I Say Farewell to Master James

The clock has stopped in the dark

Thomas Stearns Eliot – The Family Reunion

The funeral took place three days later. In the meantime I stayed on in Oxford and did what I could to make the shop look more presentable and help Mistress James with the preparations. I saw no more ghosts during that time – not of Carrie, nor anyone else.

When the day for the funeral came – it was a Friday, as I recall – I got up early and prepared breakfast for everybody in the house just as I had done for the past couple of days. At about ten o'clock the carrier came with my trunk from Brummagem. It contained the rest of my clothes, including the dark suit and tie that I had worn for Lyra's funeral. I had some doubts as the whether it would still fit me, but with a certain amount of pushing and shoving I managed to squeeze myself into it. Mistress let down the trouser bottoms so that my socks wouldn't show.

After that there was the waiting; sitting with Mistress and Emily and Elias Cholmondley in the silent kitchen for minute after endless minute while Master's body lay quietly in its coffin in the room upstairs. Then there was a muffled knock on the door and the undertakers came and lifted the casket and took it carefully downstairs and out into Shoe Lane, where the hearse stood outside the front of the shop, ready to take Master James on his last journey. Mistress and Emily took their seats by the driver, while Elias and I stood behind, for we were to follow the cortege on foot. The shops up and down Shoe Lane pulled down their shutters – matching James and James, where the curtains had been drawn tightly all week – and shop assistants, craftsmen, cashiers and proprietors alike stood solemnly by their front doors, with their hats in their hands and their eyes downcast, paying their last respects to my master.

It took only a short while for the funeral procession to reach St Michael's Church, at the crossing of the Cornmarket and Ship Street. Just as they had in in Shoe Lane, people stopped what they were doing and were still for a moment as we passed. Elias and I helped to carry the coffin into the church – I was glad that we were able to do that, even though we both knew that there were matters remaining to be sorted out between us.

The ceremony went without a hitch, so far as I can remember. To be honest with you I wasn't paying very much attention to what was going on or what the priest was saying – I was too busy with my own thoughts. The church was full, I believe, though as my place was at the front with the family I couldn't really see anyone else. The hymns were well-sung; that I can say. There were prayers, and an address, and a committal, no doubt, and everything was done properly and in the correct order. I stood up and sat down and kneeled in the right places, just as everyone else did. And so the proprieties were observed in the way that Master James would have liked.

After the last prayer was said all we got up, left the church by the side door and entered the churchyard where the grave had been made ready for the burial, and where we were to say our final goodbyes. When my turn came I cast a handful of earth onto the coffin, wished my old master farewell, and gave him a few extra words of encouragement. Perhaps of all the people there, I alone knew what Master James would find on the other side of death. You see, Lyra had told me about it a few months before she died, while we sat in her rooms in Jordan College one Saturday afternoon. Oh, those Saturdays!

'Peter,' she'd said, taking off her glasses, 'did I ever tell you about the time I met my Death?'

'No, Madam Professor. What do you mean, your Death?'

In reply she'd told me all about how she and her friend Will Parry had travelled to the World of the Dead, and what they had found there.

'It's funny,' she'd said, 'but of all the things we did at that time, meeting Gracious Wings may yet turn out to be have been the most important. You see, nobody actually needs to be afraid of death any more. Dying, yes, that is still a terrible thing, but afterwards… All the old threats and horror stories that the Authority and his disciples used to frighten us with have turned out to be quite meaningless – no more than lies to keep us pliable and obedient to their will. We're all going to die, Peter, but afterwards we'll be free – free to be ourselves.'

'What about Arthur? Didn't he die, saving little Davey with our Dust in the gyptian cottage? You brought him back, didn't you? How could that have been possible?'

'It was special with Arthur, Peter. Death wasn't ready for him.'

'But he died. Sal… went away. What really happened that night?'

'I mustn't say. It's a secret between Arthur, the harpies and me. One day you'll know.' And she'd smiled her slow smile and laid her hand briefly on mine and I'd had to be content with that.

So I let the earth trickle between my fingers onto Master James' coffin and said 'Goodbye, Master' out aloud but added under my breath, Tell them your story, Master. Make it a good one!

The wake was held in a nearby hall, hired for the occasion. Carrie was there, and Jim, and all the local organisations like the Lions Club and the Round Table sent representatives who expressed their sorrow at Master James' passing and passed on their condolences to his widow and daughter. Also, of course, there was a deputation from the Guild of Temporalists. Goodsir Moore had not been exaggerating when he had told me how highly my master had been regarded in the Guild.

'He was a very well-respected man. You were very lucky indeed to have him as your master,' Grandmaster Dewarth told me, holding a plate of ham sandwiches in one hand and a glass of Jerez in the other, while his civet-daemon nuzzled his left ear.

'I know that, Grandmaster,' I replied. 'I have been very fortunate.'

'Are you going to carry his craft forward yourself, now?'

'Grandmaster, I cannot do that. I have yet to attain my Mastery.'

'Ehem. Ah, well. All in good time, eh?'

'Yes, Grandmaster.' I bowed, and crossed the hall to the window where Jim and Carrie stood apart from the other mourners.

'Cor, Peter. Was that…'

'It certainly was. Grandmaster Dewarth himself!'

'Are you going to be promoted in the Guild? Will you be going back to Brum?'

'I'll stay here a little longer, Carrie. Then, yes, I'll probably go back.'

'You'll come and visit us before you go, won't you?

'If there's time, yes. I'd love to.'

We talked about old times for a while longer and I learned something of how Jim and Carrie were getting on. Then I rejoined the main group and helped to pass around the food and drink. Oh, and I chatted to Emily too. She was sitting close to her mother, sipping orangeade and listening to the adults talking. I hardly counted as an adult in her eyes, so I suppose I made a welcome change. Actually, I thought of myself as the big brother she didn't have.

There's just one other thing I'd better mention before going on with this tale. It was after most of the guests had left and we were beginning to think about returning to the shop. Carrie said it, not meaning to stir things up, I'm sure. 'You've not seen Jane since you came back?'

'No.'

'Why not?'

'You know why not.'

'She misses you, you know'

'Still? Pull the other one.'

Carrie heaved a huge sigh. 'I don't know, Peter. I don't understand you at all. I thought you two were the perfect couple.'

'Well we weren't. All right?'

'Yes. Sorry I mentioned it.' Carrie returned to Jim's side; and that was that.

The following morning, Mistress James summoned Elias Cholmondley and me to Master's old office. She sat, rigidly self-controlled, in the revolving chair in front of the desk, which was loaded down with boxes, folders and ledgers. Her daemon sat in her lap, Viola nestled in the crook of my elbow.

'Mister Joyce, Mister Cholmondley, sit down please.' She indicated two hard wooden chairs.

'Gentlemen, I shall be brief and direct. I have asked you here because it is important that we all understand what the position is. You know that James and James has been trading at a loss for the past six months, since Master James' final illness first manifested itself.'

I hadn't known that, but I nodded anyway.

'The business has not been doing well. In fact, our finances are now in such a parlous state that unless we take action now, the shop will have to close. If that happens, we will lose our home and Emily and myself will be left completely destitute. We will be on the street. I do not exaggerate.'

She linked the fingers of both hands. 'Please, will you help us?' I had never seen Mistress James look so desperate.