You’ll have to forgive me talking like this, chattering on and not letting anyone get a word in edgeways. I’m not always like this, am I Rae? But we see so few people and it tends to get all bottled up inside. You take out the cork and out it all comes with a whoosh. Look it’s going to rain. She’ll have to come in then. How strange those trees look with the storm light on them, like witches. The first word I ever said was tree. That’s Bill’s favourite that big oak. The old man she calls it, and the silver birch is the lady. But she doesn’t like that. Says it’s too feminine, just a weed that ought to be rooted out. That’s where we’re different because I think it’s beautiful and anything that’s beautiful is an end in itself to me. That’s just the difference between us. I’m an idealist and she’s a materialist. The things we have most in common are the dogs I suppose. Bill adores them but I have all the looking after to do. Sometimes I think hell, give it all up and get back to the bright lights and then I think what would happen to these four, I don’t care so much about the others, and I know I just wouldn’t be happy. I think dogs are wonderful people. A dumb animal is the only thing that’s really faithful to you, that really loves you. I had my poodle thirteen years you know and when it died Bill and I found we were going around talking to a dog that wasn’t there, so I said, “Oh come on darling, we just can’t go on like this. We’ll have to get another dog.” We decided on a dachs this time so we rushed straight out and got one from a breeder Sally Wilmot knows. That was how we got Kiki. Then it didn’t seem right to have only one. We thought it might be lonely after being with all the others. Next day we got Mim. I won second and third showing them and someone suggested we should breed so we kept the first two pups, that’s those two, Franchie and Miss Woo, and that’s how it all started. Then of course we had to buy this place, miles from anywhere because of the racket, and now we’re completely surrounded with dogs and in so deep we couldn’t even pull up and go if we won a fortune.
Well I don’t know when I’ve talked so much and I always could spin a yarn as Rae’ll tell you. Look at it out there. It’s absolutely falling down. Here comes Bill. I thought it’d be too much even for her. I’ll put the kettle on now. You notice we haven’t got round to a tweeny in a cap and apron yet Rae. I’m still cook-housekeeper only now I have to be kennel maid as well. We’ve got visitors Bill. Rae, and what was your friend’s name again?’
‘Matt.’
‘Oh yes my dear, and I’ve absolutely talked a hind leg off a donkey. It’s been marvellous, such a relief. Bill do go and change. You look like the gardener. I’m just going to get some tea.’
‘Does she really always talk as much as that?’ he whispered when she’d left them and Bill had ducked her head in at the door and out again. ‘Wow, I feel as if I’ve been brainwashed. Still it’s all good stuff and you don’t have to sit there drumming up something to say. You can just lie back and let it flow over you. She makes me look like a non-starter and I always think I talk too much.’
‘Wait til she gets on to matters spiritual. Bill takes a bit of time to get used to people. It’s not that she’s shy it’s just that she’s sizing you up to see whether you’re worth the effort. I believe she quite often decides people aren’t and goes back to her concrete.’
‘How long have they been toegther?’
‘About eight years I think.’
‘Does everyone get the full life story?’
‘Oh no, at least I don’t think so. I learnt a few details today I didn’t know before. Feathers always assumes I know it all because I was around for part of it.’
‘Here we are then my dears. Do you like this cake? I made it myself. God knows when I find the time to do all these things but there I must have known you’d be coming. Not that I got a message. I mean I don’t usually get those unless something absolutely catastrophic is going to happen, the whole kennel running with dysentery or something ghastly. Bill’s solicitor came to see her the other day and as he was just going I said to her, “Tell him to be careful driving back there’s something wrong with his left wheel at the front.” “I can’t tell him that,” she said, “he’ll think you’re pooped.” “Alright,” I said, “but I know. I’ve told you.” Damn me his tyre blew out on the way and put him in the ditch. Thank God it wasn’t any worse or I’d never have forgiven Bill. I can tell you it’s not very nice having a gift like mine sometimes. It can be very uncomfortable especially when you can’t do anything about it. I felt like that poor woman in the legend, Cassandra wasn’t it? The one with the second sight that no one ever took any notice of. I’m just telling them about Mr. Burcott Bill.’
‘I wish she wouldn’t get these things. Don’t see that they’re any use if you can’t use them. Look at that business last night. What use was that? Just means your hair’s looked a mess all day.’ Bill took a cup of tea and a plate and went to sit by the window.
