Chemical Secret

The job was too good. There had to be a

probLem - and there was.

John Duncan was en honest man but he

needed money. He had childr.n to (cok
after. He was ready to do anythin;, md his
bosses knew it.

They gaye him the job because he coutdnt iay no he couldnt VI CARY
Inside hin,.
afford to be honest. And the job was tiki a polion
It changed him and blinded him, so that he coutdn't seo he
reat poison - until it was too late, IWI II , mt 1 II] 1

4 STAGE 6
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& ADVENTURE
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 CHEMICAL SECRET

There are two ways of committing a crime. You can do

it with your eyes open, or you can do it with your eyes
closed. Not many of us intend to do wrong, but almost
all of us close our eyes to certain kinds of crime.
But what is a crime? Is it something that the law telis us
is wrong, or something that we know in our hearts is
wrong? There are many kinds of crime - crimes of
greed, of violence, of anger and hate. But there are also
less obvious crimes - the ones that we commit against
the world: against the sky, the sea, the land. They are
the crimes that we commit against the future and
against our children - by closing our eyes and
pretending that we cannot see.
John Duncan is a biologist. When he took the job at the
chemical factory, he thought he was protecting his
children. He wanted to buy them the good things of life:
a big house, a boat, exciting holidays . . . But what kind
of future was he buying them?
 OXFORD
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GLOSSARY 57
ISBN 9780194791120
A complete recording of this Bookworms edition of ACTIVITIES: Before Reading 60
Chemical Secret is available on audio CD ISBN 978 0 19 479093 2
Printed in Hong Kong ACTIVITIES: While Reading 61
ACI( NO WL E D GE ME NTS
ACTIVITIES: After Reading 64
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ABOUT THE BOOKWORMS LIBRARY 69
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 1
A new start

'Mr Duncan? Come in please. Mr Wilson will see you

now.'
'Thank you.' John Duncan stood up and waiked
n&vously towards the door. He was a tau, thin man,
about forty-five years oid, in an oid grey suit. It was his
best suit, but it was ten years oid now. He had grey hair
and glasses. His face iooked sad and tired.
Inside the room, a man stood up to welcome him. 'Mr
Duncan? Pleased to meet you. My name's David Wiison.
This is one of our chemists, Mary Carter.'
John Duncan shook hands with both of them, and sat
down. It wasa big oflice, with a thick carpet on the floor
and beautiful pictures on the waiis. David Wiison was a
young man, in an expensive black suit. He had a big goid
ring on one finger. He smiied at John.
'1 asked Miss Carter to come because she's one of our
best chemists. She discovered our wonderful new paint,
in fact. When. . . 1 mean, if you come to work here, you
wili work with her.'
'Oh, 1 see.' John looked at Mary. She was older than
Wiison - about thirty-five, perhaps - with short brown
hair, and a pretty, friendly face. She was wearing a white
coat with a lot of pens in the top pocket. She smiled at
him kindiy, but John felt miserable.
I'll never get this job, he thought. I'm too oid!
Employers want younger people these days.
2
Chemical Secret
A new start 3

David Wilson was looking at some papers. 'Now, Mr

Duncan,' he said, '1 see that you are a very good biologist.
You worked at a university . . . and then for two very
famous companies. But . . . you stopped working as a
biologist fine years ago. Why was that?'
'I've always had two interests in my life,' John said,
'biology and boats. My wife was a famous sailor .
Rache! Horsley... Perhaps you rernernber her. She sailed
around the world alone in a smai! boat.'
'Yes,' said David Wilson, '1 remember her.'
'So we started a business,' said John. 'We made small
boats together, and soid them.'
'And did the business go well?' asked Wilson.
'Very well at first. Then we wanted to bui!d bigger,
better boats. We borrowed too much money. And then
my wife. . .' John stopped speaking.
'Yes, the Sevens Race. 1 rernember now,' said David
Wilson.
Both men were silent for a mornent. Wilson remembered
the newspaper reports of the storm and the lives lost at
sea. He. looked at the man who sat sadiy in front of him.
'So, after my wife died,' continued John, '1 ciosed the
business. That was five years ago.'
'1 see,' said David Wilson. 'It's a hard world, the world
of business.' He looked at John's oid grey suit. 'So now
you want a job as a biologist. Weii, this is a chemical
company, Mr Duncan. We make paint. But we need a
biologist to make sure that everything in this factory is
'Mr Duncan? Pleased to meet you,' said David Wilson.
safe. We want someone to tel1 the government that it's
safe to work here, and that it's safe to have a paint
4 Chemical Secret

