7.4 Richard tùi hiaⁿ-ko ū ah-ut ê oàn-hūn
“M̄-koán lí ūi siáⁿ lâi chia, lí lóng siū hoan-gêng. Pàng khin-sang, ká-sú lí bô teh kóaⁿ sî-kan.”
“Góa m̄-bat teh kóaⁿ sî-kan.” siàu-liân-ke kóng, siang-kha chhun-ti̍t, hiòng chêng chhut-khì. Án-ne chò ê sî, i he tn̂g lóx ê kha-bóe soah khì that-tio̍h chhn̂g-piⁿ kūi, kā Richard ê siàu-siōng ùi bô ún-tēng ê chōng-thài chùn tín-tāng, lak lo̍h-lâi thô͘-kha.
“Oh, chin sit-lé! Góa ū-kàu bô sió-sim. Góa iáu bē koàn-sì góa kha ê tn̂g-tō͘. Lí siūⁿ-kóng, 22 hòe lâng eng-kai koàn-sì ka-tī ê sin-koân, tio̍h bô?” i khioh khí siòng-phìⁿ, kō͘ chhiú-ńg kháu sió-sim pōaⁿ eng-ia, jiân-āu hèngx kā khòaⁿ. “Richard III. England Kok-ông,” i chhut-siaⁿ tha̍k.
“Lí sī chù-ì tio̍h he pōe-kéng bûn-jī ê tē-it lâng,” Grand kóng.
“Hmh, góa siūⁿ sī in-ūi, nā bô chù-ì khòaⁿ, he khòaⁿ bē chhut-lâi. Lí sī góa tú-tio̍h ê, kā kok-ông tòng-chò bí-lú hái-pò him-sióng ê tē-it lâng.”
“M̄-sī án-chóaⁿ súi, i kám ū?”
“Góa m̄-chai neh,” siàu-liân-ke bānx kóng. "Chiū bīn-chhiuⁿ lâi khòaⁿ, che bīn seⁿ-chò bē-bái. Góa tī tāi-ha̍k ū chi̍t-ê kàu-siū seⁿ-chò kài sêng i. I khò ūi-leng kap gû-leng tō͘ kòe-ji̍t, só͘-í khòaⁿ khí-lâi n̂g-sng, m̄-koh chò-lâng chhin-chhiat siān-liông. Lí boeh-ài ê chu-liāu sī iú-koan Richard hioh?”
“Tio̍h. M̄-sī siáⁿ ko-chhim a̍h khùn-lân ê. Chí-sī boeh chai-iáⁿ i hit sî-tāi ê khoân-ui kóng-hoat.”
“Hmh, He eng-kai chin kán-tan. Lī góa ka-tī ê sî-tāi bô kài hn̄g. Góa sī kóng, góa teh gián-kiù ê sî-tāi. Tek-khak, Richard II ê hiān-tāi khoân-ui - Cuthbert Oliphant Sià – hâm-koat chit nn̄g-ê sî-kî. Lí ū tha̍k-kòe Oliphant ê chheh bô?” Grant kóng, i kan-ta tha̍k-kòe ha̍k-hāu khò-pún kap Thomas More Sià ê chheh.
“More? Henry VIII ê Tōa Hoat-koaⁿ?”
“Tio̍h.”
“Góa jīn-ûi, he sió-khóa sêng te̍k-chè ê piān-hō͘ neh!”
“Chāi góa tha̍k, he koh-khah sêng chèng-tóng soan-thoân chhiú-chheh,” Grant kóng, che sī i tē-it pái ì-sek tio̍h hit-pún chheh hō͘ i ê kám-kak. He tha̍k khí-lâi bô sêng chèng-tī ka ê ōe-gí; he tha̍k khí-lâi khah sêng chèng-tóng ê soan-thoân.
M̄-tio̍h, he tha̍k khí-lâi ná sī choan-nôa chok-ka. Chhin-chhiūⁿ ùi ē-kha-chhiú lâng tit-tio̍h siá-chok ê chu-liāu ê choan-nôa chok-ka.
“Lí tùi Richard III ū liáu-kái bô?”
