Ice - Anna Kavan [20]
We went into a room full of people waiting to speak to him: the guards moved them back so that we could pass through to a room beyond. I heard him mutter, 'Get rid of this fellow after five minutes,' before he dismissed his men. To me he said: 'I presume you've written to someone about that bargain of ours?' I muttered something evasive. In quite a different tone he rapped out: 'The post office informs me you have not communicated with any useful person. I took you for a man of your word; it seems I was mistaken.' To avoid a quarrel I took no notice of the insult, replied peaceably: 'I haven't heard yet what I'm to get out of the bargain.' Curtly he told me to state my terms. I decided to speak in a frank, simple manner, hoping to make him less hostile. 'My request seems almost too trivial to mention after these preliminaries.' I gave him what I hoped was a disarming smile. 'It's simply this: I believe your guest may be an old acquaintance of mine, and should like to meet her in order to settle the point.' I was careful not to show too much interest.
He said nothing, but I could feel opposition behind his silence. Evidently there had been a change in his attitude since the day when he had proposed to introduce us at lunch. Now I felt pretty sure he would not agree to the meeting.
Suddenly remembering the time, I looked at my watch. The five minutes had almost gone. I had no intention of waiting until the guards came in, according to orders, to throw me out, and began to make the opening moves of departure. He came to the door with me, kept his hand on the knob, preventing me from leaving. 'She's been unwell, and is nervous about meeting people. I shall have to ask if she'll see you.' I was convinced he would not allow the meeting to take place, and looked at my watch again. There was only one minute left. 'I really must go now. I've taken up too much of your time already.' His unexpected laughter took me by surprise; he must have known what was going on in my head. His mood seemed to alter suddenly, all at once his manner was easy. Once more I was momentarily aware of an obscure sense of inner contact with him. He opened the door and gave an order to the men standing outside, who saluted and marched away down the corridor, their boots thumping on the polished floor. He turned to me then, and as if demonstrating his goodwill, said: 'We can go to her now, if you like. But I'll have to prepare her first.'
He took me back into the crowded waiting-room, where everybody surged round, eager to speak to him. He had a smile and a friendly word for those nearest, raised his voice to apologize generally for keeping them waiting, begged them all to be patient a few minutes longer, promised that everyone would be heard in due course. In a tone audible all over the room, he demanded. 'Why is there no music?' then spoke sharply to a subordinate. 'You know these people are my guests. The least we can do is try to entertain them if they have to wait.' The notes of a string quartet started to fill the room, and followed us out of it.
He led the way past more guards, strode quickly along winding corridors ahead of me, ran up and down several flights of stairs. It was all I could do to keep pace with him. He was in far better condition than I was, and seemed to enjoy demonstrating the fact, looking back at me, laughing, showing off his fine physique. I did not quite trust this sudden good humour. But I admired his tough athlete's body, the wide shoulders and elegant, narrow waist. The passages seemed never-ending. I was breathless, he had to wait for me finally, standing at the top of yet another short staircase. The landing was in deep shadow, I could just distinguish the rectangle of a single door, and realized that the stairs led only to this one room.
He told me to stay where I was for a minute while he explained the situation to the girl, adding, with a malicious grin: 'It'll give you time to cool off a bit.' With his hand on the doorknob, he went on: 'You understand, don't