Under The Net - Iris Murdoch [87]
The people who are to control it are looking round for talent. Naturally,' she added, 'all that I say to you now is in confidence.' I stared at Madge. She had certainly been to school since I had last seen her. Where could she have picked up words like 'enterprise' and 'in confidence'? 'This is very interesting,' I said, 'and I hope that the eye of the talent-spotter has lighted favourably upon you; but where do I come in?' 'You come in,' said Madge, 'as a script-writer.' She poured out a drink for herself. The timing was perfect. 'Look, Madge,' I said, 'I appreciate this. I appreciate all your kind efforts on my behalf. But one can't just walk into a job like that. Script-writing is highly technical--I should have to learn it before anyone in their senses would pay me the sum you mentioned. Anyway,' I said, 'I'm not sure that it's the sort of job I'd care for. Ce n'est pas mon genre.' 'Stop acting, Jake,' said Madge. She had obviously been stung by my earlier remark. 'You're panting for that money. Let me just tell you what you have to do to get it.' It was true that I was not unmoved. 'Give me another drink,' I said, 'and tell me how you propose to drag me in.' 'You don't need to be dragged in,' said Madge. 'You come in quite naturally because of Jean Pierre.' 'My God!' I said, 'what has Jean Pierre got to do with it?' I seemed to be up to my ankles in Jean Pierre that morning. He's on the board of directors,' said Madge, or he will be when everything's signed. And just guess what our first production will be,' she said, with the air of someone whipping out a conclusive argument. 'An English film based on his latest book!' I felt sick. 'You mean Nous Les Vainqueurs?' I said. 'That's the one,' said Madge, the one that got the what-not prize.' 'I know,' I said, the Prix Goncourt, I saw it in a shop as I came along.' 'It would make a marvellous film, wouldn't it?' said Madge. 'I don't know,' I said, 'I haven't read it.' I sat looking at the carpet. I felt more like crying than I had for a long time. Madge watched me as I sat there with my head drooping. 'What's the matter with you, Jake?' she cried. 'Aren't you well?' 'I'm fine,' I said. 'Go on telling me things.' 'Jake,' said Madge, 'everything has worked out wonderfully. You just haven't seen it yet. This is better than anything we ever dreamed up in Earls Court Road. That it should be Jean Pierre! It's all come out in a beautiful pattern.' I could see that it had come out in a pattern. Madge,' I said, 'I'm not a script-writer. I know nothing about the cinema.' 'Darling,' said Madge, 'that's not the point, and it doesn't matter.' 'I rather thought it wasn't the point,' I said. 'You haven't understood,' said Madge. 'It's all fixed. The job's yours.' 'Is this job in your gift?' I asked. 'What do you mean?' said Madge. 'I mean, can you give it to anyone you like?' We looked at each other. 'I see,' I said, and settled back into my chair. 'Fill up my glass, would you?' 'Jake, stop being difficult,' said Madge. 'I want to have things clear,' I said. 'You're offering me a sinecure.' 'I'm not sure what that is,' said Madge, but I expect it's that.' 'A sinecure is when you get money for doing nothing,' I said. 'But isn't that exactly what you've always wanted?' said Madge. I looked into the amber depths of my glass. 'Perhaps,' I said, 'but I don't want it now.' I wasn't sure if this was true. It remained to be seen whether it was true. 'Anyway,' said Madge, 'it won't be for doing nothing. You may have all kinds of things to do. There's translating the book, which you'd do anyway.' 'You know perfectly well that that's another matter,' I told her. 'You must be jolly glad,' said Madge, 'that he's written a decent book at last. Everyone says it's marvellous. Particularly since it got the what-not prize.' 'I shall translate no more books for Jean Pierre,' I said. Madge stared at me as if I were mad. 'What do you mean?' she said. 'At Earls Court Road you were always complaining at having to waste your time translating such bad stuff.' 'That's true,' I told her, 'but the logic of the situation