On her birthday November Patient was taken to Marlborough and asked to choose a book from the many shelves in front of her
After an hour she decided that an 1862 edition of Voltaire’s work would make a suitable gift
It has previously been owned by a Richard Matthey
Who had annotated the book with his name and bookplate
Richard Matthey Paris 1879
How exotic the book felt in her hands
As she left the shop and headed towards the college
She passed a beggar
Who was soaking wet
As it was raining hard
Alms for the poor
The beggar muttered with his head bowed
November’s father threw a coin in the direction of the beggar
This will pay for your bed and board for a week now be off with you as this is my daughter’s birthday
A month later November Patient was in the loft of her parent’s house repairing the cold water tank
A man was watching her in the shadows
What are you doing?
Repairing the cold water tank as it was leaking
Why were you asked to repair it?
Because it is my passion
I like repairing things that are broken
November Patient noticed that the man was smoking
Why do you smoke?
Because it settles my nerves
In a confined space such as this it could be considered a fire risk
The man flicked his cigarette into the cold water
See I have extinguished my pleasure
Thank you
I was born in Corfu you know and I know of many bathing places
Then when I am finished we will go to Corfu together as I adore swimming
What is your name?
November Patient
And yours?
I have a name but it is of no importance to you
Then I shall call you Corfu
Then I shall be called Corfu for the duration of our friendship
November Patient was swimming in the golden sea with the golden crabs and the golden seahorses
Her companion was listening to French popular music on the golden beach
After about half an hour November tired and climbed onto the golden rocks
A golden crab joined her
What is your name?
November Patient
I do not have a name crabs are never named
I like this area you know
So do I
It is so beautiful and calm
Do you like cinema?
I suppose so although I do not watch many films
I love the cinema
It is nice to have an interesting pastime
Do you have favourite actor?
Not really do you?
Yes I like Juliette Binoche
The French actress?
I also like John Malkovich
When I left England a film starring Juliette Binoche was playing at the Man Jo in Basingstoke
What was it called?
The Clouds of Sils Maria
I have heard of it but have not seen it
I did not attend the showings
Why?
Because I only watch films financed by the Scottish Government
Are you Scottish?
No
As she emerged from the sea November Patient could clearly hear the music coming from her companion’s radio
Everybody else on the beach was dancing to the vibrantFrench songs
Why are you not dancing like all the others?
I do not dance
Can you dance?
Yes
Then dance with me
No
Why?
Because I do not dance on beaches
What is the song?
I Want to Dance With You by Lolita Jolie it is the remix version
I like it it is really jolly
November Patient sat next to her friend and began drying her legs which were beginning to attract a light tan
A much more sombre yet quite upbeat song followed the Lolita Jolie number
November quite liked it
What is this song called?
Tourner Dans Le Vide by Indila
It has a very luxurious feel to it
I like it the singer is very talented
Have you always liked French music?
Ever since I was a child
The song ended and Corfu switched his radio off
The dancing stopped on the beach
I would like you to meet my mother
Where does she live?
Over there in the villa near to the trees
Does she have a name?
I call her half pope
Why?
Because she is roughly half the size of the present pontiff
When they reached the villa November found it to be empty
Is your mother not in?
She is in
Is she shy?
No not really she is in her bedroom
Does she not like the sun?
She likes the sun and is very brown
Oh
She will be out shortly however between ten and two she tunes in to the internet
Does she have an interest?
Yes suicides
Suicides?
Yes my mother watches recordings of suicides on the internet
Isn’t that rather odd
Not really she has watched recordings of this nature for quite a while
I did not know that things like that were on the internet
Everything is on the internet
Have you ever watched them?
Only once
How did you feel?
I did not feel anything it was just footage of sad people throwing themselves off of high buildings standing in front of trains jumping off of bridges
Do any survive?
Not many I would imagine
In a few minutes I will bring you olives bread and cheese would that be appropriate?
That would be delicious
And some Greek wine
Chilled?
