Part 27 (1/2)

”It's nosy parkerium,” I said. ”Twelfth declension, you know.”

”Never mind that,” said Eldric. ”I can't stop fretting about Cecil.”

Cecil? Of all the things I imagined he might want to talk about, I never imagined Cecil.

”Don't worry about him,” I said, although I thought of the day before yesterday, of how strangely Cecil had acted, of his oblique references and veiled threats. ”I can wrap him round my little finger.”

”I didn't observe the finger-wrap technique on Blackberry Night,” said Eldric. ”I keep thinking about what might have happened if I hadn't come along.”

”And I keep thinking how stupid it all was,” I said. ”Stupid that you had to come along and rescue me. Stupid that I practiced boxing with you all those times, but I couldn't punch Cecil, not even once.”

”Boxing's not that straightforward,” said Eldric. ”You can practice and practice, but the real experience will always be different. Lots of things are like that, actually. It reminds me of the time I first visited Paris.”

”Lucky thing!” I said.

”On the boat over, I practiced French conversations with myself. I'd say to some imaginary Frenchman, 'The restaurant Chez Julien, she is, if I do not mistake myself, down the Boulevard Saint-Michel, to the right?'

”The Frenchman would obligingly say, 'Yes, monsieur. The restaurant, she is down the Boulevard Saint-Michel, to the right.' And sometimes he'd add, 'Might I remark, monsieur, what very good French you speak.' ”

Chez Julien. How I longed to visit a city where the very names of the restaurants were spoken in music.

”But the reality was quite different,” said Eldric. ”To this imaginary Frenchman I'd say, 'The restaurant Chez Julien, she is, if I do not mistake myself, down the Boulevard Saint-Michel, to the right?'

”But he'd reply, 'La plume de ma boulevard, elle est dans la rue de ma tante, monsieur, et vous etes tres ooh-la-la.' ”

I laughed.

”I'd thank him politely, then consult my map.”

”You're saying that I can't win a real fight without first losing some real fights?”

”I'm saying that a beginner can't expect to perform as well in real life as she might in practice,” said Eldric. ”Practice is predictable; real life isn't.”

”Can you practice with me unpredictably?” I said. ”Predictably unpredictably, I mean?”

”I can,” said Eldric, ”but let's not leave the subject of Cecil just yet.”

The door was ajar. The Brownie squeezed through and swung across the carpet on his double-hinged legs. Had Eldric left the door ajar on purpose? To make sure we weren't quite private? Oh, dear.

The Brownie settled at my side, folding his legs every which way.

”Please listen to what I have to say about Cecil,” said Eldric. ”I see you aren't afraid of him, but I wonder if you should be.”

It was raining harder than before. Shards of sky pounded down the chimney. They set the logs to hissing.

Are you afraid of me? That's what Cecil had said, as we sat outside the Alehouse. I'd startle-jumped back. Are you afraid?

”He hurt my wrist.” But that was not what I meant to say. My voice went high and whiny. What silliness was this? Did I think I could be a baby again? Grow up, Briony.

”Let's take a look.”

I produced my wrist with the finger-shaped bruises.

”b.a.s.t.a.r.d!” It was not exactly what one might say to a baby, but it was comforting.

We sat in silence a long time. Eldric stoked the fire. The flames leapt up and admired themselves in the bra.s.s grate. ”I wonder if you know quite everything about Cecil,” said Eldric at last. ”He's fond of drink, as you know.”

I nodded.

”I don't like to give away his secrets, but it's not only drink that affects him.”

Oh! That was interesting. ”Opium?”

”Not quite that benign,” said Eldric.

”Morphine?”

”Not quite that bad,” said Eldric.

”Then tell me!”

”a.r.s.enic,” said Eldric.

a.r.s.enic. Cecil took a.r.s.enic. Fitz took a.r.s.enic. That was doubtless why they spent such a deal of time together.

Pearl came in to light the lamps.

”I should not like to see you alone with him again. He's lost control, at least where you're concerned.”

She poured paraffin into one of the lamps.

”Why does a person take a.r.s.enic?”

”It depends on the person,” said Eldric. ”Women used to take it for their hair and especially for their skin, which it apparently renders very white and clear.”

”And if you're a man?”

He paused while Pearl filled the other lamp and bustled out again.

”It has the reputation of boosting a man's-oh, how shall I put it? A man's virility.”

I leaned forward again with the poker, my hair s.h.i.+elding my face.

”Never have coals been stirred so well,” said Eldric.

”Never has a young lady been put so often to the blush,” I said. ”It's rather ungentlemanly of you.”