Chapter 14 Chapter Thirteen

"I was wondering if you could stop by for some fish, honey," Aunt Lynn said in a phone call to him on Tuesday afternoon. Understand why we have to prepare an extra dish because Naville is coming, but Christina said that if he doesn't, he will steal the food she prepared for tomorrow. So, if you don't mind, dear, please is you." Although he wasn't expecting to spend an hour or two with Neville tonight, he had more confidence in himself and a better sense of humor than he had a few days ago. He's been in touch with a glass company in Raborough to fix the broken windows in Franchise; he's also miraculously found the key to the iron door in Franchise - the other two spares will be ready tomorrow; He sent the food himself too--and a bouquet of the most beautiful flowers that could be found in Milford.

The eager welcome he had received in the Franchise had almost made him forget the brilliance in their conversation with Neville. He called Kevin McDermot at lunch, couldn't find him, but made an appointment with his secretary to call Robert's place at 10 Market Street in the evening when Kevin was free.The development of things has gradually exceeded his control, and he needs Kevin's advice. He turned down three golf invitations because he didn't have time to chase a rubbery white ball on the golf course, much to the shock of his golfing partner. He went to visit a very important client, who had been waiting for him since last Friday, until he got impatient and called the firm to check if he was still working in Buhapo Law Firm.

He also reviewed with Mr. Hasseltine his delinquent and delayed work; although Mr. Hasseltine sided with the Sharpe mother and daughter, he still showed with a quiet but obvious condemnation that the Franchise incident was not the case. The nature of the case received by the firm. Miss Teff brought his tea, as usual, in a blue patterned porcelain cup on a lacquered tray covered with a white square, and two digestive biscuits on a plate. The lacquer tray was on his desk now, just as it was two weeks ago when he picked up the phone in this office and spoke to Marion Sharp for the first time.Just two weeks ago, he sat looking at the afterglow of a slanting sunset, bored with the stability of his own life and saddened by the passing of time.But today even the digestive biscuits didn't make him despise such a life, because he had stepped out of the stereotyped routine that had become a routine.Now he's up against Scotland Yard, representing two scandal-stricken ladies, doing amateur detective work and seeing mass violence.His whole world has changed, different from what it used to be.Even the people he knew displayed different qualities.For example, the dark, slender woman he sometimes saw shopping in the mall was now the woman he called Marianne.

Of course, one consequence of deviating from the ruts of daily life is that you can no longer put on your hat and wander leisurely home at four o'clock in the afternoon.He pushed the tea tray aside and set to work; when he looked up again it was half past six; by the time he opened the door of his house at number ten it was seven. The drawing room door was slightly ajar as usual - like many old houses have a small problem, it will swing from side to side when the deadbolt is not bolted - and he could hear Neville's voice behind it. "On the contrary, I think you are extremely stupid." Neville was talking to someone.

Robert recognized the tone immediately.When Naville was four years old, he said to a guest in such a cold and angry tone: "I regret to invite you to my party." Neville was obviously very angry for some reason. Robert stopped with his half-removed coat and listened. "You're talking about something you don't know anything about, and you're in no position to claim that's sane advice." There's no other voices in there, guess who he's talking to on the phone—maybe it's keeping Kevin from getting in, what a young idiot. "I'm not crazy about anybody. I've never been hot with anyone. You're the one who gets carried away by some unintelligible opinion.

Like I just said you're extremely stupid--your casual flickering on the side of an unbalanced young girl in a case you don't understand at all is proof enough that you're out of your wits--you You can tell your father that his accusation has nothing to do with the spirit of Christ, and that is not to be disturbed.I'm not sure that wasn't an encouragement to violence - yes, last night - no, their windows were broken and slurs painted on the walls - if he's really interested in getting justice , he should do something about such violence. But I don't have to think about it to know that you people have no real sincerity for justice, do you? Only justice—I said 'you people, what do you mean? That's what I said.You and your people only show the world that you have a conscience for the so-called good things that are not beneficial.You will never extend a helping hand to a lowly hard worker, but you will cry as far as Antarctica over a prison inmate who gets media attention and refuses a meal.You make me sick—yes, I said you make me sick—like cat shit, making me sick to my stomach!” Then there was a loud bang, and the microphone was thrown back into the phone, presumably the poet had finished what he was about to say.

Robert hung up his coat and went into the living room.Neville was pouring himself a glass of strong whiskey, the scars of the storm still on his face. "I want a drink too," said Robert. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop," he explained. "Isn't that Rosemary?" "Who else? Who else in Britain is so unreasonable?" "Which level?" "Well, you didn't hear that part? She's decided to join in with the abused Betty Kane." Neville swallowed his whiskey and glared at Rob as if he was responsible for it. "I don't think her joining the Ike-Emma will have any effect on the matter."