As the Southern Ocean
After her meal November met her host’s mother who was indeed rather short
She did not speak English but was able to communicate quite easily in her native language as Corfu was translating
My mother says that I should show you to your room
I am ready when you are
The trio left the hot terrace and entered the cool rooms of the villa which to November’s surprise were very plain almost Spartan
You room is at the end of the passage overlooking the bay where you swam the morning it is the coolest room in the building and attracts both the early and late breezes of the day
It was indeed a cool room exhibiting a slight chill
It is lovely I will be happy here
You will not be interrupted
On the wall there was a small piece of tapestry in frame behind glass it appeared to be a scene from the Bible
A naked girl with long blond hair (Eve) was reaching into a tree and plucking in apple watched by a parrot and a snake
Is this a representation of (Eve) in the Garden of Eden?
Yes it is
It is lovely
It is a partial copy from a Flemish tapestry that you can find in the Accademia in Florence
What is it called?
Original Sin it is called Original Sin
November looked at the tapestry closely
(Eve) possesses a passing resemblance to me would you say?
Slightly although she is fuller of figure than you but her face resembles yours an off course you both have long blond hair
Do you think (Eve) was happy?
I am not sure but I think she lost her happiness by knowing of it
Corfu and his mother left the small room and November sat on the bed
Even from her seated position she could see the sea
Happiness seemed to surround her she felt the syrup like softness of the emotion but she did not understand it
As she turned away from the window she found that she was no longer alone
The female figure from the tapestry was sitting on a chair in the corner of the room
Are you (Eve)?
I am (Eve)
Why are you visiting me?
To warn you of the Cloudy Tabernacle and the Jasper Seas
Sorry but I do not get your meaning
When the seas turn jasper and the bells of the Cloudy Tabernacle toll please leave the island
(Eve) stood up and kissed November lightly on the cheek and then faded
When November looked up at the tapestry again (Eve) had returned to her position under the tree in the Garden of Eden
November Patient was in danger and she was aware of the fact
She had found herself near to a number of garages that backed on to a block of high flats
In the dim light she could see two men walking towards her
Are you going to hurt me?
That depends on you darling
If you are accommodating if you get my meaning
Well why are you standing there?
Fuck you
Oh look she has spirit the tart has spirit
I am no tart
I am not going to ask you again take your fucking clothes off
Fuck off you fat cunt go fuck your friend instead
The taller of the two men produced a knife from his pocket
I have another friend that you might want to meet
November began to cry
See they always fucking cry you get the attitude then they fucking cry
Alms for a beggar
Another figure emerged from an open garage
Fuck off mate unless you want to get hurt as well
I asked for alms did you not hear me?
You are meat you fucking queer meet my fucking friend
The man lunged forward intending to stab the figure in the shadows but suddenly stopped he turned toward November and she saw that the knife had entered the man’s eye
He had a look of complete terror on his face
Don’t hurt me mate I only came along to hold her down maybe slap her I was not going to rape her honestly I never do
Then go away if I see you again I will remove your head
The smaller man scuttled towards the sole street light but stopped and fell to the ground
Why did you kill him?
Because he was not telling the truth
Who are you?