“Kan-ta chai i hāi-sí in ti̍t-á, kap i iōng ông-kok ōaⁿ chi̍t-phit bé. Lēng-gōa, i ū nn̄g-ê kha-á, chi̍t-ê kiò Niau, lēng-ê kiò Chhí.”
“Siáⁿ-hòe?”
“Lí chai, ū chi̍t-kù ōe kóng: ‘Niau, Chhí, kap lán ê káu Lovel, tòe chi̍t-chiah Ti, kā kui-ê England thóng-tī.”
“Chai, góa tong-jiân chai. Í-keng kā bē kì-tit ah. Lí chai he ì-sù sī siáⁿ bô?”
“M̄-chai, góa bô kài-liām. Góa tùi hit-ê sî-tāi bô kài chheng-chhó. Lí ná ē tùi Richard III ū chhù-bī?”
“Marta kiàn-gī góa tio̍h chò kóa ha̍k-su̍t tiâu-cha, in-ūi góa chiām-sî bô hoat-tō͘ chò jīm-hô si̍t-chè-tek ê tiâu-cha. Koh in-ūi góa kám-kak lâng-bīn chin chhù-bī, yi tō chah hō͘ góa só͘-ū chú-iàu kak-sek ê siàu-siōng. Góa sī kóng, yi só͘ thê-gī ê kok-chióng sîn-pì àn-kiāⁿ ê chú-iàu kak-sek. Richard chhap ji̍p-lâi, ke-kiám sī ì-gōa, m̄-koh soah piàn-chò kî-tiong chòe tōa ê sîn-pì.”
“Sī án-ne oh? Án-chóaⁿ kóng?”
“I sī le̍k-lâi chòe siâ-ok hoān-chōe ê thâu-lâng, tān i ê bīn sī úi-tāi hoat-koaⁿ, úi-tāi hêng-chèng koaⁿ ê bīn. Lēng-gōa, lângx kóng i sī piàn-thài ê lâng-bīn khîm-siù. Sūn-sòa kóng chi̍t-ē, i sū-si̍t-siōngsī iu-siù ê hêng-chèng koaⁿ. I koán-lí Pak England, chò kah kài chhut-sek. I sī iu-siù ê koaⁿ-oân, mā sī iu-siù ê kun-jîn. Jî-chhiáⁿ, i ê su-seng-oa̍h bô o͘-tiám. In hiaⁿ-ko, hoān-sè lí mā chai, Charles II lia̍h-gōa, sī siōng hèng lú-sek ê ông-sek sêng-oân.”
“Edward IV. Tio̍h, góa chai. 6-chhioh koân ê tōa-hàn bí lâm-chú. Hoān-sè, Richard sim-lāi oàn-hūn chit-chióng tùi-pí. Che mā soeh-bêng i ài-boeh choa̍t hiaⁿ-ko ê āu-tāi.”
Chit-tiám Grant m̄-bat siūⁿ-tio̍h.
“Lí sī kóng, Richard tùi hiaⁿ-ko ū ah-ut ê oàn-hūn?”
“Sī án-chóaⁿ ah-ut?”
“In-ūi, sīm-chì i siōng ok-to̍k ê húi-pòng-chiá mā sêng-jīn i tùi Edward kài tiong-sêng. Chū Richard 12/13 hòe khí, in ta̍k-hāng lóng chò-hóe. Lēng chi̍t-ê hiaⁿ-ko George tùi in bô chi̍t-ê hó.”
“George sī siáng?”
“Clarence Kong-chiok.”
“Oh, sī i oh! Malmsey Chiú-tháng Clarence.”
“Sī i, bô m̄-tio̍h. Só͘-í kan-ta in nn̄g-lâng – góa sī kóng, Edward kap Richard. In tiong-kan chha 10 hòe. Tú-hó sek-ha̍p eng-hiông chông-pài.”
“Góa nā khiau-ku,” siàu-liân Carradine ná siūⁿ ná kóng, “góa tek-khak ē chheh ū chi̍t-ê a-hiaⁿ chhiúⁿ góa ê kong-lô, góa ê cha-bó͘, kap góa ê êng-iāu.”
