Chapter 4 Chapter 3 Gossip

Everything is in order.I'm scheduled to go to the Archaeological Hills excavation site next week.Mrs. Kersey was busy getting settled in Alvia.I'm happy to help her with some of the work load; Once or twice during that time I overheard the Leidner Antiquities Survey being mentioned.Mrs. Kersey's friend, a young squadron leader, pursed his lips in amazement and said, "Lovely Louise! So that's what she's been up to lately!" He turned to me and said, "Miss Nurse ; that's our nickname for her, and she's always been known as 'Lovely Louise'!"

"So, is she this pretty?" I asked. "That's according to what she thinks of herself. She thinks she's cute!" "Don't be so bad now, John," said Mrs. Kersey. "Don't you know she's not the only one who thinks so! Lots of people are crazy about her." "Perhaps you are right. She may be a bit older, but she still has the charm." "You're prostrating yourself!" said Mrs. Kersey, laughing. The air force squadron leader blushed and said with some embarrassment: "Ah, she is very charming. As for Leidner himself, wherever she walked, he would burn incense and worship her! The whole inspection team also Worship her, as they should!"

"How many people are there?" I asked. "There are all kinds of people, from that country, Miss Nurse," said the squadron leader cheerfully. "There is an English architect, a French priest, a Carthaginian who deciphers the inscriptions—the steles— You know? And Miss Johnson, she's British too--a guy who does all the chores. And there's a little fat guy who does the photography, and he's American. And the McGados, God knows who they are One country. Mrs. McGado is young, a snake-like woman—ah—she hates sweet Louise! And two young lads, and that's the whole crew, and a few very odd ones. Guys, but mostly fine...do you agree with me, Pennyman?"

He was addressing an elderly man who was sitting turning a pair of pince-nez thoughtfully. The latter was taken aback and looked up. "Yes--yes--really very good. That is, of course. Of course, Mercado is a queer fellow--" "He's got such a queer beard," Mrs. Kersey put in, "a queer crooked kind of beard." Major Pennyman went on, paying no heed to her insertion. "The two young lads were very nice, the American was quite quiet, the Englishman was a bit more talkative. Odd, the opposite is usually the case. Leidner himself was a very pleasant fellow - very humble, not at all Putting on airs, yes, individually, they're all very friendly people. But, I don't know why, maybe I'm too imaginative, but the last time I went to see them, I had a strange impression that there was something Something was wrong, I don't know exactly why. None of them seemed natural, and there was a strange tension. I can tell you one thing that best illustrates what I mean: They were at the dinner table When passing butter to each other, it's too polite."

I say a little sheepishly—because I don't like to be judgmental—"People get upset when they're locked in a house for too long, and I know that from experience in hospitals." "You're right," said Major Kersey, "but this is the beginning of the excavation period, and there won't be any upset." "An antiquities survey team may be a microcosm of our life here," Major Panniman said. "There are factions, there are rivals, and there are jealousies." "Looks like they've got a lot of new recruits this year, from what you're saying," Major Kersey said.

"Let me do the math," said the squadron leader, counting with his fingers. "Coleman's new here. Rhett is new here. Emmott came last year. So did the McGadors. Father Lavigne was New here, he's replacing Dr. Beard, because Dr. Beard is sick this year and can't come out. Of course, Jaley is an old member. He came after the excavation started five years ago. Miss Johnson came with the same time. As long as Jared." "I always thought they got along very well at the Arimian Hills excavation site," Major Kersey said. "They seemed like a family. It's amazing when we think about what it's like to be human." phenomenon. I believe Nurse Leatheran agrees with me."

"Well—" I said, "I don't know what's wrong with what you're saying. I've seen quarrels like this in hospitals, and they're usually just quarreling over a pot of tea." "Yes, a person can easily become very petty in a dense society," said Major Pennyman, "and I still feel that there is more to it than that. Leidner is such a gentle, unassuming person." He's really human and really resourceful. He's always managed to keep people in his regiment happy and on good terms with each other. But, I did sense a tension the other day."

Mrs. Kersey laughed. ' "So, you can't see the reason? Actually, it's obvious!" "What is your intention?" "Mrs. Leidner, of course!" "Oh, come on, Mary!" said her husband. "She's a lovely creature! Nothing like a quarrelsome woman." "I didn't say she was quarrelsome. She makes other people quarrel!" "How to make people quarrel? Why does she do it?" "Why? Why? Because she's bored. She's not an archaeologist, she's just an archaeologist's wife. She's bored. She's cut off from all the novelty and excitement of the outside world. So she arranges for herself some nervous, Exciting things. She takes pleasure in discording people on purpose."

"Mary, you don't know the truth at all, you're only imagining." "Of course I'm imagining! But you'll see I'm right. There's no reason why lovely Louise looks like the Mona Lisa: she probably didn't mean any harm. But she wanted to see what would happen as a result of." "She was devoted to Leidner." "Ah, maybe. I don't mean any dirty conspiracy. But, that woman, she's an allumeuse!" "Women are very dear to each other," said Major Kersey. "I know, kitty, kitty, kitty: that's what you men would say. But, we usually know ourselves better."

"Assuming Mrs. Kersey's harsh speculations are true. I still don't think that accounts for that strange sense of tension--something like a thunderstorm-like feeling. I have a very strong feeling: A storm could be imminent." "Don't frighten the nurse," said Mrs. Kersey. "She's going there in three days. Your words will put her off." "Oh, you won't frighten me." I said, laughing. I still think a lot about those words just now, and Dr. Leidner's "much safer" words are strangely used and keep coming back to me again and again.Was it his wife's secret fear--perhaps she refused to admit it, or did not express it--invoking a reaction on the part of the others, or was that real tension (or the unknown cause of that feeling) in her nerves? Skin reaction?

I looked up the word allumeuse that Mrs. Kersey uses, but couldn't find the meaning either. I thought to myself: Well, I'll just wait and see.