‘My father’s passed over now you know Rae. I see quite a bit of him but this was quite different. I was sitting there, where Bill is now, last night, putting the rollers in my hair because you know my dear I have to do it every night or it just looks a frightful bird’s nest in the morning, and all of a sudden something took me and threw me on the floor, right down there, as true as I’m standing here. And I said to Bill, “Don’t touch me just watch what happens.” And as she watched I changed in front of her eyes. Didn’t I Bill? I went all black round my mouth and I had a hooked nose, and withered like a very old woman. Someone must have been trying to get through but God knows who. Perhaps they had a message but they didn’t say anything and gradually I changed back again. Anyway after that I was so exhausted that I couldn’t finish putting in the rollers so I’m as you see me in this pudding cloth. I’ve been thinking about it on and off all day til you came and I still can’t think who it could be. I just don’t know anyone like that. I don’t dabble in it now like I used to. After my second affair I made a real study of it. Lots of people told me I was doing a dangerous thing because I did it by myself not in a circle but I’ve seen so many phoney circles. My mother used to belong to them. I used to put myself under a trance and sometimes it was a bit frightening when I knew I was out of the body or saw a spiritual person standing in front of me but I had such faith in my religion I couldn’t really believe any harm could come to me. And then once I came face to face with death. That’s another story though and I won’t go into that now. I just wanted to prove something to myself and now I’ve done it I don’t bother any more. More tea?’
‘How’s Stag?’ Bill asked when the cups had been filled.
‘Very well,’ Rae stirred her sugar carefully.
‘Still got that damn great car drinking up the juice? What is it miles per gallon or gallons per mile?’
Matt laughed. ‘What’s yours?’
‘Oh we’ve got a Hillman Estate so we can fill it up with dogs and bags of sand. Looks like rations for an army when we come back from town. She treating you alright?’
‘Too well.’
‘Matt got the champagne and lobster treatment yesterday.’
‘You see I prefer beer and I can’t really take all that thin stuff. I don’t know where I am, start drinking it by the pint. Then I’m in trouble.’
‘She will do it. Piece more cake Feathers please. I always take my own when we go to see them. I like guinness, always have done but I know it’s no good expecting anything wholesome like that there. Tell you what if you’re not rushing back we could have a couple before you go. We don’t see many people. Feathers gets a bit lonely and I don’t get out all that much not with someone who likes a drink though we’ve got a local in the next village that isn’t too bad.’
‘That sounds a good idea. What do you think?’ He turned to Rae. ‘We don’t have to be back early do we?’
‘No, no of course not.’
‘What were you thinking of Bill?’
‘Thought we might take them to the Drover. Interesting pub. The gypsies go there regularly. Sing a lot of their songs. Turn Rae
’s ears a bit blue. Feathers is used to it.’
‘My dear, it’s no good being squeamish in this game I can tell you. We took Mim over for a mating the other day and the time we had would have turned my mother bright pink all over. It was a place we’d never been before, thought we’d introduce a drop of new blood and Sally Wilmot had recommended them. Well when we got there we knocked at the door and explained to the woman what we’d come for. “Oh yes,” she says, “Father does all that. I’ll bring you in some tea.” And before we could say no thank you very much, she’d shown us into the room with father sitting in his chair smoking his pipe and a very fine dog there too beside him. “Where’s the bitch then?” he says. “We left her in the car.” “Well we won’t get our bit of business done with her out there and him in here. Go and get her.” So Bill went and got her, carried her in and put her down and we both made a move for the door. “Where you going?” he says. “We thought we’d wait in the car.” “Sit yourselves right down,” says father. “How do you know what you’re getting if you don’t stay and watch. I could palm you off with any old dog and you’d be none the wiser. Besides Bessie’ll have made tea now.” So there we had to sit and make polite conversation while the two dogs got on with it. Then damn me if there wasn’t a tie and you know once that happens there’s not a thing you can do without damaging one of them. Kept it up for half an hour if you’ll pardon the expression while we drank cup after cup of tea and talked about the weather. I tell you, Rae, I’ve never been so glad to get away from anywhere. Let’s only hope it’s come off after all that. Last time we mated two of them and they didn’t take, had false pregnancies both of them and not a pup to show for it.’
‘You ought to tell them,’ Bill said. ‘They’re losing us money. You can’t run a business that way. You hear that you four? No more of it now or we’ll sell the lot of you.’
‘Oh you wouldn’t Bill. Look at their little faces. Don’t you take any notice of her darlings. Mummy loves you. She won’t let her send you away.’