“He ū khó-lêng,” Grant thêng-khùn chi̍t-ē kóng. “Che sī góa bo̍k-chêng tú-tio̍h ê siōng-hó ê kái-soeh.”
“He khó-lêng kin-pún m̄-sī kong-khai ê mi̍h. Sīm-chì khó-lêng m̄-sī ū ì-sek ê mi̍h. He khó-lêng tī i khòaⁿ-tio̍h ū ki-hōe tit-tio̍h ông-koan ê sî chiah hut-jiân po̍k-hoat chhut-lâi. I khó-lêng án-ne kóng – góa sī kóng i ê hoeh khó-lêng kóng: ‘Che sī góa ê ki-hōe! Chiah chē nî lâi, góa it-ti̍t ūi i cháu-chông, the̍h che the̍h he, koh khiā tī āu-bīn chi̍t-pō͘, tān bô tit-tio̍h chi̍t-sut-á kám-siā. Taⁿ góa boeh tit-tio̍h góa ê siû-lô. Taⁿ sī sǹg chóng-siàu ê sî-chūn ah.’” Grant chù-ì tio̍h, Carradine ê kóng-hoat tú-hó kap Payne-Ellis Sc tùi Richard ê biô-siá sio-kāng. Khiā tī āu-bīn chi̍t-pō͘. He sī sió-soat ka tùi i ê biô-siá: i kap pe̍h phaux, ióng-kiāⁿ ê Margaret hām George khiā tī Baynard Siâⁿ-pó ê mn̂g-khám khòaⁿ lāu-pē chhut-cheng. Tī āu-bīn chi̍t kha-pō͘, “chóng-sī án-ne.”
“Chiâⁿ chhù-bī, sui-bóng lí kóng Richard tī hoān-chōe chìn-chêng hián-jiân sī chi̍t-ê hó-lâng,” Carradine kóng, ná si̍p-koàn -sèng kō͘ tn̂gx kí-cháiⁿ kā gû-kak ba̍k-kiàⁿ kheng thuh chi̍t-ē. “Che hō͘ i khah sêng lâng. Tī Shakespeare pit-hā ê i, lí chai lah, he put-kò sī manga, kin-pún m̄-sī lâng. Góa chin goān-ì ūi lí chò jīm-hô lí boeh-ài ê tiâu-cha, Grant Ss. Che ē-sái hō͘ góa ùi lông-bîn chò chi̍t-ê chin hó ê kái-piàn.”
“Niau kap Chhí tāi-thè John Ball kap Wat Tyler [Lông-bîn Po̍k-tōng ê thâu-lâng].”
“Tō sī án-ne.”
“Hmh, lí lâng chiâⁿ hó. Góa chin hoaⁿ-hí tit-tio̍h jīm-hô lí óe-tio̍h ê chu-liāu. Tān, bo̍k-chêng góa siōng giàn ê sī hit sî-tāi só͘ kì-chài ê sū-kiāⁿ. He tiāⁿ-tio̍h lóng sī kiaⁿ-tāng choân-kok ê sū-kiāⁿ. Góa ài-boeh tha̍k chi̍t-hūn hit sî-tāi ê lâng tùi chiah-ê sū-kiāⁿ ê kì-chài. M̄-sī bó͘-lâng thiaⁿ-kóng hoat-seng tī i 5 hòe ê sî, tī lēng-ê chèng-khoân ē-bīn ê sū-kiāⁿ.”
“Góa ē chhōe-chhut hit sî-tāi ê le̍k-sú ka sī siáng. Hoān-sè sī Fabyan. Kiám-chhái i sī Henry VII sî-tāi ê lâng? M̄-koán án-chóaⁿ, góa ē chhâ chhut-lâi. Sūn-sòa, hoān-sè lí mā siūⁿ boeh khòaⁿ Oliphant. Chiū góa só͘ chai, i sī gián-kiù tāi-iok hit sî-tāi ê hiān-tāi khoân-ui.”
Grant kóng, i ē chin hoaⁿ-hí tha̍k-tio̍h Cuthbert Sià [Oliphant] ê chheh.