"The Ike-Emma! Not the Ike-Emma. It's the Watcher. Her half-witted father has written a review for Friday's issue. Yes." , you look horrified. Hey, as if we weren't in enough trouble, add us this freaking sentimental hyperbole in a cheap magazine!" The Watcher was the only magazine that published Neville's poems, and Robert felt somewhat ungrateful for Neville's attitude.On the other hand, however, he quite agrees with his criticism. "Maybe they won't print it," he said, hoping for reassurance, though without hope. "You know very well that they will print any article he sends. Who is providing the financial support to save them from a third financial crisis? The Bishop, of course."

"It's his wife!" The bishop's wife came from a wealthy family. "Well, his wife. But the Bishop makes The Watcher his amateur pulpit. Nothing is too stupid for his own writing, and the magazine has no guts not to print it. You Remember that cold blooded girl who went around shooting taxi drivers for seven or eleven bucks? That girl just happened to fit his taste. He basically cried into a vegetable for her. He did it for that girl in Watchmen She wrote a long and hypocritical letter, claiming how she was discriminated against in the first place, and how she should have received a scholarship, but because her family was poor and could not provide her with books and uniforms, she had to sell cheap labor and make bad friends. The shooting of the taxi driver happened; in fact he hardly mentioned that last point at all in the published letter.

Of course, the blasphemers of The Watchmen love that argument, for whom all criminals are frustrated angels.Then the president of that school—the school where the girl was said to have received the scholarship—wrote an article in response to the bishop's letter, pointing out that the girl was not who the bishop described, and in fact her name was in the 159th out of 1 contenders; and those who are interested in education such as the bishop should know that no one is excluded from the list of scholarships because of family poverty, and that books and bursaries are automatically allocated to those who come from Children of poor families.At this point, you'd think the Bishop had come to his senses, wouldn't you? But that didn't bother him at all.The letter from the head of the school appeared in small print on the last page of the magazine; and in the very next issue the old man shifted his focus to another case he knew nothing about.And this Friday, alas, God help me, he'll weep and pray for Betty 'Kane. "

