Charles Snow - George Passant

‘Of course,’ I said.

‘I’m glad you accept that,’ George said as his voice quietened. I knew that, at moments, I or anyone must be numbered with the accusers now; it was strange to feel how he was obliged to justify the most ordinary contact with the earth. ‘So on that basis I was ready to co-operate. Naturally, I hadn’t any capital of my own. I was able to contribute about fifty pounds, chiefly by readjusting all my debts. Anyway, my function was to audit the accountancy side, and see how good a property it was—’

‘You did that?’ I said.

‘There wasn’t much evidence, which isn’t surprising when you think of the two partners. There were a few books kept incompetently by Exell and the statement by Martineau. The statement was pretty definite, and so we considered it and proceeded to action. Olive raised a little. Her father wasn’t dead then, so she couldn’t do much. By the way, you might as well understand that this business has been consistently profitable. On a small scale naturally, but still it’s brought in a pleasant addition to my income. And we met all our obligations. Even in the worst weeks when our patriotic or national government was doing its best to safeguard the liberties of the British people.’

The habitual sarcasm left him, after months of use, as easily and unthinkingly as a ‘Good morning’.

‘I had very little to do with the financial backing. Jack undertook the whole responsibility for raising that. I should have been completely useless at getting businessmen to part with their money, of course—’ He gave a quick, slightly abject smile. ‘On the other hand, I can produce their names and the details of the contracts that Jack made with them. We didn’t consider it necessary to form a company; he simply borrowed a number of separate sums from various people, and made definite terms about paying them for the risk.’

‘They lent it on the security of the firm, I suppose,’ I said.

‘Yes. It was a series of private loans for a purpose which everyone understood. It’s the sort of arrangement which is made every day. The man who was here this afternoon,’ he said, ‘pestered me for an hour about the details. Incidentally he was unnecessarily offensive to me. That was before he came to the other scheme. It was a long time before I could make him understand they were slightly different. The position was’ — he shifted in his chair — ‘that Jack produced another idea when Olive’s father died. That meant she had a little surplus capital — I mentioned it to you when I saw you last — and it was easy to see modifications in the technique. We’d acquired a little money and a certain amount of experience. So it was possible to think of something on a larger scale. Particularly in the special circumstances of my having a crowd of people that needed to be together. The idea was to buy the farm and one or two other places; then we could use the farm itself for our own purposes. There was no reason why the money we spent shouldn’t come back to ourselves in part — and when we weren’t using the place, we could let it out as a youth hostel or whatever people call them who haven’t the faintest idea of helping people to enjoy their youth.’

‘So you did it?’

‘Yes. Jack and Olive were in it. I couldn’t appear — but it was understood that I was to advise.’

‘Jack brought in the money again?’

‘Naturally,’ said George. ‘He collected some fairly large sums from various quarters. I’ll make you a list. He’s incredibly good at persuading them to part. He’s so good that once I found it inconvenient—’

‘How was that?’

‘Actually,’ George hesitated, ‘I had to stop him taking it from some of my people.’

‘Some of the group? Rachel and the—’

‘Jack tried with this young man — Roy.’ George looked round the study. ‘But he was too cautious. Jack had persuaded Rachel, though; and someone else.’

I said: ‘Why did you stop him?’

‘I should have thought it was obvious enough. There’s bound to be a certain amount of risk in this sort of project. I wasn’t going to have it fall on people I was responsible for and who couldn’t afford it.’

‘One could bring out the fact — significantly.’

‘I’m prepared to account for it.’

His voice was harsh and combative: I paused.

‘How’s this scheme going?’ I asked.

‘Not as well as the first,’ George said slowly. ‘It’s not had long yet. It’s perfectly healthy.’

‘What has started the inquiries, then?’ I said.

‘It’s impossible to say. I’ve been active enough in this place to make a good many people willing to see me disgraced.’

I wondered: was that true or the voice of the persecuted self? the self that was the other side, the complement, of his devotion and unselfseekingness.

‘But did they know of these dealings?’

‘We tried to keep them secret,’ George said. ‘None of the initial arrangements can possibly have got out.’

‘What were the police looking for?’

‘As far as I gathered from the lout who came this afternoon — the obvious thing for them to imagine. Misleading the people who supplied the money. The charge they’re trying for is money by false pretences or conspiracy, I suppose. They might put in conspiracy so as to use all their evidence against each of us.’ Though he was wincing as he spoke, I could not help noticing that his thought was clear and competent, as it had been all that night; his summary of their ventures could hardly have been better done; he was not detached at any time, there was no man less detached, he was in distress, afraid and resentful, and yet anyone — without my affection and concern — would have admired the stamina and precision of his mind.

Then to my amazement his face cleared and he laughed, shortly, not from his full heart, but still as though the distress had abated.

‘It’s scarcely likely they’ll ever have the opportunity to make a charge.’ It came to me like the fantastic optimism with which he sustained himself years ago, during Martineau’s departure. I replied: ‘So you’re completely confident? You don’t think it’ll go any further?’

Remorsefully, I saw the half-laugh drain away; his voice was flat, with no pretence or anger left: ‘If it does, I don’t know how I’m going to face it.’

I said: ‘As a matter of fact, have you done it?’

For an instant he sat without moving. Then slowly he shook his head.

Roy, quiet and self-effacing, brought in a tray of drinks and again left us alone.

‘By the way,’ I said, ‘does Eden know about these — inquiries?’

‘I’ve not told him.’

‘Oughtn’t you to?’

‘It’s obviously quite unnecessary,’ George said. ‘If these policemen have the sense to keep quiet, there’s no reason why he should know. And if — we have to take other circumstances into account, Eden can be told quickly enough. I see no reason to give him the pleasure until it’s compulsory.’

‘I think he ought to be told,’ I said. ‘This isn’t too large a town, you know. Eden comes across people in the Chief Constable’s office every day.’

‘That would be a breach of privilege.’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘But it happens — and it would be wiser for you to tell Eden than for someone who doesn’t know you.’

His face was heavy and indrawn.

‘You see,’ I tried to persuade him, ‘there’s a good deal that can be done, if they want to inquire any further. You know that as well as I do. If Eden gives me authority, I could stop quite a few of their tricks. If you heard of anyone in your present position — the first advice you’d give, of course, would be for them to arrange with a solicitor—’