Pym, shrill with horror. “All came out? Are you sitting there telling me that you told Ted you’d sold his microscope to give me money? Me? ”
“I didn’t say ‘give’, Johnny, I swear I didn’t. I said: ‘I owed Johnny so much: he was marvellous with money when he had it; and when he was flat broke … I considered it sort of paying a debt of honour.’ That’s what I said, Johnny.”
Pym clutched at his hair. “I hope to God he punched you right on the nose, you damned little fool! You bloody little fool! You——”
“No, he never laid his hands on me. You know Ted, Johnny—old school tie, and all that sort of thing. But there was a frightful scene. He tore up all my clothes and kicked me out. He said,” said Win, beginning to shake, gulp, sniff, and hiccup, “he said … he said … he said I was nothing but a cheap little whore. And I’m not, Johnny. You know I’m not, Johnny! There’s only been two men in my life, really—you and Ted. None of the others ever mattered—you believe that, Johnny, don’t you?”
“Yes, yes; I believe you, I believe you! But don’t start crying here.”
“Where else can I cry? I haven’t got anywhere else to go and cry. I’m sorry … I’m sorry, Johnny … it’ll be over in a minute. I was sort of bearing up … until I saw you in the street … brave-little-woman-keeping-stiff-upper-lip kind of stuff … and then … Oh, Johnny, Johnny, you’re so bloody kind, so bloody sweet … you’re the only really good person I’ve ever met in all my life. And I hadn’t eaten for two days, and you bought me all this lovely spaghetti, although Iknow I’ve been mean and wicked to you, and you don’t like me a bit. I’m sorry, Johnny,” said Win, blowing her nose wetly into a full handkerchief. “It’s all over now. I’m sorry I made a scene. Don’t worry, Johnny. I’ll be bright and cheerful now. But you do forgive me, don’t you?”
“Yes, yes, I forgive you,” said Pym, sick at heart and heavy with foreboding. “Have a bit of cheese.”
“I’d love a bit of cheese, Johnny, but tell me: are you in the money?”
“That’s neither here nor there. I asked you if you wanted a bit of cheese. Stop balancing my books and say yes or no.”
“Yes,” said Win, smiling gratefully.
“One cheese,” said Pym.
While Win ate her cheese, Pym picked up and ate the little hard-baked flakes that had fallen from the crusts of the rolls.
“You know what? As a matter of fact, once in a while, I believe in God,” said Win. “Ted always used to say that God, as a matter of fact, is, sort of Goodness in people. Do you remember that thing about forgiving your enemies and loving your neighbour as yourself? That sort of thing is God, if you know what I mean. Johnny, I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I know we were ever such good pals once, until I spoiled everything . You know, one of the things there was between Ted and me? He always thought I was still in love with you … What are you laughing at?”
“I wasn’t laughing,” said Pym.
“I suppose you think Ted was pretty crazy?”
“I suppose he was,” said Pym.
“Well, as a matter of fact, Johnny, he wasn’t so very crazy really. I daresay you know it: when you getto wander about with nowhere to go, you start thinking; and I shouldn’t be surprised if Ted was right.”
Meaning to change the subject Pym said: “Well, what’s your next move?”
“I don’t know, Johnny. There had better be a next move, because I’m going to be in a jam. I haven’t got anything, as a matter of fact, except what I stand up in. As a matter of fact …”
“Well, what?”
“No, I don’t want to tell you. Putting it another way, there are all sorts of reasons why I’ve got to eat. You know, eat and sleep, and keep warm, and all that. And to be perfectly frank, as a matter of fact, if I couldn’t manage to eat and sleep in a pleasant way … Well, I was getting ready to do so in an unpleasant
“I didn’t say ‘give’, Johnny, I swear I didn’t. I said: ‘I owed Johnny so much: he was marvellous with money when he had it; and when he was flat broke … I considered it sort of paying a debt of honour.’ That’s what I said, Johnny.”
Pym clutched at his hair. “I hope to God he punched you right on the nose, you damned little fool! You bloody little fool! You——”
“No, he never laid his hands on me. You know Ted, Johnny—old school tie, and all that sort of thing. But there was a frightful scene. He tore up all my clothes and kicked me out. He said,” said Win, beginning to shake, gulp, sniff, and hiccup, “he said … he said … he said I was nothing but a cheap little whore. And I’m not, Johnny. You know I’m not, Johnny! There’s only been two men in my life, really—you and Ted. None of the others ever mattered—you believe that, Johnny, don’t you?”
“Yes, yes; I believe you, I believe you! But don’t start crying here.”
“Where else can I cry? I haven’t got anywhere else to go and cry. I’m sorry … I’m sorry, Johnny … it’ll be over in a minute. I was sort of bearing up … until I saw you in the street … brave-little-woman-keeping-stiff-upper-lip kind of stuff … and then … Oh, Johnny, Johnny, you’re so bloody kind, so bloody sweet … you’re the only really good person I’ve ever met in all my life. And I hadn’t eaten for two days, and you bought me all this lovely spaghetti, although Iknow I’ve been mean and wicked to you, and you don’t like me a bit. I’m sorry, Johnny,” said Win, blowing her nose wetly into a full handkerchief. “It’s all over now. I’m sorry I made a scene. Don’t worry, Johnny. I’ll be bright and cheerful now. But you do forgive me, don’t you?”
“Yes, yes, I forgive you,” said Pym, sick at heart and heavy with foreboding. “Have a bit of cheese.”
“I’d love a bit of cheese, Johnny, but tell me: are you in the money?”
“That’s neither here nor there. I asked you if you wanted a bit of cheese. Stop balancing my books and say yes or no.”
“Yes,” said Win, smiling gratefully.
“One cheese,” said Pym.
While Win ate her cheese, Pym picked up and ate the little hard-baked flakes that had fallen from the crusts of the rolls.
“You know what? As a matter of fact, once in a while, I believe in God,” said Win. “Ted always used to say that God, as a matter of fact, is, sort of Goodness in people. Do you remember that thing about forgiving your enemies and loving your neighbour as yourself? That sort of thing is God, if you know what I mean. Johnny, I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I know we were ever such good pals once, until I spoiled everything . You know, one of the things there was between Ted and me? He always thought I was still in love with you … What are you laughing at?”
“I wasn’t laughing,” said Pym.
“I suppose you think Ted was pretty crazy?”
“I suppose he was,” said Pym.
“Well, as a matter of fact, Johnny, he wasn’t so very crazy really. I daresay you know it: when you getto wander about with nowhere to go, you start thinking; and I shouldn’t be surprised if Ted was right.”
Meaning to change the subject Pym said: “Well, what’s your next move?”
“I don’t know, Johnny. There had better be a next move, because I’m going to be in a jam. I haven’t got anything, as a matter of fact, except what I stand up in. As a matter of fact …”
“Well, what?”
“No, I don’t want to tell you. Putting it another way, there are all sorts of reasons why I’ve got to eat. You know, eat and sleep, and keep warm, and all that. And to be perfectly frank, as a matter of fact, if I couldn’t manage to eat and sleep in a pleasant way … Well, I was getting ready to do so in an unpleasant
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