Part 47 (1/2)

None of Matthew's listeners seemed, as it happened, to be on the point of putting that or any other question to him. Monty, breathing heavily through his mouth, seemed completely occupied in masticating fish and chips. Joan and Ehrendorf simply stared at Matthew, looking tense and dazed; Joan had not touched her knife and fork but now picked up a single chip in her fingers and snipped off the end with her perfect teeth, without taking her eyes from Matthew's face.

'The fact is that in most tropical colonies the only work available is agriculture, and sometimes a bit of mining. What we really want is cheap unskilled labour. What skilled jobs there are in a country like Malaya don't go, it appears, to Malays, but to Eurasians, Chinese or sometimes Europeans. No cheap unskilled labour is what western capital came here for and that's what it gets ...!'

'But ...' began Monty. He was silenced immediately, however, by his own right hand which, spotting its opportunity, had raised another forkful of fish and chips and now crammed it into his mouth as soon as it opened to speak.

'As I expect you all know there was talk of starting an engineering school a couple of years ago at Raffles College here in Singapore. What happened? A commision reported that it was pointless because there'd be no jobs for the graduates. So you see the idea that we British are educating our colonies in our own image simply won't wash. That may be what we'd like to do, and certain attempts have been made no doubt, but that's not what is actually happening.'

'Oh, look here,' said Ehrendorf mildly, but to Joan not to Matthew. 'This is a bit ridiculous.' Joan, her eyes still on Matthew snipped off another inch of the chip she held neatly between finger and thumb, but otherwise ignored him.

Matthew went on: 'And yet there still persists this sad belief that a man can better himself by education. At this very very moment here in Singapore, according to the official figures, there are more than ten thousand clerks, most of whom live in the most dreadful conditions earning ten dollars a month if they're lucky, not even a living wage, simply because their numbers far exceed any possible demand for them. Ten thousand clerks for a city of this size! It seems it's a regular practice for older clerks to be replaced by younger men at lower salaries and yet that doesn't stop the schools turning out another seven hundred boys every year with qualifications for clerical jobs. And all because of this pathetic, unfounded belief that education leads to lucrative jobs!' moment here in Singapore, according to the official figures, there are more than ten thousand clerks, most of whom live in the most dreadful conditions earning ten dollars a month if they're lucky, not even a living wage, simply because their numbers far exceed any possible demand for them. Ten thousand clerks for a city of this size! It seems it's a regular practice for older clerks to be replaced by younger men at lower salaries and yet that doesn't stop the schools turning out another seven hundred boys every year with qualifications for clerical jobs. And all because of this pathetic, unfounded belief that education leads to lucrative jobs!'

'Really, you can't expect me to put up with this,' said Ehrendorf suddenly.

'Well, clear off then! n.o.body invited you, anyway.'

'As it happens, Matthew did.'

'Frankly,' said Monty, pus.h.i.+ng away his empty plate and selecting a toothpick, 'I don't think it matters a b.u.g.g.e.r whether they work as coolies or anything else so long as they have jobs. That's precisely what they don't have in South China and India. They come here because they think it's better, and they're d.a.m.n right. It is.'

'I thought you said you were going. If so, what're you waiting for?'

'That's just what you'd like, isn't it?'

'Monty, surely we have a responsibility responsibility,' went on Matthew doggedly, 'to the people living here when we arrived; even more so to those we encouraged to come and work on the estates. One of the most astounding things about our Empire, when you come to think about it, is the way we've transported vast populations across the globe as cheap labour. Surely we must have their interests at heart, at least to some extent, as well as our own. Otherwise it's not much better than the slave trade.'

'We do have their interests at heart: we're giving them employment which they didn't have where they came from. Besides, almost half our rubber in Malaya is produced by Asiatic smallholders, people who probably came here originally as coolies and then set up in business for themselves. They produce pretty p.i.s.s-awful rubber but that's their business.'

'Let's go and dance,' said Joan. 'Monty, pay the bill and let's go.'

