Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys [37]
‘ “Your mother was a sly-boots if ever there was one,” he says, “and I’m not a fool. However the woman’s dead and that’s enough. But if there’s one drop of my blood in your spindly carcass I’ll eat my hat.” By this time my own blood at boiling point, I tell you, so I bawl back at him, “Eat it then. Eat it. You haven’t much time. Not much time either to kiss and love your new wife. She too young for you.” “Great God!” he said and his face go red and then a kind of grey colour. He try to get up but he falls back in his chair. He have a big silver inkstand on his desk, he throw it at my head and he curse me, but I duck and the inkstand hit the door. I have to laugh but I go off quick. He send me some money – not a word, only the money. It’s the last time I see him.’
Daniel breathed deeply and wiped his face again and offered me some rum. When I thanked him and shook my head he poured himself half a glassful and swallowed it.
‘All that long time ago,’ he said.
‘Why did you wish to see me, Daniel?’
The last drink seemed to have sobered him. He looked at me directly and spoke more naturally.
‘I insist because I have this to say. When you ask if what I tell you is true, you will ask though you don’t like me, I see that; but you know well my letter was no lie. Take care who you talk to. Many people like to say things behind your back, to your face they get frightened, or they don’t want to mix up. The magistrate now, he know a lot, but his wife very friendly with the Mason family and she stop him if she can. Then there is my half brother Alexander, coloured like me but not unlucky like me, he will want to tell you all sort of lies. He was the old man’s favourite and he prosper right from the start. Yes, Alexander is a rich man now but he keep quiet about it. Because he prosper he is two-faced, he won’t speak against white people. There is that woman up at your house, Christophine. She is the worst. She have to leave Jamaica because she go to jail: you know that?’
‘Why was she sent to jail? What did she do?’
His eyes slid away from mine. ‘I’ll you I leave Spanish Town, I don’t know all that happen. It’s something very bad. She is obeah woman and they catch her. I don’t believe in all that devil business but many believe. Christophine is a bad woman and she will lie to you worse than your wife. Your own wife she talks sweet talk and she lies.’
The black and gilt clock on a shelf struck four.
I must go. I must get away from this yellow sweating face and his hateful little room. I sat still, numb, staring at him.
‘You like my clock?’ said Daniel. ‘I work hard to buy it. But it’s to please myself. I don’t have to please no woman. Buy me this and buy me that – demons incarnate in my opinion. Alexander now, he can’t keep away from them, and in the end he marry a very fair-coloured girl, very respectable family. His son Sandi is like a white man, but more handsome than any white man, and received by many white people they say. You wife know Sandi since long time. Ask her and she tell you. But not everything I think.’ He laughed. ‘Oh no, not everything. I see them when they think nobody see them. I see her when she … You going eh?’ He darted to the doorway.
‘No you don’t go before I tell you the last thing. You want me to shut my mouth about what I know. She start with Sandi. They fool you well about that girl. She look you straight in the eye and talk sweet talk – and it’s lies she tells you. Lies. Her mother was so. They say she worse than her mother, and she hardly more than a child. Must be you deaf you don’t hear people laughing when you marry her. Don’t waste your anger on me, sir. It’s not I fool you, it’s I wish to open your eyes … A tall fine English gentleman like you, you don’t want to touch a little yellow rat like me eh? Besides I understand well. You believe me, but you want to do everything quiet like the English can. All right. But if I keep