Jarvit

Jarvit Ch9 p2

‘‘Course it would take a long time to build a causeway that way but I dares say ya could do it if ya was patient enough.’

Jarvit spun round to see the Sprightly sat upon an upturned boat picking at his nails in an unconcerned manner. He grinned his blackened teeth at Jarvit.

         ‘Why didn’t you tell the Professor who you are?’ Jarvit demanded, ‘And how did you find me?’

         ‘Oh yerse of course the educated Professor is goin’ to believe that I am a deity. Yerse, I can see his face now if I tells him that.’

         ‘You could prove it to him,’ Jarvit yelled.

         ‘I is not a performing seal, no nor a mule either. Heh, heh heh! The look on young Holen’s face when you said that. No, he never takes the form of a beast of burden ya see.’

         ‘Well if you won’t say who you are, why are you here?’

         ‘To ‘elp ya though I must say ya don’t seem all that happy about it.’

         ‘Help! I had Professor Klimpt believing in me and now you’ve just gone and made me look totally nuts! What sort of help is that?’ 

         ‘Yerse, well that is a bit of a poser an’ no mistake. But what’s a god to do eh? See I thought as how as it were my time beginning again now I would-’

         ‘Your time?’

         ‘Ya have been to the House of Listening here haven’t ya?’ Jarvit shook his head. ‘Bless the boy, divine beings helping him out left right and centre and he can’t even nip in and see me image brought in.’

         ‘Sorry.’ Jarvit hung his head.

         ‘Oh that’s alright, yerse. I know ya didn’t ask to be the preserver of the Worthy but without a balance-’

         ‘I’m the what?’

         ‘Preserver of the Worthy. Now as I was saying without a balance between the Contemptible and the Worthy I won’t get my time either, particularly if the Contemptible is dominant. So we’re here to move matters along in the right direction, Holen and me are. But having all and sundry know about us would only bring His Grace hot footing it down here and he’s already hopping mad as it is.’ The Sprightly doubled up shaking with laughter. ‘Get it hot foot it, hopping mad?’ he wheezed shaking his greasy head with enjoyment drumming his heels against the boat. Jarvit stood staring at him bewildered. Eventually the Sprightly tired of laughing at his own joke slid down from his perch and gave Jarvit a look full of sadness.

         ‘Yerse, well, never mind. See here Jarvie the Contemptible is watching me so I can’t stay long but he don’t know about Holen. Trust Holen I’m telling you. Now you should believe me after all I did save you from Quilpie didn’t I?’

         ‘Yes but you took me to him in the first place.’

         ‘Yerse, well, that was only my fun that was and besides ya had to know bad things could be for everyone not just for yaself. Look Holen will tell ya a whole lot more, but well, put up with his ways will ya. It’s not easy for him giving up his home to help ya and destroying his mother’s spirit all at the same time. Lovely woman, well don’t have to tell ya do I, ya’ve seen her. So that’s all there is to it. Go back to Bender’s and talk with Holen and look out for an old friend of yours. Oh, and if the Worthy speaks to you again listen to him will ya? There now the sun’s almost gone, ya’d best be on your way.’ The Sprightly pointed out over the sea towards the horizon. Jarvit saw the last shreds of light fading away from the undersides of the clouds. He turned back.

         ‘Who -’ Jarvit began but he found he was alone on the beach with only dark and oppressing upturned hulls for company. He stumbled his way back up across the shingle and wandered home twisting the invisible spell thread around his wrist all the way, deep in thought.

         Next morning Jarvit avoided the breakfast table and kept to the kitchen, out of sight. He could hear the low voices of Holen and Professor Klimpt as they spoke together over their meal. Jarvit sighed with relief as he heard the chairs scraped back. Mrs Anders bustled in carrying dishes.

         ‘Well, go on the Professor and His Worship are waiting for you,’ she snapped as she held the door open. Jarvit sighed and slouched out into the corridor.