Monty summoned the waiter and produced a roll of blue dollar bills, saying: 'Without British capital there wouldn't have been any rubber business.'

'But don't you think, given the huge returns on money invested in Malaya that something more should be done for the people who actually do the work on the plantations to produce it ...? Otherwise, the British Empire is nothing more than a vast business concern ...' But Matthew's last words, though intended for his companions, had been transformed into a soliloquy by their sudden departure, Joan in the lead, Ehrendorf striving to walk beside her and speak to her, and the burly figure of Monty not far behind. Matthew hurried after them, nudging his gla.s.ses up on his nose.

As they approached The Great World's dance-hall the atmosphere seemed to thicken, as if the very dust which hung in the air was quivering with the percussion of drums and wailing of saxophones. Monty dropped back for a moment, indicating that he had something he wanted to say to Matthew. No, it wasn't about the colonial question, he muttered confidentially, it was more of a proposition he wanted to make. He'd thought it over quite a bit and consulted his two chums who were also very, very interested (that went without saying, actually, because in its way this was a bargain such as one didn't often come across and so of course of course they would be interested) and, well, the upshot of it was that he and his two chums had decided unanimously to invite Matthew to join them in ... the point being that he was a chap from the same sort of background as they were, a factor one had to bear in mind in a place like Singapore where gossip got around in no time ... anyway, in short, they'd decided that Matthew should be given the opportunity of making up the fourth ... No, nothing like that, he hated all card-games himself, couldn't abide them, in fact, well ... in a nutsh.e.l.l, instead of risking heaven knows they would be interested) and, well, the upshot of it was that he and his two chums had decided unanimously to invite Matthew to join them in ... the point being that he was a chap from the same sort of background as they were, a factor one had to bear in mind in a place like Singapore where gossip got around in no time ... anyway, in short, they'd decided that Matthew should be given the opportunity of making up the fourth ... No, nothing like that, he hated all card-games himself, couldn't abide them, in fact, well ... in a nutsh.e.l.l, instead of risking heaven knows what what dreadful diseases with the sort of women one was likely to pick up here at The World or anywhere else in Singapore he and his chums had decided to club together and they'd found a very nice Chinese girl called Sally who had her own flat in Bukit Timah. She was clean and not the kind who'd get drunk or make a fuss. She was ... dreadful diseases with the sort of women one was likely to pick up here at The World or anywhere else in Singapore he and his chums had decided to club together and they'd found a very nice Chinese girl called Sally who had her own flat in Bukit Timah. She was clean and not the kind who'd get drunk or make a fuss. She was ...

'Oh, but really, Monty...'

'No, just listen a moment. You aren't a bad sort of bloke, Matthew, in your way (in fact, I quite like you), but you're the sort of chap who rejects things out of hand without even listening and weighing up the pros and cons. And this is just the kind of arrangement that would suit a bloke like you who isn't very good at getting women, if you don't mind me saying so, and besides, it's not expensive ... it's not expensive ...'

'Monty, I can a.s.sure you ...'

They had now joined Joan and Ehrendorf in the queue of people, many of whom were in uniform, waiting for admission to the dance-hall. Monty lowered his voice a little so that his sister should not hear what he was saying. She was clean, she had imagination (which was something one didn't often find), she was good-tempered and sober, she was not narrow-minded in her approach (in fact, you could do almost anything you liked) and it would only come to $17.50 a month per person. It was such a bargain that Matthew probably thought he meant American American dollars, but not a bit of it! He meant Straits dollars. It was an incredible opportunity! For $17.50 Matthew would have, at least to begin with, one evening a week dollars, but not a bit of it! He meant Straits dollars. It was an incredible opportunity! For $17.50 Matthew would have, at least to begin with, one evening a week guaranteed guaranteed and the possibility of another, if one of his three partners did not exercise his option for two evenings in that particular week, as would most likely very often happen because of some social occasion they couldn't get out of, OK? Because Matthew was the last to join it was only fair, after all, that the others should have first choice but he, Monty, for one would be most surprised if it did not work out that Matthew found he had two evenings on most weeks ...' and the possibility of another, if one of his three partners did not exercise his option for two evenings in that particular week, as would most likely very often happen because of some social occasion they couldn't get out of, OK? Because Matthew was the last to join it was only fair, after all, that the others should have first choice but he, Monty, for one would be most surprised if it did not work out that Matthew found he had two evenings on most weeks ...'

