'I think you're a hit potty,' she said, holding her head down. 'Aren't you, George? Just a little potty?'
He poured water over her hair, then the shampoo. His hands felt her hard little skull. The water turned a muddy brown.
'Dirty slut, aren't I?' Corn said, with a sudden embarrassed laugh. 'Does it put you off?'
'Keep still,' George said. 'I've nearly finished.' He experienced an overwhelming feeling of love and pity for her: a feeling that he imagined a mother must have for her child. 'There. Now you can sit up. Come into the other room and sit in the sun. It'll dry quickly in the sun.'
When Cora was sitting by the window, George turned his attention to the room.
'Maybe I could sell these newspapers for you,' he said.
'You're the giddy limit,' Cora returned, laughing. 'Try if you want to. I've been too lazy to bother with them. There's a sheeney across the way who buys junk. He keeps open on Sundays.'
George nodded. 'I'll try him. There's such a lot of rubbish here. You can hardly move for falling over it. And the bottles, too. Can I clear them all out?'
'Go ahead, if it amuses you,' she said, regarding him with a puzzled expression in her eyes.
It took George a long time to shift the rubbish, but it pleased him to do so. He made four journeys to the junk shop, and finally, hot and a little exhausted, he presented her with five shillings.
'There!' he said. 'A clear flat and five bob. It's funny, isn't it, that even rubbish is worth money?'
She nodded. 'You're an awful dope, George,' she said. 'Why don't you think big? Look at the effort you've just made to get five bob. With that effort you could have made five pounds.'
He thought about this seriously. 'I don't think so,' he said at last. 'You see, no one can make five pounds quickly unless he has specialized knowledge. Even if it's only backing a horse, you have to know the right horse to hack. You can't make money unless you've been properly trained.' He shrugged uneasily. 'Perhaps that's why I've never had any real money.'
She flicked the cigarette butt into the empty fireplace. 'If I liked to go on the streets,' she said, 'I could earn a hundred pounds a week. I don't have to have specialized knowledge to do that.'
'Why don't you?' George asked, interested to hear what she would say.
She smiled secretly. 'Because it's too easy.'
'I wonder.'
'All right. Because I'm too proud. I've got other ideas.'
'I don't understand how you two live. Does Sydney keep you?'
'You're curious, aren't you?'
George nodded. 'I suppose I am. Well, perhaps I shouldn't ask.'
'We get along. We've been getting along like this for a hell of a time . . . getting nowhere.'
George stood over her. 'You can't go on like this, Cora,' he said. 'I can't go on the way I'm going on now much longer. Couldn't we get together? You and me might do well if we stuck together.'
'Think so?' she said, looking out of the window. 'Well, there're things to do first. I've got other things on my mind . . . important things,' and her hands closed into tight little fists.
She's thinking about tonight, George decided uneasily. In his burst of activity he had forgotten about Crispin and the two Greeks. Instantly his old fears returned.
'I say, Cora,' he said, moving over to the fireplace, 'shouldn't we leave had alone? I mean there might be more trouble.' He glanced in the mirror at the plaster strips on his face. 'They're a pretty rough crowd.'
'If you expect us to stick together,' Cora said slowly, 'you'll have to show a little more guts. I don't like men without spine.' She stood up and, turning her back, she pulled her dressing-gown aside. 'Take a look, George.'
He had one momentary glimpse of the red and black marks on her white flesh before she jerked the dressing- gown into place: a sight that sickened him, angered him and embarrassed him.
She faced him, her eyes probing and cold. 'Well?'
'Oh, Cora,' he said, going to her. He put his arms round her, but she was hard and resisting. She pushed him away.
'Not now, George,' she said impatiently. 'All that can come when this business is over.' She glanced up at him. 'If you really care for me, you're not going to let Crispin get away with this. You've talked a lot about what you did in the States. I want to see what you can do here. When I've seen that, I could be very nice to you.' Her eyes came alive for a moment. 'Very nice to you,' she repeated.
This was too important to George for any misunderstanding. He clutched her hands.
'I'll do anything for you, Cora,' he said, looking wildly into her eyes for her assurance. 'If I do that, you will be nice to me? You will be really nice?' He wanted to say, 'You're promising to give yourself to me?' but he hadn't the courage to come out with it as bluntly as that.
She seemed to know what was in his mind, because she gave him an unmistakable look of promise.
'You won't he disappointed, George,' she said. 'I don't like men messing me about, but you're different. You'll get your reward.'
Later, they went out for a snack. George wanted to take the gun, but Cora wouldn't let him 'Leave it there,' she said, a little sharply. 'It won't run away.'
He walked a step behind her, and glanced from time to time at her with secret pride. The pale blue sweater
