England, My England Page 5

  Then, also, during the easy hours, the inspectors are most in evidence. For some reason, everybody employed in this tram-service is young: there are no grey heads. It would not do. Therefore the inspectors are of the right age, and one, the chief, is also good-looking. See him stand on a wet, gloomy morning, in his long oil-skin, his peaked cap well down over his eyes, waiting to board a car. His face is ruddy, his small brown moustache is weathered, he has a faint impudent smile. Fairly tall and agile, even in his waterproof, he springs aboard a car and greets Annie.

  'Hello, Annie! Keeping the wet out?'

  'Trying to.'

  There are only two people in the car. Inspecting is soon over. Then for a long and impudent chat on the foot-board, a good, easy, twelve-mile chat.

  The inspector's name is John Thomas Raynor - always called John Thomas, except sometimes, in malice, Coddy. His face sets in fury when he is addressed, from a distance, with this abbreviation. There is considerable scandal about John Thomas in half a dozen villages. He flirts with the girl conductors in the morning, and walks out with them in the dark night, when they leave their tram-car at the depot. Of course, the girls quit the service frequently. Then he flirts and walks out with the newcomer: always providing she is sufficiently attractive, and that she will consent to walk. It is remarkable, however, that most of the girls are quite comely, they are all young, and this roving life aboard the car gives them a sailor's dash and recklessness. What matter how they behave when the ship is in port. Tomorrow they will be aboard again.

  Annie, however, was something of a Tartar, and her sharp tongue had kept John Thomas at arm's length for many months. Perhaps, therefore, she liked him all the more: for he always came up smiling, with impudence. She watched him vanquish one girl, then another. She could tell by the movement of his mouth and eyes, when he flirted with her in the morning, that he had been walking out with this lass, or the other, the night before. A fine cock-of-the-walk he was. She could sum him up pretty well.

  In this subtle antagonism they knew each other like old friends, they were as shrewd with one another almost as man and wife. But Annie had always kept him sufficiently at arm's length. Besides, she had a boy of her own.

  The Statutes fair, however, came in November, at Bestwood. It happened that Annie had the Monday night off. It was a drizzling ugly night, yet she dressed herself up and went to the fair ground. She was alone, but she expected soon to find a pal of some sort.

  The roundabouts were veering round and grinding out their music, the side shows were making as much commotion as possible. In the coco-nut shies there were no coco-nuts, but artificial war-time substitutes, which the lads declared were fastened into the irons. There was a sad decline in brilliance and luxury. None the less, the ground was muddy as ever, there was the same crush, the press of faces lighted up by the flares and the electric lights, the same smell of naphtha and a few fried potatoes, and of electricity.

  Who should be the first to greet Miss Annie on the showground but John Thomas? He had a black overcoat buttoned up to his chin, and a tweed cap pulled down over his brows, his face between was ruddy and smiling and handy as ever. She knew so well the way his mouth moved.

  She was very glad to have a 'boy'. To be at the Statutes without a fellow was no fun. Instantly, like the gallant he was, he took her on the dragons, grim-toothed, round-about switchbacks. It was not nearly so exciting as a tram-car actually. But, then, to be seated in a shaking, green dragon, uplifted above the sea of bubble faces, careering in a rickety fashion in the lower heavens, whilst John Thomas leaned over her, his cigarette in his mouth, was after all the right style. She was a plump, quick, alive little creature. So she was quite excited and happy.

  John Thomas made her stay on for the next round. And therefore she could hardly for shame repulse him when he put his arm round her and drew her a little nearer to him, in a very warm and cuddly manner. Besides, he was fairly discreet, he kept his movement as hidden as possible. She looked down, and saw that his red, clean hand was out of sight of the crowd. And they knew each other so well. So they warmed up to the fair.

  After the dragons they went on the horses. John Thomas paid each time, so she could but be complaisant. He, of course, sat astride on the outer horse - named 'Black Bess' - and she sat sideways, towards him, on the inner horse - named 'Wildfire'. But of course John Thomas was not going to sit discreetly on 'Black Bess', holding the brass bar. Round they spun and heaved, in the light. And round he swung on his wooden steed, flinging one leg across her mount, and perilously tipping up and down, across the space, half lying back, laughing at her. He was perfectly happy; she was afraid her hat was on one side, but she was excited.

