then he look straight at Quinn.

  —Her misfortune then, is it not? he say. Quinn stunned but he say nothing. Homer listening.

  —She’d have wished herself dead had I gotten to her.

  —Good heavens, man, hasn’t she had... a saving grace, I reckon then, that she’s not from Venice.

  —You’d do well to remember who issues the bank notes around here, Robert Quinn, Massa Humphrey say.

  Homer burst through her door and light explode in the room. Ache fly up in Lilith head and she shut her eye tight. Lord have mercy, lord have mercy, Homer say. Homer run to the back of her room and pull open a trunk. She dig in and pull out a piece of red cloth wrap tight. She tear it open and coins fall out.