Unfortunately, as so often, Malcolms remark was true. Well aware that he would catch it, Caspar grudgingly leant over and turned the sound down, right in the middle of the best song.
He said off, Malcolm pointed out.
As if to underline his correctness, the Ogres voice boomed out from downstairs. Right off, I said!
Caspar obeyed, with black hatred in his heart.
Malcolm, meanwhile, looked coolly on to where Johnny and Gwinny were crouching in front of the chemistry set. What are you sitting on there, Melchior? he said.
Johnny ground his teeth. None of your business.
Caspars rage grew. If anything, he hated Malcolm calling Johnny Melchior even
more than Johnny did, because he knew it was a dig at his own absurd name. It was typical of Malcolm to find a convenient way of insulting them both at once. He had called Gwinny Balthazar only Gwinny had mistaken what he said and had gone to her mother in tears because Malcolm said she was going bald. After that, Malcolm stuck simply to Melchior, and maddening it was too.
Malcolm ran his eyes once more over the crowded room and turned to leave. I must say, he said, I kept this room
But he had said this too often before. All three of them joined in: much taidier when it was maine.
Well I did, said Malcolm. Its a perfect pigsty now.
Caspar lost his temper and threw himself off his bed and across the room, stumbling and crunching among the things on the floor. Get out, you! Malcolm prudently dodged out on to the landing, sniggering slightly. The snigger was too much for Caspar. He dived out after Malcolm, roaring insults, and the other two followed hastily to see, as they hoped, justice done.
From below, the Ogre roared once again for silence. No one attended. For, out on the landing, Malcolm was standing defensively above a chemistry set identical with the one the Ogre had given Johnny.
Look at that! Gwinny said shrilly.
If you spoil it, Malcolm said, shriller still, Ill tell my father.
As if I wanted to touch it! said Johnny. Ive got one the same. So there!
So youre not the little favourite you thought you were, added Caspar.
It isnt fair! proclaimed Gwinny, voicing Caspars secret thoughts on the subject too. Why does he give you two a present and not us?
Because youre such little frights, said Malcolm. And Douglas hasnt got anything either.
Thats because hes a big fright, said Caspar. Beside Douglas, even your frightfulness pales.
At this, Malcolm put his head down and tried to charge Caspar in the stomach. Caspar dodged. Malcolm ran on into the bannisters, so that the house shook with the impact. Gwinny and Johnny cheered. The Ogre shouted for quiet. Again no one attended. Caspar saw he now had Malcolm at his mercy and caught his head under one arm. Malcolm yelled and kicked to get free, but Caspar had a whole month of sneers and sniggers to revenge and not even the Ogre would have made him let go just then. Gwinny shouted encouragements. Johnny shrieked advice about where to hit Malcolm next.
The door on the other side of the landing was torn open and Douglas, like a giant aroused, entered the fray. Douglas was almost as tall as the Ogre, and old enough for his voice to have broken, so that the roar with which he charged down on Caspar was shattering. Leave him alone! Hes younger than you! He tore Caspar and Malcolm apart. The bannisters reverberated. Caspar protested. Malcolm accused. Johnny and Gwinny yelled at Douglas. Below, the roars of the Ogre became a continuous bull-like bellowing.
What is going on?
Caspar looked up under Douglass arm. His mother was standing at the head of the stairs, looking hurt and harassed. Since she had married the Ogre, that hurt and harassed look had scarcely ever left her face. It did not help to make them feel kindly towards the Ogre.
Nobody spoke. Douglas shoved Caspar away and backed to the other side of the landing, beside Malcolm. Caspar backed similarly, between Johnny and Gwinny, and both families stood glowering at one another, breathing heavily.
Sally McIntyre looked from one side to the other and sighed. I wish youd all try to remember there are five of you now, she said. This was the most awful din.
Sorry, Sally, said Malcolm and Douglas at once, in a well-behaved chorus.
And Caspar, said Sally, Jack says youre welcome to play records any time hes out.
Big deal! said Caspar, not at all well-behaved. What am I supposed to do when hes always in?
Do without, said Douglas. I could do without Indigo Rubber too, for that matter. They stink.
So does your guitar playing, Johnny retorted, in Caspars defence.
Now, now, Johnny, said his mother. Will you three all come in here a minute, please.
They herded moodily back into the boys room and looked mournfully at their mothers harrowed face.
Gracious, what a mess! was the first thing she said. Then, Listen, all of you, how many times have I got to tell you to be considerate to poor Malcolm and Douglas? Its very hard on them, because theyve had to give up having separate rooms and change schools too. Theyre having a far more difficult time than you are. There was a heavy-breathing silence, in which Caspar managed not to point out that Malcolm, in particular, made sure that they had a difficult time too.