'Hey, Yank! Why don't you join in the b.l.o.o.d.y war then?' demanded a perspiring, drunken Tommy, waving a beer bottle at Ehrendorf.

'Because we don't want to make it too easy for you guys,' replied Ehrendorf cheerfully.

'Give us some gum, chum!' shouted someone else and there was a cackle of laughter.

'Because you're a lot o' p.i.s.sin', cowards, that's what!' shouted the first man belligerently.

'Who needs the bleedin' Yanks anyway? Old Adolf would only give 'm a spankin'!'

Raucous cheers greeted this remark but Ehrendorf, still smiling good-humouredly, had reached the bamboo cage and handed over fifty cents for himself and each of his companions. Then he waved to the boisterous crowd in khaki behind him and vanished into the throbbing darkness followed by a medley of cheers, insults and ribaldry.

'Yankee ponce!'

'They 'ave 'em 'orizontal wi' teeth in 'em 'ere, sir!'

'Can I do yer now, sir?'

Blundering after his friend, Matthew presently found himself at the edge of a dance-floor, covered but open at the sides for ventilation, gleaming with French chalk in the semi-darkness like a subterranean lake. So this was the famous dance-floor taken from the old Hotel de l'Europe which, Joan was now whispering huskily into his ear, at the turn of the century had been the finest in Singapore. No doubt his father, together with the wealthy and influential in the Colony, in his day had waltzed or fox-trotted on those very boards! But now the beau monde beau monde had been replaced by that bewildering array of races and types he had noticed earlier in the evening in the open air, even two members of the family of pygmies could be seen executing a perfect tango close at hand. Matthew gazed enchanted at the teeming dance-floor. Abruptly, he realized why this sight gave him such pleasure. He tried to explain to Monty who had taken Joan's place at his side: had been replaced by that bewildering array of races and types he had noticed earlier in the evening in the open air, even two members of the family of pygmies could be seen executing a perfect tango close at hand. Matthew gazed enchanted at the teeming dance-floor. Abruptly, he realized why this sight gave him such pleasure. He tried to explain to Monty who had taken Joan's place at his side: this was the way Geneva should have been this was the way Geneva should have been! Instead of that grim segregation by nationality they should have all spent their evenings like this, dancing the tango or the quick-step or the ronggeng ronggeng or whatever it was with each other: Italians with Abyssinians, British with j.a.panese, Germans with Frenchmen and so on. If there had been a real feeling of brotherhood in Geneva such as there was here (the Palais des Nations turned into a or whatever it was with each other: Italians with Abyssinians, British with j.a.panese, Germans with Frenchmen and so on. If there had been a real feeling of brotherhood in Geneva such as there was here (the Palais des Nations turned into a palais de danse palais de danse) the Disarmament Conference would not have got stuck in the mud the way it did! 'It was the feeling, perhaps even the confidence confidence that men of different nations and races could get on together that was so tragically missing. And yet here is the evidence! Men are brothers!' that men of different nations and races could get on together that was so tragically missing. And yet here is the evidence! Men are brothers!'

'Yes, er, I see what you mean,' mumbled Monty cautiously, 'but about that other matter we were discussing. I mean, well, you think it over. There's no need to make a snap decision, Matthew. On the other hand we do know plenty of blokes who would jump at the chance if we offered it to them, so you can't keep us waiting indefinitely.'

'But I'm not keeping you waiting, Monty. I've told you, I'm not...'

