One after another the lights were coming on up the hall, and from the cavernous dark behind him — Oscar? Who is it.
— It's just Christina he called back, watching her sit down loosening her coat, simply looking at him across the room as over a great distance, clutching a worn book in her hands, all she'd brought.
— It's chilly in here, she said finally.
— Well of course it's chilly Christina it's the middle of the night, what did you ex…
— You'd better get some trousers on before you catch another cold and, oh Lily. I'm sorry, I woke you didn't I.
— Of course you woke her you woke both of us, it's the middle of the…
— You don't look well, Lily. Are you all right?
— She's had some bad news Christina, she's had a bad disappointment, you can see she's been crying can't you?
— No I'm okay I'm just, do you want some tea or something? You look cold.
— I'm a little bit hungry.
— Well we're all hungry Christina, we couldn't go shopping without a car could we? The way you drove my car out of here without even, without even calling we didn't know when you'd be back, there's nothing here but a box of spaghetti we can't go shopping in the middle of the night can we? I've been trying to call you and you wouldn't even answer that message I left on your machine, all I got was some woman who said she was Harry's sister what was she doing there, she hung up in my face I didn't even know he had one.
— Her name is Masha. He had two.
— Did she tell you I called? You knew what things were like out here, you could have called couldn't you? just to tell us when you'd be back so we wouldn't, so we'd know what was going on? or at least had him call? just had Harry call couldn't you?
— Harry's dead, Oscar.
— Well if he, if that's all he, what? No, what did you say?
— I'd rather not say it twice.
— But, no. No that's, no but wait Christina that's not what I, no! broken off by a rush and a cry of such anguish behind him that he was left standing there as though his blood had frozen.
— Oh God. Go and see to her, will you?
— But…
— Go and help her! her own hands coming up to bury her face — and for God's sake Oscar put on some trousers!
When he came back in fumbling with his clothes she was standing at the window gazing out at the dull glow in the sky far over the pond and he hesitated, and sat down on the sofa. — What happened? and after a moment she turned, sniffing into a tissue.
— Have you been smoking in here?
— Good God Christina I asked you what happened!
— And I just told you I'd rather not repeat it didn't I? She blew her nose sharply, — will you turn up the heat in here? It's cold as a tomb.
— I mean how did he, you know what I mean! We've been worried about you I've called and I just get this sister, this Masha hanging up in my face what's it all about, will you tell me?
— She's loathsome, they both are, the other one's a simpering little thing called Norrie poking around the apartment behind doors and plants I finally asked her what she was looking for, just that painting I gave you Christina, I thought you might have it hanging somewhere? A perfectly hideous thing of a sunset she'd painted herself for a wedding present that made it mean more than just spending a lot of money on some old Rembrandt and she wanted it back, can you imagine? We always wanted warm friendly relations with you when you joined the family but you always seemed so distant because we never had them in to dinner my God, joined the family! while both of them are looking at me as though I'd poisoned him Harry couldn't stand them either, Masha's husband Leo trying to pull him in on some sleazy real estate deal the one time they met he's a slumlord in Cleveland, shows her off in so much jewelry on her it looks fake painted up like a two dollar whore in there right now going through my cosmetics, she's…
— But why are they, what are they doing there! You mean you just walked out and left them in your…
— I told you didn't I! I couldn't stand the sight of them the, these dirty little looks between them, you and Harry weren't having any problems were you Christina? She's mean as a snake, Masha, both of them blaming me like ten of them trying to corner me that place all glass and mirrors and chrome that had been so, been so glorious when Harry and I, when I came in and he was standing there in a towel and the light and, and I had to get out I just had to get out!
— But they, is that all you brought with you? that book? Why did you…
— I don't know why I brought it! I just saw it there and, and…
— Oscar leave her alone!
— But all I wanted to know was…
— Just quit it! tea splashing from the cup in her haste across the room where their hands clasped one in the other, and the battered copy of Hard Times went to the floor.
— God Lily thank you I, I'm just exhausted, I…
— Listen! catching their breath for the shuffle of carpet slippers far down the hall and, as they sank down slowly, a distant trickle, trickle.
— My God is that, is he still here?
— He's still here! I told you Oscar, didn't I tell you? she hissed — he's the one! He's the one that brought it into this house with those ashes and his black sock and the snakes he's the one, she whispered.
— Lily listen you're just upset, we've got the car back now, when the time comes we can work things out but it's still the middle of the…
— Oscar look out the window it's not the middle of the night! Get him out of here! he's, I told you he's the messenger he can take it someplace else before he takes us all to the other side with him, get his clothes and get him in the car and get him out of here, he's done enough hasn't he? Look at her, look at Christina she's coming to pieces right in front of your eyes while you sit there asking these dumb questions, will you go put some clothes on and get him dressed while he's still up on his feet? Drink that while it's hot Christina and then go up and lay down, I'm going in and wash my face.
Now with dawn breaking through the frosted panes and the creak of the heat rising he came forth buttoning the gap in his trousers like some frayed apparition of old Saint Nick caught out, the last of the Magi surrounded by childhood betrayed in faces drained of all illusion as she skewed the plundered Gladstone toward the hall — and get him that coat Oscar with the fur collar on it.
— But that coat was…
— Just get it! herding him ahead of her now, — Christina? are the keys in the car?
— Yes but let Oscar do it, he can take the…
— He can stay here you might need him, can I take your coat?
— Yes here but, no I just need to sleep for God's sake take him with you and, Lily? will you pick up some food?
And as the doors clattered behind them — Get his arm, put him in the back he can sleep back there, can't he? and watching the fumbling at the brake, the ignition — my God here, let me drive or we'll never get there.
— But where, where are we going? he asked gripping the dashboard as they careened up the pitted drive.
— To the airport where do you think, you said he has his round trip ticket didn't you? as they swerved out into the road — and turn on some music will you? in case he should start to talk? and so they roared out onto the empty highway to the lowering strains of the Verklärte Nacht until she stabbed at the switch and engulfed them in noise more attuned to the speed of the car.