The Heart of the Matter - Graham Greene [32]
‘It will cost a lot. Perhaps you won’t be able to go.’
‘He’ll manage somehow. He said he would.’
‘Life insurance?’
‘No, he’s tried that’
‘I wish I could tend it to you myself. But I’m poor as a church-mouse.’
‘Don’t talk about mice in here, Ticki will manage somehow.’
He began to see her face through the darkness, thin, grey, attenuated - it was like trying to remember the features of someone he had once known who had gone away. One would build them up in just this way - the nose and then if one concentrated enough the brow; the eyes would escape him.
‘He’ll do anything for me.’
He said bitterly, ‘A moment ago you said he didn’t love you.’
‘Oh,’ she said, ‘but he has a terrible sense of responsibility.’
He made a movement and she cried furiously out, ‘Keep still. I don’t love you. I love Ticki.’
‘I was only shifting my weight’ he said. She began to laugh. ‘How funny this is,’ she said. ‘It’s a long time since anything funny happened to me. I’ll remember this for months, for months.’ But it seemed to Wilson that he would remember her laughter all his life. His shorts flapped in the draught of the storm and he thought, ‘In a body like a grave.’
2
When Louise and Wilson crossed the river and came into Burnside it was quite dark. The headlamps of a police van lit an open door, the figures moved to and fro carrying packages. ‘What’s up now?’ Louise exclaimed, and began to run down the road. Wilson panted after her. Ali came from the house carrying on his head a tin bath, a folding chair, and a bundle tied up in an old towel. ‘What on earth’s happened, Ali?’
‘Massa go on trek,’ he said, and grinned happily in the headlamps.
In the sitting-room Scobie sat with a drink in his hand. ‘I’m glad you are back,’ he said. ‘I thought I’d have to write a note,’ and Wilson saw that in fact he had already begun one. He had torn a leaf out of his notebook, and his large awkward writing covered a couple of lines.
‘What on earth’s happening, Henry?’
‘I’ve got to get off to Bamba.’
‘Can’t you wait for the train on Thursday?’
‘No.’
‘Can I come with you?’
‘Not this time. I’m sorry, dear. I’ll have to take Ali and leave you the small boy.’
‘What’s happened?’
‘There’s trouble over young Pemberton.’
‘Serious?’
‘Yes.’
‘He’s such a fool. It was madness to leave him there as D.C.’
Scobie drank his whisky and said, ‘I’m sorry, Wilson. Help yourself. Get a bottle of soda out of the ice-box. The boys are busy packing.’
‘How long will you be, darling?’
‘Oh, I’ll be back the day after tomorrow, with any luck. Why don’t you go and stay with Mrs Halifax?’
‘I shall be all right here, darling.’
‘I’d take the small boy and leave you Ali, but the small boy can’t cook.’
‘You’ll be happier with Ali, dear. It will be like the old days before I came out’
‘I think I’ll be off, sir,’ Wilson said. ‘I’m sorry I kept Mrs Scobie out so late.’
‘Oh, I didn’t worry, Wilson. Father Rank came by and told me you were sheltering in the old station. Very sensible of you. He got a drenching. He should have stayed too - he doesn’t want a dose of fever at his age.’
‘Can I fill your glass, sir? Then I’ll be off.’
‘Henry never takes more than one.’
‘All the same, I think I will. But don’t go, Wilson. Stay and keep Louise company for a bit. I’ve got to be off after this glass. I shan’t get any sleep tonight.’
‘Why can’t one of the young men go? You’re too old, Ticki, for this. Driving all night. Why don’t you send Fraser?’
‘The Commissioner asked me to go. It’s just one of those cases - carefulness, tact, you can’t let a young man handle it.’ He took another drink of whisky and his eyes moved gloomily away as Wilson watched him.’ I must be off.’
‘I’ll never forgive Pemberton for this.’
Scobie said sharply, ‘Don’t talk nonsense, dear. We’d forgive most things if we knew the facts.’ He smiled unwillingly at Wilson. ‘A policeman should be the most forgiving person in the world if he gets the facts right.’
‘I wish I could be of help, sir.’
‘You can. Stay and have a few more drinks with Louise and cheer her up. She doesn’t often get a