J by Howard Jacobson

J by Howard Jacobson

Author:Howard Jacobson [Jacobson, Howard]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Random House
Published: 2014-08-13T20:00:00+00:00


TWO

Friends

i

‘WE SHOULD NEVER have gone away,’ Kevern said to Ailinn when they were inside.

She felt he was blaming her, though the trip had been his idea.

‘Can you tell yet if anything’s been taken?’ she asked.

‘It’s not what’s been taken. I have nothing it would be worth anyone’s while to take. It’s what’s been seen that concerns me.’

He stood at the window, not wanting to look around, grinding his fists into his eyes.

‘Your feet,’ Ailinn said. ‘I’ve only just noticed.’

‘What?’

‘They’re too big.’

He stared at her.

‘I’m trying to cheer you up with a joke,’ she said.

She stood forlorn in the middle of the little sitting room, not knowing where to put herself, how to help, what to say. When Kevern was at a loss he joked, so she thought she should try the same. But the only effect of her joke was to remind him of something and send him flying up the stairs. She heard him banging about, like a wild animal trapped in someone’s loft. After ten minutes he came back down, looking ashen. ‘Have they been up there?’ she asked.

‘They?’

‘Anyone?’

He fell into an armchair and shrugged. ‘Must have been. Everything’s too neat.’

‘So nothing’s gone?’

‘Hard to say. My father’s records are still there. And I think all his books. That’s something. If they wanted to get me on an heirloom charge they’d have taken those. But who knows what they’ve read, or listened to, or photographed?’

She couldn’t help herself. ‘They?’

‘I think you should go,’ he said.

She went over to him and kissed the top of his head. ‘I can’t leave you alone in this state,’ she said.

‘I don’t know what you mean by “this state”. I am how I always am.’

‘Then I can’t leave you in that state. Come on – discuss it with me. What do you think’s happened?’

He sat forward and dropped his head between his knees. ‘Ahab’s been,’ he said.



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