Surviving

by Henry Green

  And Maggie came out into yard next door and asked how she was feeling today and was told she couldn’t do the work and Maggie said she would be in directly to give her a hand. Mrs Green asked how that Grant boy was that was ill there. Maggie said he was weak and doctor was coming soon she said. She went in then. And a sparrow came up to them outside and Peggy tugged at skirt but Mrs Green did not see. Her eyes were closed in sun. Peggy laughed at sparrow. It flew away. She sucked thumb again. Children shouting rushed by, was no school that day.

  Carrying baby Mrs Craik stepped out of kitchen and fingered her washing. Wind came and sparrows flew from yard to the tree over by wall where light fluttered on the leaves moving and flew on beyond for cat was with Mrs Craik and went across her yard and through the gate and cleaned itself in sun against wall and Peggy stretched out hand to cat and laughed and cat looked up and head bent watched Peggy. Mrs Craik came through gate. Mrs Green opened eyes. Mrs Craik called out to her how she was feeling. Mrs Green asked how that boy was that was ill there. Mrs Craik said she’d heard Mrs Apps that had been with him all night had said he was sinking. Mrs Craik came over and they talked whispering of this.

  And car was driven up street. They watched from windows round. Man inside got out and went into house carrying black bag. And he came to the room where father and mother watched by bed.

  It was the doctor. They whispered. Then he said to open window, and father did this.

  Doctor knelt down by bed then. The boy hardly breathed. Doctor worked. Mother watched, biting back of her thumb. Father stood up and sat down, he stood up and sat down. Always they were sending him back from by the bed.

  And was clatter of wings and pigeon was sitting in open window. Father looked at it, mouth open. He plucked at his woman’s sleeve. She saw. Her face went red. Then she knelt to the pigeon, mouth open, and father stood and did not look at the pigeon then. But doctor looked up and seeing it, waved, and pigeon was gone. He said racing pigeon were everywhere now. He said: ‘Get me hot water.’ Mother made haste. Later he said: ‘We’ll pull him through.’

  FIGHT

  (Unpublished, 1927–8)

  ⎯

  This fragment survives in longhand. It is not known whether ‘Fight’ was part of a longer work or whether it was a sketch, a series of which, letters to Coghill suggest, Green intended to compile in a volume.

  ⎯

  Sang birds. They lay, arms round each other. Waved ferns in the wind and they were among them, lying silently. Above trees hung a cloud against blue sky and leaves clustering from branch above and tall ferns hid these two deep in the wood from anyone and the sky. Soft the air.

  This was on a hill thick-grown with trees and down where was short grass before another wooded hill some men were playing cricket, coats for stumps, and their women sat watching. Beyond were couples sitting, lying in each other’s arms, and groups played laughing in sunlight, on grass deer-cropped, along on the valley. More were on either side hidden under branches, in the ferns, and the deer had gone and had hidden for so many people in their park.

  They were lying together, then drew he himself away from her and lay on his back as a leaf swayed through air down towards him so that as he was turning from her caught he that leaf coming to rest and looked at it, sleepy, sleepily. He said leaves were falling and she sighed eyes shut and he said leaf not even brown was yet, dried only, when she, not opening her eyes, groped a hand for his and it fell on his face, and she ruffled his hair, already very ruffled.

  She sat up then and opened eyes to smile at him then closing them again, and all fingers of both hands went about her hair. Afterwards she lay back and both looked at the sky through green leaves above.

  Another smile went through her and propping head with forearm up from ground she watched him half asleep again and said he was nice, and it was nice here now.

  And he began talking, speaking slowly, saying it was a fine lunch they had had at the inn and if she would be a good cook when they were married. A man, said he, came in tired from day’s work in evening and he liked his food. But houses were hard to get. All this long while had they been engaged and she must wait for him, he could see her running off with someone else. Then she rolled over into his arms and he whispered in her ear.

