Read Online Battle of the Sun by Jeanette Winterson - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Jeanette Winterson
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Magus, ‘and that is he for whom I have searched all these years, like my master before me. He will allow me to complete the Work.’
‘I don’t know how to,’ said Jack.
‘You will know,’ said the Magus. ‘Now go to the kitchen and get food and drink from Mistress Split, and bid her attend to your mother when she is done.’
Jack kissed his mother and left for the kitchen. When he pushed open the heavy oak door that led to the vast stone kitchen, he saw the fire burning in the deep hearth, and lying in front of it, black nose in velvet paws, was his dog Max.
Jack ran forward and scooped Max up in his arms, crying into his warm fur. Jack didn’t cry much, he was a brave boy, but sometimes things are so awful that tears are all you can do. If he hadn’t cried then, not for himself but for his mother, what kind of a boy would he have been? A boy without a heart.
But Jack had a heart; a big brave beating heart, and it was his heart that wept. His dog Max licked his tears away and tried to show Jack that he wasn’t alone and sad.
Sunflower seeds, Cinnabar Egg, Sunken King, Dragon, Magus, gold, gold, gold . . . all the names and images were whirling around in his head that felt too hot from the fire and from his misery. He sat down on the stone floor, a picture of dejection, feeling suddenly helpless and hopeless. What could he do? He was only a boy.
The kitchen door crashed open and in hopped Mistress Split. She was in a state of high glee, and singing to herself:
‘All mine, all mine, all the time, all the time.’
She pulled her sword from her skirt and swung it over her head to the hanging metal rack where the pots and pans hung. She used the sword like a stick, and beat the pots and pans like cymbals, hopping up and down, crash bang slam, crash bang slam. ‘All mine, all mine, all the time, all the time!’
Suddenly she noticed Jack sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up, and Max sitting beside him. Her half-face was a picture of contradictions. When she looked at the dog, her face was soft as milk. When she looked at Jack, her mouth was stretched like a fox that finds its prey.
‘Now SHE is done for, the dog is MINE! Never had a whole mine all my Bottle days. Never had more than a half of this or a half of that or a half of the other. Now I have a dog entire – four paws, two eyes, two kidneys, all a nose, and all MINE.’
She hopped over to the fireplace in a giant leap and cuffed Jack out of the way, scooping up the unfortunate Max, who knew enough to pretend enough to save the boy he loved.
‘Boojie Boojie Boojie!’ said Mistress Split.
Jack got up and placed himself out of reach.
‘Who told you to come meddling in my kitchen?’ demanded Mistress Split, her half-nose in Max’s full furry neck.
‘The Magus,’ said Jack evenly, refusing to show fear. ‘His orders were to feed me and then to attend to Mistress Anne.’
‘Your mother, eh?’ said Mistress Split. ‘No more mother now! And no more dog!’
‘That is my mother’s dog, not my dog,’ said Jack.
Mistress Split came forward and thrust her half-face in his face. ‘MY DOG,’ she said.
Jack did not flinch. ‘Please do as the Magus says. Those are his orders – to feed me, to attend to my mother, and . . .’ Jack had had a brainwave. Suddenly he knew how he could locate the secret bedchamber of the Magus. ‘. . . and you are to service his chamber.’
Mistress Split snorted. ‘Does he think I have more than half a pair of hands? Get your own bread and cheese, go on, and put the same on a tray for your mother, if I am to take it to her. As to the chamber . . .’
Wedge came slamming into the kitchen, the look on his face like half a thunderstorm. ‘KEYS!’ he yelled.
‘If you PLEASE,’ yelled back Mistress Split.
‘Boys must rise and be earnest,’ said Wedge.
‘The Magus wants his chamber serviced,’ said Mistress Split.
Wedge scowled. ‘What time have I to do that today?’
Mistress Split
‘I don’t know how to,’ said Jack.
‘You will know,’ said the Magus. ‘Now go to the kitchen and get food and drink from Mistress Split, and bid her attend to your mother when she is done.’
Jack kissed his mother and left for the kitchen. When he pushed open the heavy oak door that led to the vast stone kitchen, he saw the fire burning in the deep hearth, and lying in front of it, black nose in velvet paws, was his dog Max.
Jack ran forward and scooped Max up in his arms, crying into his warm fur. Jack didn’t cry much, he was a brave boy, but sometimes things are so awful that tears are all you can do. If he hadn’t cried then, not for himself but for his mother, what kind of a boy would he have been? A boy without a heart.
But Jack had a heart; a big brave beating heart, and it was his heart that wept. His dog Max licked his tears away and tried to show Jack that he wasn’t alone and sad.
Sunflower seeds, Cinnabar Egg, Sunken King, Dragon, Magus, gold, gold, gold . . . all the names and images were whirling around in his head that felt too hot from the fire and from his misery. He sat down on the stone floor, a picture of dejection, feeling suddenly helpless and hopeless. What could he do? He was only a boy.
The kitchen door crashed open and in hopped Mistress Split. She was in a state of high glee, and singing to herself:
‘All mine, all mine, all the time, all the time.’
She pulled her sword from her skirt and swung it over her head to the hanging metal rack where the pots and pans hung. She used the sword like a stick, and beat the pots and pans like cymbals, hopping up and down, crash bang slam, crash bang slam. ‘All mine, all mine, all the time, all the time!’
Suddenly she noticed Jack sitting on the floor with his knees drawn up, and Max sitting beside him. Her half-face was a picture of contradictions. When she looked at the dog, her face was soft as milk. When she looked at Jack, her mouth was stretched like a fox that finds its prey.
‘Now SHE is done for, the dog is MINE! Never had a whole mine all my Bottle days. Never had more than a half of this or a half of that or a half of the other. Now I have a dog entire – four paws, two eyes, two kidneys, all a nose, and all MINE.’
She hopped over to the fireplace in a giant leap and cuffed Jack out of the way, scooping up the unfortunate Max, who knew enough to pretend enough to save the boy he loved.
‘Boojie Boojie Boojie!’ said Mistress Split.
Jack got up and placed himself out of reach.
‘Who told you to come meddling in my kitchen?’ demanded Mistress Split, her half-nose in Max’s full furry neck.
‘The Magus,’ said Jack evenly, refusing to show fear. ‘His orders were to feed me and then to attend to Mistress Anne.’
‘Your mother, eh?’ said Mistress Split. ‘No more mother now! And no more dog!’
‘That is my mother’s dog, not my dog,’ said Jack.
Mistress Split came forward and thrust her half-face in his face. ‘MY DOG,’ she said.
Jack did not flinch. ‘Please do as the Magus says. Those are his orders – to feed me, to attend to my mother, and . . .’ Jack had had a brainwave. Suddenly he knew how he could locate the secret bedchamber of the Magus. ‘. . . and you are to service his chamber.’
Mistress Split snorted. ‘Does he think I have more than half a pair of hands? Get your own bread and cheese, go on, and put the same on a tray for your mother, if I am to take it to her. As to the chamber . . .’
Wedge came slamming into the kitchen, the look on his face like half a thunderstorm. ‘KEYS!’ he yelled.
‘If you PLEASE,’ yelled back Mistress Split.
‘Boys must rise and be earnest,’ said Wedge.
‘The Magus wants his chamber serviced,’ said Mistress Split.
Wedge scowled. ‘What time have I to do that today?’
Mistress Split
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