The Ginger Man - J. P. Donleavy [65]
"It's a pound this time of night"
The man looking through lethargic eyes full of shillings. Looking down into the wild, bloody eyes, all gray round the red globes,
"Perhaps you'd rather that I kick this rolling rat trap to pieces and give you a Celtic baptizing in the Liffey, you vulgar thug"
"I'll call the Guards."
"What?"
"I'll call the Guards."
"What? God damn it"
Sebastian's hand shot out and caught the man by the coat until his face was plunging towards the street and his feet were caught in his seat
"God damn it, another bit of insolence out of you and I'll ram this horse and casket up your hole. Do you understand me?"
"I'll call the Guards."
"You won't be able to call your god damned mother when I'm finished with you. Lout. Hear me? Lout. A pound you bastard. Festering sneak. No decency in you. No love. Do you know what love is? Where's your love, you bastard? Why I'll throttle you to death if you don't show some love. Show me some love or I'll strangle you."
A vague smile came to the man's mouth. His eyes, two holes of terror. Little scene on the Winetavern Street. Mary came out, tugging at his fingers around the silent man's throat
"Leave him alone. What did he do to you? Why don't you pay the man his money and leave him alone."
"Shut up."
"You're a terrible person"
"Shut up. We're all going for a drink"
A glimmer of hope in the man's eyes, and guilt Sebastian, still holding him by the throat
"Will you come in for a drink ? "
"All right, I'll come in for a drink."
"I want to go home"
"It's all over now, Mary. This gentleman will come and have a drink. You'll come and have a drink too"
"I want to go home. You're an awful person"
"Not at all. This gentleman knows he was taking advantage of me. I know how much it is to Winetavern Street"
Man's evasive eyes.
Sebastian went to the iron gate and reached in and pressed a bell behind the wall. Waiting. Sebastian rattling the gate. A suspicious whisper came up out of the black alley.
"Who's up there? Stop that racket Go home to bed— there's nothing down here."
Sebastian put his face between the bars.
"Travelers from the West Just ten minutes. We're friends of the man with the beard."
"Go on with you. Get out of here. What do you think this is?"
"We're sent by the man with the beard. Friend of the corpse."
The voice came nearer.
"Let me look at you in the light and stop the noise. A man couldn't be dead down here with the likes of you carrying on. Let me see the faces. Who's the woman? No women allowed here. What do you think this is?"
"Now, now—she's a Dawn Beauty."
"Dawn Beauty, my virgin bub. I can't have this sort of going on—you've been here before—what's all this racket? —you ought to know better. Don't make any noise coming in and get out fast"
"O you're a fine woman with a build of a woman of thirty."
"Go on out of that Where's the man with the beard?"
"He's in Maynooth. He said the price of drink was scandalous and for a few prayers he could get it for nothing."
"Don't be blasphemous now and watch those barrels. You're a troublemaker you are—have my hands full with the lot of you."
"Now, now, Madam—"
"Don't call me madam—I know what you're up to."
Group moving slowly. Down the alley. Through a door. Along the black hall. And into the yellow light of the medieval room. This is the pineal eye of the world.
"Where's Catherine, the girl? Send her with two scalding malts and spot of gin for the lady and anything for yourself. And I wouldn't be past a bit of bed with you."
"O go on out of that and no noise, mind."
In this semi-circle of expectation. Twisted bulgin' sofas. Not much British fellowship here in spite of the sportiness of the room, with hunts racing everywhere. Catherine is a beauty and so's Mary around the nose and eyes. But this is a horsehair sofa. Say after me, Mary.
Sebastian
Thou art blessed,
And Sebastian,
Also the true song.
A tinder of night together
With being
A bargain basement
Of kisses.
Get astride me.
Touch, whoops, tender
Me,
Mr. big tree of love.
Catherine, the maid, pushed through