  •

  Sun was now behind this little cloud but moving came out and light searching down found holes between the many leaves, cutting holes between here and there through violet shade when often sun-stick found leaf, turning brilliantly green, and melted, dripping to find more green below till there was no more. Deep, deep in wood sun-stick caught deer, quivering, listening, and in his coat was held for an instant but he leaped from the touch and deeper hid in purple shade, but even there came shouts to him from cricket players. Laughter too was in air, from the women looking on at games, from couples nearer in wood low chuckling from them, giggles. They were amusing each other and she on neck was being tickled by him, gently with bit of fern and on and on until she couldn’t no more and rolled away. But leaning over he reached out and tickled again and shoulder coming out of dress tickled he lightly there. Laughing she caught at bit of fern and they fought over it till dragging himself nearer he caught her hands and tickled her powerless where shoulder left dress. She was squirming, giggling at it, and a sun-stick they had rolled to broke over them and sweat came through her skin. On and on till she was fighting with him, both laughing when he stopped and made to pull dress off. In silence they struggled when she got free, sprang up, looking at him for a moment, then ran and he after her while flew a bird from them.

  She plunged through ferns breast high and he after her till he was catching hold when she slipped to one side and he tripped over legs of couple he had not seen lying there arms round each other, and fell, while she ran on. Getting up and saying no word to them he ran again but she was now come to edge of wood, and laughter came to him from where he had fallen over the legs. He broke through last ferns and she was on the short grass, panting, hands on hips, looking over shoulder to him. He snatched her arm but she said it would be a slap in the face he would get if he touched her and she would scream. In front of them a man was bowled out and all of that party laughed and shouted. Silently then went they together and sat with the others in tree-shadow.

  •

  Sun in light was over grass (where shadow of those playing moved with ball) and was over shirts white with blue in them and faces red with playing in the sun. In tree-shadow bright colours of women’s dresses shone through shade lit here and there by sun-sticks breaking, melting by the leaves and falling, while a woman had taken off her hat and in her hair was one entangled as she sat beneath. Beer-bottle winked out from under tree to sun.

  •

  It was hot and some slept under tree from the heat. There laughed they between themselves when a man would leave the game and sit with them for a time and drink to quench thirst and their voices rising, their laughing was most shrill as he joked with them; then when he went back to play would they whisper again and giggle between themselves while the men shouted before them.

  But she was not watching the cricket, looking rather at trees beyond and all the time his eyes glanced towards her and then back again. Said they nothing to each other or to the rest of them there, but soon hand went across grass to hers but she turned her shoulder to him. So for a long time were they like this.

  So it went on when looking at her again he caught her half-smiling at him and he moved nearer and she did not seem to mind. Speaking quickly he said they had only an hour or two now before going home and it was a pity to waste a fine day like this. The woods were fine, said he softly, and you were alone in them, not like here with too many about, – you could not talk at all they crowded on you so. And what he always said was to let bygones be bygones and there was no use worrying your head over what had happened when it would not happen again. Getting up they walked closely together to the wood and those who had been looking on at cricket followed them with their eyes till they wer
e gone in between ferns.

  But the players were tiring of their game and came all of them to rest in shade except one who by himself went off. In it they rested and fell asleep some of them while others talked and four men began a game of cards. But laughter came from edge of wood and those who looked saw a new couple coming towards them and when they were near these told how they had seen another couple some time back, she running away and he pursuing her, and he had tripped over their legs and gone on and how they had just seen them again but with nothing between them now.

  Deep, deep in wood, growing used to noise, the deer bent his head to nibble at fernleaf; quiet his gentle eyes.

  EVENING IN AUTUMN

  (Unpublished, 1927–8)

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  ‘Evening in Autumn’ was later typed and dedicated to his friend, Mary Keene, in 1943.

