The Sun Chemist Read Free Page A

doctor of medicine. Finding Olga had presented no difficulties, except that Hopcroft’s moment of doing so had been unpropitious. She was separating from her husband, and conducting a piecemeal removal operation.
    She confirmed the existence of correspondence between Chaimchik and her father, but couldn’t immediately lay hands on it because it was in one of twenty or so brown-paper parcels either at Wimbledon or Swiss Cottage. Urged on by Rehovot, which after the original dilatoriness had suddenly become very urgent and demanding, I had spurred Hopcroft, who had spurred Olga. She had promised to have the stuff today, so that I could take it away with me. She’d taken off a few days, anyway, to complete her removal before Christmas.
    This last reflection now provoked another.
    I said, ‘Do you know, it just occurred to me what Ettie was hinting about. She was hinting about Christmas. Another thing to be seen to!’
    ‘Well, I’ll see to that. Leave me a check.’ 
    ‘I wish I didn’t feel so terribly uneasy,’ I said.
    ‘It’s probably the disquiet of youth.’
    ‘I wish you’d save your mots for Willie.’
    ‘Well, would you like to know something?’ she said. She was looking down, slowly nibbling toasted cheese. ‘To tell the truth, I’m a bit pissed off with Willie.’
    ‘What’s up with him?’
    ‘Nothing. He’s nice.’
    ‘What’s the matter, darling?’
    ‘He’s not madly there on top, you know.’
    ‘I thought you were a bit off the brain.’
    ‘In ladies.’
    ‘What in God’s name do you suppose has happened to Hopcroft ?’
    ‘Oh, well, bugger Hopcroft. I thought we were having an interesting talk,’ she said.
    ‘Caroline, what’s up with you?’
    ‘Well, what’s up with you?’
    Her normally pale cheeks had become pink and her eyes were gleaming a little. There were toast crumbs round her mouth, and she licked them off. The phone went while she was staring at me, and she said, ‘Yes,’ nodding, and went to answer it herself. The yes did not seem to be a response to the summoning phone, and I stared after her. What was it a response to? The idiot girl couldn’t conceivably have taken a fancy to me ? She’d just not ten minutes ago been conducting a perfectly normal conversation while in her bath – or, rather, my bath. I’d given her my heavenly talc. I thought over this complication, and heard her mumbling away in the other room, and she called,’ Igor.’
    She’d put the phone down and was staring at a bit of paper. ‘Well, that was Hopcroft – or, rather, from Hopcroft. He’s been knocked down.’
    ‘Oh, my God! Is he hurt?’
    ‘Well, he’s in hospital. That was them. Not badly enough not to want to see you. In fact, he does want to see you.’
    ‘Has he got the –’ I said, and bit off the uncharitable inquiry.
    ‘I don’t know what he’s got. She said he’s got contusions. The St Mary and St Joseph Hospital,’ she said, reading.
    ‘Where the devil is that?’
    ‘Around Swiss Cottage, apparently. I told you. He was probably just drifting about there … Well, look. I’ll get on with the urgent things. What do you want me to do?’
    ‘Oh, damn it, I don’t know.’ I was scrambling into my coat. ‘I’m all in a flutter. I’d better get my ticket while I’m out.’
    ‘What about Kaplan?’
    ‘I’ve practically done Kaplan. You’ll see what I’ve done. Send him the completed ones. Write a little covering note. Dear, oh, dear,’ I said.
    ‘Any calls to be made?’
    ‘No. I don’t know. Poor old Hopcroft.’
    ‘Yes. In the midst of life, et cetera. He can’t be all that bad, you idiot.’
    ‘I’ll see you in the morning, will I?’
    ‘Yes,’ she said.
    ‘All right.’ I hurried out, on the point of remembering to wish her an enjoyable evening, and then remembering not to, and got a cab outside, in Russell Square.
2
    The St Mary and St Joseph was a snug small hospital, and Hopcroft had already established himself quite snugly in it. He