Angels and Men Read Online Free PDF Page B

or are you just pleased to see me?’ said May. They were both giggling.
    â€˜I wonder how old they are?’
    Too old for you, thought Mara.
    â€˜Rupert’s twenty-eight. I just happen to know that,’ said May. ‘I did some careful angling when his father last came to do a confirmation. “So how old’s your son then, Bishop?” I asked subtly. I expect his friend’s the same age.’
    â€˜Younger. Twenty-six, I’d say. He looks a bit like a workman, though,’ said Maddy with a frown. ‘He has an ear-ring. Could you marry a man with an ear-ring?’
    â€˜Shakespeare had an ear-ring,’ said May.
    â€˜Shakespeare was a pederast,’ said Mara. A slight pause followed this contribution.
    â€˜Which Rupert’s friend isn’t, we devoutly pray and hope,’ said May. ‘We admire him from afar.’
    â€˜Admire, my arse,’ said Maddy. ‘We lust, my dear, we lust. Our room overlooks the street, so we can hang out of the window and watch the men come and go.’
    â€˜Talking of Michelangelo,’ added May.
    â€˜Ignore her. She’s an English student.’
    Mara looked at Maddy. She’s as tall as I am, only she has coped with it differently, growing an extravagant personality to match.
    â€˜And I am a music student,’ continued Maddy, and let forth a tremendous arpeggio.
    There was an angry thump from the other side of the wall.
    â€˜What was that?’ asked Maddy and May together.
    â€˜The polecat,’ said Mara. They looked around in alarm, as though they believed she might well keep one in a box under her desk. ‘Next door,’ she said, pointing at the wall. ‘Whatsisname. The wanker.’ They stared at her in astonishment, then laughed long and hard. Mara covered her smile with her hands.
    â€˜Shut up!’ snarled Maddy, breaking into an impersonation of him. ‘Some of us are trying to work, for Christ’s sake! Oh, howl, howl. The polecat. I think that’s wonderful.’
    Their laughter died away as the cathedral bell began tolling for evensong.
    â€˜Is that the time?’ asked Maddy. ‘We’ll be late for choir practice. Come along, Poppett.’
    â€˜All right, Darling.’ Maddy caught Mara’s questioning look.
    â€˜It’s my surname: Darling. You cannot conceive how I have suffered. Isn’t it bizarre that we should have ended up sharing a room? Rumour has it that the Principal arranges everyone into an amusing order. There’s a whole corridor of men called James and John. But can you really imagine the Principal doing anything amusing?’ She folded her hands piously. ‘Welcome to Jesus College. I trust –’
    â€˜Oh, come on,’ said May, breaking into Maddy’s impersonation. They bundled out of the door.
    â€˜Come for coffee before lunch tomorrow,’ said Maddy, sticking her head back into the room. ‘It’s very important. Bye.’
    They rushed off along the corridor. Mara listened to their footsteps thundering down the stairs. Poppett and Darling. She sat at her desk neither reaching for her books, nor tidying away the remains of the tea. The bell called on and on, and outside the sky faded and streetlights flicked awake. From a hidden tree a robin sang. The tolling stopped and the clock chimed five, but she continued to sit, until darkness filled the room, wondering what she had done. Down on the riverbank the robin continued to sing. My friends, Maddy and May. She experimented with the sound. Maddy and May, friends of mine. It won’t last.
    After dinner Mara roused herself, picked up a file and made her way to the college library. It was empty. Everyone else had better things to do with their evening. The university would be alive with music and talk. All those freshers’ events. She found the book she was looking for and tried to settle down to work. Her thoughts wandered to Maddy and May. Where would