Loving, Living, Party Going (40 page)

'Oh no, it's very unkind when you say a thing
like that Katie dear. It was unfortunate I admit but I don't see how she could
have helped it. He had been no more alive than a log for months.'

'Did he regain consciousness before the end?'

'Dear Katie, I don't know whether he did or
not.' And they talked of something else, man sitting between them changed
topic of conversation. But that woman thought obviously he had regained consciousness
and that Grizel hadn't liked to admit it.

When our Richard came down, others had finished.
The men even had done with the port. He ate alone, nervousness growing in
him and served by footman that was anxious to get to his meal, so hurried
Mr Dupret through his courses. Why did she have no flowers on table? thought
he in interval of nervousness. When he had had glass of port footman announced
him into the room where now all houseparty was concentrated. Shutting door
behind him footman yawned in the passage and went quickly to supper. Now dinner
table lay in empty room like a grave that has dead flowers on it.

Small hush was as Mr Dupret went to greet hostess.
He shook hands with older people. Mary came up and then he was in midst of
his contemporaries, was introduced to two or three, and then saw Hannah Glossop.

Mr Tyler went on with his plan of a game. It
was like 'prisoner's base' only played in darkness and Mary, whose house this
was, said they would take over the North Wing and turn out all lights, and
play there.

All younger people went off. Walking with Miss
Glossop Mr Dupret had now lost feeling of nervousness.

After breakfast assembled women in one room, men in another.

Older man was saying he had only seen woodcock
on the ground once, which was by great bit of good fortune as he did not know
what made him look in that direction but there it was, on the ground, twenty
yards from him. He was saying this to Tom Tyler, who upheld that conversation.

Mr Dupret thought that was how it was, once
he had been going upstairs with Hannah at a dance and chandelier which hung
there had trembled as it might be at sound of the band which was beginning
to play, so light on that chandelier was beginning to move. What difference
is there, thought he, between my chandelier and his woodcock, one or the other
moved one of us? And yet how much better if he could be excited at sight of
woodcock on the ground for excitement over chandelier was at light moving
over it, caused probably by someone stamping on the floor above. The woodcock
was on ground by no agency of man, its being there was a natural phenomenon,
and he thought his chandelier and how it moved him was a spurious emotion.

He thought this was a parable. Darkness he thought
was merely opportunity for Tyler and Miss Glossop to play a game in, where
to him it would be another thing. That seemed centre of it all to him. For
in their games they sublimated all passions, all beliefs. That was why Tom
Tyler cut him out with Miss Glossop, who did not care to talk. And so he saw
these games they were always playing to be charades of the passions. So was
there no other way to her heart?

Leaving house-party Mr Dupret went to Birmingham. When he heard Mr Bridges was already gone on leave he was glad. He did not want to see Mr Bridges. Indeed, now he knew it was not for him but Tom Tyler that Miss Glossop smiled and lilted, heart was out of him.

So when he came he sent for Mr Cummings and just said he hoped everything was all right. Mr Cummings made no impression on his mind. When he had gone Mr Dupret sat on in office. He thought, and slowly tried to gather up energy inside him. At last he went up into Mr Tarver's office.

'Very glad to see you sir!'

'I'm sorry Mr Bridges is ill!'

'Yes, it's a shame he's bad.' (Mr Tarver was in great spirits this morning) 'But you mark my words squire,' he said, 'they'll all go together.'

'What on earth do you mean, they'll all go together?'

'Well you see Mr Dupret' said Tarver and he went red, 'I meant they were getting on, you can't be sixty-one and expect to feel on top of the world.'

'I don't want any intrigue Tarver,' Mr Dupret said in tired voice, 'we've all got to pull together or we'll be nowhere in no time.'

'You mustn't take what I say wrong, sir, we all work for the good of the firm, we all pull together, though we're all sorts and different sizes.'

