For the Professor's wife for example, the day after her husband had been electrocuted whilst trying to save the General. Up to now she had been occupied by two things, first in helping keep her husband the Professor alive by talking him into working for the administration of the village, to keep up with his lectures. Secondly there was her art seminars, would she be able to keep these going? After all whilst the Professor was still alive his wife had some value, was useful to them up to a point. But after her husbands death, the Professor's widow would have little value, and be of little use. But for a prisoner, as now the Professor's widow would surely be, to have time on her hands would not be a good thing. Best to keep busy with something to do each day, and so possibly the village administration, the 'new' No.2 would allow her to continue with her art seminars. And perhaps she would be allowed to keep the house, as it was a complete replica of her own home.
Martha, Mrs Butterworth's maid, who would then take up her duties as No.2's maid, having been brought to the village along with her mistress of course. She would have seen that there was no need for a butler, and therefore would have seen to it that the butler is moved out, and she then moved into the annex of the Green Dome.
But then once her mistress, Mrs Butterworth-No.2's term of office had come to an end, Martha would then have to move out of the annex as the butler moved back in, taking up his rightful place as butler, valet, and gentleman's gentleman to the 'new' No.2.
As for Martha, she would not be allowed to leave the village as her mistress had done. She would now have to remain as a citizen of the village. New accommodation would be found for her as she had no such 'home from home' a replica of her own home, as in some case in the village, as well as a position within the community. Working as a maid, making beds, dusting, bringing meals to certain fortunate inmates. And of course making citizens their regular nightcap of hot chocolate in order to help them sleep.
Then there's Janet Portland, she must surely have been distraught the poor woman. After losing her fiancé a first time, not being able to tell if her own father Sir Charles Portland for whom her fiancé worked, is telling her the truth or not. That he doesn't know whether or not he can get in touch, that he hasn't sent him on a mission, and that Sir Charles has no idea where her fiancé is!
So then when she has come to an understanding, all be it a difficult thing to come to terms with, the fact that the mind of her fiancé is housed in another mans body. She has to lose her fiancé for a second time, because Janet would not see her fiancé, all be it in the form of the Colonel, again after he had come to see her at her birthday party, if only to collect that slip of paper, that receipt for the roll of film he had left at the photographic shop just over a year ago.
And what could Janet ask of her father? He would not be able to tell her any more than she knew at that time, other than what had happened to him during his time away from her. And there would be no way that she could find him. Janet had lost her fiancé for a second time, she would not know what would become of him. If he were able to become himself again, or if......... her fiancé would remain as she last saw him, his mind wrongly housed in another mans body for the rest of his life.
Be seeing you
No comments:
Post a Comment