Read Online The Tiger in the Well by Philip Pullman - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Philip Pullman
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No, there was nothing like that. It was intact. It says that I married that man on January third, eighteen seventy-nine—but I didn't, I swear I didn't. And we've got to find Mr. Beech, the rector who filled it in, d'you see? If we can find him, and he can confirm that it never happened, then the case is over. We've won."
He smiled indulgently.
"I regret to remind you," he said, "but it really isn't that simple. By all means look for this Reverend Mr. Beech, if you think it worthwhile. I shall engage an inquiry agent if you wish, though that will of course be an extra expense. But he may confirm the other side's story and not yours. And I must remind you that that is only one element in the petition. There remain all the other charges: desertion, being incapable through drink, mistreating servants, the misappropriation of funds, the unfitness to have charge of a child, the living in close association with persons of doubtful moral-ity. . . ."
He spread his hands. As he listed the charges in his precise, melodious voice, they felt like blows to her heart: she hadn't looked at the document for a day or so, and she'd forgotten the effect it had. Someone must hate her, to attack her like that. The sensation of being hated by someone you know for a reason you can understand is bad enough; the knowledge that you're hated by someone you don't know for a reason you can't imagine is far worse. It came to Sally again in a rush and weakened her, so that she couldn't argue with the lawyer. Instead she nodded unhappily, her eyes on the floor.
"Yes," she said finally. "I see. Well, I'd like you to engage that inquiry agent to try and find Mr. Beech. The only clue is that he left under some kind of a cloud, that he might have stolen some of the church's silver, and that he might be in prison. But, of course, that's just rumor."
He looked alarmed.
**My dear Miss Lockhart, may I counsel you—may I beg you not to repeat those things? The law of slander, I need hardly remind you, exists precisely to prevent statements of that kind, and the last thing I want is for you to fall foul of that as well."
"Yes. Very well. But you will tell the inquiry agent.^"'
"I shall give him every possible clue. We might also sanction some inquiry into Mr. Parrish himself, if you are agreeable. His affairs, his background, hmm.'' It might be useful."
Sally, encouraged to hear him actually suggesting something positive, agreed. Then she said, "Mr. Adcock, if worst came to worst, what would happen.^"
"Oh, I don't think you need think of that. Let's cross one bridge at a time."
"But I want to know. Can they take Harriet—my child— can they take her away from mcf"'
"7/" the court's decision was for the petitioner, then you would be ordered to give up the child to the custody of her fa—of Mr. Parrish. But let's not—"
"And if I refused.?"
"Well, you'd be in contempt of court and liable to arrest and imprisonment."
"And would they take Harriet away from me by force.'*"
"Miss Lockhart, it really isn't profitable to pursue this line of thinking—"
"Would they.? By force.?"
"Well, in the end, if all else failed, yes, that would be the outcome. But there is no point in looking to extremes. The law is for man, not man for the law. There is the spirit of compromise. With discussion and reason, all things can be resolved. . . ."
"How can I compromise when someone I've never heard of wants to take my child away.? How can you talk of compromise.? What is there to compromise about.? I don't understand, Mr. Adcock." She held up her hand to stop him, and then stood up to leave. "All right. I'm sorry, you were only
answering my question. Til go now. Hire this inquiry agent, by all means; it's a very good idea. Shall I come again soon?*'
"We have just over a fortnight. Yes, we ought to meet again before the case comes up. ... In about a week.?"
Sally felt that they ought to meet every day, that he ought to spend his time on nothing else, but she
He smiled indulgently.
"I regret to remind you," he said, "but it really isn't that simple. By all means look for this Reverend Mr. Beech, if you think it worthwhile. I shall engage an inquiry agent if you wish, though that will of course be an extra expense. But he may confirm the other side's story and not yours. And I must remind you that that is only one element in the petition. There remain all the other charges: desertion, being incapable through drink, mistreating servants, the misappropriation of funds, the unfitness to have charge of a child, the living in close association with persons of doubtful moral-ity. . . ."
He spread his hands. As he listed the charges in his precise, melodious voice, they felt like blows to her heart: she hadn't looked at the document for a day or so, and she'd forgotten the effect it had. Someone must hate her, to attack her like that. The sensation of being hated by someone you know for a reason you can understand is bad enough; the knowledge that you're hated by someone you don't know for a reason you can't imagine is far worse. It came to Sally again in a rush and weakened her, so that she couldn't argue with the lawyer. Instead she nodded unhappily, her eyes on the floor.
"Yes," she said finally. "I see. Well, I'd like you to engage that inquiry agent to try and find Mr. Beech. The only clue is that he left under some kind of a cloud, that he might have stolen some of the church's silver, and that he might be in prison. But, of course, that's just rumor."
He looked alarmed.
**My dear Miss Lockhart, may I counsel you—may I beg you not to repeat those things? The law of slander, I need hardly remind you, exists precisely to prevent statements of that kind, and the last thing I want is for you to fall foul of that as well."
"Yes. Very well. But you will tell the inquiry agent.^"'
"I shall give him every possible clue. We might also sanction some inquiry into Mr. Parrish himself, if you are agreeable. His affairs, his background, hmm.'' It might be useful."
Sally, encouraged to hear him actually suggesting something positive, agreed. Then she said, "Mr. Adcock, if worst came to worst, what would happen.^"
"Oh, I don't think you need think of that. Let's cross one bridge at a time."
"But I want to know. Can they take Harriet—my child— can they take her away from mcf"'
"7/" the court's decision was for the petitioner, then you would be ordered to give up the child to the custody of her fa—of Mr. Parrish. But let's not—"
"And if I refused.?"
"Well, you'd be in contempt of court and liable to arrest and imprisonment."
"And would they take Harriet away from me by force.'*"
"Miss Lockhart, it really isn't profitable to pursue this line of thinking—"
"Would they.? By force.?"
"Well, in the end, if all else failed, yes, that would be the outcome. But there is no point in looking to extremes. The law is for man, not man for the law. There is the spirit of compromise. With discussion and reason, all things can be resolved. . . ."
"How can I compromise when someone I've never heard of wants to take my child away.? How can you talk of compromise.? What is there to compromise about.? I don't understand, Mr. Adcock." She held up her hand to stop him, and then stood up to leave. "All right. I'm sorry, you were only
answering my question. Til go now. Hire this inquiry agent, by all means; it's a very good idea. Shall I come again soon?*'
"We have just over a fortnight. Yes, we ought to meet again before the case comes up. ... In about a week.?"
Sally felt that they ought to meet every day, that he ought to spend his time on nothing else, but she
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