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  Warmth. Grey sky. Here the soil was good for trees. Starlings came. They came in thousands, planing, black across grey sky. They came to tree and some went to the right. These fell turning like leaves and darted up into the tree. Rest of them went in eddy curling round it and fell turning like leaves and darted up into the tree from other side. When they were there they began singing.

  Another flock, black against grey sky. They came to tree and some went to the left. These fell turning like leaves and darted up into the tree. Rest of them went in eddy curling round it and fell turning like leaves and darted up into the tree from other side. When they were there they began singing.

  And again, were thousands of them. And again.

  With noise like wind then came they out of one tree and curled round and were like eddy of the air and with noise like wind came others out of their tree and curled round and passed in eddy under other flock sweeping, and both fell turning like leaves as they came then darted up each flock into another tree. When they were there they sang and their singing was joined to all others that had come and were singing.

  Then others left their tree with noise like wind, black against grey sky, and swept through air curling towards another tree and swallows came by and then perched on telephone wire and starlings fell turning like leaves and darted up into their tree, and again, and again.

  Warmth. Then night came.

  EXCURSION

  (Unpublished, c. 1930)

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  ‘Excursion’ contains the seed of Party Going, written between 1931–8. However as early as 1926 Green wrote to Coghill, describing a work in progress, in some letters entitled Terminus, in others Bank Holiday. That the idea for Party Going was born sometime in the mid twenties is therefore indisputable; though exactly when ‘Excursion’ was written it is impossible to determine.

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  Trams came up to the station. They were painted yellow. Black and red letters on their sides read: THE GAY GIRLS DANCE NIGHTLY, LAST WEEK. THE WORKERS’ DAILY HAS LARGEST CIRCULATION. DOES IT HURT? TAKE UNCLE’S PILLS THEN. Brass on them caught the sun, and windows on their sides. They were full up and all got out when they came to station, black lines of people coming down the winding stairs and from inside. Else left tram and stood by lamp standard. She waited for Conn and Jim. She had run along street and caught one up when it was moving and Conn and Jim had waited for another. Else pouted. Those who had come by tram and those who had walked went up the steps into station in waves. Like the tide coming in.

  Lamp standard was black with swelling black leaves cast on it. Glass shade above hung like ugly flower and caught sun and flashed. Over steps leading up into station were big rounded letters in gold, MIDLAND HOTEL. More and more people came and passed up into station. Else bit finger. She tidied hair at side of hat. She did not see Conn and Jim. Then she left lamp standard and ran up steps and into station dodging people, slipping through them for they moved slowly.

  Mr Healy and Mrs and small daughter went up steps and into entrance hall. Stairs in corner went down from it and over those was painted: BOOKING HALL – PLATFORM I. But they began to go across station by the bridge. Sun came through glass roof above and engine shunted underneath making great noise. This passage across station was broad, but so many people were on it you could only go slowly. All along stairs went down to different platforms. And their daughter was separated from them and when Mrs Healy knew this she called out but she could not be heard above noise and she looked down staircases with Mr Healy. On bridge were so many people you could hardly move for them going along. But their daughter was in doorway of fruit shop with her nose flattened against glass of it which was on this big bridge. Pressed against each other crowd went by, some to entrance hall the rest to other side, slowly moving by her and she looked in shop window. Oranges were in pyramids and apples, all in tissue-paper covers. Tins of pineapple in columns. At side of the shop bananas were in clusters hanging like fingers. And tomatoes were put about in the window. Tins of pineapples in columns. A melon. On one side of it pyramid of oranges, one of apples on the other side. Melon was down in centre of the shop window. In corners two cyclamen and by each one, tomatoes and so two reds in corners and about. For shop window rose in three steps, in terraces, covered with pink tissue paper and these apples, oranges, tomatoes, tins of pineapple, cyclamen, were put differently above this melon on the other two steps. And when Mrs Healy and Mr moved with crowd along bridge to look down staircases beyond – Mrs crying ‘seen my Ellie?’ and not being heard – Mr all at once said he saw her there by the fruit shop and Mrs said she felt faint and they pushed their way there and Mrs rested for a time by the shop behind bananas. Inside fat woman slept behind counter. And Ellie said nothing but pointed to the window with greedy eyes. Mr Healy sweated and wiped forehead. It was no use speaking as you couldn’t hear.