factory near the town. That's important to us.' 2

'And if something's not safe, then of course we'll
change it,' Mary Carter said. David Wilson looked at her, At home
but he didn't say anything.
'Yes, 1 see,' John began nervously. 'Well, 1 think 1 could 'Hi, Dad. Your supper's in the kitchen.'
do that. 1 mean, when 1 worked for Harper Chemicais in John's sixteen-year-old daughter, Christine, was sitting
London 1 . . .' He talked for two or three minutes about ar the table doing her homework. His son Andrew, who
his work. David Wilson listened, but he didn't say was thirteen, was watching television.
anything. Then he smiied. It was a coid, hard smile, and it 'Thanks, Christine,' John said. 'I'm sorry I'm late. Is
made John feel uncomfortabie. He remembered his oid everything OK?'
suit and grey hair, and he wished he hadn't come. 'Fine, thanks.' Christine gaye him a quick smile, then
'You really need this job, don't you, Mr Duncan?' continued with her work. John got his food from the
David Wilson said. 'You need it a lot.' kitchen. Fried fish and chips. The food was dry and didn't
'Yes, 1 do,' he said quietly. But he thought: 1 hate you, taste very good. But he didn't say anything about that.
Wilson. You're enjoyingthis. You like making people feel John was not a good cook himseif and his children were
smail. 1 hate peopie like you. no better. His wife had been a good cook, he remembered.
Wilson's smile grew bigger. He stood up, and heid out John tried to eat the terrible supper and iooked around
his hand. 'OK,' he said. 'When can you start?' the small, miserable fiat. The furniture was twenty years
'What?' John was very surprised. 'What did you say?' oid, the walipaper and carpets were cheap and dirty. The
'1 said, "When can you start?", Mr Duncan. We need rooms were all smali, and he could see no trees or gardens
you in out factory as soon as possibie. Will Monday be from the windows - just the iights from hundreds of
OK?' other fiats. And there were books, clothes, and news-
'You mean I've got the job?' papers on the fioor.
'Of course. Congratulations!' Wilson shook John's Once, when his wife had been aiive, he had had a fine
hand. 'My secretary will teil you about your pay. You'ii house. A beautifui big house in the country, with a iarge
have your own office, and a company car, of course. I'd garden. They had had lots of new furniture, two cars,
like you to start work with Mary on Monday. Is that expensive hohidays - everything they needed. He had had
OK?' a good job; they hadn't needed to think about money. And
'1 . . . Yes, yes, of course. That's fine. Thank you, then he had started the boat-building company, and his
thank you very much.' iuck had ended.
6 Chemical Secret Athome 7

