noone
December 25th 07, 08:30 PM
The party histories might still be
true, after a fashion: they might even be completely true. He made a last
attempt.
'Perhaps I have not made myself clear,' he said. 'What I'm trying to
say is this. You have been alive a very long time; you lived half your life
before the Revolution. In 1925, for instance, you were already grown up.
Would you say from what you can remember, that life in 1925 was better than
it is now, or worse? If you could choose, would you prefer to live then or
now?'
The old man looked meditatively at the darts board. He finished up his
beer, more slowly than before. When he spoke it was with a tolerant
philosophical air, as though the beer had mellowed him.
'I know what you expect me to say,' he said. 'You expect me to say as
I'd sooner be young again. Most people'd say they'd sooner be young, if you
arst" 'em. You got your 'ealth and strength when you're young. When you get
to my time of life you ain't never well. I suffer something wicked from my
feet, and my bladder's jest terrible. Six and seven times a night it 'as me
out of bed. On the other 'and, there's great advantages in being a old man.
You ain't got the same worries. No truck with women, and that's a great
thing. I ain't 'ad a woman for near on thirty year, if you'd credit it. Nor
wanted to
true, after a fashion: they might even be completely true. He made a last
attempt.
'Perhaps I have not made myself clear,' he said. 'What I'm trying to
say is this. You have been alive a very long time; you lived half your life
before the Revolution. In 1925, for instance, you were already grown up.
Would you say from what you can remember, that life in 1925 was better than
it is now, or worse? If you could choose, would you prefer to live then or
now?'
The old man looked meditatively at the darts board. He finished up his
beer, more slowly than before. When he spoke it was with a tolerant
philosophical air, as though the beer had mellowed him.
'I know what you expect me to say,' he said. 'You expect me to say as
I'd sooner be young again. Most people'd say they'd sooner be young, if you
arst" 'em. You got your 'ealth and strength when you're young. When you get
to my time of life you ain't never well. I suffer something wicked from my
feet, and my bladder's jest terrible. Six and seven times a night it 'as me
out of bed. On the other 'and, there's great advantages in being a old man.
You ain't got the same worries. No truck with women, and that's a great
thing. I ain't 'ad a woman for near on thirty year, if you'd credit it. Nor
wanted to