“Bîn-á-chài keng-kòe ê sî góa ē kā chah lâi – góa siūⁿ, kā khǹg tī mn̂g-pâng kau hō͘ lí, ē-sái lah hoⁿh? It-tàn góa chhōe-tio̍h hit sî-tāi chok-chiá ê chu-liāu, góa tō ē chah siau-sit lâi hō͘ lí. Án-ne hó bô?”
Grant kóng, án-ne 100 hun.
Siàu-liân Carradine hiôngx pháiⁿ-sè kah, hō͘ Grant koh siūⁿ-khí mô͘ chhàngx ê iûⁿ-ko, in-ūi chhù-bī tī thàm-thó tùi Richard ê sin pō͘-sò͘, he hō͘ i oân-choân bē-kì-tit khì. I kō͘ pêng-chēng ê kē siaⁿ kóng àm-an, jiân-āu bānx kiâⁿ-chhut pâng-keng, he gōa-thò ê saⁿ-ki tòe tī āu-bīn.
Grant siūⁿ, lia̍h-gōa Carradine ê ke-hóe, Atlanta Shergold khòaⁿ sī kau-tio̍h chi̍t-ê hó kha-siàu.
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7.4 Richard 對兄哥有 ah-ut ê 怨恨
“毋管 你為啥 來 chia, 你 lóng 受歡迎. 放輕鬆, 假使 你無 teh 趕時間.”
“我 m̄-bat teh 趕時間.” 少年家講, 雙跤伸直, 向前出去. Án-ne 做 ê 時, 伊 he 長 lóx ê 跤尾 soah 去 踢著 床邊櫃, kā Richard ê 肖像 ùi 無穩定 ê 狀態 顫振動, lak 落來 塗跤.
“Oh, 真失禮! 我有夠 無小心. 我猶未 慣勢 我跤 ê 長度. 你想講, 22 歲人 應該慣勢 ka-tī ê 身懸, 著無?” 伊抾起 相片, kō͘ 手䘼口 小心 拌坱埃, 然後 hèngx kā 看. “Richard III. England 國王,” 伊出聲讀.
“你是 注意著 he 背景文字 ê 第一人,” Grand 講.
“Hmh, 我想 是因為, 若無 注意看, he 看袂出來. 你是 我拄著 ê, kā 國王當做 美女海報 欣賞 ê 第一人.”
“毋是 按怎媠, 伊敢有?”
“我毋知 neh,” 少年家 bānx 講. "就面腔 來看, che 面 生做 袂䆀. 我 tī 大學 有一个 教授 生做 kài 成伊. 伊靠 胃奶 kap 牛奶 度過日, 所以 看起來 黃酸, 毋過做人 親切善良. 你欲愛 ê 資料 是有關 Richard hioh?”
“著. 毋是啥 高深 a̍h 困難 ê. 只是 欲知影 伊 hit 時代 ê 權威講法.”
“Hmh, He 應該 真簡單. 離我 ka-tī ê 時代 無 kài 遠. 我是講, 我 teh 研究 ê 時代. 的確, Richard II ê 現代權威 - Cuthbert Oliphant Sià - 含括 chit 兩个時期. 你有 讀過 Oliphant ê 冊無?” Grant 講, 伊干焦 讀過 學校課本 kap Thomas More Sià ê 冊.
“More? Henry VIII ê 大法官?”
“著.”
“我認為, he 小可成 特製 ê 辯護 neh!”
“在我讀, he 閣較成 政黨宣傳 手冊,” Grant 講, 這是伊 第一擺 意識著 彼本冊 hō͘ 伊 ê 感覺. He 讀起來 無成 政治家 ê 話語; he 讀起來 較成 政黨 ê 宣傳.
毋著, he 讀起來 ná 是 專欄作家. 親像 ùi 下跤手人 得著 寫作 ê 資料 ê 專欄作家.
“你對 Richard III 有了解 無?”
“干焦知 伊害死 in 侄仔, kap 伊用 王國 換一匹馬. 另外, 伊有 兩个跤仔, 一个 叫貓, 另个 叫鼠.”
“啥貨?”
“你知, 有 一句話 講: ‘貓, 鼠, kap 咱 ê 狗 Lovel, 綴一隻豬, kā 規个 England 統治.”
