按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
ng each other tall glasses of lager beer。
'You should have been in Budapest when Horthy marched in' said Jean。 'That was politics。'
A party was being given that night in Regent's Park for the 'Black Birds' who had newly arrived in England。 One of us had been asked and thither we all went。
To us； who frequented Bricktop's and the Bal N鑗re in the Rue Blomet； there was nothing particularly remarkable in the spectacle； I was scarcely inside the door when I heard an unmistakable voice； an echo from what now seemed a distant past。
'No；' it said； 'they are not animals in a zoo； Mulcaster； to be goggled at。 They are artists； my dear； very great artists； to be revered。'
Anthony Blanche and Boy Mulcaster were at the table where the wine stood。
'Thank God here's someone I know；' said Mulcaster； as I joined them。 'Girl brought me。 Can't see her anywhere。'
'She's given you the slip； my dear； and do you know why？ Because you look ridiculously out of place； Mulcaster。 It isn't your kind of party at all； you ought not to be here； you ought to go away； you know； to the Old Hundredth or some lugubrious dance in Belgrave Square。'
'Just e from one； ' said Mulcaster。 'Too early for the Old Hundredth。 I'll stay on a bit。 Things may cheer up。'
'I spit on you；' said Anthony。 'Let me talk to you； Charles。' We took a bottle and our glasses and found a er in another room。 At our feet five members of the 'Black Birds' orchestra squatted on their heels and threw dice。
'That one； ' said Anthony； 'the rather pale one； my dear； conked Mrs Arnold Frickheimer the other morning on the nut； my dear； with a bottle of milk。'
Almost immediately； inevitably； we began to talk of Sebastian。
'My dear； he's such a sot。 He came to live with me in Marseille last year when you threw him over； and really it was as much as I could stand。 Sip； sip； sip like a dowager all day long。 And so sly。 I was always missing little things； my dear； things I rather liked； once I lost two suits that had arrived from Lesley and Roberts that morning。 Of course； I didn't know it was Sebastian … there were some rather queer fish； my dear； in and out of my little apartment。 Who knows better than you my taste for queer fish？ Well； eventually； my dear； we found the pawnshop where Sebastian was p…p…popping them and then he hadn't got the tickets； there was a market for them； too； at the bistro。
'I can see that puritanical； disapproving look in your eye； dear Charles； as though you thought I had led the boy on。 It's one of Sebastian's less lovable qualities that he always gives the impression of being l…1…led on … like a little horse at a circus。 But I assure you I did everything。 I said to him again and again； 〃Why drink？ If you want to be intoxicated there are so many much more delicious things。〃 I took him to quite the best man； well； you know him as well as I do； Nada Alopov and Jean Luxmore and everyone we know has been to him for years … he's always in the Regina Bar … and then we had trouble over that because Sebastian gave him a bad cheque … a s…s…stumer； my dear … and a whole lot of very menacing men came round to the flat thugs； my dear … and Sebastian was making no sense at the time and it was all most unpleasant。'
Boy Mulcaster wandered towards us and sat down； without encouragement； by my side。
'Drink running short in there；' he said； helping himself from our bottle and emptying it。 'Not a soul in the place I ever set eyes on before … all black fellows。'
Anthony ignored him and continued： 'So then we left Marseille and went to Tangier； and there； my dear； Sebastian took up with his new friend。 How can I describe him？ He is like the footman in Warning Shadows … a great clod of a German who'd been in the Foreign Legion。 He got out by shooting off his great toe。 It hadn't healed yet。 Sebastian found him； starving as tout to one of the houses in the Kasbah； and brought him to stay with us。 It was too macabre。 So back I came； my dear； to good old England … Good old England；' he repeated； embracing with a flourish of his hand the Negroes gambling at our feet； Mulcaster staring blankly before him； and our hostess who； in pyjamas； now introduced herself to us。
'Never seen you before；' she said。 'Never asked you。 Who are all this white trash； anyway？ Seems to me I must be in the wrong house。'
'A time of national emergency；' said Mulcaster。 'Anything may happen。'
'Is the party going well？' she asked anxiously。 'D'you think Florence Mills would sing？ We've met before；' she added to Anthony。
'Often； my dear； but you never asked me tonight。'
'Oh dear； perhaps I don't like you。 I thought I liked everyone。'
'Do you think；' asked Mulcaster； when our hostess had left us； 'that it might be witty to give the fire alarm？'
'Yes； Boy； run away and ring it。'
'Might cheer things up； I mean。'
'Exactly。'
So Mulcaster left us in search of the telephone。
'I think Sebastian and his lame chum went to French Morocco；' continued Anthony。 'They were in trouble with the Tangier police when I left them。 The Marchioness has been a positive pest ever since I came to London； trying to make me get into touch with them。 What a time that poor woman's having！ It only shows there's some justice in life。'
Presently Miss Mills began to sing and everyone； except the crap players； crowded to the next room。
'That's my girl；' said Mulcaster。 'Over there； with that black fellow。 That's the girl who brought me。'
'She seems to have forgotten you now。'
'Yes。 I wish I hadn't e。 Let's go somewhere。' Two fire engines drove up as we left and a host of helmeted figures joined the throng upstairs。
'That chap； Blanche；' said Mulcaster； 'not a good fellow。 I put him in Mercury once。'
We went to a number of night clubs。 In two years Mulcaster seemed to have attained his simple ambition of being known and liked in such places。 At the last of them he and I were kindled by a great flame of patriotism。
'You and I ' he said； 'were too young to fight in the war。 Other chaps fought； millions of them dead。 Not us。 We'll show them。 We'll show the dead chaps we can fight； too。'
'That's why I'm here；' I said。 'e from overseas； rallying to old country in hour of need。'
'Like Australians。'
'Like the poor dead Australians。'
'What you in？'
'Nothing yet。 War not ready。'
'Only one thing to join … Bill Meadows' show Defence Corps。 All good chaps。 Being fixed in Bratt's。'
'I'll join。'
'You remember Bratt's？'
'No。 I'll join that； too。'
'That's right。 All good chaps like the dead chaps。'
So I joined Bill Meadows' show； which was a flying squad； protecting food deliveries in the poorest parts of London。 First I was enrolled in the Defence Corps； took an oath of loyalty； and was given a helmet and truncheon； then I was put up for Bratt's Club and； with a number of other recruits； elected at a mittee meeting specially called for the occasion。 For a week we sat under orders in Bratt's and thrice a day we drove out in a lorry at the head of a convoy of milk vans。 We were jeered at and sometimes pelted with muck but only once did we go into action。
W