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'What two, Uncle?' 'Zhobelia and Aasni; my mother and my aunt. Yes. There you are. They knew things about& things; I don't know. I would catch things they said to each other when they weren't talking in the old country's language, or the island language, which they also knew something of, you know, oh yes. Indeed. I would catch a look or a start of a sentence or phrase and then they would switch into Khalmakistani or Gaelic or that mixture of those and English they used which nobody else could understand and I would be lost, but& Oh,' he waved a hand at me. 'I am ramp& I am rambling now, I know& I& I'm sure you think& I'm just an old man but I'm not, Isis. You know, at the last Festival, when I asked, well; didn't really, but thought of asking& well; did ask, I suppose, but not such that& that& but& you& ' He shook his head, his eyes full of tears and his lips working in a strange, fluidly disconnected way. 'Flippink dreams, eh, Isis?' he said, sniffing hard again and looking at me. He shook his head, looked into his tumbler again and drank. I gave him a while to compose himself, then I got up and - taking my Sitting Board - went round to sit next to him, putting an arm round his shoulder and holding his other hand. 'Life can seem cruel sometimes, Uncle Mo,' I said. 'I know this now, though you have known it longer. You are older and wiser than I am and you have suffered more, but you must know in your heart, in your soul, that God loves you and that They - or He, your prophet's God, if you will - that God can be your comfort, just as your family and friends can comfort you, too. You do know that, don't you, Uncle Mo?' He put down his drink and turned to me in the seat, putting out his arm; I leaned forward so that he could put his arm between me and the seat. We hugged each other. He still smelled of cologne. I hadn't realised how slight he was; shorter than me, and somehow packaged, bulked out with his fine clothes to look more substantial than he actually was. I was aware of his wallet pressing into my breast and, with my left hand, could feel what was probably the hardness of a portable telephone in another jacket pocket. 'You are such a good child, Isis!' he assured me again. 'Such a good, good child!' I patted him on the back, quite as though it was he who was the child, not I. 'And you are a good uncle,' I said. 'And I am sure you are a good son as well. I'm sure Zhobelia must love you and must love to see you.' file:///F|/rah/Iain%20Banks/Banks,%20Iain%20-%20Whit.html (226 of 300) [5/21/03 1:55:47 AM] all 'Ah,' he said, shaking his head against my shoulder. 'She has little time for me. I cannot get to see her as often as I would like anyway, Isis; they keep her up there, away from me; ha! I have to pay; my savings, you'll notice; mine. My money from my savings and the few parts I get and the restaurant money. It is a fine, good restaurant, Isis; I don't actually own it, you probably guessed that, if I ever gave that impression I didn't mean& didn't mean deceiving, but it is the best in the city, a most estimable place where one might lavish oneself and I am the matre de you see, Isis; I am the first public face of the establishment and so most highly important and influential with the minds and hearts of the diners, you see. We have a most extensive wine list and I was a fine wine waiter, a fine wine waiter I tell you as well and still can fill in& in the most exemplary manner.' 'Your mother should be proud of you.' 'She is not. She calls me a liqueur Moslem; innocent and sweet on the outside - even chocolate coloured - Page 174 ABC Amber Palm Converter, http://www.processtext.com/abcpalm.html but open me up and I am full of alcohol. It is her family. Her other family.' 'Her other family?' I said, shifting my hand to stroke Uncle Mo's head. 'The Asis family. She says she wants to be in that home but she was happy in Spayedthwaite; they persuaded her, turned her against me, made her say she wanted to be nearer to them. And yet I still pay. I get some help from them and a little from your people but I pay most; I. Me. Mr Muggins McMuggins here. They talked about responsibility and blood ties and they wanted her near them and they made her say that she wanted the same [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ] |
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