  He threw quoits on a table, and won for her two large, pale-blue hat-pins. And then, hearing the noise of the cinemas, announcing another performance, they climbed the boards and went in.

  Of course, during these performances pitch darkness falls from time to time, when the machine goes wrong. Then there is a wild whooping, and a loud smacking of simulated kisses. In these moments John Thomas drew Annie towards him. After all, he had a wonderfully warm, cosy way of holding a girl with his arm, he seemed to make such a nice fit. And, after all, it was pleasant to be so held: so very comforting and cosy and nice. He leaned over her and she felt his breath on her hair; she knew he wanted to kiss her on the lips. And, after all, he was so warm and she fitted in to him so softly. After all, she wanted him to touch her lips.

  But the light sprang up; she also started electrically, and put her hat straight. He left his arm lying nonchalantly behind her. Well, it was fun, it was exciting to be at the Statutes with John Thomas.

  When the cinema was over they went for a walk across the dark, damp fields. He had all the arts of love-making. He was especially good at holding a girl, when he sat with her on a stile in the black, drizzling darkness. He seemed to be holding her in space, against his own warmth and gratification. And his kisses were soft and slow and searching.

  So Annie walked out with John Thomas, though she kept her own boy dangling in the distance. Some of the tram-girls chose to be huffy. But there, you must take things as you find them, in this life.

  There was no mistake about it, Annie liked John Thomas a good deal. She felt so rich and warm in herself whenever he was near. And John Thomas really liked Annie, more than usual. The soft, melting way in which she could flow into a fellow, as if she melted into his very bones, was something rare and good. He fully appreciated this.

  But with a developing acquaintance there began a developing intimacy. Annie wanted to consider him a person, a man; she wanted to take an intelligent interest in him, and to have an intelligent response. She did not want a mere nocturnal presence, which was what he was so far. And she prided herself that he could not leave her.

  Here she made a mistake. John Thomas intended to remain a nocturnal presence; he had no idea of becoming an all-round individual to her. When she started to take an intelligent interest in him and his life and his character, he sheered off. He hated intelligent interest. And he knew that the only way to stop it was to avoid it. The possessive female was aroused in Annie. So he left her.

  It is no use saying she was not surprised. She was at first startled, thrown out of her count. For she had been so very sure of holding him. For a while she was staggered, and everything became uncertain to her. Then she wept with fury, indignation, desolation, and misery. Then she had a spasm of despair. And then, when he came, still impudently, on to her car, still familiar, but letting her see by the movement of his head that he had gone away to somebody else for the time being, and was enjoying pastures new, then she determined to have her own back.

  She had a very shrewd idea what girls John Thomas had taken out. She went to Nora Purdy. Nora was a tall, rather pale, but well-built girl, with beautiful yellow hair. She was rather secretive.

  'Hey!' said Annie, accosting her; then softly, 'Who's John Thomas on with now?'

  'I don't know,' said Nora.


  'Why tha does,' said Annie, ironically lapsing into dialect. 'Tha knows as well as I do.'

  'Well, I do, then,' said Nora. 'It isn't me, so don't bother.'

  'It's Cissy Meakin, isn't it?'

  'It is, for all I know.'

  'Hasn't he got a face on him!' said Annie. 'I don't half like his cheek.

  I could knock him off the foot-board when he comes round at me.'

  'He'll get dropped-on one of these days,' said Nora.

  'Ay, he will, when somebody makes up their mind to drop it on him. I should like to see him taken down a peg or two, shouldn't you?'

  'I shouldn't mind,' said Nora.

  'You've got quite as much cause to as I have,' said Annie. 'But we'll drop on him one of these days, my girl. What? Don't you want to?'

  'I don't mind,' said Nora.

  But as a matter of fact, Nora was much more vindictive than Annie.

  One by one Annie went the round of the old flames. It so happened that Cissy Meakin left the tramway service in quite a short time. Her mother made her leave. Then John Thomas was on the qui-vive. He cast his eyes over his old flock. And his eyes lighted on Annie. He thought she would be safe now. Besides, he liked her.

