Revise the World by Brenda W Clough

Author:Brenda W Clough [Clough, Brenda W]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2014-04-20T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 18

The next day Titus had to stand the gaff for indulging his temper. Lash came in at breakfast. “Some therapists on your schedule today, Titus.”

After his nap in the park Titus had slept poorly again, and was in no mood for novelty. “Therapists?”

“Doctors, people with training in psychiatry, who’ll talk to you about your problems.”

“Nonsense, Lash,” Titus said uneasily. “I admit I was a little off my feed yesterday, but today I’m right as ninepence. I have no problems.”

“Titus, you’re insulting my intelligence. It’s obvious to the most casual observer that you’re bitterly unhappy. No, no,” he added quickly, holding up a hand. “I know you don’t want to talk about it to me. But there are professional people whose job it is to deal with this kind of thing, and — “

Titus stared in horror. “You mean, lie on a leather sofa while some little foreigner in a comic-opera beard quizzes me about my dreams?”

Lash’s smile was a little forced. “So you’ve heard of Sigmund Freud and his work. I’m delighted!”

“The man’s a pervert,” Titus declared, pouring himself more coffee. “Only Jews and Krauts would ever muck with that sort of tommyrot.”

“You don’t have to lie on a sofa,” Lash pleaded. “And I promise nobody will ask about your dreams. That’s entirely out of date now anyway. Titus, I’m going to have to insist. Please understand that we’re trying to help you.”

“No!”

To his dismay a very tall, thin man with a bald head came in and sat down across from him. The fellow even came with his own cup of coffee. “This is Dr. Rollo Mason,” Lash said. “Doctor, this is Captain Titus Oates.”

“I have an especial dislike of doctors,” Titus growled.

“And why is that, Captain?” Dr. Mason asked, without the least sign of offence.

A number of rancorous replies came to mind, but Titus was constrained by politeness from voicing them. Instead he rose to his feet. “I refuse to participate in this activity, Lash. You’ll excuse me.”

“Titus, what harm can it do to listen for five minutes? You don’t have to do or say anything you don’t want to.”

Something in Lash’s tone carried a warning. He was going to insist, it said. How could this insistence be enforced? Titus decided not to find out today. Reluctantly he sat again. If only he had his pipe, so that he could look busy! It would hardly be the done thing to clamp his hands over his ears, but surely no one could complain if he not-listened in his old way. The miles he had sledged in the Antarctic, musing on how to refit his yacht! He had got out of the trick with Shell, but the skill had not fled. He wondered how the last tour was getting on. It had been damned rude to leave without saying a word to the Longtrees, who had treated him with nothing but kindness. Would it be possible to write Mag a letter? Lash must be in contact with them, if he was going to get her to post him his toilet kit.

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