to his own surprise. He had had no idea what he had been expecting, but he knew plainly enough that it had not taken place; he had stuck it out to the end from pure obstinacy. He realised that he had begun to put a growing emotional stake on the service ever since the evening Glover had in effect agreed to officiate. And nothing had happened, so unequivocally and with such finality that the chance of any significant event, any change, was ruled out for ever. That was the day Wright finally despaired.
16
‘What a glorious day.’
‘All put on specially for you, my darling. You look your loveliest in the sunlight. It brings out the colours in your hair.’
‘It also brings out the freckles on my skin. I suppose you’re going to say you hadn’t noticed them.’
‘You underrate me. To say I hadn’t noticed them would be to slight them. In fact they constitute one of your great beauties.’
‘Dearest Theodore, I really think you should try to be a little more selective in your flattery.’
‘Now you do me an injustice: I’m highly selective. Should I ever come across a piece of you I don’t find beautiful I intend to keep silent on the matter.’
‘You’ll have plenty to choose from.’
Nina had spoken without thinking. When she did think, desire made her catch her breath and turn her head away. She had on the instant such a vivid sense of lying naked in Theodore’s arms that she found it hard to believe that it had never happened, that their closest physical intimacy had been a kiss, an embrace that no one living could possibly have found improper, or rather a fairly crowded series of embraces. Hearing of this from her, Alexander had shown or feigned surprise and indirectly (but clearly) intimated that it could be nothing but the result of deficient erotic drive, especially on Theodore’s part. As if he had read her thoughts the latter got hastily to his feet at that moment and strolled up the ornamental steps to the small summer-house, containing a likewise small sarcophagus, near which they had been sitting. On every side were assorted saplings and the stumps of cedars, oaks and pines.
‘Whose tomb is this?’ he asked.
‘I don’t know, darling. But is it a tomb? It isn’t big enough, surely.’
‘
‘Well yes, if we can, but perhaps we can’t.’
‘M’m.’
She certainly followed his thoughts at that point. ‘I hear the
‘We had some of the people in for interview today. They said they enjoyed the singing but didn’t know what the
‘Oh dear. He’s very old, isn’t he?’
‘The attendance at the exhibition of visual arts has been very bad, almost non-existent, in fact, and some of the paintings have been defaced or ripped from the walls. I’m dreading the music recital.’
‘When is that?’
‘Tomorrow night. I wish I knew what we’ve done wrong.
‘You’ve all had something else on your minds.’
‘Yes.’ He spoke without conviction.
‘Is everyone ready for Sunday?’
‘As ready as they’ll ever be.’
Suddenly Nina felt a dreadful incredulity, like a void in the middle of her life and emotions; could it be another involuntary message from Theodore? At any rate, she found herself facing as if for the first time the concept that in a single day the whole world was going to be changed. She was being asked to believe that within a few kilometres of her there were hundreds of respectable-seeming people, including the mild young man she was talking to, who after a morning and afternoon just like any other would start pulling out guns, arresting important officials, occupying public buildings, giving orders. And being obeyed – that was the hardest part. Surely Director Vanag would just smile, shake his head and go on as before if anybody tried to tell him what to do. She started to speak and stopped again.
‘I suppose…
‘What’? What is it?’
‘This isn’t all a joke? There is going to be a revolution?’
‘No joke. Whether there’s going to be a revolution or not is largely a matter of words. By now it looks more as if there’ll be just a peaceful and orderly transfer of power. The important part, the real work will come afterwards.’
Before she could say anything to that her attention was caught by the sight of Alexander a hundred metres away leading Polly up the shallow incline from the churchyard, moving purposefully, not at his more usual dreamy stroll. Nina waved to him and he raised his hand rather stiffly in reply. He was hitching the mare to the little temple when, as though by prearrangement, the figures of Elizabeth Cuy and a brown-liveried manservant of the house emerged from the hall door on to the top of the steps. On seeing Alexander she hurried down them and embraced him with much zeal; even at the distance of the summer-house the lack of real warmth in his response could be seen. Before she had released him he shouted a quite sufficiently curt order to the servant to take the mare to the stables; then he set off towards the waiting pair with Elizabeth unregarded at his side.
‘She keeps coming back for more,’ said Nina. ‘I couldn’t if it were me.’
‘Why does she do it? Assuming you’re right.’
‘It’s funny, it’s as if she positively wanted him to turn her down. I suppose in one way that’s easier than… And even the bad language…
‘What? How beautiful you look. What on earth am I saying? How beautiful you are.’
She was certainly looking her best, happy, healthy and altogether young; there were indeed freckles enough over her jaws and temples but of lines none at all. By some trick of chance her sleeveless dress had been cut right and its two shades of green suited her colouring, which was brighter than ever in the sun. Without a word she stepped up into the summer-house and, out of sight, they kissed. Although he was nothing but gentle with her he seemed to her infinitely strong.
They were sitting on the steps when the other two arrived. Alexander’s expression was curious. It was serious and even troubled but Nina thought she read a kind of elation in it too. Addressing himself directly to Theodore he said,
‘The information was not forthcoming.’
‘Any reason given?’
‘The person who was to have supplied it to my source is proving stubborn. Or so I was told.’
‘That sounds rather fishy, somehow.’
‘I thought so too. Delivery is promised for Friday afternoon without fail.’
‘Not much more than forty-eight hours before we go into action. Fishier and fishier.’
‘Agreed.’
The general topic under discussion was clear enough to Nina. ‘You can say anything you like; I’ll vouch for her.’
Theodore said rather wearily, ‘As you’ll have gathered, we were expecting some information that has failed to arrive. There’s an old principle about being kept in ignorance of what you needn’t know.
‘Of course,’ said Nina. ‘So that there’s that much less for you to be able to give away under interrogation.’
