Read Online The Heat of the Day by Elizabeth Bowen - Free Book Online

signs of being most often sat in, the ashtrays to see which had been in most recent use. The stub-heaped little Chinese one on the chimneypiece was a puzzle--why should anyone _stand__ to smoke for so long? He gave up, placed the tray on the floor and himself on the edge of the sofa which was to be his bed. Picking up and nursing one bare foot, in the posture of the boy with the thorn, he examined one toe-joint closely. "I say," he shouted, "I've got a corn!" "Got what?" "Oh, nothing," he said, already bored. He swung his legs up on the sofa, tested it out for length, refolded the dressing-gown round his body, built himself up an elbow-rest of brocade cushions and tossed a couple more of them over his feet. "What are you doing?" he shouted. "I've more or less gone to bed." His mother came in with the coffee, looked about for the tray, exclaimed, "Really, darling!" and moved it on to a stool. She towed the stool into position beside the sofa. "I wish," she remarked, "I had something for you to eat." Sitting down beside his feet, at the foot of the sofa, she removed the cushions in order to tuck them into the small of her back. Her attention was caught--"Why, Roderick, that's not a _corn__?" she said, staring. "That's what I've been telling you." "If your feet are cold, I can get the blankets." "You're mixing up corns with frostbite--don't go away again." He added: "Now we're in the same boat." "What?--how?" she said, starting. "This is like being opposite one another in a boat on a river." "_Have__ we ever been in a boat on a river--have we?" "Is there a boat for the river at Mount Morris?" "I only remember the river: it was in autumn." "All the same, you think there might be a boat? By now it may need tarring or caulking--you don't think someone should see to that? Perhaps next time you're writing to the lawyers..." "No," she said firmly, "that really will have to wait. We are not even certain there is a boat.--Suppose this coffee keeps you awake?" "Nothing could," declared Roderick, blowing politely into his little cup. "I only hope I stay awake long enough. There is so much I want to know.--For instance, what has been happening?" She ran a finger swiftly along the streak in her hair. "Why should anything happen?" He looked at her in not unnatural surprise. "I only meant," heexplained, "since you lastwrote." He brokeoff, eyes fixed on the tray. "Mother, I thought you told me--" "What?--" "--Told me there was nothing to eat. In that case, what are these three biscuits for?" "Oh, you, naturally. But I'm afraid they're musty." Roderick tried, ate them, then picked crumbs from his chest. "Who was it who was here whom I didn't know?" "When?" "Just now, this evening, when I rang up. You answered in your company voice; I could hear that. Have you made any interesting new friends?" "No; it was only a man called Harrison." "The man who was at the funeral.--What had he come about?" "He just came to see me." "But I thought you said he was a commercial traveller?" "I only said I rather got that impression." "Anyway, as it's Sunday, probably he'd be taking the day off. If he's not a commercial traveller, what does he do?" "Roderick, what about your commission?" Roderick rearranged the cushions under his elbow. "What do you mean?" he said. "You haven't heard anything?" "I should be very much surprised if I ever did: why should I? I should be surprised enough if I ever got my stripes--Fred, you know, got his a month ago. I see how you feel; I am very, very sorry I'm not more like your brothers, Mother, but there it is. I'll really try and exert myself if you'd rather, but I don't think the Army's quite what it was in your day--everything now depends on so much else. I must say, I should like to be known as 'the Captain' when I settle at Mount Morris; but I suppose quite a lot of water will have to flow under the bridges before then." "I wonder about your commission. I was saying to Robert--" "Oh yes, how _is__ Robert? I hope, well?" "Very.