“He is asleep now,” Piers said, “and the taint sleeps with him.”
Doctors Wear Scarlet (1960) by Simon Raven
Six years ago I started reading Simon Raven's perfect Doctors Wear Scarlet (1960). I wrote after finishing it that I did not need to read another novel. I have read a handful since then, and enjoyed each. But I think my 2017 conclusion is still a sound judgment.
* * *
“And what is all this?” said a bewildered but still fruity voice.
Walter loomed in the doorway behind us.
“This is your son,” said Richard, “who has been embracing your daughter Chriseis… Your daughter Penelope… It is all one. Ravishing her, you might say, before she could ravish him.”
Walter made a loose and hopeless gesture.
“I don’t understand you,” he said.
“It’s very simple. You want to steal my life, and you will use your daughter to help you. But I have moved first. By…embracing Penelope, I have established my power over her. I tried to tell you all tonight, but I couldn’t finish. The free man, Walter, must take the souls of his enemies.”
“What can you mean? Penelope loves you. She will give you her life, her soul. There is no need to take.”
“He has already done so,” said Piers standing upright. “Penelope is dead.”
“Dead?” whispered Richard fiercely. “How could she be? This is the first–”
“–She’s dead, Richard. You had best come to your daughter, Doctor Goodrich.”
“Chriseis…dead…” Richard mumbled to himself…“ Penelope… Chriseis…dead.”
Walter lurched forward and bent down over Penelope. He ripped away her dress and felt for her heart. He seized her wrist and sought for a pulse. He gave a great moan of despair and swung round on Richard.
“For the love of God,” he cried, “what have you done? Raped her? Beaten her? Speak up, boy. What have you done to my Penelope?”
“He has drunk her blood,” said Piers, and went into the outer room.
For the first time Walter seemed to begin to understand. He looked at Richard’s blood-smeared mouth and he looked back at the ugly gash on Penelope’s throat. Then understanding gave place to renewed bewilderment. Walter’s eyes stared away into space and his voice became a croak.
“You… My Richard.… You did that?”
“Chriseis,” muttered Richard, “Chriseis.”
Walter seemed to sink towards the floor. Tyrrel caught hold of him and sat him in a chair. Then his head lolled forward, and huge, glistening tears poured over his cheeks and dripped on to his knees.
“Richard… Penelope… My children.”
Richard was standing, silent and sullen, in a corner of the room. Piers, returning from the outer room, went up to him with a full tumbler.
“Drink this, Richard,” he said; “whatever is to happen, you must sleep now.”
Richard seemed not to hear him, but he took the glass and put it to his lips.
“Drink it all, Richard,” said Piers softly.
“What–?” I began.
Tyrrel seized my arm and shook his head.
“All of it, Richard,” said Piers: “then you will sleep.” Once again Tyrrel took hold of my arm, indicating, with a jerk of his head, that I should go into the other room. As I went Marc followed me; a few moments later Tyrrel also came, supporting Walter, and helped the old man on to the sofa. Then he went back, closed the bedroom door, and sat down next to Walter on the sofa.
For ten minutes we waited, hearing nothing and saying nothing. Then Piers came slowly out of the bedroom and halted in front of Tyrrel.
“He is asleep now,” Piers said, “and the taint sleeps with him.”
Doctors Wear Scarlet (1960) by Simon Raven
https://www.amazon.com/Doctors-Wear-Scarlet-Simon-Raven/dp/1842321803
