Blithe Spirit Page #2

l told her how profoundly interested l was

and she blossomed like a rose.

l really feel quite nervous, as if l'm going

to make a speech. Go and meet her, darling.

MADAME ARCATl:
Oh, good evening.

- Hm?

l've leant my bike up against that bush out there.

lt'll be perfectly all right.

- How nice to see you.

- My dear Madame Arcati.

l had a presentiment that l was going to have

a puncture, so l went back to fetch my pump.

- Then l didn't have a puncture.

- Perhaps you will on the way home.

Oh, thank you.

- You know...

- Dr Bradman.

- The man with the gentle hands.

- Delighted to see you looking so well.

- My wife.

- We're old friends. We meet in shops.

- Would you like a cocktail?

- lf it's a dry Martini, yes.

lf it's a concoction, no. Experience

has taught me to be wary of concoctions.

- lt is a dry Martini.

- Delicious.

We do appreciate your coming all this way.

Nonsense. lt was wonderful cycling through

the woods. l was deafened with birdsong.

lt's been lovely all day.

Ah, but the evening's the time. Mark my words.

Thank you.

Cheers. Cheers.

Don't you find it tiring, bicycling everywhere?

lt stimulates me.

l was getting far too sedentary in London.

That horrid little flat with dim lights.

They had to be dim. The clients expect it.

This is the best dry Martini l've had for years.

- Would you like another?

- Certainly.

l must say, l find bicycling very exhausting.

A steady rhythm, that's what does it.

Once you get the knack,

you never look back. Away you go.

But the hills, Madame Arcati,

pushing up those awful hills.

Just knack again.

Down with your head, up with your heart

and you're over the top like a flash

and skimming down the other side

like a dragonfly.

Dinner is served, ma'am.

Thank you, Edith.

- Oh, no red meat, l hope?

- There's meat, but l don't think it'll be very red.

l make it a rule

never to eat red meat before l work.

- Would you rather have an egg or something?

- Oh, no, thank you. We'll risk it.

lt's just that it sometimes has an odd effect.

- What sort of effect?

- Nothing of the least importance.

Thank you.

How do you get in touch with people

on the other side, Madame Arcati?

Through a control, of course.

ln my case, a little girl. They're the best.

Some mediums prefer lndians,

but l've always found them unreliable.

ln what way, ''unreliable''?

They're frightfully lazy.

Also, when faced with any sort of difficulty,

they're apt to go off into their own

tribal language, which is unintelligible.

That spoils everything and wastes time.

Do you feel funny when you go off into a trance?

ln what way, ''funny''?

l don't think she means ''funny'' in its comic

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