The Green Knight (32 page)

Anax began to run. He was now once again a dog without a master, a dog without a name. So
they
would find him and take him back to that terrible place, among those poor degraded dogs, who smelt of sickness and doom. Desperately he ran through streets of bright shops, stared at, knocking against legs, uttering a little whining sound. He ran on into darker emptier streets where there were big houses and many trees. He felt his heart breaking. He stopped at last, breathless and panting, breathing in the thick foggy air. His coat was wet with the little mild rain. The pavement was wet and cold. He walked on slowly, his head down, his bushy tail drooping to the ground.

A man, holding an umbrella above his head, was coming towards him. Anax lifted his head and lifted his muzzle. He breathed. Something very strange was happening. The man passed close to him. Anax sniffed at his trousers. The man stopped. There was a faint gentle reassuring smell, a smell almost it might seem of Anax himself. He raised his head further and looked up at the man above him. The man leaned down and stroked him. Anax began to wag his tail.

The man said, to himself, ‘Wait a minute.' Then he said to Anax, ‘Haven't I seen you before? I saw you outside their house with your master. I think you're Anax – yes, you know your name, don't you – ? But whatever are you doing here all by yourself?
Are
you by yourself? I think you are, you must be lost – there, there, poor fellow, I'll look after you – in fact I'll take you back to the house where the ladies live – you won't run away, will you, you'll come with me, my car is just here.'

Anax, trembling with relief, walked beside him, breathing in the magical reviving smell. When they reached the black Rolls he leapt in through the door which Peter Mir opened and settled himself in the passenger seat. As the car set off Peter continued to talk to him. ‘Anax, I'm ready to bet they are worrying about you down there. You know, you're miles away from home. Whatever were you up to, to come here? Perhaps you were running away to where you used to live. Yes, that must be it. Anyway,
they'll
tell me – if they let me in. Well, they'll be so pleased to see
you
– Perhaps some god sent you to me, little one.' Mir's deep liquid voice with its strange caressing accent murmured on. As they moved slowly through the evening traffic of central London, Anax fell asleep.

 

 

 

Meanwhile Clement and Moy had arrived back at Clifton. They had driven on to where Bellamy used to live, rung the bell of the flat getting no answer, looked about outside, and left messages with sympathetic neighbours. Moy wanted to stay, standing at the door all night, but Clement of course insisted on taking her home. There were cries of joy for Moy's return, and then various attempts to invent how it would somehow ‘be all right' about Anax, how he would come back and scratch at the door any moment, how he was so clever and would find some warm place to spend the night, how no harm could possibly come to him and so on. While Clement and the girls were away Louise had telephoned the police (why didn't they think of that before?) and given them Anax's description, and the police were so understanding and sympathetic, and now policemen all over London would be looking out for Anax, and as he was such an unusual and beautiful dog they would be sure to find him. Clement reflected less optimistically that Anax's unusual beauty was more likely to lead to his being kidnapped, only he did not say this. He was deeply disturbed by his conversation with Moy, why had Louise suggested such a thing, and why on earth had he felt that it was his duty to utter those stupid wounding words, Moy would never forgive, certainly never forget, he had made a deep wound in his relationship, which had been so perfect, with these girls. Would Moy tell the others of his boorish conduct? He thought not. He thought, she'll brood upon it silently. We shall never be friends again. Oh God!

They were all standing in the kitchen with the door open and the front door ajar. The cold foggy air was blowing in. The rain had stopped. Louise had feebly suggested something to eat, something to drink, but no one had the heart for any refreshment. Clement felt hungry, but also that food would make him sick. Louise looked very tired and could not banish a look of intense grief which invaded her would-be calm face at intervals. Clement could not make out whether or not she wanted him to go. Aleph and Sefton, still in their cycling gear, looked dejected, halfheartedly joining in the chorus of false hopes. Sefton had managed to fall off her bike beside the canal and her trousers were muddy. Clement kept composing speeches of farewell which could get him out of the house without embarrassment. At the same time he wanted somehow to communicate with Moy, to catch her eye, to find something affectionate and apologetic to say, but she refused to look at him. She was wearing a big woollen cardigan belonging to Louise. Her long hair, its bright colour dimmed, hung about her in long damp strings, her lips moved, trembling or uttering silent words as, gazing down, she kept rapping her knuckles upon the table against which she was leaning.

