An Accidental Man (37 page)

Authors: Iris Murdoch

BOOK: An Accidental Man

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âAustin, you did mean it about our being together again soon?'

âIn
our
little sty, different but still piggy. Yes, though God knows how. If you'll ever forgive me and I ever forgive myself.'

âNot yet, but soon.'

âNot yet, but soon. That appears to be our motto. It saves us from thinking.'

âAnd you will come now often! I won't go away, you know that.'

âYes, I'll come. You won't go to the Tisbournes', will you, Dorina, you won't go anywhere?'

âNo, I won't. And don't be afraid that Mavis and â'

âNo, no. But oh God I must get you out of here to somewhere. I must get a job, I must try to get myself functioning somehow.'

âYes, yes. Better go now, Austin.'

âYes. We haven't done too badly, have we, Dorina?'

âNo, my darling, we haven't done too badly.'

Norman Monkley looked at his wife. He moved his lips and his lower jaw convulsively. It did not look like an attempt either to speak or to smile. He was holding his wife's hand. She was weeping.

âDon't cry now, he'll get better,' said the nurse.

âWill he?' said Austin. Austin and Matthew were standing by the window.

âOf course he will,' said the nurse.

Norman was conscious and seemed to recognize his wife. He had not yet spoken.

âYou've been so kind, you gentlemen, so kind,' said Mrs Monkley. âNorman will be so grateful when he's himself again.'

âWell, we must go, I think,' said Matthew. âMiss Argyll will come this afternoon, and I'll come again tomorrow.'

âAnd thank you for bringing the flowers and poor Norman's novel.'

âNot at all.'

âGod bless you and reward you, sir.'

âAmen,' said Austin.

They left the room. Norman's eyes followed them with an expression of puzzlement.

As they came out into the sun in the hospital grounds Austin said, âWhat did the surgeon say?'

âHe said a complete recovery was very unlikely but conceivable.'

Austin was silent.

Matthew said, âWhy did you hit him, really?'

âI didn't like his novel. It was muck, you know, muck. Of course I didn't mean to hurt him. I just tapped him playfully.'

After a silence Matthew said, âI hear you saw Dorina yesterday.'

âYes.'

âWas that all right?'

âWhat do you mean?'

âWell, you know â'

âYour question is impertinent. Dorina is my wife. It's of no conceivable interest or concern of yours.'

âIt is of
interest
,' said Matthew. âSorry. I know that everything I do and say annoys you.'

âYes. Think that over some time when you're feeling so bloody superior to everyone.'

âI don't feel superior to everyone.'

âYou do.'

âAll right, I do. But in a way I can't help it. It's chemical. Just as it is with you.'

âJust as it is with me to feel that I'm scum. Yes. You could be right. There's your girl friend waiting.'

âWon't you come and talk to her? Let us give you a lift. Come and have a drink somewhere.'

âNo, thanks. I'm going this way. To the bus stop.'

âAustin, don't cut yourself off from people, it's not good. Are you coming to the Odmores' party this evening?'

âDon't be funny. By the way.'

âYes?'

âThanks for helping me the other day.'

âNot at all. Au revoir.'

âGoodbye.'

Mavis said as Matthew reached her. âHow's Norman?'

âConscious but not talking. The surgeon thinks he probably won't recover his mind.'

âHe won't remember?'

âNo.'

They got into the car.

âPoor Norman. Poor Austin. Austin wouldn't see me?'

âNo. So Dorina said nothing about yesterday?'

âNothing.'

âNo sign of her moving?'

âNo. But I hope she will go to the Tisbournes. We must all just be a little firm with her. I really think it would do her good. It's not just for us.'

âI agree. I'm tired of living in the car. Dear Mavis â'

âI know. Did Austin say anything about yesterday?'

âNo. I just infuriate him.'

âThe funny thing is that Austin really loves you. You're the great love of his life.'

âRubbish, my dear. Now where shall we go?'