‘Potty on those dogs I tell you. We’re not taking them with us tonight. It’ll be too crowded for a tribe of dogs under everyone’s feet. You go and get yourself ready or we shan’t get a seat.’
They drove through twisting lanes where the evening sun dipped under the branches pouring its light through the leaves so that they glowed with rich colour in every shade from pure pale apple to the dark moist moss of the farthest banks of bracken. The inn when they reached it after half an hour’s fast drive, was a low ceiling’d brick building with stone flagged floor, wooden benches and tables and a deeply recessed ingle nook with stone seats where two or three men, obviously the gypsies, were sitting smoking and drinking pints of mild.
‘What’ll you have?’ Bill turned to them.
‘I’ll help you carry,’ Matt said and followed her lean figure in slacks and a light raincoat up to the bar. She was obviously well known, had made herself a place where she was treated with respect, accepted as herself. Exchanging remarks with the landlord, she seemed absolutely at ease and looking back he saw that Feathers was bowing and smiling at one or two of the customers, unbuttoning her coat and gesticulating largely as she chattered to Rae.
‘My God this is an original,’ he whispered to Rae. ‘I didn’t think there were any places like this left anymore. Those men over there too actually look like gypsies, dress like them, silk scarves, battered hats and all. And their faces, as if you’d chipped them out of a block of wood. They wouldn’t do for D. H. Lawrence though, too old and tired.’ He turned to Bill. ‘The pub we had lunch at had a notice saying no gypsies. I gather they don’t feel like that here.’
‘Oh no. They’re one of the star attractions. You’ll see when the singing starts. That’s Fred going over to the piano now. He always has a bit of trouble at first, some of the keys are loose and he has to pad them with bits of matchbox.’
Fred played a few trial notes, lifted up the back and peered in, fiddled inside, then tried again and seemed more satisfied although to Matt’s ear the difference was a very fine one, and struck out firmly with Lily of Laguna which the whole bar eventually took up. From that he led them through a maze of old favourites, mostly musichall, Feathers’ voice standing out clear above the rest. ‘Used to be a mezzo my dear but ruined it with smoking. Now I croak like an old frog.’ Gradually they warmed to the music, self consciousness dropping away, hands and heads swayed in time, and at last a man’s voice emerged singing different words to the same turn that brought shouts of encouragement from the rest. ‘Go on Sim, give us one of your own.’
He got up from his place at the fireside and came forward to sing them the originals of songs they might have learned in school or heard from ballad groups about pretty little misses who lifted their skirts and farmer’s boys and sailormen who were there to see. Then his place was taken by one of the others who sang another in the same vein. ‘Now sing us the sad one,’ one of the customers called and he began on the tuneless chant of the true ballad that rambles from phrase to phrase as the words take it in tragic understatement.
‘What’s this one then?’ Matt whispered to Bill.
‘Just one of the songs. No one knows quite what it’s all about but they seem to like it.’
‘I am a man upon the land,
I am a seal upon the sea,
And when I’m far and far from land
My home it is in Sule Skerry.’
‘Do you know it?’ Rae asked when the singer had finished.
‘I think so. If it’s what I think, though his dialect got in the way sometimes and some of the words are a bit odd because I don’t think he knows what they mean himself, if I’m right it’s a version of The Great Silkie about a woman who has a child by one of the seal people. They’re quite common, songs and stories like that where human beings get mixed up with creatures of another world, mermaids are the same idea. It always ends tragically for someone, usually the creature because Christianity taught that they had no souls and so they couldn’t win. The seal people were supposed to change on land into ordinary human beings, well more or less. If you could find their skins where they’d hidden them under rocks and steal them then they could never return to the sea. They were supposed to have the gift of second sight too so maybe Feathers is a seal princess.’
‘Not me darling. I can’t bear the sea, at least not round these coasts. It has to be warm as a bath before I even dip a toe in.’
‘I wonder if we ought to be going soon. I don’t know how good my navigator is in the dark.’
As they got back into their own car outside the house the dogs were in full yap inside. ‘Come and see us again,’ Bill said as she stuck out a hand.
‘Yes Rae dear, don’t leave it so long next time. You can stay with us you know. We’ve tons of room upstairs and the dogs’ll soon get used to you. Remind Stag of our existence out here won’t you?’
‘What did you think of them?’ Rae asked as they drove back towards the town.
‘Oh I liked them both. The funny thing is, lots of people would say they were eccentric, a bit quaint but I don’t know. To me they seemed better adjusted than most.’
The Microcosm Page 31