By the Lake by John McGahern

Author:John McGahern [McGahern, John]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
ISBN: 978-0-8041-5319-5
Publisher: Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group
Published: 2015-02-17T16:00:00+00:00

The Shah tried but could not conceal his impatience when he arrived at the house on Sunday. “Have you managed to get in to see that man yet on that business?”

“Did you not hear? Did he not tell you?”

“You must be joking. He’d tell you nothing. You might as well be dealing with a wall.”

“I was in. You had gone to the hotel. The place was practically closed.”

“Why didn’t you come down to the hotel? Herself is always asking. You could have had something to eat after your trouble.”

“It wasn’t any trouble.”

“Did you get a word out of him at all? It must have been like pulling teeth.”

“He was agreeable and sensible. He had plenty to say.”

“Well?” he demanded impatiently.

“He wants to buy the place if he’s able.”

“Aha,” he said with satisfaction. “He’s not as green as he’s cabbage-looking. Has he the washers?”

“He has savings, more than I thought he could have. I can’t see him ever getting fat on what you’d pay.”

“That’ll do you now,” he shook with pleasure at this picture of his shrewdness. “He gets paid well enough. He’d live on air. How is he going to come up with the rest? Did he get round to that?”

“He’ll have to try and get a loan.”

“Who’ll give him a loan?”

“He’ll have to go to a bank.”

“What’ll the bank say when they see him? They could run him to hell.”

“I’d say he has every chance of getting the loan but are you sure you want to go ahead and sell?”

“Why would I want to change?” he demanded.

“The place has been your life. Once you sell, it won’t be yours any more. You’ll no longer have any say. He’ll be able to sell it on to someone else or tell you he no longer wants you round and there’s not a thing you’ll be able to do. I’m not saying he’s likely to do any of these things. In fact, I think it’s most unlikely, but once you sell you’re gone. Now is the time to be sure.”

“I’d love it if he told me he didn’t want me near the place. I’d be out the door before he had time to turn.”

“As long as you know,” Ruttledge said.

“I know full well. Too many hang on till they’re staggering round the place. There’s a time for everything. That boy is going to get some land. It’ll take some of the sleep out of his eyes.”

“I’ll go ahead, then, with the sale if that’s what you want.”

“Go full ahead. And take care! You may find that the banks may be in no rush to hand out loans when they see the boy they have on their hands,” he started to shake silently.

“As long as you are sure?”

“I’m certain. It’s time.”

The ground had become soft and unpleasant for walking and they did not go further than the hanging hill above the inner lake from where they were able to count the sheep. Several swans were sailing on the lake amid dark clutches of wildfowl.

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