Chapter 53

When we met Rachel I was aware that (a) we'd missed lunch and (b) I was very hungry.

"Hungry?" I asked Henry.

"Famished."

"Is Chinese OK?"

"Certainly."

"Chinese?" I asked Rachel. She just smiled. "Taiwanese or spicier?"

"Fu Manchu. The new location is nice, and Din Tai Fung is good but boring."

Henry was smiling. "No opinion?" I asked.

"I've been to neither. Spicy sounds just fine."

While we walked over to Darlinghurst, Rachel asked what we had been doing that had so engrossed us.

"We told stories," Henry said.

"Oh?"

"I told Patrick about half of a Hawaiian shark tale and he told me an Australian shark tale. We were talking about the differences when you phoned."

"And?"

"It seems that Hawaiians have cautionary tales, while Australians' are more explanatory."

"I see, the Hawaiians are like Belloc, but the Australians are like Kipling."

"Belloc?" asked Henry.

"Hilaire Belloc wrote several books of cautionary tales. Like 'Henry King':

The Chief Defect of Henry King
Was chewing little bits of String.
At last he swallowed some which tied
Itself in ugly Knots inside.

Physicians of the Utmost Fame
Were called at once; but when they came
They answered, as they took their Fees,
''There is no Cure for this Disease.

''Henry will very soon be dead.
His Parents stood about his Bed
Lamenting his Untimely Death,
When Henry, with his Latest Breath,

Cried, ''Oh, my Friends, be warned by me,
That Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch, and Tea
Are all the Human Frame requires...
With that, the Wretched Child expires.

That was always my favorite one."

"Wonderful! I'll have to look them up."

After we got seated, Henry said: "I have a personal question. May I?"

"Of course," Rachel responded.

"Would either of you object if I called Patrick's sister?"

"Why would we object?"

"You might not have noticed, but I'm not a European."

"You might not have noticed," Rachel retaliated, "but neither am I. My mother is Japanese."

"Sorry."

"Sarah is nearly 20. She has full rights under the laws of New South Wales. I'll give you both her mobile number and the number at my parents' – where she is staying." I write on a piece of paper and gave it to him.

"I warn you," Rachel said, "She's currently unattached. You might get entangled." We all laughed.

"I'll try to take care."

We had a fine meal.

"You're lecturing at the Gallery tomorrow?"

"Yes. In the afternoon."

"Would you like to return to the Museum, or put it off till Wednesday."

"Wednesday, please."

"Ten?"

"Fine. I still have the visitor badge."

"But it's got the wrong date. I'll get you a new one."

I really put in about six hours at the Museum on Tuesday, but there was little of genuine interest. Sarah called Rachel in the evening, but I refrained from grilling Rachel. Wednesday morning I met Henry, but took him for coffee.

"I really want to hear the rest of the shark story."

"Very well. You recall that Nana'u'e had been ordered to put in some toil for the king.