not! The Moderator’s family are one thing, children another,’ said Roy sharply. ‘That would be a shocking example for the lower orders.’
‘Anyway, reckon I’ll be out with the Doc here,’ said Is. ‘ Working. ’
She had taken a strong dislike to her Uncle Roy, and thought it a pity that he had not met the same fate as his brothers. Not enough wolves in these parts, she thought; reckon they stay south, where it’s warmer.
A sallow-faced man with straight black hair falling to his shoulders now stepped into the room and said to Roy, ‘Your Worship, we shall be late for the Managers’ Conference if we don’t leave here directly.’ He sent a supercilious glance over the shabby room and the people in it.
‘Oh, very well. Very well. Though it won’t hurt those fellows to wait for me. Take those posters, Dagly. Here – you – ’ said Roy to Is, ‘step out of doors with me a minute, will you?’ – beckoning her with a stubby, short-fingered hand.
Is caught Aunt Ishie’s eye. It was full of warning.
Slightly mystified, Is followed Roy, who had stumped ahead out into the little, untidy, snowy front garden. In the road beyond waited a handsome carriage, drawn by four fat glossy horses.
‘Listen you – what’s-your-name,’ said Uncle Roy. ‘ Lord knows how you found your way here, and you’re devilish lucky not to be down the mines this very minute. And I want you to keep that in mind! I’m the Moderator of this Region, and if I choose to send you down the mine, that’s where you’ll go. Understand?’
Is nodded.
‘Well then! Remember that! I don’t object to your working for Doctor Lemman – he’s a clever doctor, and he could use some help – so long as you work hard and pay heed and learn all he can teach you. That way you can make yourself useful. But you’ll be doing it on my sufferance. And there’s something I want you to do for me in return. Understand?’
‘What, Uncle Roy?’
‘You’re staying here with your great-grandfather and aunt?’
She nodded again.
‘Good. That is, it ain’t good, it’s devilish annoying, to have my own family practically squatting in such filthy, beggarly conditions. Lord knows, I’ve tried – but that ain’t to the purpose. – You may have noticed that your great-grandpa is – is a strapping, likely old fellow for his age – eh?’
‘Yus,’ said Is.
‘You may have wondered how he got to such an age – you may even have asked?’
‘Yus.’
‘ Did you ask?’
‘Yus.’
‘And did he – by any chance – let fall the cause – er, that’s to say, the regime, nostrum, jorum, physic, diet, whatever it is he does or takes – to which he attributes his great number of years?’
‘No,’ said Is stolidly. ‘He didn’t.’
‘Oh.’ Roy’s face fell. He fiddled with his hatband. ‘Well – see here! You seem to me like a gal with good sense. Like your old man, eh? He was a one-er, if ever there was!’ Uncle Roy grinned, a most unpleasant grin. ‘Had it over me , Desmond did, when we were boys, many a time! Anyway, that ain’t to the purpose either. What I want you to do is keep your eyes peeled – comprenny? Just you keep an eye on your grandpa, see what he does or takes. For it’d be a shocking pity if one of these days he were to topple off the twig – as he must in the end, you know; none of us can expect to go on for ever, damme – and carry off his secret with him. Wouldn’t it, now?’
‘Dunno as I’d want to live to a hundred and two,’ said Is thoughtfully.
‘You stupid child! Who cares what you want? That ain’t the point!’
‘What is the point?’ asked Is, wondering if the strong liquors brewing in Mr Twite’s cellar had anything to do with his great age.
‘The point is that you are in a very, very good position to watch him and see what he does every day to keep himself alive. If you find out and tell me – damme, I’ll see you get a handsome reward! Yes, I will!’
‘What kind of
‘Anyway, reckon I’ll be out with the Doc here,’ said Is. ‘ Working. ’
She had taken a strong dislike to her Uncle Roy, and thought it a pity that he had not met the same fate as his brothers. Not enough wolves in these parts, she thought; reckon they stay south, where it’s warmer.
A sallow-faced man with straight black hair falling to his shoulders now stepped into the room and said to Roy, ‘Your Worship, we shall be late for the Managers’ Conference if we don’t leave here directly.’ He sent a supercilious glance over the shabby room and the people in it.
‘Oh, very well. Very well. Though it won’t hurt those fellows to wait for me. Take those posters, Dagly. Here – you – ’ said Roy to Is, ‘step out of doors with me a minute, will you?’ – beckoning her with a stubby, short-fingered hand.
Is caught Aunt Ishie’s eye. It was full of warning.
Slightly mystified, Is followed Roy, who had stumped ahead out into the little, untidy, snowy front garden. In the road beyond waited a handsome carriage, drawn by four fat glossy horses.
‘Listen you – what’s-your-name,’ said Uncle Roy. ‘ Lord knows how you found your way here, and you’re devilish lucky not to be down the mines this very minute. And I want you to keep that in mind! I’m the Moderator of this Region, and if I choose to send you down the mine, that’s where you’ll go. Understand?’
Is nodded.
‘Well then! Remember that! I don’t object to your working for Doctor Lemman – he’s a clever doctor, and he could use some help – so long as you work hard and pay heed and learn all he can teach you. That way you can make yourself useful. But you’ll be doing it on my sufferance. And there’s something I want you to do for me in return. Understand?’
‘What, Uncle Roy?’
‘You’re staying here with your great-grandfather and aunt?’
She nodded again.
‘Good. That is, it ain’t good, it’s devilish annoying, to have my own family practically squatting in such filthy, beggarly conditions. Lord knows, I’ve tried – but that ain’t to the purpose. – You may have noticed that your great-grandpa is – is a strapping, likely old fellow for his age – eh?’
‘Yus,’ said Is.
‘You may have wondered how he got to such an age – you may even have asked?’
‘Yus.’
‘ Did you ask?’
‘Yus.’
‘And did he – by any chance – let fall the cause – er, that’s to say, the regime, nostrum, jorum, physic, diet, whatever it is he does or takes – to which he attributes his great number of years?’
‘No,’ said Is stolidly. ‘He didn’t.’
‘Oh.’ Roy’s face fell. He fiddled with his hatband. ‘Well – see here! You seem to me like a gal with good sense. Like your old man, eh? He was a one-er, if ever there was!’ Uncle Roy grinned, a most unpleasant grin. ‘Had it over me , Desmond did, when we were boys, many a time! Anyway, that ain’t to the purpose either. What I want you to do is keep your eyes peeled – comprenny? Just you keep an eye on your grandpa, see what he does or takes. For it’d be a shocking pity if one of these days he were to topple off the twig – as he must in the end, you know; none of us can expect to go on for ever, damme – and carry off his secret with him. Wouldn’t it, now?’
‘Dunno as I’d want to live to a hundred and two,’ said Is thoughtfully.
‘You stupid child! Who cares what you want? That ain’t the point!’
‘What is the point?’ asked Is, wondering if the strong liquors brewing in Mr Twite’s cellar had anything to do with his great age.
‘The point is that you are in a very, very good position to watch him and see what he does every day to keep himself alive. If you find out and tell me – damme, I’ll see you get a handsome reward! Yes, I will!’
‘What kind of
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