The Marriage of the Living Dark

“I’m glad she didn’t”

She looked back at him, trying to read him through his eyes. “Are you?”

He nodded. “Come on. Let s go to bed.”

“There’s the washing up ...”

“Leave it,” he said, taking her arms and lifting her from her feet “Now. Before I change my mind.”

Meg lay there on her side, the darkness wrapped like a shawl about her. Ben’s lovemaking had been unusually violent, as if he had been trying to breach some hidden barrier deep within himself. Now he lay there silently beside her, his naked body sheened in perspiration as he stared up at the shadowed ceiling. Through the open window she could see right across the valley. The surface of the bay shimmered in the moonlight, a great sheet of stippled light that contrasted starkly with the darkly wooded slope beyond. In that early hour it all seemed so peaceful, so eternal, yet for once its tranquillity failed to lull her. She could not sleep while Ben was troubled. “What is it?” she asked quietly, turning and laying a hand on his wrist where it lay beside her naked hip.

“If s nothing.”

“Nothing?”

“Yes, now go to sleep.”

But she knew now she was right. “What has he asked you to do?”

Ben turned his head, staring at her. “You don’t like him, do you?”

“No. Do you?”

“I don’t dislike him. He’s a charming, intelligent man.” “And well-mannered and attentive and ... a devil.” Ben narrowed his eyes, surprised. It was not often she made so direct a comment on a guest. “So what does he want?” she asked, edging up onto one elbow and looking down at him. “What was the deal?” “Why should you think there was a deal?” “Because thaf s how he is. He wants, he takes, he uses.” “And what if he also gives something back?” She laughed bitterly. “What could he possibly givejyow that you haven’t already got?” His silence worried her. “Ben? ... Benl What is it? Tell me. Please.” “You want to know?” “Of course I want to know.” “I’m going to work with him. Make him a shell.” She was silent a moment, then, in a tiny voice. “You can’t” “Can’t?” Meg lay her hand gently on his shoulder. “You mustn’t He’s ...” She shrugged. “If s what I do,” he said. “If s my art.” “But you can’t,” she said again. “Not for him.” He pulled himself up into a sitting position, facing her.

“What is it?” he asked. “What are you afraid of?” “That you’ll lose your soul.” “Faust and Mephistopheles, eh?” His laughter was reassuring; the warm, self-mocking laughter she remembered of old, but still the situation troubled her. “What does he want you to do?” “If s as I said. He wants me to make a shell.” She shook her head. “No. That doesn’t make any sense. He wouldn’t come here just for that He’d summon Jack Neville to him, or something like that. He wanted something special, didn’t he? Something that only you could do.” He looked away, past her, his silence answering her. “Ben,” she insisted. “You have to tell me.” “Okay. I’ll tell you precisely what he wants. He wants me to make something so good, so distractingly attractive, that it’s instantly addictive.”

“And he’ll use that, right?”

“Yes.”

“As a weapon?”

“I guess ...”

“No, Ben. You don’t guess. You know.”

He hesitated, then nodded.

“Then if s as I said. You can’t”

“Why not?”

“Because thaf s not arf s purpose.”

“Says who?”

“Oh, let’s not play childish games, Ben. You know as well asL”

“Do I?” He wrinkled up his nose. “That’s it, you see. Maybe I don’t know, after all. Maybe he’s right and art always has been a kind of weapon - one which has never quite achieved its true potential. And maybe I find that a challenge.” She huffed, exasperated with him now. “But you can’t Not for him. You don’t know how he’ll use it” “What does it matter how he uses it? You’ve seen the world, Meg. You’ve seen what they’ve done to each other these last fifty years. So maybe if s DeVore’s time. Maybe he’ll finally put an end to all this chaos.”

“I don’t believe that”

“But you don’t know ...”

She edged back, away from him, then stood, her naked figure silhouetted against the moonlit window.

“You mustn’t do this, Ben.”

“Oh, but I will.”

“Then you’ll do it without me.”

“Meg. ..”

“No, Ben. I tried to persuade you. Now I’m telling you. You have to make a choice - working with DeVore, or living with me. Which is it to be?” He watched her silently; a silence she took to be dissent. “Okay,” she said, her voice tiny, almost inaudible. “Okay...” And, without another word, she turned and left the room.

PART ONE - SUMMER 2240

inside the gates of eden

“Charon, his eyes red Kke a burning brand, Thumps with his oar the lingerers that delay, And rounds them up, and beckons with his hand. And as, by one and one, leaves drift away In autumn, til the bough from which they fall Sees the earth strewn with att its brave array, So, from the bank there, one by one, drop all Adam’s til seed, when signalled off the mark, As drops the falcon to the falconer’s call. Away they’re borne across the waters dark, And ere they land that side the stream, anon, Fresh troops this side come flocking to embark.”

· Dante, The Divine Comedy, Hell, Canto m