Alteration, The by Amis Kingsley

Author:Amis, Kingsley [Amis, Kingsley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Novel, Modern Classics
ISBN: 978-1-59017-637-5
Publisher: New York Review Books
Published: 1976-01-14T02:00:00+00:00

Chapter Five

In the dormitory at St Cecilia’s, Hubert finished folding a coloured shirt and tucked it carefully away in his valigia, watched by Thomas and Mark. Thomas said in the customary after-dowse-lights undertone,

‘You should go to the woods. You could find a hollow, wrap yourself in a blanket and not be cold. We’d bring you food.’

Hubert shook his head firmly. ‘You’d be missed, then seen, then followed. I won’t have you suffer penance for me. My way’s best.’

‘Tell us where you do mean to go.’

‘As before, Tom, I won’t have you lie or be held sinfully obstinate on my account.’

‘Then—why do you go at last? After not going at first? Because of . . . fucking? Say, Hubert.’

‘No, because of something Master Morley told me about myself just before I was summoned to Rome. That’s as much as I’ll say.’

‘But weren’t you tempted at all by what the Pope offered you?’

‘Oh yes, greatly, but not enough, and so my mind was made up. If something of that mark didn’t signify, nothing would.’

‘I beg you not to defy the will of the Holy Father, which is also God’s will.’ This was Mark. ‘In the name of your saint. In Our Lady’s name. In Christ’s name.’

Without speaking, Hubert again shook his head.

‘You think you can continue as runaway for ever?’

‘A few months will be enough, Mark. Perhaps only a few weeks. Until I’m too old to be altered and save my voice.’

‘Fool! Apostate!’

‘Silence, Mark,’ said Thomas in a hiss. Then he turned and reached under his pillow. ‘Before you fasten those straps . . . I don’t know if you’ll have time to do much reading.’

Hubert glanced at the almost intact cover of the book. ‘Galliard. Keith Roberts.’

It’s CW. What would have happened if the Schismatics’ attempt to abduct Elizabeth Tudor had succeeded and they’d reared her as one of themselves.’

‘Flying machines?’

‘No, but electricity.’

Wonderful. Thank you, Tom.’

‘Now you must be away.’

Thomas carefully opened the door, listened, and nodded to Hubert, who picked up his valigia.

‘Stay a moment.’ Mark took from round his neck a thin chain bearing a plain silver cross and transferred it to Hubert. ‘God give you His protection wherever you go.’

‘Thank you, Mark,’ said Hubert, and paused. He wanted to kiss Thomas, and would not have drawn back from kissing Mark as he would then have been obliged to, but he did not dare, and shook hands with them instead. ‘I’ll see you both again—that I know. Good-bye.’

‘Be lucky,’ said Thomas.

Hubert went out; the door shut silently behind him. There was almost no light in the corridor, but the positions of the windows along it showed well enough to give him his bearings. With his fingertips brushing the inner wall he moved along to the stairhead, his feet in rubber-soled shoes making no sound on the tiles. The handrail guided him down to the hall and he found the outer door after only a few moments’ groping; it was unlocked, as he had been told it would be. Closing it on the far side, he unguardedly let the latch fall with a loud clink and stood rigid.

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