Read Online Human Traces by Sebastian Faulks - Free Book Online Page A

expect that, not after two hours. Do you think you could marry him?" Sonia looked towards the door. "I think you should marry someone you love." "That is a very modern idea, I think. A very English idea. No one on the Continent of Europe would consider marrying for anything but social position." "I know," said Sonia. "But I am an English girl' Thomas and I don't live on the Continent of Europe." Thomas was silent for a moment. Then he said, "His hair is very ' "I know! But he's losing it at quite a rate. Soon there won't be any left." "Yes. The silver lining. I like your dress, by the way. You look beautiful." Sonia raised her eyes to her brother's face doubtfully. "The Queen of Sheba?" she said. "More lovely, much more." She pulled some thread from the cover on the bed. "It's easy for you," she said, 'because you can have any profession you like. You can live where you want, you can marry the girl of your choice." "Good Lord! If she'd have me. Anyway, I don't know what profession I should follow. They all laugh when I say I'm interested in literature. And where would that take me? I suppose I could become a schoolmaster, teaching grammar in Lincoln, but... Oh dear." "Why don't you join the army? The Dragoons or the Hussars. You'd look handsome in that uniform." "Yes, even I ' "Even you, Thomas." "Stop it, Queenie, or I shall go downstairs and tell young Mr. Prendergast that you still sleep with a doll and that I saw you kiss ' "Thomas!" "All right. But you are blushing." "I know. But shall I marry Mr. Prendergast? That's what I want you to tell me." "I am sixteen years old, Sonia." "You have always been grown up for your age. Alas." "Owl My arm, my arm. You sat on my broken arm." "Let us have a look at this arm, shall we? Hold it out for me. Now where is it supposed to be broken?" "Here. Just above the wrist." "Can you move it like this?" "Owl" "And like this? Dearest, if it was broken, you could not move it at all. Do you know nothing about anatomy?" "Not really' "You are a hypochondriac, Thomas. And do you know why? Because you have never had a day of illness in your life. Not one." "I had chicken pox." "A handful of spots for half a day. And that is all, isn't it? That is why you always fancy you are ill because you don't really know what being ill feels like!" Sonia leaned forward on the bed and gently set Thomas's unbroken arm back by his side. "You are fascinated by illness. You love those long medical words even if you don't know what they mean. I heard you talking to Miss Brigstocke the other day about her scapula. She must have thought it was a kind of spoon for stirring soup." "Like a spatula." "But don't you see, Thomas?" Sonia stood up and walked over to the window; Thomas's room was on the second floor and the lights of the window were half obscured by the stone parapet outside. "I am excited by this." "By what?" "Thomas, don't be silly. This is what you should do. You should study to become a doctor. You could go to the university. Father would be happy and you could do all your play-reading and suchlike in the evenings after you had done your medical classes. It is perfect for you. Then you could become a doctor or a surgeon anywhere you liked. In London, in Edinburgh, Paris or on board a ship." "I am not going to be a barber surgeon cutting off the midshipman's leg. I want to ' "But I am right, aren't I, Thomas? It is the perfect profession for you." "And my qualification for it is that I am a hypochondriac' "I think it is the ideal qualification. You have excellent health, which you will need, and at the same time a fascination with the morbid. What more could you ask?" Thomas smiled at her but said nothing. "Well?" said Sonia. "I have heard you say more foolish things." Sonia folded her hands. "And now that I have decided your life's course for you, it is your turn to help me with mine." "Mr. Prendergast?" Thomas sucked in his breath. He did not want Sonia to leave Torrington House because he would miss her;