'No, well, you think it over,' muttered Monty hastily. 'No need to make a snap decision.' And he started to explain to the rather bewildered Matthew how to set about dancing with a taxi-dancer. You first of all had to buy a book of four twenty-five-cent dance tickets from the bloke over there. Then when music started you made a dash for the one you liked the look of. But you had to make it snappy or someone else would grab her. At the end of the dance she took you back to her table and you handed over a ticket. You weren't allowed to sit with them unless you paid a special fifteen-dollar fee for taking them away from the taxi tables.

'Thanks Monty, but I think I just want to watch.'

'You would!' murmured Monty inaudibly.

Meanwhile, however, the tango had turned into an exhibition by a Filipino couple who were chased somewhat haphazardly round the floor by a white spotlight; the man was a foxy-looking individual in a white suit, the woman, a sinuous person in sequins with flas.h.i.+ng eyes and raven tresses. The music changed tempo and they began jitterbugging violently, shoes flas.h.i.+ng. The grinning members of the band were also from the Philippines; clad in dazzling white blazers and orange trousers they formed a shallow bank against the far wall, harmonizing satisfactorily with the lurid, unlikely birds which had been painted on it. Overhead, painted on the ceiling, Matthew could just make out the shape of a gigantic golden dragon whose bulging eyes, faceted with mirrors, showered reflected sparks like confetti on the swaying dancers below. Now the spotlight, outguessed by the movement of the dancers, strayed for a moment to the edge of the floor and hesitated there by coincidence on Joan and Ehrendorf. He was talking intensely into her ear while she stared unseeing at the polished floor, tapping her foot moodily to the beat of the music. He looked up for a moment, dazzled and bewildered; Joan shook her head, tossing her hair. The spotlight moved jerkily away in pursuit of its quarry.

Saddened by the look of desperation on his friend's face, Matthew s.h.i.+fted his attention to the taxi-girls sitting at tables beside the floor, wondering whether the girl whose breast he had found himself clasping earlier in the evening might not be among them: these girls, too, appeared to be Chinese or Eurasian for the most part, with a few Malays, Siamese and Indo-Chinese; undoubtedly, thought Matthew, these women from further up the peninsula towards China were the loveliest and most graceful of all with their glistening black eyes and delicate features: beside them even the delicate Joan looked clumsy, heavy and rough-skinned. Ehrendorf, however, did not seem to think so for he had taken Joan by the wrist and was trying to persuade her to join him on the floor which, temporarily deserted, now began to fill up. The band set to work on another tune. Men of all descriptions, from dimunitive Chinese clerks to enormous tipsy Australians, swarmed across the floor to secure the services of the taxi-girls. Ehrendorf tried to lead Joan on to the dance-floor but she resisted, s.n.a.t.c.hing her hand away from him. Ehrendorf then seemed to give up hope all of a sudden: his chest deflated, his shoulders drooped, he pa.s.sed a hand over his forehead as if dazed.

'Well, have you thought it over about that nifty Chinese girl I was telling you about?'

'Monty, I told you before: it's not my line.'

Monty looked taken aback: 'There's no need to decide right away, old boy. I don't want to rush you. And look here, if you have only one evening a week we could probably fix it so you don't have to pay quite so much. After all, that's only fair, isn't it? How about fifteen dollars a month? It's really worth it, you know. G.o.d, boy, she goes at it hammer and tongs, I can tell you!'

'It's not the price, for heaven's sake. It's the idea of it.'

Monty stared at Matthew, baffled. It had not occurred to him that Matthew would drive such a hard bargain. Or could there perhaps be some other explanation? And then an idea struck him.

'If you think you'll get it from her,' he said warningly, indicating his sister who was standing a few paces away, 'I'm afraid you're barking up the wrong tree. I know lots of blokes who've been out with her and she doesn't.'

'Doesn't what?' asked Matthew. And then added hurriedly: 'Oh, sorry, I see what you mean ...'

But Monty, nevertheless, uttered the heavy sigh of someone whose patience has been tried beyond endurance. 'She doesn't,' he repeated. And then, just to rub it in: 'Not even occasionally occasionally!'

24.