The figure retreated into the darkness without answering
November wiped her eyes and looked at the bodies of the two men she felt nauseous
I promise you I will not have bad dreams again I am so sorry so very sorry
November Patient was in her sleeping bag writing a letter to her distant companion
My Dearest Friend
My letter finds me in Germany as I am in the second year of an architectural course
We are studying inter-war factories or rather the remains of them as most were destroyed during the war or left to go to rack and ruin since
I am sharing a tent with Aoife an Irish girl who is very nice although she does tend to drink heavily
Yesterday we visited a factory lost deep in the forests of the area
It was totally derelict and I wondered why such a factory would have been built in the middle of nowhere
Due to its location the decay was organic and there was no graffiti to be seen apart from a comment I found on a toilet wall on the top floor of the building (I should have not really been there but I had split from the group)
I had drunk too much water and my bladder was bursting and to my surprise I found a lavatory which was working amongst all the dereliction
I was pissing when I saw written in biro on the door the following comment
I wanted to be myself, only myself
Initially this meant little to me until Aoife told me that they had filmed some of the scenes from the Godard movie Le Mepris here in 1963
I wonder if Bardot had pissed there as I did in that lonely lavatory in 1963 when shooting the movie
I wonder if she was unhappy
At present I am looking at the moon through the light blue canvas of my tent
It is very beautiful
Aoife is getting drunk with the other savages but I am alone in the tent thinking about Major Tim in the orbiting space station
If I had had a brother I would have liked it to be Major Tim
I admire bravery in a man and what is why we are firm friends
Last night when the others had gone to bed I sat by the dying embers of the camp fire and copied out a rather poor poem that I had found recently
Grey Brown Winter Light
Pink Clouds Turning White
Lost in the Foothills of the Night
I burnt it and watched as the charred ashes of the poem drifted upwards
Hopefully Major Tim saw the remains passing the space station
And read the hopeless poem
I am wearing the sweatshirt you sent me as although it is summer it does get chilly at night
As you are aware I do not know where you are (you always surprise me) but wherever you are do keep safe
Love
November
Although December is ok (joke)
The Union Jack that flew over Vailima was brought and laid over him and the Samoans passed in procession each kneeling and kissing the hand of their master
November was standing the background comforting some of the weeping women
The request of Sosimo his faithful body-servant was granted and all through the night the Roman Catholic Prayers for the Dead were recited in Latin and Samoan.
By the flashing light of torches two hundred good men hacked a path up the side of the mountain
Both November and Edith brought them endless cups of tea but the men hardly stopped
Another body of men dug the grave on the summit
By morning the task was complete
The coffin of Stevenson with the ensign of the Casco over it was carried up the steep path
It was carried high by powerful Samoans and a beggar who had been found nearby
The Reverend. W. E. Clarke read the Burial Service and Stevenson’s own prayer that he had read to his family and November on the evening before he died.
November stayed on the island until the August of 1914
She left as she found life under the German Occupation harsh and unhappy
On the 30th of August that year a force of New Zealanders liberated Samoa without interference from the Germans
The following day a royal salute was fired as the Union Jack was slowly run up a flagstaff to strains of the British National Anthem
On the lonely summit of a mountain three miles away the grave of Robert Louis Stevenson became part of the British Empire again
November lay slouched on a sandbank not far from the sea
Her companion was listening to French popular music
He was wearing headphones
Nobody was dancing on the beach
What are you listening to?
Marie Laforet
Do I know her?
The Girl with the Golden Eyes
No I have never heard of her
November was reading a biography of Stevenson
She was wearing jeans and a jasper shirt as the sun was strong and she was slightly burnt
She longed to swim
But decided to read
As she was reading the book which she had purchased from a bookshop on the island the previous week a soiled newspaper cutting fell out
It was a review of the book she was reading and dated from 1923
On the reverse of the cutting there was grainy photograph taken during the excavation of the tomb of Tutankhamun
The photograph showed Howard Carter unravelling a large scroll
November could not see anything else as the newspaper cutting had been cut in half
Do you know that he opened the tomb with a chisel given to him by his grandmother on his seventeenth birthday?
No
Yes that is a fact I kept it in my bag so it would not be stolen
As the sun weakened November and her companion swam in the shallows near to the jetty
The sea was red gold and jasper
In the distance she could hear a bell tolling
Keep swimming
Shall we not head for the jetty?
Do not worry as the golden crabs are here
Are you sure?
I am sure
November felt her companion touch her hand
Dive
Do dive
She followed her friend as he skimmed the sandy ridges of the sea
And then he vanished
November searched for him for an hour but knew that he was gone and when she returned to the villa she found it boarded up and derelict
On her birthday November Patient was taken to Marlborough and asked to choose a book from the many shelves in front of her
After an hour she decided that an 1862 edition of Voltaire’s work would make a suitable gift
It has previously been owned by a Richard Matthey
Who had annotated the book with his name and bookplate
Richard Matthey Paris 1879
How exotic the book felt in her hands
As she left the shop and headed towards the college
She passed a beggar
Who was soaking wet
As it was raining hard
Alms for the poor
The beggar muttered with his head bowed
November’s father threw a coin in the direction of the beggar
This will pay for your bed and board for a week now be off with you as this is my daughter’s birthday