was going downhill for years before that.He drank himself to death.Many's the time when-well! And all those women!She never did anything to stop him-she encouraged him.Presents and smiles for the bastards every Christmas.Old customs?Some old customs are better dead and buried.Her new husband will have to spend a pretty penny before the house is fit to live in-leaks like a sieve.And what about the stables and the coach house dark as pitch,and the servants' quarters and the six-foot snake I saw with my own eyes curled up on the privy seat last time I was there.Alarmed?I screamed.Then that horrible old man she harbours came along,double up with laughter.As for those two children-the boy an idiot kept out of sight and mind and the girl going the same way in my opinion-a lowering expression.' 'Oh I agree,'the other one said,but Annette is such a pretty woman.And what a dancer. Reminds me of that song"light as cotton blossom on the something breeze",or is it air?I forget.' Yes,what a dancer-that night when they came home from their honeymoon in Trinidad and they danced on the glacis to no music.There was no need for music when his arm,down till her black hair touched the flagstones-still down,down.Then up again in a flash,laughing.She made it look so easy-as if anyone could do it,and he kissed her-a long kiss.I was there that time too but they had forgotten me and soon I wasn't thinking of them.I was remembering that woman saying Dance!He didn't come to the West Indies to dance-he came to make money as they all do. Some of the big estates are going cheap,and one unfortunate's loss is always a clever man's gain. No,the whole thing is a mystery.It's evidently useful to keep a Martinique obeah woman on the premises.'She meant Christophine.She said it mockingly,not meaning it,but soon other people were saying it-and meaning it. While the repairs were being done and they were in Trinidad,Pierre and I stayed with Aunt Cora in Spanish Town. Mr Mason did not approve of Aunt Cora,an ex-slave-owner who had escaped misery,a flier in the face of Providence. Why did she do nothing to help you?' I told him that her husband was English and didn't like us and he said,Nonsense.' 'It isn't nonsense,they lived in England and he was angry if she wrote to us.He hated the West Indies.When he died not long ago she came home,before that what could she do?She wasn't rich.' 'That's her story.I don't believe it.A frivolous woman.In your mother's place I'd resent her behaviour. 'None of you understand about us,'I thought. Coulibri looked the same when I saw it again,although it was clean and tidy,no grass between the flagstones,no leaks.But it didn't feel the same.Sass had come back and I was glad.They can smell money,somebody said.Mr Mason engaged new servants-I didn't like any of them excepting Mannie the groom.It was their talk about Christophine that changed Coulibri,not the 第8页共88页was going downhill for years before that. He drank himself to death. Many’s the time when – well! And all those women! She never did anything to stop him – she encouraged him. Presents and smiles for the bastards every Christmas. Old customs? Some old customs are better dead and buried. Her new husband will have to spend a pretty penny before the house is fit to live in – leaks like a sieve. And what about the stables and the coach house dark as pitch, and the servants’ quarters and the six-foot snake I saw with my own eyes curled up on the privy seat last time I was there. Alarmed? I screamed. Then that horrible old man she harbours came along, double up with laughter. As for those two children – the boy an idiot kept out of sight and mind and the girl going the same way in my opinion – a lowering expression.’ ‘Oh I agree,’ the other one said, ‘but Annette is such a pretty woman. And what a dancer. Reminds me of that song “light as cotton blossom on the something breeze”, or is it air? I forget.’ Yes, what a dancer – that night when they came home from their honeymoon in Trinidad and they danced on the glacis to no music. There was no need for music when his arm, down till her black hair touched the flagstones – still down, down. Then up again in a flash, laughing. She made it look so easy – as if anyone could do it, and he kissed her – a long kiss. I was there that time too but they had forgotten me and soon I wasn’t thinking of them. I was remembering that woman saying ‘Dance! He didn’t come to the West Indies to dance – he came to make money as they all do. Some of the big estates are going cheap, and one unfortunate’s loss is always a clever man’s gain. No, the whole thing is a mystery. It’s evidently useful to keep a Martinique obeah woman on the premises.’ She meant Christophine. She said it mockingly, not meaning it, but soon other people were saying it – and meaning it. While the repairs were being done and they were in Trinidad, Pierre and I stayed with Aunt Cora in Spanish Town. Mr Mason did not approve of Aunt Cora, an ex-slave-owner who had escaped misery, a flier in the face of Providence. ‘Why did she do nothing to help you?’ I told him that her husband was English and didn’t like us and he said, ‘Nonsense.’ ‘It isn’t nonsense, they lived in England and he was angry if she wrote to us. He hated the West Indies. When he died not long ago she came home, before that what could she do? She wasn’t rich.’ ‘That’s her story. I don’t believe it. A frivolous woman. In your mother’s place I’d resent her behaviour.’ ‘None of you understand about us,’ I thought. Coulibri looked the same when I saw it again, although it was clean and tidy, no grass between the flagstones, no leaks. But it didn’t feel the same. Sass had come back and I was glad. They can smell money, somebody said. Mr Mason engaged new servants – I didn’t like any of them excepting Mannie the groom. It was their talk about Christophine that changed Coulibri, not the 第8 页共88页