  She arranged to walk home with him on Sunday night. It so happened that her car would be in the depot at half past nine: the last car would come in at 10.15. So John Thomas was to wait for her there.

  At the depot the girls had a little waiting-room of their own. It was quite rough, but cosy, with a fire and an oven and a mirror, and table and wooden chairs. The half dozen girls who knew John Thomas only too well had arranged to take service this Sunday afternoon. So, as the cars began to come in, early, the girls dropped into the waiting-room. And instead of hurrying off home, they sat around the fire and had a cup of tea. Outside was the darkness and lawlessness of wartime.

  John Thomas came on the car after Annie, at about a quarter to ten. He poked his head easily into the girls' waiting-room.

  'Prayer-meeting?' he asked.

  'Ay,' said Laura Sharp. 'Ladies only.'

  'That's me!' said John Thomas. It was one of his favourite exclamations.

  'Shut the door, boy,' said Muriel Baggaley.

  'On which side of me?' said John Thomas.

  'Which tha likes,' said Polly Birkin.

  He had come in and closed the door behind him. The girls moved in their circle, to make a place for him near the fire. He took off his great-coat and pushed back his hat.

  'Who handles the teapot?' he said.

  Nora Purdy silently poured him out a cup of tea.

  'Want a bit o' my bread and drippin'?' said Muriel Baggaley to him.

  'Ay, give us a bit.'

  And he began to eat his piece of bread.

  'There's no place like home, girls,' he said.

  They all looked at him as he uttered this piece of impudence. He seemed to be sunning himself in the presence of so many damsels.

  'Especially if you're not afraid to go home in the dark,' said Laura

  Sharp.

  'Me! By myself I am.'

  They sat till they heard the last tram come in. In a few minutes Emma

  Houselay entered.

  'Come on, my old duck!' cried Polly Birkin.

  'It is perishing,' said Emma, holding her fingers to the fire.

  'But - I'm afraid to, go home in, the dark,' sang Laura Sharp, the tune having got into her mind.

  'Who're you going with tonight, John Thomas?' asked Muriel Baggaley, coolly.

  'Tonight?' said John Thomas. 'Oh, I'm going home by myself tonight - all on my lonely-O.'

  'That's me!' said Nora Purdy, using his own ejaculation.

  The girls laughed shrilly.

  'Me as well, Nora,' said John Thomas.

  'Don't know what you mean,' said Laura.

  'Yes, I'm toddling,' said he, rising and reaching for his overcoat.

  'Nay,' said Polly. 'We're all here waiting for you.'

  'We've got to be up in good time in the morning,' he said, in the benevolent official manner.

  They all laughed.

  'Nay,' said Muriel. 'Don't leave us all lonely, John Thomas. Take one!'

  'I'll take the lot, if you like,' he responded gallantly.

  'That you won't either,' said Muriel, 'Two's company; seven's too much of a good thing.'

  'Nay - take one,' said Laura. 'Fair and square, all above board, and say which.'

  'Ay,' cried Annie, speaking for the first time. 'Pick, John Thomas; let's hear thee.'

  'Nay,' he said. 'I'm going home quiet tonight. Feeling good, for once.'

  'Whereabouts?' said Annie. 'Take a good 'un, then. But tha's got to take one of us!'

  'Nay, how can I take one,' he said, laughing uneasily. 'I don't want to make enemies.'

  'You'd only make one' said Annie.

  'The chosen one,' added Laura.

  'Oh, my! Who said girls!' exclaimed John Thomas, again turning, as if to escape. 'Well - good-night.'

  'Nay, you've got to make your pick,' said Muriel. 'Turn your face to the wall, and say which one touches you. Go on - we shall only just touch your back - one of us. Go on - turn your face to the wall, and don't look, and say which one touches you.'

  He was uneasy, mistrusting them. Yet he had not the courage to break away. They pushed him to a wall and stood him there with his face to it. Behind his back they all grimaced, tittering. He looked so comical. He looked around uneasily.

  'Go on!' he cried.

  'You're looking - you're looking!' they shouted.

