The Illustrated Gormenghast Trilogy - Mervyn Peake [189]
But Steerpike dislikes being shepherded and ‘After you, Doctor,’ he says, and insists on Prunesquallor’s preceding him through the door. Before he closes it he turns and, speaking to the Earl in a confidential tone: ‘I will see that everything is in readiness,’ he says. ‘Leave it to me, your Lordship. I will see you later, Flay. Now then, Doctor, let us be on our way.’
The door closes.
THE TWINS AGAIN
The Aunts have been sitting opposite one another for well over an hour with hardly a movement. Surely only vanity could account for so long a scrutiny of a human face, and as it so happens it is Vanity and nothing but Vanity, for knowing that their features are identical and that they have administered the identical amount of powder and have spent the identical length of time in brushing their hair, they have no doubt at all that in scrutinizing one another they are virtually gazing at themselves. They are garbed in their best purple, a hue so violent as to give physical discomfort to any normally sensitive eye.
‘Now, Clarice,’ says Cora at last, ‘you turn your lovely head to the right, so that I can see what I look like from the side.’
‘Why?’ says Clarice. ‘Why should I?’
‘Why shouldn’t you? I’ve got a right to know.’
‘So have I, if it comes to that.’
‘Well, it will come to that, won’t it? Stupid!’
‘Yes, but …’
‘You do what I say and then I’ll do it for you.’
‘Then I’ll see what my profile’s like, won’t I?’
‘We both will, not just you.’
‘I said we both will.’
‘Well? What’s the matter, then?’
‘Nothing.’
‘Well?’
‘Well, what?’
‘Well, go on, then – turn your lovely head.’
‘Shall I do it now?’
‘Yes. There’s nothing to wait for, is there?’
‘Only the Breakfast. It won’t be just yet.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because I heard the bell go in the corridor.’
‘So did I. That means there’s a lot of time.’
‘I want to look at my profile, Cora. Turn it now.’
‘All right. How long shall I be, Clarice?’
‘Be a long time.’
‘Only if I have a long time, too.’
‘We can’t both have a long time, silly.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because there isn’t one.’
‘Isn’t one what, dear?’
‘Isn’t one long time, is there?’
‘No, there’s lots of them.’
‘Yes, lots and lots of beautiful long times.’
‘Ahead of us, you mean, Clarice?’
‘Yes, ahead of us.’
‘After we’re on our thrones, isn’t it?’
‘How do you know?’
‘Well, that’s what you were thinking. Why do you try to deceive me?’
‘I wasn’t. I only wanted to know.’
‘Well, now you do know.’
‘Do know what?’
‘You do know, that’s all. I’m not going any deeper for you.’
‘Why not?’
‘Because you can’t go as deep as I can. You never could.’
‘I’ve never tried, I don’t suppose. It’s not worth it, I shouldn’t think. I know when things are worth it.’
‘Well, when are they, then?’
‘When are they what?’
‘When are they worth something?’
‘When you’ve bought something wonderful with your wealth, then it’s always worth it.’
‘Unless you don’t want it, Clarice, you always forget that. Why can’t you be less forgetful?’
There is a long silence while they study each other’s faces.
‘They’ll look at us, you know,’ says Cora flatly. ‘We’re going to be looked at at the Breakfast.’
‘Because we’re of the original blood,’ says Clarice. ‘That’s why.’
‘And that’s why we’re important, too.’
‘Two what?’
‘To everyone, of course.’
‘Well, we’re not yet, not to everyone.’
‘But we will be soon.’
‘When the clever boy makes us. He can do anything.’
‘Anything. Anything at all. He told me so.’
‘Me, too. Don’t think he only tells you, because he doesn’t.’
‘I didn’t say he did, did I?’
‘You were going to.’
‘Two what?’
‘To exalt yourself.’
‘Oh, yes, yes. We will be exalted when the time is ripe.’
‘Ripe and rich.’
‘Yes, of course.’
‘Of course.’
There is another silence. Their voices have been so flat and expressionless that when they cease talking the silence seems no new thing in the