Would you like to fly, Megan?"
"Me?"
Megan seemed surprised.
"Goodness, no.
I should be sick.
I'm sick in a train even."
She paused and then asked with that directness which only a child usually displays:
"Will you get all right and be able to fly again, or will you always be a bit of a crock?"
"My doctor says I shall be quite all right."
"Yes, but is he the kind of man who tells lies?"
"I don't think so," I replied.
"In fact, I'm quite sure of it.
I trust him."
"That's all right then. But a lot of people do tell lies."
I accepted this undeniable statement of fact in silence.
Megan said in a detached judicial kind of way, "I'm glad.
I was afraid you looked bad-tempered because you were crocked up for life - but if it's just natural, it's different."
"I'm not bad-tempered," I said coldly.
"Well, irritable, then."
"I'm irritable because I'm in a hurry to get fit again - and these things can't be hurried."
"Then why fuss?"
I began to laugh.
"My dear girl, aren't you ever in a hurry for things to happen?"
Megan considered the question. She said,
"No.
Why should I be?
There's nothing to be in a hurry about.
Nothing ever happens."
I was struck by something forlorn in the words. I said gently,
"What do you do with yourself down here?"
She shrugged her shoulders.
"What is there to do?"
"Haven't you any hobbies?
Don't you play games?
Haven't you got friends around about?"
"I'm stupid at games.
There aren't many girls around here, and the ones there are I don't like.
They think I'm awful."
"Nonsense.
Why should they?"
Megan shook her head.
We were now entering the High Street. Megan said sharply:
"Here's Miss Griffith coming.
Hateful woman.
She's ways at me to join her foul Guides.
I hate Guides.
Why dress up and go about in clumps and put badges on yourself for something you haven't really learned to do properly.
I think it's all rot."
On the whole I rather agreed with Megan. But Miss Griffith had descended upon us before I could voice my assent.
The doctor's sister, who rejoiced in the singularly inappropriate name of Aimйe, had all the positive assurance her brother lacked, She was a handsome woman in a masculine weather-beaten way, with a deep voice.