âLet's go and sit beside that nice quiet parking meter in Onslow Square.'

âIs that Mavis Argyll? She hasn't been to a party in years.'

âShe's got very grey, but she still has the dewy spiritual look.'

âIs it true that she and Matthew â'

âSssh. Hello, Matthew. I hear you're giving your porcelain to the Fitzwilliam. The Ashmolean is furious.'

âMy Alma Mater, you know.'

âSebastian has got a job in the Bank of England.'

âGracie Tisbourne has real orchids in her hair.'

âMore money than sense.'

âHello, Oliver, how are Oldie Bookies?'

âIs that huge lout really Ralph Odmore?'

âMollie Arbuthnot's boutique is losing a hundred a week.'

âThe Odmores have invited everybody.'

âEven Austin Gibson Grey I'm told.'

âThat's going too far.'

âHello, Karen, you didn't answer my letter.'

âSebastian darling, one is so busy.'

âGracie and Ludwig have bought a manor house in the Cotswolds.'

âOh, Mr Enstone, how charming of you to come.'

âRichard, you know Mr Enstone.'

âIs it true that Matthew and â'

âSssh. Hello, Mavis, what a stunning dress. I hear you're selling Valmorana?'

âNo, I'm not actually, at least I haven't decided.'

âHello, Gracie. Shame Patrick couldn't come.'

âHello, Ralph. Yes, Patrick is quite one for the girls now.'

âOh. Girls? What girls?'

âHester, is Austin coming?'

âI hope so. It would be rather an achievement to have Austin.'

âIs it true that Henrietta Sayce has gassed Mollie Arbuthnot's cat?'

âIt was in the interests of science.'

âHenrietta Sayce is very scientific.'

âSuch a clever family.'

âLudwig says he's never met Karen.'

âGracie has been keeping them apart.'

âDr Seldon is discussing hormones with Oliver.'

âPatrick Tisbourne is chasing some girl.'

âThey start so young nowadays.'

âGeoffrey Arbuthnot is looking care-worn.'

âHe's thinking about Mollie's boutique.'

âKaren has chucked the pig biz.'

âIs it true that Karen and Richard â'

âSssh. Hello, Richard, I hear everyone is dying to go on your yacht.'

âI'm thinking of going commercial, actually.'

âLudwig and Gracie have bought a priory with a swimming pool.'

âHenrietta Sayce has been blackmailing her brother for years.'

âIs Austin Gibson Grey here? I just want to look at him.'

âMay I fill your glass, sir?'

âThank you, dear boy.'

âEverything Ann Colindale is wearing was bought at Mollie Arbuthnot's boutique.'

âMollie Arbuthnot's boutique is losing five hundred a week.'

âOliver has palmed his ghastly sports car off on Ludwig.'

âWhen does
Annapurna Atom
set off for foreign climes?'

âWhat is
Annapurna Atom
?'

âRichard Pargeter's yacht.'

âRichard Pargeter is going commercial.'

âHe hasn't broken it to the Tisbournes yet.'

âGeorge won't go if he has to pay a penny.'

âDear George is the meanest man in the world.'

âGeorge once gave us some non-vintage champagne for Christmas.'

âHow terribly sweet of Ann to wear those ghastly things.'

âAnn is an angel.'

âShe's the only one in our set.'

âMatthew and Oliver are discussing Lord Kitchener.'

âMavis, I really am going to come with my motor-car and take Dorina away.'

âIs that Charlotte Ledgard over there?'

âBy herself in the corner as usual.'

âWhy does she come if she hates it.'

âDorina is going to live with the Tisbournes.'

âHenrietta Sayce is on LSD.'

âGracie and Ludwig are buying a house in Ireland.'

âPlease won't somebody go and talk to Mr Enstone.'

âHester is so worried about Ralph.'

âAnn, you look so lovely in white, so pure.'

