Oh, I quite forgot the strainer, she said.
Never mind, Hatty.
Its because of my clients. I never strain theirs, so I forget when Im alone.
There was a plate of ginger-snaps and I accepted one for politeness sake. From the Old Steine, Aunt Augusta told me. Ye Olde Bunne Shoppe. You dont get gingersnaps like that anywhere else in the world.
And now they have turned it into a betting shop,
Hatty said. Pluto, dear? Was it Pluto?
No, Im sure it wasnt Pluto. I think it began with a T.
I cant think of anything classical beginning with T.
There was a point to his name.
There certainly was.
Historical.
Yes.
You remember the dogs, dear. They are in the photo too.
It was them gave Curran the idea.
The Revered, Aunt Augusta repeated again, and they laughed in unison at their private memory. I felt very much alone, so I took another ginger-snap.
The boy has a sweet tooth[51], Hatty remarked.
To think that little shop in the Old Steine survived two great wars.
Weve survived, Hatty replied, but they arent turning us into betting shops.
Oh, it will need an atom bomb to destroy us, Aunt Augusta said.
I thought it was time to speak. The situation in the Middle East is pretty serious, I said, judging from todays Guardian.
You can never tell, Hatty said, and they were both for a while buried in thought. Then my aunt picked out a tealeaf, put it on the back of her hand and slapped it with the other; it clung obstinately to a vein which was surrounded by what my mother used to call grave-marks.
Cant get rid of the fellow, Aunt Augusta said. I hope hes tall and handsome.
That isnt a stranger, Hatty corrected her. Thats the thought of a departed you cant get out of your mind.
Living or dead?
It could be either. How stiff does he feel?
If hes living I suppose it could be poor Wordsworth.
Wordsworth is dead, dear, Hatty said, a very long time ago.
Not my Wordsworth. Its stiff as wood. I wonder who a dead one could be.
Poor Curran perhaps.
I have thought a lot about him since I came to Brighton.
Would you like me to do a professional cup, dear, for you and your friend?
Nephew, Aunt Augusta corrected Hatty in her turn. It would be fun, dear.
Ill make another pot. The leaves have to be fresh and I use Lapsang Souchong[52] professionally, though I drink Ceylon Lapsang gives big leaves and good results.
When she came back after washing the pot and our cups my aunt said, You must let us pay.
I wouldnt dream of it, dear, not after all weve been through together.
With the Revered. They giggled again.
Hatty poured in the boiling water. She said, I dont let the pot draw. The leaves speak better fresh. She filled our cups. Now toss the tea away, dear, in this basin.
Ive got it, my aunt said. Hannibal.
Whos Hannibal?
The elephant that trod on Currans toe.
I do believe youre right, dear.
I was watching the tea and it came to me suddenly in a flash.
I often notice that with the leaves. Things come back. You are watching the leaves and things come back.
I suppose Hannibals dead too.
You cant tell, dear, with elephants.
She picked up my aunts cup and studied it closely. Its interesting, she said, very interesting.
Bad or good?
A bit of both.
Just tell me the good.
You are going to do a lot of travelling. With another person. You are going to cross the ocean. You are going to have many adventures.
With men?
That the leaves dont say, dear, but knowing you as I do, it wouldnt surprise me. You will be in danger of your life and liberty on more than one occasion.
You are going to do a lot of travelling. With another person. You are going to cross the ocean. You are going to have many adventures.
With men?
That the leaves dont say, dear, but knowing you as I do, it wouldnt surprise me. You will be in danger of your life and liberty on more than one occasion.
But Ill come through?
I see a knife or it might be a syringe.
Or it could be something else, Hatty you know what I mean?
There is some mystery in your life.
Thats nothing new.[53]
I see a lot of confusion a lot of running about this way and that. Im sorry, Augusta, but I cant see any peace at the close. Theres a cross. Perhaps you find religion. Or it could be a double-cross.
Ive always been interested in religion, my aunt said, ever since Curran.
Or it could be a bird, of course a vulture perhaps. Keep away from deserts. Hatty gave a sigh. Things dont come to me so easily as they once did. I exhaust myself with strangers.
But youll take one look at Henrys cup too, dear, wont you? Just one look.
She poured my tea away and looked in the cup. Men are difficult, she said. They have so many occupations beyond a womans knowledge and that affects the interpretation. I had a client once who said he was a bevel-edger. I dont know what he meant. Are you an undertaker?
No.
Theres something that looks like an urn. Do you see it there? On the left of the handle. Thats the recent past.
It might be an urn, I said, looking.
You will do a lot of travelling.
Thats not very likely. Ive always been rather stay-at-home. Its quite an adventure for me coming as far as Brighton.