“知, 我當然知. 已經 kā 袂記得 ah. 你知 he 意思 是啥 無?”
“毋知, 我無概念. 我對 彼个時代 無 kài 清楚. 你那會 對 Richard III 有趣味?”
“Marta 建議 我著 做寡 學術調查, 因為 我暫時 無法度 做任何 實際 tek ê 調查. Koh 因為 我感覺 人面 真趣味, 她 tō 扎 hō͘ 我 所有 主要角色 ê 肖像. 我是講, 她所 提議 ê 各種 神祕案件 ê 主要角色. Richard chhap 入來, 加減 是意外, 毋過 soah 變做 其中 最大 ê 神祕.”
“是 án-ne oh? 按怎講?”
“伊是 歷來 最邪惡 犯罪 ê 頭人, 但 伊 ê 面 是 偉大法官, 偉大 行政官 ê 面. 另外, lângx 講 伊是 變態 ê 人面禽獸. 順紲 講一下, 伊事實上 是優秀 ê 行政官. 伊管理 北 England, 做 kah kài 出色. 伊是 優秀 ê 官員, mā 是 優秀 ê 軍人. 而且, 伊 ê 私生活 無烏點. In 兄哥, 凡勢 你 mā 知, Charles II 掠外, 是 上興女色 ê 王室成員.”
“Edward IV. 著, 我知. 6 呎懸 ê 大漢 美男子. 凡勢, Richard 心內怨恨 這種對比. Che mā 說明伊 愛欲 絕兄哥 ê 後代.”
這點 Grant m̄-bat 想著.
“你是講, Richard 對兄哥 有 ah-ut ê 怨恨?”
“是按怎 ah-ut?”
“因為, 甚至伊 上惡毒 ê 誹謗者 mā 承認 伊對 Edward kài 忠誠. 自 Richard 12/13 歲起, in 逐項 lóng 做伙. 另一个 兄哥 George 對 in 無一个 好.”
“George 是 siáng?”
“Clarence 公爵.”
“Oh, 是伊 oh! Malmsey 酒桶 Clarence.”
“是伊, 無毋著. 所以 干焦 in 兩人 - 我是講, Edward kap Richard. In 中間差 10 歲. 拄好適合 英雄崇拜.”
“我若曲痀,” 少年 Carradine ná 想 ná 講, “我的確 會慼 有一个 阿兄 搶我 ê 功勞, 我 ê 查某, kap 我 ê榮耀.”
“He 有可能,” Grant 停睏一下 講. “這是 我目前 拄著 ê 上好 ê 解說.”
“He 可能 根本毋是 公開 ê mi̍h. 甚至 可能毋是 有意識 ê mi̍h. He 可能 tī 伊看著 有機會 得著王冠 ê 時 才忽然 暴發出來. 伊可能 án-ne 講 - 我是講 伊 ê 血 可能講: ‘這是 我 ê 機會! Chiah 濟年來, 我一直 為伊走傱, 提 che 提 he, koh 徛 tī 後面一步, 但 無得著 一屑仔 感謝. 今 我欲 得著我 ê 酬勞. 今是 算總數 ê 時陣 ah.’”
Grant 注意著, Carradine ê 講法 拄好 kap Payne-Ellis Sc 對 Richard ê 描寫相仝. 徛 tī 後面 一步. He 是 小說家 對伊 ê 描寫: 伊 kap 白 phaux, 勇健 ê Margaret 和 George 徛 tī Baynard 城堡 ê 門坎 看老爸 出征. Tī 後面 一跤步, “總是 án-ne.”
“誠趣味, 雖罔 你講 Richard tī 犯罪進前 顯然是 一个好人,” Carradine 講, ná 習慣性 kō͘ tn̂gx kí-cháiⁿ kā 牛角 目鏡框 thuh 一下. “Che hō͘ 伊 較成人. Tī Shakespeare 筆下 ê 伊, 你知 lah, he 不過是 manga, 根本 毋是人. 我真願意 為你 做任何 你欲愛 ê 調查, Grant Ss. Che 會使 hō͘ 我 ùi 農民 做一个 真好 ê 改變.”