A silence had fallen and Clement was trying to find a form of words to break it, when suddenly, swiftly, silently Anax was among them. He darted in through the open front door and into the kitchen. Amid the joyful tumult he perfunctorily greeted Moy, then hurried to his bowl, in which the meal that Sefton had made for him so long ago was still waiting. Tears of relief were in Louise's eyes, Moy was kneeling on the floor beside Anax. Clement went to the front door to close it.

A tall figure was standing on the doorstep. ‘May I come in too?' said Peter Mir.

 

 

‘So you all play the piano?'

‘Oh yes, but Aleph is best – this is Aleph, these two are Sefton and Moy.'

‘I know which is which, I've learnt quickly. What do you do, Moy, besides piano playing?'

‘She collects stones!' said Aleph, ‘and paints pictures!'

‘We all sing,' said Sefton.

‘Oh good, I sing too!'

‘Those funny names,' said Louise, ‘are of course not their real names.'

‘What are their real names?'

‘Alethea, and Sophia and Moira, but they decided to be called Aleph and Sefton and Moy!'

‘Aleph – that's Hebrew, it's the letter A.'

‘I know,' said Aleph. She blushed.

‘Didn't you want to be Alethea? It means truth, well of course you know that. It's such a lovely name.'

‘I just – '

‘May I call you Alethea? I think I will!'

‘Oh – of course – '

‘The Princess Alethea. And will you please call me “Peter”.'

‘Fancy your just finding him like that,' said Louise, ‘it's like a miracle!'

‘He came to me, he recognised me.'

‘But he's never seen you, and you've never seen him!'

‘I encountered him outside this house in the days when I – I hope Clement told you – '

‘Of course, when you used to wait about outside, we all know that,' said Louise.

‘I hope you forgive me.'

‘We forgive you everything!' cried Sefton. ‘But my theory is that some of Anax's hairs got onto your coat when you were sitting in
that chair
– '

There was much exclaiming over the miracle and its explanation. They were all now in the Aviary drinking wine and talking away with such extraordinary happiness and freedom as if they had known Peter (as he insisted on being called) all their lives. (‘Like an uncle,' as Sefton later said to Aleph.) They had run over and over all the events of the day, Moy's dramatic encounter with the swan, how Anax ran off, how they all searched the roads, how they decided Anax must be going to Bellamy's old flat, how Clement appeared, how they studied the routes, how Aleph and Sefton set off on their bikes, how Sefton fell off her bike, how Clement set off in his car, and how he so wonderfully found Moy, and how Peter so wonderfully found Anax, it was a day of miracles, well, a day of terrible things and then wonderful things! They were standing up in a circle, too excited to sit down. The only calm being present was Anax who was curled up on the sofa. For a while he watched them with his sly blue eyes and responded with a faintly quivering tail to Moy's caresses, then he fell into a deep sleep.

‘Wouldn't you like something to eat?' said Louise. ‘I'm afraid we are all vegetarians here, well Clement isn't are you, Clement?'

‘I am a vegetarian myself,' said Peter, 'I am very much for ecology. I am a member of the Green Party.'

‘That‘s why you dress in green,' said Aleph, ‘you've got a green tie and a green umbrella, and your suit is a sort of green too.'

‘Yes. I care very much about animals.'

‘Anax must have known that instinctively.'

‘But wouldn't you like a sandwich, a vegetarian one?'

‘No, no thank you, I must be getting away now, my car is parked on a double yellow line! I'm just so very glad about what has happened this evening, it's so perfect, like a gift from the gods – I must not outstay my welcome. But I do hope I may see you all again?'

