‘I went to remind Eden today that the time had lapsed.’
‘Was that wise?’
‘What does it matter whether it’s wise or not? Did the man think he could keep me in suspense forever? I’d got a perfect right to go and ask him what he had decided about the firm.’
‘And he told you—’
‘Yes, he told me.’ George laughed. ‘He was very genial and avuncular. He was quite glad to tell me. He went so far as to reassure me — I wasn’t to be afraid the change would make any difference to my position. The swine had the impertinence to hint that I thought of myself like any office boy in danger of being dismissed. That’s one of the pleasant features of the whole business: Eden having the kindness to say he wasn’t going to dismiss me. He even went so far as to mention that he and Martineau had both had a high opinion of my ability, and that I’d done good work for the firm. That was the second insult. And the third was when he said I might have slightly more work to do under the new arrangement: so he proposed to give me an extra twenty-five pounds a year.’
‘He meant it good-naturedly.’
‘Nonsense,’ George shouted. ‘If you say that you’re merely associating yourself with the insults. It was completely deliberate. He knew he could go as far as he wanted. And he knew, if he insulted me with an offer like that, I had to accept it. But I don’t think I left him under the illusion that I accepted it very gratefully.’
‘What did you say?’
‘After he’d made it quite clear that he intended to do nothing for me, I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t let him know that he was acting atrociously. So I inquired point blank whether he had considered asking me into the firm. Anyway, I had the satisfaction of making him feel ashamed of himself. He said he had thought about the matter — very carefully — very carefully.’ In the middle of George’s violence, I saw his eyes were bewildered. ‘And although he’d like to very much for many reasons, he thought the present time wasn’t very opportune. I told him there would never be a more opportune one. Then he tried to stand on his dignity and said he proposed not to discuss it now. I asked him when there would be an opportune time and when he proposed to discuss it. He hedged. I kept at him. In the end he said it wouldn’t be until he saw how I developed in the next few years. I asked him what he was implying. He said it was too embarrassing for us both for him to discuss it with me there and then, but that he’d had a few words about it with a friend of mine. He might be able to give me a fairer idea. You realise who that is?’ George’s voice filled the room.
‘Morcom, I suppose,’ I said.
‘I shall go and get things straight with Morcom,’ George said.
‘Wait until tomorrow.’
‘Why should I wait? I only want to explain a few things.’
‘Look here,’ I said. ‘I was there one night when Morcom was trying to defend you—’
‘I don’t believe it,’ said George. ‘You’d better come. I don’t want you to be deluded. In any case, I’m going there now.’
When we had walked through the back streets, I was in one of those states of fatigue, almost like extreme well-being, when one is lighter than the dark streets round one, the rain, and the rushing wind; the glowing windows of the shops by the tramlines at the bottom of the road seemed like the lights scattered round a waterfront.
Across the road from Morcom’s new lodgings, the trees smelt mustily in the rain: the window (I hoped to see it in darkness) was a square of tawny light, and Morcom let us in himself.
‘Good,’ he said, with a smile of pleasure.
‘I’m afraid,’ said George, following him into the room, ‘I’ve only come for a short talk.’
Morcom turned quickly at the tone. ‘Sit down,’ he said.
‘I should like you to explain,’ said George, ‘something that Eden said to me this afternoon. I don’t expect it’s necessary to tell you that he refuses to take me into the firm. He suggested you might be able to tell me the reason better than he could himself.’
‘Lewis knows as much as I do,’ Morcom said.
‘Eden mentioned you by name,’ said George.
‘He’d no right to throw this on me.’
‘That’s irrelevant,’ George said. ‘I’m not interested in Eden’s behaviour. I’ve seen enough of that. I want to know the conversations you’ve had about me.’
‘The only time I’ve heard him speak of you at any length,’ said Morcom, ‘was’ — he looked at me — ‘that Sunday. A fortnight ago. I said what you asked me — and tried to find out what he thought of you. I didn’t tell you the result because I thought it would hurt you. If you must have it — he admitted rather reluctantly that you’d got ability, but he didn’t think you’re reliable enough to be in a responsible position and he’s afraid you’d be a danger to the firm.’
‘What sort of danger?’
‘Roughly that your present way of life would put clients off. It was also pretty clear that it put him off.’
‘What does he know of my way of life?’
‘A fair amount,’ said Morcom.
‘He had the impertinence to mention the Calvert incident. I suppose he knows about the people at the School.’
‘He couldn’t very well help it.’
‘I don’t see why he should imagine anyone disapproving of that.’ George’s voice was penetrating and subdued, as though he were keeping it low by will alone.
‘Simply because he thinks you get the young women together in order to seduce them.’
‘That’s the kind of cheap suspicion a man like that would have. I suppose you didn’t tell him the truth? Did you deny it?’
Morcom flushed. ‘I did what I could.’
‘Eden didn’t give me that impression.’
‘It’s certainly true,’ I broke in. ‘Arthur was as near being rude as I ever heard him.’
As I looked at Morcom, we could not forget one remark in another sense.
‘Even if that’s true,’ said George, ‘you gave different impressions on other nights.’
‘Do you seriously mean,’ Morcom suddenly broke out, ‘that I’ve been blackguarding you in private?’
‘Eden said that most people who knew me thought I was good at deceiving myself. Who said that if you didn’t? Do you mean to say that you never dropped those other hints — to Eden about my behaviour?’
‘If you want me to pretend that I’ve treated you as an entirely sacred subject in conversation with Eden or anyone else,’ Morcom said, ‘I’m afraid I can’t. It isn’t so easy for an outsider to believe in your divine inspiration, you realise.’
‘You mean I’m a megalomaniac?’
‘At times, yes.’
‘That’s an honest remark at last. It’s a relief.’
Morcom raised himself in his chair: ‘We oughtn’t to quarrel. Let’s leave this now.’
There was a silence; then George said: ‘No, one honest remark isn’t enough. It’s time some more were made. This has been going on too long already.
‘You don’t think I’ve been completely taken in, do you?’ George went on. His voice was getting louder now. ‘I’ve credited you with every doubt I could until now. But it wouldn’t be charitable to doubt any more, it would merely be culpable madness. Even when I was giving you the benefit of the doubt, I was all but certain you had been working against me at every single point.’
‘This is sheer mania,’ Morcom said.
‘Mania? I dare say you call it mania to be able to see a connection between some very simple events. Do you call it mania to remember that you discouraged me from taking any steps about Jack Cotery? — one of the few effective things I’ve managed to do in this town. You wouldn’t believe it when I brought it off. You went on to advise him to go into business against my judgment — that might have been disastrous for me. You don’t deny that you tried to take Olive away. With slightly more success. Though not quite as much as you set out for. You hung round her as soon as you realised she was valuable to me.’