'That's it,' said Mr Dupret, and felt like he was nurse at school for infants and surely this man Tarver was mad. Why did he call you squire?

'Mr Tarver, I thought when Mr Bridges came back I would suggest to him your having another draughtsman. And really if Bum-pus is always getting ill like this we had better part with him.'

'Don't take Bumpus from me,' Mr Tarver said dangerously. He rose from his chair. 'I couldn't do without him, Mr Dupret, for God's sake.'

This one was pleased. The man had spirit. 'Right you are,' said he, 'I didn't know if you thought a lot of him, that's all. And I promise to get you another. Or rather you and Bumpus, and of course Mr Bridges will have to choose a further draughtsman between you.'

'It's been needed, I only said to the wife the other night I didn't see how I could go on short-handed like this with the new machine I'm bringing out. But with another man we'll eat it up colonel.'

Beaming he came up and shook Dupret by the hand.

Mr Dupret thought perhaps he was mad after all but enthusiastic anyway, not all words like old Bridges, and he was a young man,
Arthur thought well of him. Yes, damn it, he would show them and give Tarver pat on the back. So he asked Tarver if he was coming round works with him, and together they went round, Tarver visibly glad.

As they went round works, Mr Dupret and Mr Tarver, behind them was Cummings. He dodged behind machinery and everything they did he noticed, every time they stopped to look at something he took it to be complaints.

Mr Milligan, standing in gateway of stores department, saw him following and said in his mind who would believe it who did not know? Who would be in position of authority now, even to be storekeeper? You had to be strong man, nerves of steel, or it was more than your health would stand.

Didn't they make themselves ridiculous the way they behaved, look at Cummings, everyone in the place laughing at him so soon as he was gone by. That must have been a knock for him the young chap going round with Tarver. Yes, and their health couldn't stand it, some of them. Andrew, foreman in iron foundry, many a time worry was too much for him and he'd go off and sit in a corner where none could see him with his hands over his face. Was many would not believe that but with delivery, delivery always being shouted at you, in tricky work like iron founding were many foremen took their lives and those that didn't take them had their lives shortened by the worry. Andrew had been looking done up just lately, Mr Milligan said in his mind, and thought of when he himself was last in hospital.

Mr Dupret and Tarver came to iron foundry shop. 'Have they had many wasters here recently, Mr Tarver?'

'No, we've been very free of them for the last week or two. But they're slow in this shop colonel, terribly slow.'

'Well I suppose that's all right as long as they don't make bad ones.'

'You're right there Mr Dupret, but they ought to make sound castings quicker, like they do in other foundries.'

'Sometimes these people don't seem to be able to make good ones quick or slow. Do you remember a few weeks back—' and they talked of job which had given trouble. Dupret used what he thought was Mr Tarver's language.

'What d'you put it down to Tarver, ought we to have another
foreman?' nodding to Philpots who was busy and yet watching them, in comer of foundry shop.

'Andrew's all right,' said Mr Tarver, 'no it's the men he has to work with. You can't get old men to work fast squire, that's natural, and old men like Craigan keep the weight down.'

'Then why do we keep him on?'

'Mr Bridges says he couldn't do without him.'

'Well,' said Mr Dupret, 'I suppose Mr Bridges has his reasons,' and they moved off and into machine shop.

Mr Cummings darted into iron foundry. He went to Andrew Philpots.

'Did 'e say nothing to you Andy?'

'I didn't like to go and speak to 'im, I waited 'ere till 'e should come to me if 'e 'ad anything to say.'

Mr Cummings went off. What are they up to he asked in his mind. What is it?

'Well dear' Mrs Dupret said, 'did you go down to Birmingham today?'

'Yes,' said Mr Dupret.

'What's the matter, Dick, aren't you feeling well?'

'No, I'm feeling quite all right' said Mr Dupret lying, 'but the works are so depressing, it's all so incompetent. They are all such awful people.'