âThank you, Richard dear. Richard â'

âRichard Pargeter is charging the Tisbournes the earth for that trip to Greece.'

âSebastian has got a job in the Bank of England.'

âNo wonder we're going to devalue.'

âPenny Sayce is having a nervous breakdown.'

âNo she isn't, she's over there.'

âYes, but she's having a nervous breakdown.'

âPenny Sayce is so worried about Henrietta.'

âKaren, haven't you ever met Ludwig?'

âI say, Richard, Karen hasn't met Ludwig.'

âLudwig, do struggle over here, there's someone who's dying to meet you.'

âI've heard so â'

âLudwig, I want to talk to you seriously.'

âKaren wants to talk to Ludwig seriously.'

âAnn, I can't stand this, let's go out to the pub.'

âCertainly not, Ralph, you are under eighteen.'

âMollie is so worried about Karen.'

âCharles and Geoffrey are discussing the crisis.'

âPatrick Tisbourne has won the history prize.'

âHenrietta Sayce has been arrested.'

âWhat for? Don't tell me, let me guess.'

âRalph Odmore has become a drop-out.'

âPenny Sayce is so worried about Oliver.'

âKaren is flirting with Ludwig.'

âChar, you know it's fatal to sit down at a party like this.'

âThank you, Clara, I have never been a protagonist in the drama of life.'

âRalph Odmore is going through a rather boorish phase.'

âHe won't leave poor Ann alone for a minute.'

âI hear they've shut Dorina up at last.'

âFor God's sake someone give Charlotte Ledgard a strong drink.'

âIsn't that Dorina over there?'

âThey don't let Dorina come to parties.'

âOliver wants Matthew to come to see his incunabula.'

âHis what?'

âPinkie darling, I think I'm drunk, I can see two of you.'

âHello, Sebastian.'

âHello, Gracie.'

âIt's quite sort of private in the middle of the pandemonium, isn't it.'

âYes, I feel we are alone together at last.'

âNo one can hear what we say.'

âNot even ourselves.'

âSebastian, you do look marvellous with those blue frills.'

âDid Ludwig buy you the orchids?'

âNo, I got them myself at Moyses Stevens.'

âMay I send you some flowers tomorrow?'

âLovely, no one's given me flowers for ages.'

âPatrick Tisbourne is in love with some girl.'

âIt's probably Henrietta Sayce.'

âBut she's only ten.'

âWho is that brutish man with the dirty waistcoat?'

âIs that Austin Gibson Grey?'

âNo, it's some Oxford thug that Ludwig brought along.'

âHe looks terribly drunk.'

âHe's an Irishman.'

âHe's the man who cuts Matthew's lawn.'

âDon't be silly.'

âDo you think Matthew is queer?'

âHis name's MacMurphy or something.'

âHe's pie-eyed.'

âSo is Clara.'

âSo am I.'

âKaren, I mustn't, I'm getting quite drunk.'

âNonsense, Ludwig, the party is only just beginning.'

âI'm delighted you're so interested in Greek vases, Karen. It's such an acquired taste.'

âIt is, isn't it. Let me fill your glass.'

âMatthew is going.'

âWe shall be able to breathe.'

âOh hello, Andrew, I'm so glad you made it.'

âI hope I'm not too late, Lady Odmore, it was so kind of you to ask me.'

âI so much want you to meet my younger son. By the way, Andrew, who is that stout man? He hasn't made himself known to me.'

âOh dear, that's MacMurraghue. Hasn't he â he's gatecrashing â shall I take him away?'

âCertainly not. Goodbye, Matthew dear, you must come to dinner soon.'

âMy God, there's Austin.'

âNo!'

âIt can't be, he looks quite distinguished.'

âHe's had one or two.'

âIs that Austin Gibson Grey?'

âYes, you know, the chap who â'

âChar darling, did you talk to Matthew?'

âNo.'

âHe's gone, I think.'

âYes.'

âAndrew, we do hope you'll persuade Ralph â'

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