Im sorry youve had this trouble. Shes a very old woman and she may be getting tiresome. Weve never had much real trouble with her up to now. Ill speak to her and tell her to lay off.
If you would, I said.
He hesitated a minute and then said:
I dont like to suggest things but as far as you know, Mr Rogers, is there anyone around here who might perhaps for some trivial cause have it in for you or your wife?
I should think it most unlikely. Why?
Old Mrs Lee has been flush of money lately I dont know where its coming from
What are you suggesting?
It could be someone is paying her someone who wants you out of here. There was an incident a good many years ago. She took money from someone in the village to frighten a neighbour away. Doing this same sort of stuff threats warnings evil eye business Village people are superstitious. Youd be surprised at the number of villages in England that have got their private witch, so to speak. She got a warning then and so far as I know shes never tried it on since but it could be like that. Shes fond of money theyll do a lot for money
But I couldnt accept that idea. I pointed out to Keene that we were complete strangers here. Weve not had time to make enemies, I said.
I walked back to the house worried and perplexed. As I turned the corner of the terrace, I heard the faint sound of Ellies guitar, and a tall figure, who had been standing by the window looking in, wheeled round and came towards me. For a moment I thought it was a gipsy, then I relaxed as I recognized Santonix.
Oh, I said with a slight gasp, its you. Where have you sprung from? Weve not heard from you for ages.
He didnt answer me directly. He just caught my arm and drew me away from the window.
So shes here! he said. Im not surprised. I thought shed come sooner or later. Why did you let her? Shes dangerous. You ought to know that.
You mean Ellie?
No, no, not Ellie. The other one! Whats her name? Greta?
I stared at him.
Do you know what Gretas like or dont you? Shes come, hasnt she? Taken possession! You wont get rid of her now. Shes come to stay.
Ellie sprained her ankle, I said. Greta came to look after her. Shes I suppose shes going soon.
You dont know anything of the kind. She always meant to come. I knew that. I took her measure when she came down while the house was building.
Ellie seems to want her, I muttered.
Oh yes, shes been with Ellie some time, hasnt she? She knows how to manage Ellie.
That was what Lippincott had said. Id seen for myself lately how true it was.
Do you want her here, Mike?
I cant throw her out of the house, I said irritably. Shes Ellies old friend. Her best friend. What the hell can I do about it?
No, said Santonix, I suppose you cant do anything, can you?
He looked at me. It was a very strange glance. Santonix was a strange man. You never knew what his words really meant.
Do you know where youre going, Mike? he said. Have you any idea? Sometimes I dont think you know anything at all.
Of course I know, I said. Im doing what I want to. Im going where I wanted.
Are you? I wonder. I wonder if you really know what you want yourself. Im afraid for you with Greta. Shes stronger than you are, you know.
I dont see how you make that out. It isnt a question of strength.
Isnt it? I think it is. Shes the strong kind, the kind that always gets her way. You didnt mean to have her here. Thats what you said. But here she is, and Ive been watching them. She and Ellie sitting together, at home together, chattering and settled in. What are you, Mike? The outsider? Or arent you an outsider?
Youre crazy, the things you say. What do you mean Im an outsider? Im Ellies husband, arent I?
Are you Ellies husband or is Ellie your wife?
Youre daft, I said. Whats the difference?
He sighed. Suddenly, his shoulders sagged as though vigour went out of him.
I cant reach you, said Santonix. I cant make you hear me. I cant make you understand. Sometimes I think you do understand, sometimes I think you dont know anything at all about yourself or anyone else.
Look here, I said, Ill take so much from you, Santonix. Youre a wonderful architect but
His face changed in the queer way it had.
Yes, he said, Im a good architect. This house is the best thing I have done. Im as near as possible satisfied with it. You wanted a house like this. And Ellie wanted a house like this, too, to live in with you. Shes got it and youve got it. Send that other woman away, Mike, before its too late.
How can I upset Ellie?
That womans got you where she wants you, said Santonix.
Look here, I said, I dont like Greta. She gets on my nerves. The other day I even had a frightful row with her. But none of its as simple as you think.
No, it wont be simple with her.
Whoever called this place Gipsys Acre and said it had a curse on it may have had something, I said angrily. Weve got gipsies who jump out from behind trees and shake fists at us and warn us that if we dont get out of here, some awful fate will happen to us. This place that ought to be good and beautiful.
They were queer words to say, those last ones. I said them as though it was somebody else saying them.
Yes, it should be like that, said Santonix. It should be. But it cant be, can it, if there is something evil possessing it?
You dont believe, surely, in
There are many queer things I believe I know something about evil. Dont you realize, havent you often felt, that I am partly evil myself? Always have been. Thats why I know when its near me, although I dont always know exactly where it is I want the house I built purged of evil. You understand that? His tone was menacing. You understand that? It matters to me.
Then his whole manner changed.
Come on, he said, dont lets talk a lot of nonsense. Lets come in and see Ellie.
So we went in through the window and Ellie greeted Santonix with enormous pleasure.
Santonix showed all his normal manner that evening. There were no more histrionics, he was his own self, charming, light-hearted. He talked mostly to Greta, giving her as it were the special benefit of his charm. And he had a lot of charm. Anyone would have sworn that he was impressed by her, that he liked her, that he was anxious to please her. It made me feel that Santonix was really a dangerous man, there was a great deal more to him than I had ever glimpsed.
Greta always responded to admiration. She showed herself at her best. She could on occasion dim her beauty or else reveal it and tonight she looked as beautiful as Id ever seen her. Smiling at Santonix, listening to him as though spellbound. I wondered what lay behind his manner. You never knew with Santonix. Ellie said she hoped he was staying for several days but he shook his head. He had to leave on the following day, he said.
Are you building something now, are you busy?
