England -- Fiction; Experimental fiction; Psychological fiction; World War, 1914-1918 -- England -- Fiction; Young men -- Fiction
"But he's quite different," said Jinny, folding her hands over the top
of her glass. "I don't suppose you know what Ted means when he says a
thing like that," she said, looking at Jacob. "But I do. Sometimes I
could kill myself. Sometimes he lies in bed all day long--just lies
there.... I don't want you right on the table"; she waved her hands.
Swollen iridescent pigeons were waddling round their feet.
"Look at that woman's hat," said Cruttendon. "How do they come to think
of it? ... No, Flanders, I don't think I could live like you. When one
walks down that street opposite the British Museum--what's it
called?--that's what I mean. It's all like that. Those fat women--and
the man standing in the middle of the road as if he were going to have a
fit ..."
"Everybody feeds them," said Jinny, waving the pigeons away. "They're
stupid old things."
"Well, I don't know," said Jacob, smoking his cigarette. "There's St.
Paul's."
"I mean going to an office," said Cruttendon.
"Hang it all," Jacob expostulated.
"But you don't count," said Jinny, looking at Cruttendon. "You're mad. I
mean, you just think of painting."
"Yes, I know. I can't help it. I say, will King George give way about
the peers?"
"He'll jolly well have to," said Jacob.
"There!" said Jinny. "He really knows."
"You see, I would if I could," said Cruttendon, "but I simply can't."
"I THINK I could," said Jinny. "Only, it's all the people one dislikes
who do it. At home, I mean. They talk of nothing else. Even people like
my mother."
"Now if I came and lived here---" said Jacob. "What's my share,
Cruttendon? Oh, very well. Have it your own way. Those silly birds,
directly one wants them--they've flown away."
And finally under the arc lamps in the Gare des Invalides, with one of
those queer movements which are so slight yet so definite, which may
wound or pass unnoticed but generally inflict a good deal of discomfort,
Jinny and Cruttendon drew together; Jacob stood apart. They had to
separate. Something must be said. Nothing was said. A man wheeled a
trolley past Jacob's legs so near that he almost grazed them. When Jacob
recovered his balance the other two were turning away, though Jinny
looked over her shoulder, and Cruttendon, waving his hand, disappeared
like the very great genius that he was.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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