'Well from now on it's your own fault, darling, if you don't like them, isn't it? I mean you're head of the business now. When your father was alive you had to do things more or less under his supervision but you are your own master now, aren't you dear? Still I expect the more you look into it you'll find your father right'

'Yes. But it's not altogether the works. The fact is, I've gone crazy over a girl again.'

After Mrs Dupret had said what was fit and appreciative and had let him tell her that it was Hannah Glossop – he had told her some months ago only he'd forgotten that – he described Tom Tyler and the way she did not seem to notice anyone else.

Mrs Dupret comforted.

Mrs Dupret said that sort of man exercised a fascination over girls which soon wore off. 'He is young and fresh looking and full of spirits,' she said 'but they soon see there is nothing much in him
after all.' She told him to keep away from Hannah a bit, above all not to run after her just now, and she proposed that they should have that little dinner party for her which they were to have had before his father fell ill. Hearing little of what she said, he went on about how the thought of her was perpetually running through his mind, and sometimes the thought of her came in spasms upon him, it made him feel quite ill, physically ill. Mrs Dupret said, 'poor darling,' and 'we'll see if we can't get her to dinner, shall we?'

Miss Gates. Now, as has been said, evenings were drawing in, now they could no longer go out in the evening, winter, or at most they allowed themselves one cinema in the week.

So it was often that she stayed indoors and Mr Jones began going to technical school where she sent him. Sitting at home with the family she darned their socks and mended clothes in the evenings, and Mr Craigan with her father and Jim Dale were there. Now again it seemed for Craigan like times when Lily had kept company with Jim. Their evenings were as they had been and that was comfortable for him.

She had begun saving and she made Mr Jones save. This was why she was so much quieter, but Dale thought perhaps those two were tiring of each other and soon they might quarrel, then she would come back to him again. So he took heart and went no more out in the evenings nor gave her much attention now he began to feel sure of her again, only Gates went more and more out and was often seen with Mr Tupe.

Mr Bridges put back receiver on its hook. He went back into sitting room of the lodging house at Weston. His wife asked him about the news. He said the young chap had just left works, he had had Cummings on the 'phone. Mrs Bridges asked if he had done anything?

'No, not a thing.'

'Well that's a bit off my mind.'

'How's that?'

'You know how I mean.'

'It's not what he does, he don't do anything, it's what 'e means to do Janie. And now the father's dead what's to stop him doing it.'

'How do you know what he means to do?'

'You can see it in 'is eye. He looks at me now and again with a look as if I'd murdered 'is best girl or got her be'ind a hedge.'

'You!'

'It's a vindictive somehow. That's why I shouldn't ever've come here. You'll see he'll use it some way against me.'

'But didn't Mr Cummings tell you nothing else just now?'

'Cummings? Ah, I was keeping the best for the end. The young chap wouldn't go round with Cummings, wasn't good enough for 'im, no he 'ad to go round the place with Tarver for everyone to see. What d'you make of that eh?'

Mrs Bridges shook head over that.

'Cummings said 'e went round after them but couldn't make out they'd said anything particular. That's a good man, Cummings. I wouldn't take £1,000 for 'im, not if I 'ad the choice. That's where it is. I ain't got the choice of me own men, I have to be told now if a man's a engineer or not.'

'Don't get talking so, Phil, young Mr Dupret ain't done nothing to you yet.'

'Ah, but what's 'e going to do? There's nothing that comes I can't see coming, all my life or I shouldn't be where I am. And Tarver? Aren't I as nice and easy with him as a man could be, cooing like a dove to 'im, yes, and I'd turn somersaults like other pigeons if that's what he preferred. Ah Janie I'm glad we're leaving for old Brum tomorrow. It's got on my nerves sitting here. But there's this to it, I feel grand, grand after this ten days.'

He went over and gave wife sounding kiss. She laughed: 'you get 'is girl behind a hedge!' she said.

