| II.3.057 |
|
A cloud covered the sun and the wind blew more strongly from the north. Elizabeth
gathered up her work and went inside, crossing the dining room to the living room across
the passageway. I want to help him, she thought, if only he would let me do more. I can be
trusted. Elizabeth was not afraid of her father. There was much he could say to upset her but not to frighten her. Equally, there was little she could say to persuade him. She was her father's child , she always cleaved to him and, even had he not possessed eccentric views he would still have dominated her childhood. Though she had had the same formal education as her contemporaries because of Bluemud's view Elizabeth values were quite at variance with the norm. Bluemud's actions during the education of his daughter had always been deliberate: he could not bear the thought of his daughter corrupted and guilty by virtue of her innocence. As he had said more than once: 'remember this is a serious business and not to be sacrificed by foolish pride or ignorance. Whatever you know and whatever you feel you must always try to suppress these things in everyday life and act like the people you see about you. There's nothing wrong in telling lies to people for whom you have no respect.' For a long time it had not bothered Elizabeth that her father was a slightly mysterious character with unorthodox views who went off to strange places without her and did, presumably, dangerous things. However, now that things had ceased to be a mystery and when she saw people she had grown up with participating willingly in the awful things that were going on she did not find it easy to be different, nor did she thank Bluemud for what he had made her. And besides, even if Bluemud's heart was in the right place and theoretically he was correct, when you got right down to it he had as many faults as the next person and in many cases more, and caring for people on a personal level was not one of his strong points. If Elizabeth didn't look out for herself, who would? She was twenty-two years old and as attracted to men as the next girl but it was going to be hard enough finding a man she could confide in and respect. Why shouldn't she be friends with Angel if she wanted to? I won't stop seeing her, she thought. Looking up she saw him staring at her from the doorway. 'Did you have a good walk?' 'I'm tired. Thank God I don't have to go off again recruiting. I don't think I could stand it.' 'Is there anything I can get you?' 'I wouldn't mind a glass of beer.' 'There isn't much left. We'll have to remember to bring some back. Perhaps we could think about starting to brew our own in the village in a couple of years.' 'Perhaps. Beer has always been illegal in the country towns as far as I know. Most of these people have never touched a drop in their lives. We don't want a lot of drunkards on our hands. However, keep thinking Elizabeth, we need new ideas. We must keep moving. Next year, after the Cartel meeting things may really begin to look up. The Dissolution may work for us yet. I don't know how they can justify maintaining the Army after the State has been dissolved but they're still in business, I can tell you. I've had some narrow escapes.' 'Do you think anyone suspects anything?' 'No, not yet.' 'But they will eventually?' 'They will have their suspicions. But by then they won't be in a position to do anything about it. Their resources are badly strained by this War. After all, the idea isn't to maintain a standing Army but to dissolve it and get rid of the Battlemasters altogether. This is a big country. They'd find it very difficult to carry out a systematic search.' 'What would they do if they ever found us?' This question had fascinated Elizabeth for some time and having asked so often, she knew the answer well enough. 'Oh,' he said cheerfully, knowing that she knew the answer, 'they'd probably put me in a prison somewhere and send you to a Special School to be conditioned. Brainwashed. Most likely you wouldn't know me after that. You wouldn't be sorry, would you?' Elizabeth ignored the jibe. Whatever the consequences she would go on now. She must because she loved her father and respected him and knew nothing better. 'How much time do we need?' 'Five years, I'd say. To get the mine producing and a foundry and a steel mill. I'm starting work on the foundry next year. We must be able to maintain the railroad once it is abandoned.' This talk of action stirred Elizabeth. She, too, had something which she was anxious to begin but which, so far, she had been reluctant to mention. 'I've been thinking that it's about time we started a school in the village and a library as well.' She waited for a negative reaction but there was none. 'We haven't much room but we won't have any children of school age until the year after next. We could put the library in the Assembly Hall and build the schoolhouse next to it.' 'Books?' 'I've got lots, all the way from my very first school days and there are plenty of yours you never read.' 'They're written in English.' 'We can teach that. It won't be a problem.' 'It'll be a problem finding an instructor. Or will you do all the teaching yourself? You'll hardly have the time.' 'There's a Dentonsville woman. Her name is Helen. She was a lay Sister. You know they teach them to read the Bible so she can read English. She's young and very bossy and she's been trained to teach. I couldn't find anything to do with her before except to send her to help out at the stockade. I could set her up in the library before I go back to Shining River and spend next year instructing her. I'm sure she'll learn.' 'I sounds like a good idea, Elizabeth. Why don't you bring her up here so I can speak to her?' |
|
|
