Henry Green - Nothing

Mary gave a short technical description.

"Well I might" he admitted but did not seem as if he could.

"Your mother doesn't like it."

"I don't know that I care for many of hers."

"D'you think I dress horribly badly darling?"

"Why Mary you must be sure I don't."

"Because you see I'm wearing everything I've got for you now darling or almost, and I'd like to get some idea of what you feel suits me if we are to buy all these clothes."

"What Clothes?"

"Frocks. Dresses. Trousseau. Getting married you know."

"Sorry darling. I've never done this sort of thing before. I wasn't thinking."

"Nor me! The trouble is Philip these older women have and do, they've got us at advantage."

"Your father doesn't like my headgear either."

"Daddy? He's never said a word."

"He has to me."

"How did he object?"

"Artistic was the word he used."

"Oh dear I'm really sorry darling because I always think Daddy's the best-dressed man I meet, of his own generation of course."

"Well I rather fancy the way Mamma gets herself up sometimes."

Miss Pomfret laughed.

"I'll tell you what" she said. "This conversation's becoming almost barbed isn't it?"

He gave a wry smile. "Might be" he agreed.

She took his hand under the table, stroked the ring finger with her thumb. A silence drew across them.

She watched a couple up at the bar with a miniature poodle on a stool in between. Its politeness and general agitation appeared half human. But when a man came in with a vast brindled bull terrier on a lead as thick as an ox's tail the smaller dog turned her back to the drinks ignored her owners at once, and gazed at the killer with thrilled lacklustre eyes. For his part the bull terrier lay down as soon as the man on the other end of his lead would let him, and, with an air of acute embarrassment gazed hard at the poodle, then away again, then, as though he could not help it, back once more. He started to whine Miss Pomfret smiled. The other occupants began paying attention to these interested animals.

"Rather sweet isn't he?" she said.

"Who? Your father?"

"Oh no, Daddy always is. The bull terrier I mean."

"So long as he doesn't take it into his head to murder that other wretched brute in front of our very eyes."

"But he won't Philip. She's a lady."

"I've known it happen."

"The man who's with him's got him safe."

"They'll do something crazy to let them meet before the evening's out. We'll see blood spilt yet" he opined.

"Philip darling do you like dogs?" she inquired.

"I do and I don't" he said.

"Because I was thinking when we were married I'd rather love to have one for my owns."

"Might be a bit awkward if we both went out every day to work."

"Oh I expect the landlady would look after things."

"I wonder" he said.

She dropped his hand.

"You're in rather a filthy mood this evening" she re marked.

He drew himself up to finish his glass of beer.

"I'm sorry Mary" he said and appeared to be so. "I say, I saw Uncle Ned at tea today."

"What, did he come round?"

"To Mamma's? Good Lord no. I went to him."

"Was he pleased about us?"

"D'you know I didn't dare tell."

"Not dare tell him!" she echoed. "That's not very nice to me, now then?"

"Oh it wasn't that. It simply seems he detests Mamma and won't have her mentioned in his presence hardly. Seemed very surprised when I sent up my name. Even told me he'd been in two minds whether to say he was not at home. Me, his nephew!"

She laughed. "But perhaps he was busy darling."

"No Mary it's no laughing matter. And when I can't remember ever having met the man. You'd think he'd have some family sense! And then when he started on Mamma like that!"

"Oh I am so sorry Philip. What on earth did he say?"

"Nothing much actually. I came away with the idea that he really must be rather mad. In fact of course I had to stand up for her and so on. But that it should happen at a time like this, with marriage on our hands! After all a wedding is a family affair isn't it?"

"Of course darling" she agreed with every appearance of concern, took his hand back in her own under the table and began to squeeze it hard. "Oh dear you mustn't get upset."

"It all came as a bit of a shock" he said.

"But Philip you'd seen him before?"

"Never that I remember."

"And there was Daddy telling me yon went to your Uncle Ned's tailor."

"Well I do."

"Then you must have met your uncle first for him to recommend you."

"Mamma gave me the name. My father went there too."

"Oh of course darling. How silly of me!"

"What on earth was your parent doing to talk to you about my tailor?"

"Oh nothing realty."

"Doesn't he like the suits I wear either?" the young man asked.

"You mustn't bother about Daddy darling. He's tremendously of his own generation can't you see? I expect in their day it was only possible for them to get their clothes from the one man."

"But my father went to Highcliffe too."

"Of course he did. I'll tell you what" she announced. "The next time I think of it I'll ask Daddy what he really meant."

"And you might get him to give you the address of his tailor."

"Oh Philip darling shall I really?"

"I've been rather disappointed-in Uncle Ned" the young man said. "I don't see why I should favour his tradespeople any longer."

A DAY or two later, in what for once was brilliant sunshine, Mary Pomfret and Philip Weatherby were sitting on a Sunday afternoon in Hyde Park.

"D'you mind what part of London we live in?" she asked.

"Wherever you like" he said.

She frowned. "That's not quite what I meant" she pointed out. "If you had your dearest wish just in which district would you prefer?"

"I don't mind" he replied.

"Because darling I think we ought to start looking about you know."

"I leave it to you" he said, his eyes out over the Serpentine as a dog swam to a thrown branch in the foreground. "I shan't interfere. A home's a woman's business."

"But Philip, before I begin to search I shall have to know what we can afford."

"I'll hand over my salary every week less ten cigarettes a day. I've decided to give up beer. If we like to go to the pub you can take me on the housekeeping money."

"Oh darling aren't you making it all sound rather grim?"

"I think marriage is. We'll have a lot of responsibilities."

"Philip don't you want to marry me?"

At that he turned and took her hand. He did not say anything but there must have been something in his eyes or expression for she sighed as though satisfied.

"Oh darling" she said. "You had me quite worried for a moment."

They sat on in silence for a while. He gazed at his feet. She searched every cranny of his face with her eyes.

"Because I don't think we need be right down to the bone" she began again. "I mean Daddy's said he'd be able to help a bit."

"D'you believe one ought to accept anything from one's parents Mary?"

"They haven't much I know, that is compared with what they were once accustomed to" she said. "And yet what they've been allowed to keep is family cash isn't it? Savings handed down from father to son?"

As she put this forward she allowed a small smile to play almost imperceptibly about the corners of her mouth.

"That's a sound point certainly" he replied. Then he stopped. He did open his lips once more after a minute but relapsed into silence instead. She waited. At last he went on.

"As a matter of fact Mamma has been to see the dread Mr Thicknesse." He laughed. "You don't know who he is now, do you?"

"Of course" she gaily answered "Your family lawyeti."

"How did you find that out?" he demanded and looked sternly at her again. Meeting his eyes she stuck her chin up in rather an attractive manner.