Hannah Glossop stayed over into next day when rest of house-party had gone. All the men had gone back to offices but Tom Tyler, who was on leave from Siam. So she had him all to herself.

All afternoon went they for a walk across fields and she asked him what his life was. He was unpaid adjunct to British resident at Siam. He told about shooting they had and how you could get a game of squash racquets there. He said how once the resident's wife
came down to official dinner with her dress back to front, and the difficulty he had had to let her know. The way he had done it was to turn his plate upside down and being a clever woman she had understood. Dropping suddenly to the intimate he said evenings there were marvellous, and between them they had got together quite a good little dance band at the country club.

He was bored with this walk because she made him do all the talking and was serious, but she – as sometimes on a ship when is sun and spray so do you see rainbows everywhere, on the deck, on wave-crests, so as he spoke wonder was round about all he said for her.

As soon as Mr Bridges had gotten back he went round works. ' 'Tis 'im' the men said when they saw him. He went round. He thought in his mind it was fine, fine to be back. 'The men have but to come to me when they're in trouble, I'm a father and mother to them,' he cried in his heart, 'aye, I am that.'

He talked long with Tupe, very hearty with him. Cummings came up then to greet him for Mr Bridges had gone straight into works when he was back. Loudly Mr Bridges met him. He said he felt fine, fine. He asked how things were and Mr Cummings said everything was going on all right. Then moving a few yards away so Tupe could not hear above the noise of lathes working in this shop Mr Bridges asked what about young chap? As heads of these two moved towards each other at that, men on lathes winked one to another, while Mr Cummings grew mysterious look on his face. He said he had only just heard, Tarver had come boasting to him he said, boasting the young chap was giving him another draughtsman. 'Our overheads won't stand it sir,' he said, though he did not know much about such charges.

Mr Bridges said: 'There's a grand thing to welcome you back.'

He stood silent.

'Another draughtsman, eh?' he said. He swore.

At last he said why couldn't Tarver have come and said a word to him when he got back, (forgetting he was but just arrived) no bit of friendliness in that man anywhere, it made life misery for you, why if you'd been so nearly dead you'd had a chat with Peter at the gate Tarver wouldn't say a word when you got back.

'Isn't 'e a beauty?' Mr Bridges said.

That evening Mr Bridges went through works on the look out for trouble. Mr Tarver had not come to see him or ask him how he was. Bridges went through works on chance of finding someone to vent anger on.

That day Mr Bert Jones had one of his spells on him. Were days when he could not work, his mind was not in it. It was not that he couldn't concentrate because he was thinking of something else, but rather as if his mind was satiated by the trade he worked at, as if he had reached saturation point as day by day, year by year he did very much the same things with almost identical movements of arms and legs. So sometimes when you are working daze comes over you and your brain lies back, it rocks like the sea, and as commonplace.

So he stopped working.

'What's the matter with you Bert?'

'There aint nothing the matter?'

'Well come on then.'

But Mr Bridges came up behind. He made a row. Only that, he did not suspend him. But he relieved choking feeling he had in his chest. He went away satisfied.

Mr Jones worked for rest of evening without stopping. He felt like quite desperate.

That evening, half past five, and thousands came out of factories, the syrens sounding, and went home.

Mr Craigan, with Gates and Jim Dale, went out of Dupret factory together, when Mr Tupe came up with them. He walked with them. He said:

' 'Ow do you think the old man's lookin'?'

Mr Gates said holiday didn't seem to have done him much good. Anger rose in Mr Craigan at Tupe's coming up to them.

'Aint it a bloody shame' said Tupe, 'the way they try and drive a man of 'is age to the mad'ouse. Did you 'appen to see Tarver and young 'opeful goin' round together not above a week back? Well and now Tarver won't come and bid the old man good day when 'e gets back after goin' away for 'is 'earth.'

' 'Ow d'you know, know all,' Mr Dale said.

'I knows young feller because 'e told me 'imself.'