“貓 kap 鼠 代替 John Ball kap Wat Tyler [農民暴動 ê 頭人].”
“Tō 是 án-ne.”
“Hmh, 你人 誠好. 我真歡喜 得著 任何 你挖著 ê 資料. 但, 目前 我 上癮 ê 是 hit 時代 所記載 ê 事件. He 定著 lóng 是 驚動全國 ê 事件. 我愛欲 讀一份 hit 時代 ê 人 對 chiah-ê 事件 ê 記載. 毋是 某人 聽講 發生 tī 伊 5 歲 ê 時, tī 另个 政權 下面 ê 事件.”
“我會 揣出 hit 時代 ê 歷史家 是 siáng. 凡勢是 Fabyan. 減采 伊是 Henry VII 時代 ê 人? 毋管按怎, 我會 查出來. 順紲, 凡勢 你 mā 想欲看 Oliphant. 就我 所知, 伊是 研究 大約 hit 時代 ê 現代權威.”
Grant 講, 伊會 真歡喜 讀著 Cuthbert Sià [Oliphant] ê 冊.
“明仔載 經過 ê 時 我會 kā 扎來 - 我想, kā 囥 tī 門房 交 hō͘ 你, 會使 lah hoⁿh? 一旦 我揣著 hit 時代 作者 ê 資料, 我 tō 會 扎消息 來 hō͘ 你. Án-ne 好無?”
Grant 講, án-ne 100 分.
少年 Carradine hiôngx 歹勢 kah, hō͘ Grant koh 想起 毛 chhàngx ê 羊羔, 因為 趣味 tī 探討對 Richard ê 新步數, he hō͘ 伊完全 袂記得去. 伊 kō͘ 平靜 ê 低聲 講暗安, 然後 bānx 行出房間, he 外套 ê 衫裾綴 tī 後面.
Grant 想, 掠外 Carradine ê 家伙, Atlanta Shergold 看是 交著一个 好跤數.
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7.4
‘Whatever you came for, you’re manna straight from heaven. So relax, if you’re not in a hurry.’
‘I’m never in a hurry,’ the young man said, unfolding his legs and laying them out in front of him. As he did it his feet, at the far extremity of his long limbs, touched the[Pg 94] bedside table and shook the portrait of Richard III from its precarious position, so that it dropped to the floor.
‘Oh, pardon me! That was careless of me. I haven’t really got used to the length of my legs yet. You’d think a fellow would be used to his growth by twenty-two, wouldn’t you.’ He picked up the photograph, dusted it carefully with the cuff of his sleeve, and looked at it with interest. ‘Richardus III. Ang. Rex.,’ he read aloud.
‘You’re the first person to have noticed that background writing,’ Grant said.
‘Well, I suppose it isn’t visible unless you look into it. You’re the first person I ever met who had a king for a pin-up.’
‘No beauty, is he.’
‘I don’t know,’ said the boy slowly. ‘It’s not a bad face, as faces go. I had a prof. at college who looked rather like him. He lived on bismuth and glasses of milk so he had a slightly jaundiced outlook on life, but he was the kindest creature imaginable. Is it about Richard that you wanted information?’
‘Yes. Nothing very abstruse or difficult. Just to know what the contemporary authority is.’
‘Well, that should be easy enough. It isn’t very far from my own time. I mean my research period. Indeed, the modern authority for Richard II—Sir Cuthbert Oliphant—stretches over both. Have you read Oliphant?’ Grant said that he had read nothing but school books and Sir Thomas More.
‘More? Henry VIII’s Chancellor?’
‘Yes.’
‘I take it that that was a bit of special pleading!’
[Pg 95]‘It read to me more like a party pamphlet,’ Grant said, realising for the first time that that was the taste that had been left in his mouth. It had not read like a statesman’s account; it had read like a party throw-away.
No, it had read like a columnist. Like a columnist who got his information below-stairs.
‘Do you know anything about Richard III?’
‘Nothing except that he croaked his nephews, and offered his kingdom for a horse. And that he had two stooges known as the Cat and the Rat.’
‘What!’
‘You know: “The Cat, the Rat, and Lovel Our Dog, Rule all England under a Hog”.’
