Fancies and Goodnights

 
WET SATURDAY
It was July. In the large, dull house they were imprisoned by the swish and the gurgle and all the hundred sounds of rain. They were in the drawing-room, behind four tall and weeping windows, in a lake of damp and faded chintz.
This house, ill-kept and unprepossessing, was necessary to Mr. Princey, who detested his wife, his daughter, and his hulking son. His life was to walk through the village, touching his hat, not smiling. His cold pleasure was to recapture snapshot memories of the infinitely remote summers of his childhood — coming into the orangery and finding his lost wooden horse, the tunnel in the box hedge, and the little square of light at the end of it. But now all this was threatened — his austere pride of position in the village, his passionate attachment to the house — and all because Millicent, his cloddish daughter Millicent, had done this shocking and incredibly stupid thing. Mr. Princey turned from her in revulsion and spoke to his wife.
«They'd send her to a lunatic asylum,» he said. «A criminal-lunatic asylum. We should have to move away. It would be impossible.»
His daughter began to shake again. «I'll kill myself,» she said.
«Be quiet,» said Mr. Princey. «We have very little time. No time for nonsense. I intend to deal with this.» He called to his son, who stood looking out of the window. «George, come here. Listen. How far did you get with your medicine before they threw you out as hopeless?»
«You know as well as I do,» said George.
«Do you know enough — did they drive enough into your head for you to be able to guess what a competent doctor could tell about such a wound?»
«Well, it's a — it's a knock or blow.»
«If a tile fell from the roof? Or a piece of the coping?»
«Well, guv'nor, you see, it's like this —»
«Is it possible?»
«No.»
«Why not?»
«Oh, because she hit him several times.»
«I can't stand it,» said Mrs. Princey.
«You have got to stand it, my dear,» said her husband. «And keep that hysterical note out of your voice. It might be overheard. We are talking about the weather. If he fell down the well, George, striking his head several times?»
«I really don't know, guv'nor.»
«He'd have had to hit the sides several times in thirty or forty feet, and at the correct angles. No, I'm afraid not. We must go over it all again. Millicent.»
«No! No!»
«Millicent, we must go over it all again. Perhaps you have forgotten something. One tiny irrelevant detail may save or ruin us. Particularly you, Millicent. You don't want to be put in an asylum, do you? Or be hanged?
They might hang you, Millicent. You must stop that shaking. You must keep your voice quiet. We are talking of the weather. Now.»
«I can't. I … I …»
«Be quiet, child. Be quiet.» He put his long, cold face very near to his daughter's. He found himself horribly revolted by her. Her features were thick, her jaw heavy, her whole figure repellently powerful. «Answer me,» he said. «You were in the stable?»
«Yes.»
«One moment, though. Who knew you were in love with this wretched curate?»
«No one. I've never said a —»
«Don't worry,» said George. «The whole god-damned village knows. They've been sniggering about it in the Plough for three years past.»
«Likely enough,» said Mr. Princey. «Likely enough. What filth!» He made as if to wipe something off the backs of his hands. «Well, now, we continue. You were in the stable?»
«Yes.»
«You were putting the croquet set into its box?»
«Yes.»
«You heard someone crossing the yard?»
«Yes.»
«It was Withers?»
«Yes.»
«So you called him?»
«Yes.»
«Loudly? Did you call him loudly? Could anyone have heard?»
«No, Father. I'm sure not. I didn't call him. He saw me as I went to the door. He just waved his hand and came over.»
«How can I find out from you whether there was anyone about? Whether he could have been seen?»
«I'm sure not, Father. I'm quite sure.»
«So you both went into the stable?»
«Yes. It was raining hard.»
«What did he say?»
«He said 'Hullo, Milly.' And to excuse him coming in the back way, but he'd set out to walk over to Bass Hill.»
«Yes.»
«And he said, passing the park, he'd seen the house and suddenly thought of me, and he thought he'd just look in for a minute, just to tell me something. He said he was so happy, he wanted me to share it. He'd heard from the Bishop he was to have the vicarage. And it wasn't only that. It meant he could marry. And he began to stutter. And I thought he meant me.»
«Don't tell me what you thought. Exactly what he said. Nothing else.»
«Well … Oh dear!»
«Don't cry. It is a luxury you cannot afford. Tell me.»
«He said no. He said it wasn't me. It's Ella Brangwyn-Davies. And he was sorry. And all that. Then he went to go —»
«And then?»
«I went mad. He turned his back. I had the winning post of the croquet set in my hand —»
«Did you shout or scream? I mean, as you hit him?»
«No. I'm sure I didn't.»
«Did he? Come on. Tell me.»
«No, Father.»
«And then?»
«I threw it down. I came straight into the house. That's all. I wish I were dead!»
«And you met none of the servants. No one will go into the stable. You see, George, he probably told people he was going to Bass Hill. Certainly no one knows he came here. He might have been attacked in the woods. We must consider every detail … A curate, with his head battered in —»
«Don't, Father!» cried Millicent.
«Do you want to be hanged? A curate, with his head battered in, found in the woods. Who'd want to kill Withers?»
There was a tap on the door, which opened immediately. It was little Captain Smollett, who never stood on ceremony. «Who'd kill Withers?» said he. «I would, with pleasure. How d'you do, Mrs. Princey. I walked right in.»
«He heard you, Father,» moaned Millicent.
«My dear, we can all have our little joke,» said her father. «Don't pretend to be shocked. A little theoretical curate-killing, Smollett. In these days we talk nothing but thrillers.»
«Parsonicide,» said Captain Smollett. «Justifiable parsonicide. Have you heard about Ella Brangwyn-Davies? I shall be laughed at.»
«Why?» said Mr. Princey. «Why should you be laughed at?»
«Had a shot in that direction myself,» said Smollett, with careful sang-froid. «She half said yes, too. Hadn't you heard? She told most people. Now it'll look as if I got turned down for a white rat in a dog collar.»
«Too bad!» said Mr. Princey.
«Fortune of war,» said the little captain.
«Sit down,»said Mr. Princey. «Mother, Millicent, console Captain Smollett with your best light conversation. George and I have something to look to. We shall be back in a minute or two, Smollett. Come, George.»
It was actually five minutes before Mr. Princey and his son returned.
«Excuse me, my dear,» said Mr. Princey to his wife. «Smollett, would you care to see something rather interesting? Come out to the stables for a moment.»
They went into the stable yard. The buildings were now unused except as odd sheds. No one ever went there. Captain Smollett entered, George followed him, Mr. Princey came last. As he closed the door he took up a gun which stood behind it. «Smollett,» said he, «we have come out to shoot a rat which George heard squeaking under that tub. Now, you must listen to me very carefully or you will be shot by accident. I mean that.»
Smollett looked at him. «Very well,» said he. «Go on.»
«A very tragic happening has taken place this afternoon, »said Mr. Princey. «It will be even more tragic unless it is smoothed over.»