  He turned his head away. And suddenly, with a movement like a swift cat, Annie went forward and fetched him a box on the side of the head that sent his cap flying and himself staggering. He started round.

  But at Annie's signal they all flew at him, slapping him, pinching him, pulling his hair, though more in fun than in spite or anger. He, however, saw red. His blue eyes flamed with strange fear as well as fury, and he butted through the girls to the door. It was locked. He wrenched at it. Roused, alert, the girls stood round and looked at him. He faced them, at bay. At that moment they were rather horrifying to him, as they stood in their short uniforms. He was distinctly afraid.

  'Come on, John Thomas! Come on! Choose!' said Annie.

  'What are you after? Open the door,' he said.

  'We shan't - not till you've chosen!' said Muriel.

  'Chosen what?' he said.

  'Chosen the one you're going to marry,' she replied.

  He hesitated a moment.

  'Open the blasted door,' he said, 'and get back to your senses.' He spoke with official authority.

  'You've got to choose!' cried the girls.

  'Come on!' cried Annie, looking him in the eye.' Come on! Come on!'

  He went forward, rather vaguely. She had taken off her belt, and swinging it, she fetched him a sharp blow over the head with the buckle end. He sprang and seized her. But immediately the other girls rushed upon him, pulling and tearing and beating him. Their blood was now thoroughly up. He was their sport now. They were going to have their own back, out of him. Strange, wild creatures, they hung on him and rushed at him to bear him down. His tunic was torn right up the back, Nora had hold at the back of his collar, and was actually strangling him. Luckily the button burst. He struggled in a wild frenzy of fury and terror, almost mad terror. His tunic was simply torn off his back, his shirt-sleeves were torn away, his arms were naked. The girls rushed at him, clenched their hands on him and pulled at him: or they rushed at him and pushed him, butted him with all their might: or they struck him wild blows. He ducked and cringed and struck sideways. They became more intense.

  At last he was down. They rushed on him, kneeling on him. He had neither breath nor strength to move. His face was bleeding with a long scratch, his brow was bruised.

  Annie knelt on him, the other girls knelt and hung on to him. Their faces were flushed, their hair wild, their eyes were all glittering strangely. He lay at last quite still, with face ave
rted, as an animal lies when it is defeated and at the mercy of the captor. Sometimes his eye glanced back at the wild faces of the girls. His breast rose heavily, his wrists were torn.

  'Now, then, my fellow!' gasped Annie at length. 'Now then - now - '

  At the sound of her terrifying, cold triumph, he suddenly started to struggle as an animal might, but the girls threw themselves upon him with unnatural strength and power, forcing him down.

  'Yes - now, then!' gasped Annie at length.

  And there was a dead silence, in which the thud of heart-beating was to be heard. It was a suspense of pure silence in every soul.

  'Now you know where you are,' said Annie.

  The sight of his white, bare arm maddened the girls. He lay in a kind of trance of fear and antagonism. They felt themselves filled with supernatural strength.

  Suddenly Polly started to laugh - to giggle wildly - helplessly - and Emma and Muriel joined in. But Annie and Nora and Laura remained the same, tense, watchful, with gleaming eyes. He winced away from these eyes.

  'Yes,' said Annie, in a curious low tone, secret and deadly. 'Yes! You've got it now! You know what you've done, don't you? You know what you've done.'

  He made no sound nor sign, but lay with bright, averted eyes, and averted, bleeding face.

  'You ought to be killed, that's what you ought,' said Annie, tensely.

  'You ought to be killed.' And there was a terrifying lust in her voice.

  Polly was ceasing to laugh, and giving long-drawn Oh-h-hs and sighs as she came to herself.

  'He's got to choose,' she said vaguely.

  'Oh, yes, he has,' said Laura, with vindictive decision.

  'Do you hear - do you hear?' said Annie. And with a sharp movement, that made him wince, she turned his face to her.

  'Do you hear?' she repeated, shaking him.

  But he was quite dumb. She fetched him a sharp slap on the face. He started, and his eyes widened. Then his face darkened with defiance, after all.

  'Do you hear?' she repeated.

  He only looked at her with hostile eyes.