She seemed almost pleased to have her husband over there in the basin. Unless he were very much mistaken, there was something a bit odd about this woman, he thought. Landy watched her as she put the cigarette between her lips and lit it. ‘I mean it,’ she said, fishing in her bag for a cigarette. She turned away suddenly from the table and crossed over to the window. I think you must resign yourself to that fact.’ ‘That’s rather a tricky’ point,’ Landy said, wetting his lips. She spoke quietly, as though merely reminding him’ of a simple fact. ‘It is my husband, you know.’ Ihere was no anger in her voice. Her face was bright, her eyes round and bright as two diamonds.Ī funny little nervous half-smile appeared on Landy’s mouth. She turned her head slowly around and looked directly at him. ‘I said when can I have him back – back in my own house?’ ‘From now on Mary’s going to look after you all by herself and you’ve nothing to worry about in the world. ‘There,’ she said softly, peering into the basin. ‘He’s like a baby, that’s what he’s like. ‘He looks so helpless and silent lying there under the water in his little basin.’ ‘I do believe I’m suddenly getting to feel the most enormous affection for him. No arguments and criticisms, she thought, no constant admonitions, no rules to obey, no ban on smoking cigarettes, no pair of cold disapproving eyes watching me over the top of a book in the evenings, no shirts to wash and iron, no meals to cook – nothing but the throb of the heart machine, which was rather a, soothing sound anyway and certainly not loud enough to interfere with television. In fact, I believe that I could live very comfortably with this kind of a William. You know what, she told herself, looking behind the eye now and staring hard at the great grey pulpy walnut that lay so placidly under the water, I’m not at all sure that I don’t prefer him as he is at present. ‘Good gracious me,’ Mrs Pearl said, and she paused to consider this intriguing aspect. So far as I can see, there should be absolutely no difference mentally between this William here and the one you used to know back home.’ And if only he had the power of speech, he would probably be able to carry on a perfectly normal conversation with you this very minute. He knows perfectly well where he is and why he’s there. ‘Isn’t that marvellous? I expect he’s wondering what happened.’ ‘Are you quite sure he’s conscious?’ she asked, not looking up.
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