The Acceptance World - Anthony Powell [57]
She was pulling on her stockings when I told her. She gave a little cry, indicating disbelief.
‘After all, you were the first to suggest something was “on” between them.’
‘But she would be insane to leave Peter.’
We discussed this. The act of marching in a political demonstration did not, in itself, strike her as particularly unexpected in Mona. She said that Mona always longed to take part in anything that drew attention to herself. Jean was unwilling to believe that pushing St. John Clarke’s chair was the outward sign of a decisive step in joining Quiggin.
‘She must have done it because Peter is away. It is exactly the kind of thing that would appeal to her. Besides, it would annoy him just the right amount. A little, but not too much.’
‘Where is Peter?’
‘Spending the week-end with business friends. Mona thought them too boring to visit.’
‘Perhaps she was just having a day out, then. Even so, it confirms your view that Quiggin made a hit with her.’
She pulled on the other stocking.
‘True, they had a splitting row just before Peter left home,’ she said. ‘You know, I almost believe you are right.’
‘Put a call through.’
‘Just to see what the form is?’
‘Why not?’
‘Shall I?’
She was undecided.
‘I think I will,’ she said at last.
Still only partly dressed, she took up the telephone and lay on the sofa. At the other end of the line the bell rang for some little time before there was an answer. Then a voice spoke from the Templers’ house. Jean made some trivial enquiry. A short conversation followed. I saw from her face that my guess had been somewhere near the mark. She hung up the receiver.
‘Mona left the house yesterday, saying she did not know when she would be back. She took a fair amount of luggage and left no address. I think the Burdens believe something is up. Mrs. Burden told me Peter had rung up about something he had forgotten. She told him Mona had left unexpectedly.
‘She may be taking a few days off.’
‘I don’t think so,’ said Jean.
Barnby used to say: ‘All women are stimulated by the news that any wife has left any husband.’ Certainly I was aware that the emotional atmosphere in the room had changed. Perhaps I should have waited longer before telling her my story. Yet to postpone the information further was scarcely possible without appearing deliberately secretive. I have often pondered on the conversation that followed, without coming to any definite conclusion as to why things took the course they did.
We had gone on to talk of the week-end when Quiggin had been first invited to the Templers’ house. I had remarked something to the effect that if Mona had really left for good, the subject would have been apt for one of Mrs. Erdleigh’s prophecies. In saying this I had added some more or less derogatory remark about Jimmy Stripling. Suddenly I was aware that Jean was displeased with my words. Her face took on a look of vexation. I supposed that some out-of-the-way loyalty had for some reason made her take exception to the idea of laughing at her sister’s ex-husband. I could not imagine why this should be, since Stripling was usually regarded in the Templer household as an object of almost perpetual derision.
‘I know he isn’t intelligent,’ she said.
‘Intelligence isn’t everything,’ I said, trying to pass the matter off lightly. ‘Look at the people in the Cabinet.’
‘You said the other day that you found it awfully difficult to get on with people who were not intelligent.