Piranesi(53)

‘I can’t do it now,’ I said.

‘OK.’

‘I have to consider the needs of the Biscuit-Box Man – and the Folded-Up Child – and the People of the Alcove. They only have me to take care of them. They are in unfamiliar surroundings and may feel disconcerted. I have to return them to their appointed places.’

‘There are other people here?’ asked Raphael, in surprise.

‘Yes.’

‘How many?’

‘Thirteen. The ones I have just said and also the Concealed Person. But the Concealed Person resides in one of the Upper Halls and has not been affected by the Flood so there was no need to move him or her.’

‘Thirteen people!’ Raphael’s dark eyes were wide with astonishment. ‘My God! Are they all right?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘They’re fine. I take good care of them.’

‘But who are they? Can you take me to them? Is Stanley Ovenden here? What about Sylvia D’Agostino? Maurizio Giussani?’

‘Oh, it is highly probable that one of them is Stanley Ovenden. Certainly the Proph … Certainly Laurence Arne-Sayles thought so. Another may be Sylvia D’Agostino and another Maurizio Giussani. Unfortunately, I have no idea which is which.’

‘What do you mean? Have they forgotten who they are? What do they say?’

‘Oh, they don’t say much really. They’re all dead.’

‘Dead!’

‘Yes.’

‘Oh!’ Raphael took a moment to process this. ‘Were they dead when you arrived?’ she asked.

‘I …’ I paused. It was an interesting question. I hadn’t considered it before. ‘I think so,’ I said. ‘I think they’ve all been dead a long time, but as I don’t remember arriving, I can’t be certain. Arriving was something that happened to Matthew Rose Sorensen, not to me.’

‘Yes, I suppose that’s right. But what do you mean, you take care of them?’

‘I make sure they are in good order. As complete and tidy as they can be. I bring them offerings of food and drink and water lilies. And I talk to them. Don’t you have Dead of your own in your Halls?’

‘I do. Yes.’

‘Don’t you take them offerings? Don’t you talk to them?’

Before Raphael could answer this another thought struck me. ‘I said there are thirteen Dead, but that is incorrect. Dr Ketterley has joined their number. I must find his body and make him ready to lie with the others.’ I clapped my hands together. ‘So, as you see, I have a great many tasks to perform and cannot at the moment think about leaving these Halls.’

Raphael nodded slowly. ‘That’s OK,’ she said. ‘There’s plenty of time.’ She put out her hand and rather awkwardly – but also gently – put her hand on my shoulder.

Instantly, and to my huge embarrassment, I started crying. Great creaking sobs rose up in my chest and tears sprouted from my eyes. I did not think that it was me who was crying; it was Matthew Rose Sorensen crying through my eyes. It lasted for a long time until it tailed off into braying, hiccupping gulps for Air.

Raphael still had her hand on my shoulder. She looked away tactfully while I wiped my eyes and my nose with the back of my hand.

‘You will come back?’ I said. ‘Even though I don’t go with you now, you will come back?’

‘I’ll come back tomorrow,’ she said. ‘It’ll be rather late in the evening. Will that be OK? How will we find each other?’

‘I’ll wait for you here,’ I said. ‘It doesn’t matter how late it is. I’ll wait until you come.’

‘And you’ll think about what I said? About coming to see your … to see Matthew Rose Sorensen’s parents and sisters?’

‘Yes,’ I said. ‘I’ll think about it.’

Raphael left, disappearing into the Shadowy Space between the two Minotaurs in the South-Eastern Corner of the Vestibule.

My watch had stopped, but I estimated it to be early evening. I was alone, exhausted, hungry and wet. I waded back to the Third Northern Hall. The Water was still a half-metre deep. I climbed up and examined the dry seaweed that I use to build fires. Unfortunately it had been thoroughly wetted by the Great Waves. I could not make a fire. I could not cook anything.

I fetched my sleeping bag – also damp – and took it to the First Vestibule. I lay down on a Dry, High Step of the Great Staircase.

My last thought before I fell asleep was: He is dead. My only friend. My only enemy.

I comfort Dr Ketterley

ENTRY FOR THE TWENTY-EIGHTH DAY OF THE NINTH MONTH IN THE YEAR THE ALBATROSS CAME TO THE SOUTH-WESTERN HALLS

I found Dr Ketterley’s body in an Angle of the Staircase in the Eighth Vestibule. He had been battered against the Walls and the Statues. His clothes were in rags. I disentangled him from the Balustrade and laid him out straight and composed his limbs. I took his poor, broken head into my lap and cradled it.

‘Your good looks are gone,’ I told him. ‘But you mustn’t worry about it. This unsightly condition is only temporary. Don’t be sad. Don’t fear. I will place you somewhere where the fish and the birds can strip away all this broken flesh. It will soon be gone. Then you will be a handsome skull and handsome bones. I will put you in good order and you can rest in the Sunlight and the Starlight. The Statues will look down on you with Blessing. I am sorry that I was angry with you. Forgive me.’