  The two Miss Weekses came down the stairs at further end of bridge and stood away from crowd coming downstairs into booking hall in a corner and one said to other she had been killed nearly in the crush and other said the company ought to treat you decent when you had paid. First one said were the tickets safe? and other said yes she had them in her glove and it was a good thing they had taken them beforehand and she’d never thought it would be like this, last year it hadn’t been like this, or she’d have come round this side by the streets though trams did not run this side. First one said they should have walked even though it wasn’t easy with the feet their mother gave them. Lines of those waiting to buy tickets stretched out of booking hall into street. And Else and Conn came into that corner and Else said what had happened to them? and she’d been so nervous their having her money and her ticket and everything. And Conn said why couldn’t she have waited instead of running off and she might call herself lucky to have found them in this crowd, and she’d lost Jim a good place in the queue by losing herself and keeping him looking for her when he might have been buying ticket for himself. Else said who had bought their own tickets yesterday anyhow, hadn’t she herself gone right to the station to buy two tickets and spent sixpence on trams before they knew Jim was coming. Conn said she’d kept the change anyway and they saw Weekses then just by them and went off and past Ticket Inspector onto platform. One Miss Weeks said to other it was shameful the way Conn Finch lied for she’d heard Conn Finch say to Jim Cripps as they were going up steps into station how glad she was they had lost Else. And other said to first one everyone knew it was Else that saved and Conn that spent, buying scent to make herself smell, and it was Else’s money that’d bought her ticket probably. They went past Ticket Inspector onto platform.

  Mr Healy bought tickets and he and Mrs Healy and daughter went past Ticket Inspector and onto platform. Hotel was opposite, beyond many platforms. Crowds were on all of these. And windows of hotel faced all this. Friend came up and spoke to Mr Healy. Mrs joined in. And their small daughter saw boy in window of hotel. He saw her. He was smart and rich. She looked at him.

  On trolley nearby were eight milk cans in two rows of three with two laid on top on their sides. On trolley was painted LMS. Above, on cylinders, Ws were painted which curved roun
d and were part hidden by other curves beginning and ending other curves with Ws convex. Grey metal on round black wheels and trolley with handle, black with using.

  Eddie had bit of wood in his hand and was beating empty cylinder, making noise. He began to beat much quicker and was more noise, but mother ran at him and he gave up.

  She looked at him. He waved to her from hotel window. She looked. He smiled and waved again. But she just looked. And Mr and Mrs Healy moved away and took her away. She looked over shoulder. People came between her and him. Mr Healy said he would take a nip of something before the train came in and Mrs said not to be late then.

  Fewer people were coming now across bridge but most platforms were full and most of all this furthest platform. Jim had bought ticket and was making way for himself towards station clock where he was to meet Conn. Man with Inspector written in gold on his cap went along and shouted and you couldn’t hear what he said for the noise. And word went round that train was coming in, and turning all moved, those behind forward to platform edge, those in front back from it. They met in thick line, dark but lighted by faces all looking one way. Across bridge people ran and their steps thudded. Behind barriers the lines of those waiting to buy tickets heaved for Mrs Pendleton could not find purse, and she was buying ticket for herself, husband, one son and half tickets for two children. Husband stood by and said she had purse when they left home and he didn’t know what she was after, he said. Those waiting in lines behind cried out and heaved. Policeman came up. Clerk behind window tapped on the counter with his fingers. They all shouted behind. Suddenly Mrs Pendleton wept and policeman led her to seat where husband, knees bent, violently searched her pockets. Helpless she wept. The lines moved on again and bought tickets and went past Ticket Inspector and onto platform and took no notice of her.