Henry Green - Nothing

"But I've never heard anything so frightful in my whole life" this lady cried albeit in a careful, restrained voice. "Oh my dear how criminal of Maud!"

"Isn't it? I think I could hate that woman Jane. Have you invited her tonight?"

"If I'd only been told" Mrs Weatherby exclaimed with caution. "What can I say? But Eddie's here and he won't move without her" as another I could mention without someone else, her wary eye expressed unheard to be taken up silently again and again in tall mirrors.

"Then you could ask him if she told the truth. No Jane I do so wish you would" Miss Jennings implored with open signs of agitation.

"As though I should even dream of such a thing! Liz, your worst enemy, not that you have one in the whole wide world darling would never conceive of anything horrible like that." Upon which, well out of sight down along a plump firm thigh Mrs Weatherby crossed two fingers.

"But isn't it terrible-?" Liz began and had to stand back for a newly arrived couple who came up to go through the shrill ritual of delighted cries at Jane's appearance, at their own reaction to the flattery she repaid with interest, and at the blossoming, the to them so they said incredible conjuring up out of these perfect flowers, of a spring lost once more for yet another year to the sad denizens of London in rain, fog, mist and cold. When these two had drifted off Miss Jennings was able to start afresh.

"As if I ever did drink, really drink I mean. Oh my dear and I was so looking forward to this heavenly evening!"

"You must put it quite out of your sweet head" Mrs Weatherby proclaimed with emphasis while she smiled and nodded when she caught a guest's already perhaps rather overbright eye. "I shall speak to Maud myself. This is too bad."

"I'm not at her table oh do say not!"

"I wouldn't dream of such a thing you're with us John and me of course" upon which Miss Jennings with a hint of timidity in her bearing as if she'd just heard yet another insinuation against her security had once more to step back while a second couple paid respect. Then when these two had done with Jane they descended for an endless minute on Miss Jennings until at last they picked their way off towards the drinks.

"My dear can't I get Philip to fetch you just a little one?" Mrs Weatherby asked.

"And leave Maud Winder draw her own conclusions?" the younger woman wailed. "Because if you had sat us down a place away from each other then I really believe I'd have had to beg you to change round the cards."

Jane put on a stern look.

"Liz darling you can take these things too fax" she begged. "Oh what haven't I suffered myself in my time from idle tongues! Why only the other day my own child came to me with some extraordinary tale that I'm sure I'd never heard ever but about me of course. Sometimes think stories of that kind hang about like nasty smells in old cupboards and I'm sure are just as hard to get rid of. Forget all about it, If know I have. The mere suggestion with someone like you darling is too ridiculous for words. And I always say when I see a man drink cider at meals that means he can't trust himself."

"Maybe I will have a weak one then."

"Philip." Mrs Weatherby waved. "Philip! Martini or sherry?"

"Oh perhaps a sherry please."

"My dear boy Miss Jennings has nothing to drink! You must keep moving around yon know. Liz would like a sherry and I think I'll try one of those martinis. Oh dear I'll be drunk as a fishwife if I do, but hang it's what I say, might as well be hung for a lamb or whatever the silly phrase is Liz don't you agree, you must!"

"But for one to be said one is when you aren't!"

"Now you promised me Liz darling!"

"When I haven't ever in my life" the young woman persisted.

"Darling" Mrs Weatherby warned with a hint of impatience.

"Oh I know I'm being a bore" Miss Jennings cried. "How dreadful and you must please forgive! You see-" but yet another pair of new arrivals were making their way and as Jane advanced to meet these she gave Liz one of those long looks of love and expiation for which she was justly famous.

Miss Jennings went after John Pomfret.

"Where have you been all day?" she demanded when she had cornered him apart.

"This endless work work work" he answered.

"Not in your own office, that I do know" she cried.

"Precisely" he said. "Time was one could sit in one's room, do all which had to be done in comparative comfort. But no longer, not any more!"

"And I did want you so! Must it always be like this?"

"How d'you mean? Liz, is something the matter?"

"Just that beastly Maud Winder. She only said I was tight at Eddie's!"

"If she did then she's half seas over now herself!"

"Can the awful woman be here? I don't see her. No John don't be so absurd."

"But there" he said of a Mrs Winder who seemed dead sober in quiet conversation with her back to a mirror. "Tight as a coot."

"Well talk of the devil" Miss Jennings exclaimed. "Really I feel that if it weren't for Jane I ought to go up and slap that silly face. Do you honestly think she's drunk?"

"If she isn't quite now, she has been" he replied. "Something must have gone very wrong with her end of Eddie's party which brought her to repeat what she did, if in fact she did."

"Oh Arthur Morris told me."

"What a shame old Arthur can't be here."

"Yes" she said. "And a terrible story to insinuate against a girl!"

"Look Liz" he implored "forget the whole of this."

"You're asking me dear?" she demanded.

"Because I was with you Liz and you were sober as a judge."

"But that only makes everything all the worse."

"Naturally it does" he cheerfully agreed. "And so now then?"

"Do you truly love me?" she inquired.

"Of course I do."

"Are you sure?"

"Liz darling!"

"Well perhaps I'll just find myself able to last out" she said. "As long as the wretched woman doesn't dare speak to me that is. I could claw her heart right away from her fiat chest."

"Well Liz a wonderful show of Jane's by God eh?" a voice announced behind and she turned to find Richard Abbot. "Marvellous manager" he went on. "Can't imagine how she gets such detail organized these days. Upon my soul it's perfectly miraculous!"

"I know, Richard" Miss Jennings replied with an ani mated look. "And to see all one's nearest and dearest gathered in one room why it's unique! I do admire Jane so, she's a positive genius."

"Tell you what" Mr Abbot propounded. "A thousand pities poor old Arthur can't be present."

"I've a wire from him in my pocket this moment wishing us all the best of good times" John Pomfret said. "They handed it me outside."

"Has he telegraphed to Jane I wonder?" Liz thought aloud. "She would like it because this is her party after all."

"Oh the wire's for her all right. She doesn't know yet."

"Then let me take the thing along old boy" Mr Abbot asked in a proprietary voice. "Might buck her up a bit. Sure to be feeling a trifle nervous before the curtain rises so to speak."

"Why certainly" John responded reaching into his tails. "I could have done that myself" he said with a trace of irony. He handed the envelope over.

"But I say" Richard Abbot expostulated. "It's been opened."

"I told you what was inside didn't I old man?"

"I mean how am I to explain to her?"

"Just tell her it was me Richard."

"You opened a telegram addressed to Jane?" Miss Jennings demanded.

"I thought there might be a bit of bad news which could keep until the party was over" he told her in an almost insolent manner.

"Well you can keep the damn thing, break your own good tidings" Mr Abbot exploded without raising his voice and handed the envelope back. "Yes by God" he said then left them.

"He seemed quite upset" Mr Pomfret remarked.