'O he did, did 'e?'

'Ah, 'e did, and I don't reckon they've any right to treat an old man the way they're doin'. 'E's told me things. When a man gets on in years they should respect 'is age I reckon, what d'you say?' said he, turning to Mr Craigan. This one made no answer to him.

'Yes by rights that's what they should do' Mr Gates said, nervous.

'Ah, and 'e 'ad a row with young Jones, which wasn't nothing but those others trying to down 'im, that bein' a good lad' said maliciously Mr Tupe. Dale asked eagerly if he had suspended him. 'Suspend 'im' said Tupe, 'suspend a fine chap like that, not on yer life, 'e does the work of three in that shop.'

'Well 'e was suspended in the summer wasn't 'e?'

'Yes, 'e were suspended' said Mr Gates hoping to close conversation.

'Ah,' Mr Tupe said,-'and what was that but Aaron Connolly, I know the man, nothing's too low for 'im, I saw 'im go and tell Bridges 'imself Bert was in there, and being as it might be in front of witnesses, the old man 'ad no choice.' Here Mr Tupe had inspiration. 'That was why 'e daint suspend Aaron' he said triumphantly.

Mr Craigan went then to other side of the street and Dale followed him. Then at last Mr Gates followed them, because he feared Mr Craigan. Yet was he ashamed at leaving Tupe.

So came they home at evening. They went in to the house, they washed, and Lily had evening meal ready for them. Mr Dale was excited in his mind. He thought if Bert Jones was sacked chances were he would find no other job in Birmingham. Then he would leave the town, would have to, and go back to that home he said he had in Liverpool. Thought of this put Mr Dale in a good temper.

Lily began saying how Eames' child next door had grown. Mr Gates said Eames was poor sort of a man. But subject of the works was in Mr Dale's mind and he asked how much truth was there in this talk about old Bridges being crowded out.

'I don't know what 'e's told Tupey' said Mr Gates, 'but there's only men of 'is age and young men in that place, so trouble's bound to be between 'em, the younger lot trying to push the older out of the light. There's none that comes between 'em, speakin' of age. And the young chap's crazy like any lamb in the field.'

'He's not so crazy as some,' Mr Dale said, 'now take "our" Bert,
that's the second time 'e's been suspended in four months.'

'Suspended! Where did you 'ear he'd been suspended? The old man daint suspend 'im' said Mr Gates. Lily smiled. But Mr Craigan broke into conversation. He said:

'If I 'ad a son I wouldn't educate 'im above the station 'e was born in. It's hard enough to be a moulder and 'ave the worry of the job forty-seven hours in the week but to be on the staff, or foreman even, with the man above you doggin' at you and them under you never satisfied, like the young chaps never am nowadays, it aint like living at all. In course they're getting rid of Bridges like they'll get rid of me, seein' I'm an old man now. Another month and we'll be getting the old age pension Joe, and we'll get the sack then. Like Bridges will get the sack, seein' 'e's getting an old man, same as we.'

That same evening Lily Gates went out to meet Bert Jones.

When they met she saw for the first time white, cutting anger in him. He said they must get away, he said that! who had always been the one to draw back. They must go right off at once he said and anxiously she asked what the trouble was, for she knew him that he was not dependable worker. He said trouble? He said what was the matter with her who was so keen on their going and now, when be said they must go directly, wanted to know why?

'Aren't you on a line!' she said pleasantly.

He told her about Bridges, but she thought when they were married he would be quieter, it would be the responsibility would make him so. She told him he must not worry about that. Indirectly then they talked of their going like it might be tomorrow, yet both questioned in their hearts if they would ever go. Then she quieted him. They kissed. She made him talk of other things. Soon she felt him contented again. So again they let their time slip by.

Mr Craigan felt he must act. Tupe now was so thick with Joe – it looked bad his having the face to come up and talk to them – and Lily with her Bert Jones. All this in images appeared in his mind before him.