Are you building something now, are you busy?
He said no, hed just come out of hospital.
Theyve patched me up once more, he said, but its probably for the last time.
Patched you up? What do they do to you?
Drain the bad blood out of my body and put some good, fresh red blood in, he said.
Oh. Ellie gave a little shudder.
Dont worry, said Santonix, it will never happen to you.
But why has it got to happen to you? said Ellie. Its cruel.
Not cruel, no, said Santonix. I heard what you were singing just now.
Man was made for Joy and Woe
And when this we rightly know
Thro the World we safely go.
I go safely because I know why Im here. And for you, Ellie:
Every Morn and every Night
Some are born to Sweet Delight.
Thats you.
I wish I could feel safe, said Ellie.
Dont you feel safe?
I dont like to be threatened, said Ellie. I dont like anyone to put a curse on me.
Youre talking about your gipsy?
Yes.
Forget it, said Santonix. Forget it for tonight. Lets be happy. Ellie your health Long life to you and a quick and merciful end to me and good luck to Mike here He stopped, his glass raised towards Greta.
Yes? said Greta. And to me?
And to you, whats coming to you! Success, perhaps? he added, half quizzically with an ironic question in his tone.
He went away next morning early.
What a strange man he is, Ellie said. Ive never understood him.
I never understand half of what he says, I answered.
He knows things, said Ellie thoughtfully.
You mean he knows the future?
No, said Ellie, I didnt mean that. He knows people. I said it to you once before. He knows people better than they know themselves. Sometimes he hates them because of that, and sometimes hes sorry for them. Hes not sorry for me, though, she added meditatively.
Why should he be? I demanded.
Oh, because said Ellie.
Chapter 16
It was the next day in the afternoon that as I was walking rather rapidly in the darkest part of the wood where the shade of the pine trees was more menacing than anywhere else, I saw the figure of a tall woman standing in the drive. I took a quick impulsive step off the path. Id taken it for granted that she was our gipsy but I stopped in sudden recoil when I saw who it actually was. It was my mother. She stood there tall and grim and grey-haired.
Good Lord, I said, you startled me, Mum. What are you doing here? Come to see us? Weve asked you often enough, havent we?
We hadnt actually. Id extended one rather lukewarm invitation, that was all. Id put it, too, in a way which made it pretty sure that my mother wouldnt accept. I didnt want her here. Id never wanted her here.
Youre right, she said. Ive come to see you at last. To see alls well with you. So this is the grand house youve built, and it is a grand house, she said, looking over my shoulder.
I thought I detected in her voice the disapproving acidity that Id expected to find.
Too grand for the likes of me, eh? I said.
I didnt say that, lad.
But you thought it.
It wasnt what you were born to, and no good comes from getting out of your station in life.
Nobodyd ever get anywhere if they listened to you.
Aye, I know thats what you say and think, but I dont know what good ambitions ever done to anybody. Its the kind of thing that turns to dead-sea fruit[58] in your mouth.
Ah, for Gods sake dont croak, I said. Come on. Come along up to see our grand house for yourself and turn up your nose at it. And come and see my grand wife, too, and turn up your nose at her if you dare.
Your wife? Ive seen her already.
What do you mean, youve seen her already? I demanded.
So she didnt tell you, eh?
What? I demanded.
That she came to see me.
She came to see you? I asked, dumbfounded.
Yes. There she was one day standing outside the door, ringing the bell and looking a little scared. Shes a pretty lass and a sweet one for all the fine clothes she had on. She said, Youre Mikes mother, arent you? and I said, Yes, and who are you? and she said, Im his wife. She said, I had to come to see you. It didnt seem right that I shouldnt know Mikes mother And I said, I bet he didnt want you to, and she hesitated, and I said: You dont need to mind telling me that. I know my boy and I know what hed want or not want. She said, You think perhaps hes ashamed of you because he and you are poor and Im rich, but it isnt like that at all. That isnt like him at all. It isnt, really it isnt. I said again, You dont need to tell me, lass. I know what faults my boy has. Thats not one of his faults. Hes not ashamed of his mother and hes not ashamed of his beginnings.
Hes not ashamed of me, I said to her. Hes afraid of me if anything. I know too much about him, you see. And that seemed to amuse her. She said, I expect mothers always feel like that that they know all about their sons. And I expect sons always feel embarrassed just because of that!
I said in a way that might be true enough. When youre young, youre always putting on an act to the world. I mind myself, when I was a child in my aunties house. On the wall over my bed there was a great big eye in a gilt frame. It said Thou God seest me. Gave me the creeps it did all up my spine before I went to sleep.
Ellie should have told me shed been to see you, I said. I dont see why she should keep it such a secret. She should have told me.
I was angry. I was very angry. Id had no idea that Ellie would keep secrets like that from me.
She was a little scared of what shed done, maybe, but shed no call to be frightened of you, my boy.
Come on, I said, come on and see our house.
I dont know whether she liked our house or not. I think not. She looked round the rooms and raised her eyebrows and then she went into the terrace room. Ellie and Greta were sitting there. Theyd just come in from outside and Greta had a scarlet wool cloak half over her shoulders. My mother looked at them both. She just stood there for a moment as though rooted to the spot. Ellie jumped up and came forward and across the room.
Oh, its Mrs Rogers, she said, then turning to Greta, she said, Its Mikes mother come to see our house and us. Isnt that nice? This is my friend Greta Andersen.
And she held out both her hands and took Mums and Mum looked hard at her and then looked over her shoulder at Greta very hard.
I see, she said to herself, I see.
What do you see? asked Ellie.
I wondered, said Mum. I wondered what it would all be like here. She looked round her. Yes, its a fine house. Fine curtains and fine chairs and fine pictures.
You must have some tea, said Ellie.
You look as if youve finished tea.