Bland Beginning by Julian Symons

Author:Julian Symons
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bland Beginnings
ISBN: 9780755128150
Publisher: House of Stratus
Published: 2013-01-03T05:00:00+00:00

“Recreations. Has found during a long life that most of the activities labelled ‘recreation’ are infinitely less interesting than those characterised as ‘work’. The single exception to this is the noble game of chess, of which he has been for years an enthusiastic but incompetent exponent.

That shows you,” said Basingstoke parenthetically, “what a pompous old fool he is. Now, we know that he won’t see anybody in the ordinary way, but he might see someone interested in chess. A reporter from Chess News and Views, who wanted to get an interview called, let’s say, ‘A Bibliophile looks at Chess’. First of all a telephone call to make the appointment, with a delicate suggestion that ‘Chess News and Views’ has heard of his interest in the game, and would very much like to have his views on it. Has the training in accurate examination of texts demanded by bibliography a value when carried over into the game of chess? Does he analyse the games of the great players as he analyses the structure of a book? And so on. I think he’ll fall for it. Then, once past the barrier, face to face with the old rascal, it must surely be possible to get something out of him.”

He was glowing with enthusiasm. Ruth’s face was screwed up thoughtfully. “Suppose he won’t speak to you when you ring up?”

“Then tell his secretary, and hang on for an answer.”

“Suppose he says, ‘All right. I’ll send you an article.’”

“No good. We must have the personal touch. But there’s nothing lost, even if he does refuse.”

“No, I suppose not.” She considered it again, looked at his delighted face, and gave him a reluctant smile. “I think it’s a very good idea.”

“That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile today. You’ll do it, then.”

“Me?” She almost fell off her chair. “You didn’t say anything about me. I thought you were going to do it.”

He said dryly, “My appearance doesn’t inspire confidence. And he’s much more likely to talk to a woman than a man.”

“Then why not Miss Rawlings?”

“She doesn’t know anything about books.”

“I don’t know anything about chess.”

“That isn’t necessary,” he countered impatiently. “I’ll do the telephoning and arrange the appointment. Once you’re in there’s no point in keeping up the chess pretence for more than a couple of minutes. Then come straight out with the story of Jebb’s murder, and ask if he won’t help the cause of justice.”

“Suppose he just turns me out?”

Basingstoke’s face twitched slightly. “Don’t expect that you’ll be able to unveil him dramatically as the murderer. The point is this – we may be altogether up the wrong tree with Cobb. He may have some perfectly good and reasonable way of accounting for his connection with this book, and if that’s so we ought to know it.” She still looked doubtful. “What’s the matter?”

“I don’t know. All this is such – musical-comedy stuff. It seems so beastly to be doing it when Arthur’s dead.”

He pushed his cup away. It rattled a little as he did so.

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