The Book of Evidence

P I C A D O R

A L S O B Y J O H N B A N V I L L E

Long Lankin

N i g h t s p a w n

Birchwood

Doctor Copernicus

Kepler

The Newton Letter

Mefisto

Ghosts

Athena

The Untouchable

The
B O O K
of
E V I D E N C E

P I C A D O R

First published 1989 b\ Mai tin Seeker Warburg Limited This edition published 1998 b\ Picador

an imprint ofMacmtllan Publishers Ltd

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Basingstoke and Oxfoid

Associated companies throughout the world

www macnullan co uk

rsisN o $ jo 37187 8

C op) right to John Ban\ llle 1989

The right of John Banville to be identified as the author of this work has been asserted by him in accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988

All rights leserved No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored 111 or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, 111 my form, 01 b\ nnv means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise) without the prior written permission of the publisher An) person who does any unauthorized ict in relation to this publication niav be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims foi damages

S 7 9 8
f t
4

A CfiP catalogue recoid foi this book is available hom the British Libraiv

Printed and bound in Gieat Britain b\

Mackays of Chatham pic, Chatham, Kent

This book is sold subject to the condition that it shall not, by way of trade or otherwise, be lent, re-sold, hired out, or otherwise circulated without the publishers prior consent 111 any foi 811 of binding or cover othei than that m which it is published and without a similar condition including this condition being imposed 011 the subsequent purchaser

M
Y LORD
, w h e n y o u as k m e t o tell th e c o u r t in m y o w n w o r d s , this Is w h a t 1 shall say. 1 am k e p t l o c k e d up here like s o m e e x o t i c animal, last s u r v i v o r of a species they had t h o u g h t extinct. T h e y should let in p e o p l e to v i e w m e } the girl-eater, svelte a n d d a n g e r o u s , p a d d i n g to and f r o in my cage, my terrible green glance flickering past the bars* g i v e t h e m s o m e t h i n g to d r e a m a b o u t ? tucked up cosy in their beds of a night- A f t e r my capture they c l a w e d at each other to get a l o o k at me» T h e y w o u l d h a v e paid m o n e y for the privilege, I believe. T h e y shouted abuse* and s h o o k their fists at m e , s h o w i n g their teeth. It w a s unreal, s o m e h o w „ frightening yet c o m i c , the sight of t h e m there 3

milling on the p a v e m e n t like film extras* y o u n g m e n in cheap raincoats, a n d w o m e n w i t h s h o p p i n g bags* a n d o n e or t w o silent* grizzled characters w h o j u s t stood* f i x e d on me hungrily, h a g g a r d w i t h e n v y . T h e n a g u a r d threw a blanket o v e r my head a n d b u n d l e d me into a s q u a d car. I l a u g h e d . T h e r e w a s s o m e t h i n g irresistibly f u n n y in the w a y reality* banal a s ever, w a s fulfilling m y w o r s t fantasies.