〃Whoelse was there？〃 Hammond managed to ask。
〃Nobody。 I was alone with him。〃
Ah； my God； what was she saying！ What was she doing to him！
This would kill him！ And all the while she spoke：
〃I saw the change coming and I sent the steward for the doctor； but the
doctor was too late。 He couldn't have done anything； anyway。〃
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〃Butwhy you； why you？〃 moaned Hammond。
At that Janey turned quickly； quickly searched his face。
〃You don't mind； John； do you？〃 she asked。 〃You don'tIt's nothing
to do with you and me。〃
Somehow or other he managed to shake some sort of smile at her。
Somehow or other he stammered： 〃Nogoon； go on！ I want you to
tell me。〃
〃But； John darling〃
〃Tell me； Janey！〃
〃There's nothing to tell；〃 she said； wondering。 〃He was one of the
first… class passengers。 I saw he was very ill when he came on
board。。。But he seemed to be so much better until yesterday。 He had a
severe attack in the afternoonexcitementnervousness； I think； about
arriving。 And after that he never recovered。〃
〃But why didn't the stewardess〃
〃Oh； my dearthe stewardess！〃 said Janey。 〃What would he have felt？
And besides。。。he might have wanted to leave a message。。。to〃
〃Didn't he？〃 muttered Hammond。 〃Didn't he say anything？〃
〃No； darling； not a word！〃 She shook her head softly。 〃All the time
I was with him he was too weak。。。he was too weak even to move a
finger。。。〃
Janey was silent。 But her words； so light； so soft； so chill； seemed to
hover in the air； to rain into his breast like snow。
The fire had gone red。 Now it fell in with a sharp sound and the
room was colder。 Cold crept up his arms。 The room was huge；
immense； glittering。 It filled his whole world。 There was the great
blind bed； with his coat flung across it like some headless man saying his
prayers。 There was the luggage； ready to be carried away again；
anywhere； tossed into trains； carted on to boats。
。。。〃He was too weak。 He was too weak to move a finger。〃 And yet
he died in Janey's arms。 Shewho'd nevernever once in all these years…
…never on one single solitary occasion
No； he mustn't think of it。 Madness lay in thinking of it。 No； he
wouldn't face it。 He couldn't stand it。 It was too much to bear！
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And now Janey touched his tie with her fingers。 She pinched the
edges of the tie together。
〃You're notsorry I told you； John darling？ It hasn't made you sad？
It hasn't spoilt our eveningour being alone together？〃
But at that he had to hide his face。 He put his face into her bosom
and his arms enfolded her。
Spoilt their evening！ Spoilt their being alone together！ They would
never be alone together again。
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13。 BANK HOLIDAY。
A stout man with a pink face wears dingy white flannel trousers； a blue
coat with a pink handkerchief showing； and a straw hat much too small for
him； perched at the back of his head。 He plays the guitar。 A little chap
in white canvas shoes； his face hidden under a felt hat like a broken wing；
breathes into a flute； and a tall thin fellow； with bursting over…ripe button
boots； draws ribbonslong； twisted； streaming ribbonsof tune out of a
fiddle。 They stand； unsmiling； but not serious； in the broad sunlight
opposite the fruit…shop； the pink spider of a hand beats the guitar； the little
squat hand； with a brass…and…turquoise ring； forces the reluctant flute； and
the fiddler's arm tries to saw the fiddle in two。
A crowd collects； eating oranges and bananas； tearing off the skins；
dividing； sharing。 One young girl has even a basket of strawberries； but
she does not eat them。 〃Aren't they dear！〃 She stares at the tiny pointed
fruits as if she were afraid of them。 The Australian soldier laughs。
〃Here； go on； there's not more than a mouthful。〃 But he doesn't want her
to eat them； either。 He likes to watch her little frightened face； and her
puzzled eyes lifted to his： 〃Aren't they a price！〃 He pushes out his
chest and grins。 Old fat women in velvet bodicesold dusty pin…
cushions lean old hags like worn umbrellas with a quivering bonnet on
top； young women； in muslins； with hats that might have grown on hedges；
and high pointed shoes； men in khaki； sailors； shabby clerks； young Jews
in fine cloth suits with padded shoulders and wide trousers； 〃hospital
boys〃 in bluethe sun discovers themthe loud； bold music holds them
together in one big knot for a moment。 The young ones are larking；
pushing each other on and off the pavement； dodging； nudging； the old
ones are talking： 〃So I said to 'im； if you wants the doctor to yourself；
fetch 'im； says I。〃
〃An' by the time they was cooked there wasn't so much as you could
put in the palm of me 'and！〃
The only ones who are quiet are the ragged children。 They stand； as
close up to the musicians as they can get； their hands behind their backs；
their eyes big。 Occasionally a leg hops； an arm wags。 A tiny staggerer；
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overcome； turns round twice； sits down solemn； and then gets up again。
〃Ain't it lovely？〃 whispers a small girl behind her hand。
And the music breaks into bright pieces； and joins together again； and
again breaks； and is dissolved； and the crowd scatters； moving slowly up
the hill。
At the corner of the road the stalls begin。
〃Ticklers！ Tuppence a tickler！ 'Ool 'ave a tickler？ Tickle 'em up；
boys。〃 Little soft brooms on wire handles。 They are eagerly bought by
the soldiers。
〃Buy a golliwog！ Tuppence a golliwog！〃
〃Buy a jumping donkey！ All alive…oh！〃
〃Su…perior chewing gum。 Buy something to do； boys。〃
〃Buy a rose。 Give 'er a rose； boy。 Roses； lady？〃
〃Fevvers！ Fevvers！〃 They are hard to resist。 Lovely； streaming
feathers； emerald green； scarlet； bright blue； canary yellow。 Even the
babies wear feathers threaded through their bonnets。
And an old woman in a three…cornered paper hat cries as if it were her
final parting advice； the only way of saving yourself or of bringing him to
his senses： 〃Buy a three…cornered 'at； my dear； an' put it on！〃 It is a
flying day； half sun； half wind。 When the sun goes in a shadow flies over；
when it comes out again it is fiery。 The men and women feel it burning
their backs； their breasts and their arms； they feel their bodies expanding；
coming alive。。。so that they make large embracing gestures； lift up their
arms； for nothing； swoop down on a girl； blurt into laughter。
Lemonade！ A whole tank of it stands on a table covered with a cloth；
and lemons like blunted fishes blob in the yellow water。 It looks solid；
like a jelly； in the thick glasses。 Why can't they drink it without spilling
it？ Everybody spills it； and before the glass is handed back the last drops
are thrown in a ring。
Round the ice…cream cart； with its striped awning and bright brass
cover； the children cluster。 Little tongues lick； lick round the cream
trumpets； round the squares。 The cover is lifted； the wooden spoon
plunges in； one shuts one's eyes to feel it； silently scrunching。
〃Let these little birds tell you your future！〃 She stands beside the
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cage； a shrivelled ageless Italian； clasping and unclasping her dark claws。
Her face； a treasure of delicate carving； is tied in a green…and…gold scarf。
And inside their prison the love…birds flutter towards the papers in the
seed…tray。
〃You have great strength of character。 You will marry a red…haired
man and have three children。 Beware of a blonde woman。〃 Look out！
Look out！ A motor…car driven by a fat chauffeur comes rushing down the
hill。 Inside there a blonde woman； pouting； leaning forwardrushing
through your life beware！ beware！
〃Ladies and gentlemen； I am an auctioneer by profession； and if what I
tell you is not the truth I am liable to have my licence taken away from me
and a heavy imprisonment。〃 He holds the licence across hi