The Forgotten Story Read Online Free PDF Page B

queen don’t know about marriage, you can take it from me.’ He drew at his pipe with a wet sucking noise, then spat over the side.
    â€˜Cousin Pat never told me she was married,’ Anthony blurted out, committing the impropriety of interrupting his uncle in full spate. ‘When was she married? What’s her husband? Don’t they get on?’
    â€˜Eh? What’s that?’ Perry’s winking dark eyes grew vague. He took his pipe from his mouth and stared at it, then knocked out the contents upon the palm of his hand. This black half-burned tobacco he rolled again into a ball between his palms and thrust it back into the bowl of his pipe. Then he blew away the ash, took a little fresh tobacco and pushed it down on top of the old. He struck a match and the wet sucking process began afresh. ‘Pat. Oh, Pat.’ He laughed. ‘She’s fickle, boy. A little filly who doesn’t know what she really wants, see?’ He nodded and sucked and his black hair fell across his brow. ‘At that age, boy, they’re nervous. Not properly broken in, as you might say; mettlesome. First touch of the bridle and they’re up and away. But she’s tasted flesh. She’ll go back one day. Once they’ve tasted flesh, they always go back to it. That’s what the tiger does, boy. In Madras; when I was in Madras in ’91 –’
    â€˜Who is he, her husband?’ the boy persisted. ‘Have you seen him?’
    â€˜Seen him? Of course I’ve seen him. He’s a lawyer from Penryn. They were only married in April. Couple of little budgerigars inching up to each other on the same twig. Sweet, they were. Little love birds. Then they were married. She went to live in Penryn. Handsome house, money no object. Eating off silver. Then of a sudden she comes home all of a sweat, nostrils quivering. “Go back?” she say. “Not I!” ’ Uncle Perry’s pipe had gone out again. ‘ Little filly … Wants breaking in, that’s all. She’ll go back.’
    At that moment they heard the subject under discussion calling them to tea. Anthony felt he had that afternoon become an adult. Never before had he been admitted to the confidences of a man. He was tremendously grateful to Uncle Perry for being treated as an equal. The enormous mysteries of life bulked large in the hot June sun. All the same he felt that Perry had gone over the mark in his talk of Patricia. As he sat at tea with the family all his admiration for the charm and prettiness of the girl filled him afresh.
    The evening passed much as the previous one had done. Feeling more at home, the boy began to make himself useful, and during the evening rush hour his quick legs were a help. Recovering from the shock of dinner time he set himself whenever possible to help Patricia. The fleeting smiles that she gave him were sufficient reward. She was not so vivacious as the previous evening, and it was evident to the boy that her husband’s visit had upset her.
    The fact that the unknown man was a lawyer made Anthony think of someone like Mr Parks, who was thin and grey-bearded and dry and talked through his nose. The idea that this beautiful fresh young girl should have tied herself for life to such a creature, covered with the dust of the law, appalled him. For the first time in his life his inquiring mind turned upon the subject of divorce. He resolved to ask Uncle Perry. Uncle Perry would be sure to know not only all about divorce in this country but also in Asia, Africa and the South Sea Islands.
    Anthony decided to stay up later tonight to see all that there was to be seen, but by nine o’clock he could hardly keep his eyes open. He had slept badly last night and had been up very early two mornings together. So after a struggle nature had its way; he wished the kitchen staff good night and climbed the stairs to bed even before the old man with the one leg had begun to play his