Home was sacred thing to him. Everything, his self-respect was built on home. If he had no home to go back into an evening then he would have to move to another town where none knew him. As it
was shame for the Hebrew women to be barren so in his mind was it desolation not to have people about him in his house, though he had never married.

He also had noticed Lily seemed quieter and while he saw in his mind it was winter kept them indoors, yet, because he wanted to, he saw Lily did not look so enchanted, she had talked more, she had not lately always been waiting, waiting till moment came to put on her clothes and meet Bert Jones.

So when Mr Gates had gone out, as he did every evening now leaving Jim Dale and he alone, he called Jim and said to him why must he be chipping Lily about Jones, why not leave her alone more? If you spoke to a female nowadays he said they made grievance out of it and took care to go another way to yours, whether it was their way or not, only to spite you. 'And females,' he said, 'like to think you're thinking of them, and afraid for 'em, and once they know you're that way they try and keep you at it.' He said Jim's talking of Jones would give that man importance in Lily's mind which he did not deserve 'being like 9,000 other wasters in this town. Let her forget 'im.' Mr Dale did not answer.

Mr Gates went to public house, where already Tupe was.

'It made I laugh,' Tupe said, 'to see the look just now your old man give me when I come up. 'E daint like it, did 'e? No, we're not good enough for 'im, Joe.'

Gates was relieved that Mr Tupe had not taken it wrong, his crossing the street and leaving him for Craigan.

'That's the truth,' he said 'us ain't.'

'But I got in a good one, eh, when I said that about Aaron Connolly? There's a dirty sneakin' 'ound for you. Anyroads 'e ain't no better'n a peasant, you can tell it by 'is speech.'

'I don't know I got anything against Aaron.'

'Well Joe, you're a marvel. It's no wonder to me you're put upon. Got nothin' against Aaron Connolly? I know what you mean but that's the lie of it, 'e daint ever let no one see t'other side of 'is face. I know 'im. No there ain't nothin' above board about 'im, that's just it.'

Later Mr Gates repeated what Craigan had said about how, soon as they had old age pension coming to them, they would be stopped off. Mr Tupe ridiculed idea of that. He said it was done at Thatcher's but in old fashioned place like Duprets you could bet your live they'd never do anything of that kind. Then he gave all the old arguments for old men being better than young. Soon came in more friends of his, all labourers like Tupe himself. (This was loss of caste for Gates to be perpetually with them, as he was step above a labourer.) They sat drinking.

This was time of year when people that did not shoot came back from Scotland to watch shooters shooting pheasant instead of watching grouse-shooting. Also hunt balls were beginning. Now for Hannah Glossop, and Mr Tyler too, it was party after party in country houses, and they met at many of them.

Almost at once Mr Tyler began kissing Hannah when they were alone together, goodness she did like it. She made little rules about this for herself, one was she must not kiss him too often but let him kiss her. So when he kissed her, in little ecstasies she closed eyelids over eyes. He could not see of course that she rolled eyeballs under the lids when he kissed her. Yet she feared he would feel that in her lips so she did not often let him kiss her mouth, coy, coy, and did not often kiss him – well bred kissing.

Soon, after one or two more houseparties, he kissed her no more, though almost she stood about in dark places. He thought it was disgusting to kiss her who was so dumb then, and yearning.

Then he was rude to her.

Miss Glossop asked Tom to stay and he would not come.

Leaving house, going into the garden 'he does not care' she said aloud.

She walked in misery. She tried not to think of him. But as sometimes, coming across the sea from a cold country to the tropics and the sky is dull so the sea is like any other sea, so as you are coming tropical birds of exquisite colours settle to rest on the deck, unexpected, infinitely beautiful, so things she remembered of him came one by one back to her mind. And as the ship beat by beat draws nearer to that warmth the birds come from, so her feeling was being encompassed then by the memory of him and it was so warm she sat down on the wet ground and cried.