Le perle
Le rubis
Millis was sitting in the corner of the room on a worn settee
She was drunk and had been drinking heavily since she returned from her grandmother’s funeral
The chain which swept down over your once ivory throat
Will never as it used to do adorn your breasts
Your breasts will no longer smell of the cedars
Nor will they be fragrant with the perfumes of Sheba
Dottie sat on the arm of the settee and ran her fingers through Millis’s raven hair
The perfumes of Sheba
Oui
Les pafums de Sabee
Would you speak English to me
You know my French is poor
Very well
Make that your last drink
No I will have many more
Then you will end up in hospital
I never thought that I would lose her
All of us were shocked
Oui
One day she was here and the next she was dead
If I could lay my hands on that driver
No do not think about him
I am probably glad that she died in an accident
Dottie stood up and glared at her friend
That is a dreadful thing to say she was the kindest woman I have ever met
But she was decaying
She was getting old
She was decaying
I was glad that she died suddenly and was not allowed to decay
It was a hit and run somebody hit your grandmother then he or she drove off with your grandmother dead in the road
They are my heroes
I worship them
You are drunk Millis and are becoming offensive
She died a pure death and was not allowed to decay you must see that
She died in pain on a wet dark winter road
She died instantly
She experienced no pain
And you have just buried her
I have no mother
My father is a bastard
I am a solitary child
I have no brothers or sisters
You have me
You are my sister and I love you
You know that well
I can do two things-
Et vos visages detteints
De leur naturel albatre
N’auront souci que leurs teints
Soient peintures de cinabre
I can make a pot of coffee
You do not make pots of coffee
Well I make pots of coffee
Or I can put on my coat and leave you to drink yourself into a stupor
Then fuck off Dottie if you do not love me
Friends are meant to love each other
I love you Millis but you are not giving me much of a chance
You should cry and let it all out
Cowards cry
Why should I cry when I am bathed in happiness?
I am glad that my grandmother is dead I hated watching her decay
I am going to make coffee
So you are going to make coffee
You are going to drink the coffee I make and I am going to empty the remainder of that bottle down the sink
There are many other bottles
Unopened
I can open bottles you know
They will remain unopened
You will drink the coffee and in about an hour you will vomit in the toilet
But I will be with you ensuring that your raven hair is not soiled
It will be better in the morning
Millis leaned forward to pick up the half empty glass
See the glass is half empty
No Millis if you drink from that glass I will leave you to gloat in your own rottenness
Very well give me a coffee
I will drink your fucking coffee
You are so straight so fucking boring
Many good people lose people who are dear to them and they do not react the way you have
You are disgusting at times
I tried to understand you and be with you as I felt you needed me
But you celebrate in your own squalor
You do not try
My mother died she was all I had
My father had fucked off and I was on my own
A solitary child
But she was there
She was always there
And now she is dead killed by a complete stranger
Sit next to me
I feel so lonely
I will not drink
Stay with me
You are my only friend
You ask for nothing in return
You are so uncomplicated
I am sorry if I made you cry
I cannot cry
I have never been able to cry
I did not cry when my mother died
Truthfully I was a little relived
Her death was obscene
It destroyed my faith
I cursed the Virgin
And I cannot cry now
I would give anything to weep fully
But I cannot cry
Please weep for me
When filled with anguish with all freedom torn from us with sobs and moaning we shall end our lives
Are you making that up as you go along
Making what up?
The lines of poetry you are quoting
No it is not mine
It is quite beautiful
I know my grandmother taught me these lines and many others
Was the poet famous
Not as a poet but more as a dramatist he was only an occasional poet
What was his name
Robert Garnier his name was Robert Garnier
He is well known in my country
As she finished her sentence Millis lurched forward and vomited into the tiled fireplace
Get it out I can clean it up later after I see to you
Breathe slowly do not panic
Are you finished?
Or is there any more to come up?
Get rid of it Millis
There is no more
Then I will take you to the bathroom and clean you up
I will stay with you
You will not be left alone
Look Dottie look at the fireplace it is covered in rubies and pearls
The jewels of my madness
Le perle
Le rubis