‘Oh – indeed – '

‘Well, let us say
au revoir
then,
au revoir
Moy, I wish I'd seen you struggling with that swan. Of course you know the story of Zeus and Leda.'

‘But Moy fought him off!' said Sefton.

‘So it seems, but who knows what will happen later on! Of course, I'm jesting, don't mind me!'

‘Please come to Moy's birthday party!' said Aleph. ‘That's all right, isn't it, can't he come?'

‘Yes, do!' said Sefton. ‘It's Tuesday next week!'

Peter looked at Louise. ‘Of course,' she said, ‘do come if you'd like to. It starts at seven but – come any time – it's quite informal – just family really – '

‘So, I trust I can count as family! It is evening-dress?'

‘No, it's fancy dress!' cried Sefton. ‘Everyone has to wear a mask!'

‘Oh, don't worry about that,' said Louise, ‘not everyone wears a mask or fancy dress, it's just the children!'

‘But you can if you like,' said Aleph.

‘I'll see you down,' said Louise,

Beside the front door they paused, ‘Please, I don't know your first name.'

‘Louise.'

‘I like that name. May I call you Louise?'

‘Of course. But listen – '

‘Yes, yes. You have things to say to me.'

‘Yes, but I can't say them. You know what I want to say – '

‘Of course, you were distressed by that scene.'

‘I don't know what's true, but – can't it all be explained – can't it all end peacefully?'

‘Peace. Women always want peace. I thank you from my heart. I shall think of you and of those lovely girls, and perhaps – well I shall see you at the party. Goodnight.'

When Louise returned to the Aviary the others were playing the game of what character in fiction Peter Mir reminded them of.

‘I think he's Mr Pickwick,' said Louise.

‘Oh no! Never!' said Sefton. ‘I think he's more like Prospero.'

‘I think he's the Green Knight,' said Aleph. ‘Come on, Moy, what do you think?'

‘I think he's the Minotaur.'

‘The Minotaur isn't a literary character, he's a mythical character,' Sefton objected.

‘Oh really – !'

‘What does Clement think?' said Aleph.

‘I think he's Mephistopheles.' said Clement.

‘Surely not, he's so nice!' said Louise. ‘Do you think we should tell Bellamy about Anax?'

‘No, not now, later maybe. Better not tell him at all. He's got enough troubles.'

‘Anyway, all's well.'

‘Oh I forgot, I must ring the police and Mrs Drake.'

They all went downstairs together declaring how hungry they were. Clement was invited to supper but declined. He had hoped to have a private audience with Louise. She had granted one to Peter Mir. But she waved him off without a
tête-à-tête.
Clement let himself out of the front door. The fog had lifted, but the air was very cold and an east wind was blowing. His car was already coated with frost. He got in and lowered his head onto the steering wheel.

 

 

 

 

‘How interesting about the dog.'

‘Oh bother the dog!'

‘The dog has done what we have failed to do.'

‘Introduce him to the family! Yes!'

‘The man has uncanny properties.'

‘He has spent some time being dead.'

‘Why didn't he stay dead!'

‘Perhaps he did. Moy said he seemed like a dead person. But that was before – '

‘Indeed, before – What a mess you've made.'

‘Why didn't you turn up? He suddenly asked me whether I'd been there on that night. I couldn't say yes, it would have been the end, I couldn't pledge them all to secrecy, besides – '

‘But that was after he'd said that he'd saved your life.'

‘Yes, yes, and
that
was after Tessa Millen had asked him whether he'd tried to steal your wallet. Oh God, who will keep Tessa's mouth shut!'

‘Come, come, you admitted nothing. Still I ought to have briefed you. I thought if I said I wasn't coming you'd call it off. I relied upon your wit and your common sense. You should not have given him that opening, you should never have let the situation arise. You should have arranged it all with Louise beforehand.'

‘But we were waiting for you!'