Six Against the Yard. Margery Allingham

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СКАЧАТЬ was lying on a couch, her make-up still on but standing out from her face as though the skin beneath it had shrunk. I hardly recognised her. She was heavier, older, and although still lovely there was an exhaustion, a weakness which was incredible when associated with Louie.

      ‘Oh, Polly,’ she said, ‘oh, Polly …’ and burst into tears.

      This was so unlike her that I forgot myself entirely.

      ‘Why, Duck,’ I said, ‘why, Duck, what’s the matter?’

      She wiped her tears away and looked nervously at the woman.

      ‘You clear out, Auntie,’ I said. ‘Go and have a drink. I’ll look after Miss Lester.’

      The old rabbit stood her ground.

      ‘Mr. Springer said she wasn’t to be left,’ she said.

      ‘Mr. Springer said …!’ I gaped at her. ‘You get out!’ I said. ‘Gawd luv a policeman, what d’you think Miss Lester’s going to do? Blow up? You get out. And if you meet Mr. Springer, you tell him I told you to.’

      ‘Oh, no, Polly, no.’ Louie put her hand to me and clutched my arm and I looked down at her hand and saw that her rings were paste. I can’t tell you why, but that shocked me more than anything I’ve ever seen in all my life … yes, more than his face when–––

      But I’m coming to that later.

      Finally the old woman went. I’m not so big, and the last part I ever played was a burlesque charwoman, but I usually get what I want when I set my mind to it.

      When the door was closed behind her I locked it and turned to Louie.

      ‘Are you ill?’ I said.

      ‘No. Only tired.’

      ‘How many shows have you done to-day?’

      ‘One.’

      ‘’Strewth!’ I said. ‘What’s the matter?’

      She began to cry again.

      ‘I don’t know, Polly, I don’t know. I’m all right when I’m on the stage, but afterwards I’m laid out. I used not to be like this always, did I, Polly? Did I?’

      ‘Of course you didn’t,’ I said. ‘You ought to go along to see a doctor.’

      ‘A doctor?’ She laughed. ‘Frank wouldn’t like me to do that.’

      I tried to point out to her that it wasn’t much to do with Frank, but that made her laugh. She wasn’t bitter about him. She was very nice.

      I was really frightened for her by this time and I remember sitting down at the foot of the couch and trying to get the trouble out of her.

      But you’re helpless, you know, you’re so helpless when you’re only fond of people and haven’t any authority.

      ‘How are things going?’ I asked her.

      She shot me a little sidelong frightened glance.

      ‘All right,’ she said dully.

      ‘What do you mean?—all right? How are bookings?’

      ‘Oh, good. Good. Frank says they’ve never been so good. He’s my manager now, you know.’

      ‘What! Old Tuppy gone?’ I was shocked. Tuppy had put Louie on the map years before.

      Her mouth twisted. ‘Tuppy was killed. He would join up—over age, you know. Killed the first day he landed. He’s gone. Everybody’s gone.’

      ‘Except Frank,’ I said rather pointedly.

      She was up in arms at once.

      ‘Frank’s over age and his chest’s weak. There isn’t a doctor on earth who’d pass him.’

      I tried to be more cheerful.

      ‘Well, if money’s all right what are you worrying about? You’re not losing your popularity.’

      She hesitated. ‘Money isn’t too good. We—we have to live extravagantly, you know.’

      I looked down at her hands and she hid them behind her like a child.

      ‘What do you mean, have to live extravagantly?’

      ‘Oh, publicity,’ she said vaguely. ‘Frank—I—I mean, we’ve had a lot of betting losses too. I’ve never been in debt before, Polly, and now I’m getting tired. I get too tired to rehearse, and I’ve got to go on or I don’t know where we’ll be.’

      ‘D’you mean to say you haven’t saved anything?’ I said.

      She shook her head. ‘Nothing. And now we’re getting old. I can feel it coming on. I’m still successful, but it’s not going to last. I don’t get the big hits I used to. The songs aren’t so good and one can’t go on for ever.’

      ‘Look here,’ I said, ‘you’ve worked all your life and your husband’s gone through your money and you’re tired, my girl. You want a holiday. Give it up for a couple of months. Go down to the country.’

      She closed her eyes. ‘I can’t. I can’t afford it. I haven’t got anything I could sell, even. Besides, Frank wouldn’t let me.’

      I told her what I thought of Frank. It took me a long time and when I’d done she smiled at me.

      ‘You’re wrong,’ she said. ‘You’ve never understood Frank, Polly, and you never will. He just doesn’t realise, that’s all. He’s so strong, so full of life himself.’

      I remember putting my hands on her shoulders and looking down into her face.

      ‘Louie,’ I said, ‘you’re sacrificing yourself for that man and he’s not worth it. Now I’m going to say something that’s going to hurt you, but I’m an old friend and you’ve got to take it. I’ve heard all sorts of tales about Frank. What about this little ‘bit’ on at the Empire?’

      I could see the colour fade out of her face under the make-up.

      ‘Oh, they’re talking about it, are they?’ she said. ‘Haven’t you heard about the others too? You’re a bit behindhand, you know, Polly.’

      ‘Gawd!’ I said, and I didn’t get any further because there was an almighty row outside the door and Louie was on her feet immediately.

      ‘Quick, let him in,’ she said. ‘We’ve had two barnies with the management already.’

      He came in and I shall never forget him. You’d think that a mint of money spent on a man would at least make him fatter if it made him nothing else. A wizened little brick-red mannikin he looked, not even too clean.

      He glanced round СКАЧАТЬ