"I was thinking—if I went to see him tomorrow—" "Tomorrow is the day of printing." "Well, that's true. Then maybe I can call—" "You'd be naive if you thought anyone or anything could move a sovereign dominator to pull back an article that sparked public interest." The phone rings. "If it's Rosemary, tell her I've been to China," Neville said. But it was Kevin McDermot calling. "Well, great detective," Kevin said, "I congratulate you. But next time, don't waste your time asking the civilians living in Ellsbury to inquire about information that can be obtained by calling Scotland Yard." Robert replied that he was still quite a commoner and didn't think of Scotland Yard for everything, but he was learning - and learning very quickly. He told Kevin about last night, and allowed himself room for Kevin to have fun, before saying, "I can't take my time with this anymore. Some things have to be sorted out quickly." "You want me to introduce you to a private detective, don't you?" "Yes, I think it's about time. Also I thought--" "Thinking of what?" Kevin asked as he paused. "Well, I was thinking I could go to Scotland Yard and meet Inspector Grant and tell him straight to the point that I understood how she knew about the Sharpes and the daughter and the house; and that she had met a man at Labolo , I have eyewitnesses to that meeting." "Then what can they do?" "Then they can help us investigate the girl's movements that month." "And you think they will?" "Of course it will. Why not?" "Because it wasn't worth it to them. When they found out that the girl wasn't credible at all, they just closed it gratefully because they had a valid reason to ignore it. She didn't say anything to her Under oath, the police have no reason to say she committed perjury." "But the police can say she was misleading." "True, but they still have to assess whether it's worth it to them. We can imagine that it won't be an easy job to dig out what she did that month. For them, it's not just An unnecessary investigation, and it takes time to prepare representatives for the procedures necessary to investigate a case. For a department with a mountain of cases, it is difficult to imagine that more serious and urgent matters are flooding in front of them. would go to great lengths on a case that could easily be unloaded." "But we're talking about a justice department. This whole thing has left the Sharps..." "I must amend that they are only a law enforcement agency. Justice only occurs in the courts, as you should know very well. Besides, Rob, you have no real evidence to give them. You can't be sure that she really arrived. Milford town. And her tea with a man at Midland Hall doesn't invalidate the story of her being taken by the Sharp mother and daughter. Leaving that aside, the only person you can rely on right now is Alec Lunsden , Five Spring Gardens, Fowlergate, South West London." "Who is he? " "Your private detective, and a very good one, trust me. He has a well-trained crew, so if he's inconvenient himself, he's capable of giving you a decent replacement. Tell him I referred you. Yeah, keep him from giving you useless hands. But of course that won't happen. He's like the salt on this earth that makes food colorful. He's retired from the military and police because he was in Injured on duty. He'd make you proud. I have to hang up. If there's anything I can do to help, just give me a call. I should like to have the chance to see you, to visit the Franchise and your witches.I am very concerned about the development of this matter.Goodbye. "Rob put the phone down, picked it up again, called Directory Information, and checked for Alec. Lunsden's number.Calls went unanswered, so he sent a telegram saying that he, Robert Blair, had an urgent matter to investigate, and that Kevin McDermot suggested that Lunsden was the best option. "Rob," said Aunt Lynn, flushing with indignation, "did you know that you put the fish on the table in the hallway and it got the mahogany furniture dripping wet, while Christina was waiting for it? " "Is this complaint about the mahogany table, or has Christina been kept waiting?" "Really, Robert, I really don't know what's wrong with you. You've changed completely since your involvement in the Franchise affair. Two weeks ago, you would never have put a fish-pack in a waxed on your mahogany furniture, and forget about it. And even if you did forget, you'd be very embarrassed and apologetic." "I'm sorry, Aunt Lynn, and I sincerely repent. But you know I don't often have the opportunity to be responsible for such serious cases, and you'll forgive me for being tired and distracted at times." "I don't think you're tired. On the contrary, I've never seen you so excited. I think you're 100 per cent interested in that dirty case. Just this morning, Chulov of Ann Bowling Miss also expressed to me her condolences for your recent ignorance." "Really? Well, my condolences to Miss Trurov's sister." "Mourning for what?" "Mourning for a sister like Miss Trulloff. You're having a rough day, aren't you, Aunt Lynn?" "Don't smile like that, my dear. Nobody in this town is very happy about such a scandal. It's a clean, dignified little place." "I don't like Milford as much now as I did two weeks ago," recalls Robert, "so I save my tears." "More than four large tour buses came from Rabolo today just to see the Franchise on the way." "Who feeds them?" asked Robert, knowing that big buses like that weren't popular on Milford Street. "Nobody. They're pretty disgruntled." "I hope they will learn from this lesson and just mind their own business next time." "The pastor's wife insists on our Christian behavior in this matter, but I think she misses the point." "The Spirit of Christ?" "Yeah—'value judgments withheld,' you know. But that's weakness and not Christianity. Of course, I don't discuss the case, dear Robert, not even with her. I'm quite cautious. But of course She knew what I was thinking, and I knew how she was, so the discussion was completely silent. A clear nasal snort came from the direction of Neville, who was relaxed in a chair. "What did you say, dear Neville?" Xing's baby-like tone frightened Navier. "No, Aunt Lynn," he said tamely. But he still couldn't escape, the cold snort coming out of his nose was too obvious. "I don't mean to begrudge you a drink, my dear, but that's your third glass, isn't it? I had liqueur for dinner, but you can't taste it after those few strong drinks. You really shouldn't Get into that bad habit, especially if you're marrying the bishop's daughter." "I'm not going to marry Rosemary." Miss Bonnet froze, terrified. "No! " "That's like marrying a public relations department." "But, Neville!" "Or like marrying a radio jack." Rob remembered Kevin mentioning that the only thing Rosemary could produce was a phonograph. "Or a crocodile." Rosemary was actually quite pretty, and Robert guessed that "crocodile" was the part about tears—like a cat crying about a mouse, fake mercy. "Or a temporary podium." Marble Arch in Hyde Park, Robert whispered in his mind. "Or marry the Ike-Emma tabloid." That sounds like the last one. "But why, dear Neville?" "She's a very dumb thing. Almost as dumb as The Watcher." Robert graciously avoided mentioning that The Watcher had been almost Neville's bible for the past six years. "Well, come on, my dear; you've only had a little quarrel; that's what all engaged people do. To be honest, that's a good thing to figure out these give and take relationships before marriage; couples who never quarrel before marriage will make people quarrel after marriage; so don't take small unhappiness too seriously.Give her a call before you go home tonight—" "We disagree on pretty fundamental issues," Neville said grimly, "and I had absolutely no reason to call her." "But, dear Neville, what—" Three hoarse, feeble gongs blazed through her protest words, and she had to stop.A dramatic broken engagement is now replaced by matters that require immediate attention. "That's the sound of the gong. I think you'd better take your wine to the dining room, dear. Christina likes her soup served immediately after adding eggs, and she's not in a good mood tonight because The fish arrived too late. I don't know what the reason is that the fish is late. The way the fish is baked doesn't take much time. It wasn't her job to wipe fish stains off mahogany furniture either.I cleaned it up long ago.