‘Yes, of course. I’d forgotten that. What does it mean, do you know?’
‘No, I’ve no idea. I don’t know that period very well. How did you get interested in Richard III?’
‘Marta suggested that I should do some academic investigating, since I can’t do any practical investigating for some time to come. And because I find faces interesting she brought me portraits of all the principals. Principals in the various mysteries she suggested, I mean. Richard got in more or less by accident, but he proved the biggest mystery of the lot.’
‘He did? In what way?’
‘He is the author of the most revolting crime in history, and he has the face of a great judge; a great administrator. Moreover he was by all accounts an abnormally civilised and well-living creature. He actually was a good administrator, by the way. He governed the North of England and did it excellently. He was a good staff[Pg 96] officer and a good soldier. And nothing is known against his private life. His brother, perhaps you know, was—bar Charles II—our most wench-ridden royal product.’
‘Edward IV. Yes, I know. A six-foot hunk of male beauty. Perhaps Richard suffered from a resentment at the contrast. And that accounts for his willingness to blot out his brother’s seed.’
This was something that Grant had not thought of.
‘You’re suggesting that Richard had a suppressed hate for his brother?’
‘Why suppressed?’
‘Because even his worst detractors admit that he was devoted to Edward. They were together in everything from the time that Richard was twelve or thirteen. The other brother was no good to anyone. George.’
‘Who was George?’
‘The Duke of Clarence.’
‘Oh. Him! Butt-of-malmsey Clarence.’
‘That’s the one. So there were just the two of them—Edward and Richard I mean. And there was a ten-year gap in their ages. Just the right difference for hero-worship.’
‘If I were a hunchback,’ young Carradine said musingly, ‘I sure would hate a brother who took my credit and my women and my place in the sun.’
‘It’s possible,’ Grant said after an interval. ‘It’s the best explanation I’ve come on so far.’
‘It mightn’t have been an overt thing at all, you know. It mightn’t have even been a conscious thing. It may just have all boiled up in him when he saw the chance of a crown. He may have said—I mean his blood may have said: “Here’s my chance! All those years of fetching and[Pg 97] carrying and standing one pace in the rear, and no thanks for them. Here’s where I take my pay. Here’s where I settle accounts”.’
Grant noticed that by sheer chance Carradine had used the same imagined description of Richard as Miss Payne-Ellis. Standing one pace in the rear. That is how the novelist had seen him, standing with the fair, solid Margaret and George, on the steps of Baynard’s Castle watching their father go away to war. One pace in the rear, ‘as usual’.
‘That’s very interesting, though, what you say about Richard being apparently a good sort up to the time of the crime,’ Carradine said, propping one leg of his horn-rims with a long forefinger in his characteristic gesture. ‘Makes him more of a person. That Shakespeare version of him, you know, that’s just a caricature. Not a man at all. I’ll be very pleased to do any investigating you want, Mr Grant. It’ll make a nice change from the peasants.’
‘The Cat and the Rat instead of John Ball and Wat Tyler.’
‘That’s it.’
‘Well, it’s very nice of you. I’d be glad of anything you can rake up. But at the moment all I pine for is a contemporary account of events. They must have been country-rocking events. I want to read a contemporary’s account of them. Not what someone heard-tell about events that happened when he was five, and under another régime altogether.’
‘I’ll find out who the contemporary historian is. Fabyan, perhaps. Or is he Henry VII? Anyway, I’ll find out. And meanwhile perhaps you’d like a look at[Pg 98] Oliphant. He’s the modern authority on the period, or so I understand.’
Grant said that he would be delighted to take a look at Sir Cuthbert.
‘I’ll drop him in when I’m passing tomorrow—I suppose it’ll be all right if I leave him in the office for you?—and as soon as I find out about the contemporary writers I’ll be in with the news. That suit you?’
Grant said that that was perfect.
Young Carradine went suddenly shy, reminding Grant of the woolly lamb which he had quite forgotten in the interest of this new approach to Richard. He said goodnight in a quiet smothered way, and ambled out of the room followed by the sweeping skirts of his topcoat.
Grant thought that, the Carradine fortune apart, Atlanta Shergold looked like being on a good thing.
[Pg 99]
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