The Red Staircase. Gwendoline Butler

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СКАЧАТЬ were obliged to wear a soft, almost silent footwear – made me turn round. My own black Ivan was in the room. His eyes were on the speaking-tube.

      ‘There is no one at the end, my lady,’ he said politely. ‘The tubes are not used. No one attends to them.’

      ‘I was only playing a game,’ I said, ashamed at being caught at my trick.

      He was silent, pursing his lips.

      ‘My own voice seemed to call back in echo,’ I explained. (Although why should I explain to Ivan? Yet his very silence seemed to call for an answer.) ‘It amused me.’

      Ivan’s answer was to cross himself and say: ‘Those are accursed things, those tubes, and should not be used.’

      ‘Oh, there’s no harm in them, Ivan, they are useful devices in their way. Perhaps not necessary in a house like this, but in other establishments I should call them very helpful. You have certainly no need to be afraid.’ I spoke cheerfully, a little incredulous that so intelligent a man – and Ivan was that – could be fearful of a harmless contraption like a speaking-tube. But I supposed, underneath, he was a superstitious peasant at heart.

      An opaque, blank look settled on his features, an expression I had seen on the faces of the other servants when Dolly or Ariadne spoke sharply to them. It could hardly be called insolence since they were, perforce, always so polite, but I noted a quality of stubborn resistance in it.

      ‘Yes, I see you don’t believe me, Ivan,’ I said. ‘But I assure you many houses in Scotland and England have them. People shout down to the kitchen for what they want.’

      ‘No one ever shouts down them in this house,’ he said gloomily. ‘But sometimes the servants down below whistle up them.’

      ‘Why do they do that?’

      ‘To raise the devil, I believe,’ said Ivan, even more gloomily.

      ‘And does he appear?’

      ‘Don’t ask me,’ said Ivan, crossing himself again.

      ‘Oh well, I won’t. But what is it you wanted?’

      He bowed. ‘I am to conduct you up the Red Staircase to the Princess Irene.’

      When I had least expected it, the summons had come. How convenient, I remember thinking innocently, that I should be free and Ariadne out with her mother.

      The staircase to what I had begun to call the Red Tower seemed stuffier, the air more scented and dead than ever, and the Princess’s room, when I got there, was full of cigarette smoke. It was over-hot, too, as before, and artificially lit, although it was full daylight outside. I was taking in the details more fully on this second visit. I saw now that not only was the room full of furniture, but that every piece was covered with objects; several low tables bore burdens of silver-framed photographs, flowering plants (there were always so many flowers in Russia), enamelled boxes and porcelain figures. Even at a glance I could see that many of the objects were valuable, for instance an intricately-worked egg of silver and tortoiseshell on a stand of lapis lazuli; but others, like a papier mâché bowl of hideous red and a paper fan with a nasty bead handle, were rubbish. As I looked round I realised that the clutter and muddle reminded me of something. Then I saw what it was: our old nursery at Jordansjoy. This was a playroom for an old child.

      Princess Irene was sitting up in her bed, wearing a brocade and fur jacket and a little matching turban, and smoking a small black cigarette. At my appearance she held out a regal hand. ‘Ah, so there you are. Gratified you came so promptly, most gratified.’ She didn’t sound it, more as if she had taken my appearance for granted.

      ‘Oh, I wanted to,’ I said honestly. ‘And fortunately Ariadne is out with her mother, so I was free.’

      ‘Naturally, I know where my niece is.’ She had a bed-table in front of her on which she was laying out a pack of cards in some elaborate-looking game. ‘She has gone to her dressmaker and taken her daughter with her. Peter has gone too, and much may he enjoy it. Dolly choosing a dress is a penance I would not wish on any man.’ She turned over a card. ‘Ah, the Queen, a good sign.’ She puffed at her cigarette. ‘Not that I believe the cards can really tell the future, at my age it is a little difficult to take that; but – ’ and here she gave an elegant shrug – ‘a little wink from the Fates is very acceptable.’

      She gave a cough, a deep rolling cough that shook her whole body and left her gasping. Another wink from the Fates, I thought, and not such an agreeable one. The cigarette rolled from her fingers; I picked it up and put it on a silver saucer, which was half full of the cigarettes she had smoked already.

      ‘And have you told my niece that you have visited me here?’ Her dark eyes gave me a sharp look.

      ‘I think you know the answer to that question,’ I said slowly. ‘You who know everything that goes on in this house. No, I have not.’

      ‘Good. Good. Of course, she will discover and perhaps be quite cross. She has a temper, you know.’ Another sharp look here.

      ‘I can imagine.’

      ‘Not that it matters. I rather like to annoy Dolly.’ She gave a deep chuckle. ‘And it improves her complexion. She’s rather sallow, isn’t she? Don’t you find her sallow?’

      Bemused and fascinated, I did not answer. It was true that by comparison with the vivid red mantling of Princess Irene’s cheeks, Dolly was lacking in colour.

      ‘You don’t answer. Very wise. I like a girl who knows when to keep a still tongue in her head. It’s a sign of good breeding.’

      She was a wicked old thing and needed to be taken down a peg or two, I thought. ‘I wouldn’t speak about my employer, in any case,’ I said. ‘It’s good sense as much as good breeding.’

      ‘Dolly’s not your employer. I am. Aha, that startled you, didn’t it?’ And she leaned back on her pillows in triumph, only to burst out into one of those deep coughs again, so that I had to lean forward and retrieve another cigarette.

      So the money that supported this luxurious household was hers? I was surprised, but I could accept it as the truth. ‘Perhaps you pay my salary,’ I began hesitantly. ‘But it is to be with Ariadne that I am here.’ And Shereshevo, I thought.

      ‘Pay you, do I?’ She gave me an amused look. ‘No, Dolly is rich enough to pay for anything she chooses to indulge herself with. No, but it was on my instructions she sent for you. And not for Ariadne. Nor any dirty peasants, either.’

      ‘On your instructions?’ I echoed. Yes, I could see her issuing her orders to Dolly Denisov. What I couldn’t see was Dolly accepting them.

      ‘And Dolly was pleased to oblige me. She likes to forget I am here, but once reminded, she knows better than to be too difficult.’ The diamonds on her fingers flashed as she moved the cards again. ‘I knew all about you. Your old cousin, Miss Gowrie, visits Dolly regularly. She’s full of gossip, which filters through to me. So I told Dolly to get you.’ The diamonds flashed again. ‘She took her time, she likes to tease me a bit, but you came at last. To me. She was pleased to do as I asked in the end. And she had her own motives, also, one does not doubt. And perhaps another voice than mine was added.’ Again came that malicious look. She means Peter, I thought. Peter wanted me.

      ‘But СКАЧАТЬ