When Rachel had died, John had been terribly un-

happy - much too unhappy to think about business. A
few months later his company had closed, and he had lost
all his money. John had had to se11 his beautiful house in
the country, and move to this miserable fiat.
And for the last two years, he hadn't had a job at ah.
He was a poor man, and an unlucky one, too. He had
tried for lots of jobs, and got none of thern. There were
too many bright young biologists. But now that was ah
going to change. He looked at his daughter and smiled.
'Did you have a good day at school, Christine?' he
asked her.
'Oh, all right, 1 suppose,' she said. She didn't look very
happy. 'I've got a letter for you.'
She pushed the letter across the table, and he opened it.
It was from her school. One of the teachers was taking
the children on a skiing hohiday to the mountains in
Switzerland. It cost £400 for ten days. Parents who
wanted their children to go had to send the money to the
school before February 25th.
John's srnile grew bigger. 'Do you want to go on this
hohiday, Christine?' he asked.
She looked at him strangely. 'Of course 1 do, Dad,' she
said. 'But 1 can't, can 1? Wc haven't got £400.'
'No, 1 suppose not.' He looked at her carefuhly through
his thick glasses. She was a clever, strong giri - good at
her schoolwork, good at sports. But she had never been
skiing; John hadn't had enough money.
'Are your friends going?' he asked her.
John looked around the small, miserable /La. 'Some of them, yes. Miranda, Jane, Nigel - the rich
8 Chemical Secret At home 9

ones, you know. But they often go skiing; it's easy for
them. 1 know 1 can't go, Dad. Throw the letter away.'
John looked at her, and felt his heart beating quickly.
'No, don't do that, Christine,' he said. 'Perhaps you can
go, if you want to. Why not?'
Christine laughed. 'What's happened, Dad? Have you
robbed a bank or something?'
John stood up. He went into the kitchen and got
himself a drink. 'No,' he said, when he carne back. 'But
something interesting happened today. Put your home-
work away, Christine - and turn that TV off, Andrew.
I've got something to tel1 you.'
'Oh, not now, Dad!' said Andrew. 'This is an exciting
story.'
John smiled. 'I've got an exciting story, too, Andrew.
Come and listen.'
John Duncan's children lived in an old, untidy fiat, they
had no money, and they often ate awful food. But they
could still taik to their father. So Andrew turned off the
TV, and sat down in a big armchair beside his father and
Christine.
The story didn't sound very exciting at first. '1 went to
a factory today,' John said. 'That paint factory by the
river. No, wait, Andrew. Paint factories can be very
exciting. They gaye me a job there. I'm going to have my
own office, a big car, lots of money - in fact, we're
going to be rich ... !'

We're going to be rich .....

rol

Rich man 11

3 someone important in ten minutes. 'Look, can you give

me something to put on it, or not?'
Rich man 'Oh yes.' The doctor began to write something on a
piece of paper. 'Put this on night and morning, and the
John Duncan started work on Monday, and Mary Carter pain will go in a day or two. But I'm afraid the skin there
showed him round the factory. The most important thing will stay red for a year or two. They're nasty chemicais,
that the company produced was a new paint for cars. It Mr Duncan, you know.'
was a very strong, hard paint, which nothing could 'Yes, 1 know.' John smiled at him. 'But don't worry,
damage. Mary and her chemists had developed it, and Doctor, we're very careful with them in the factory. No
they had tested it all over the world. Neither acid nor salt one can go near them without special safe clothing.
water could damage it, and cars carne back from both You can come and see if you like.'
the Arctic and the Sahara looking like new. 'I'm very pleased to hear it,' said the doctor. He gaye
The company was beginning to make a lot of money the piece of paper to John.
from this paint, and it had brought four hundred new 'Thank you,' said John. He went towards the door.
jobs to the town. 'Mr Duncan?'
One day, when he was working with the paint, John 'Yes?' John looked back, surprised.
spilt some of the waste products on bis leg. He cleaned it 'Where do these waste products go, when the factory
off quickly, but it left a red, painful place on bis skin, has finished with them? Into the river?'
which would not go away. It kept him awake at night. He 'Well, yes, of course,' said John. 'But it's all right, you
told his doctor what he had spilt on it, and the doctor know,' he added quickly. 'It's very carefully checked, al! (
looked at him strangely. the time. It's a big river, and we only produce a few
'So these chemicals had something to do with the new hundred litres of the waste products a day. And we're
paint, did they?' the doctor asked carefully. only two kilometres from the sea, after all.'
'Yes, 1 told you. It was a bottle of the waste products. 1 'Good,' said the doctor. '1 wouldn't want anyone to
was looking at them in my office.' drink those waste products, that's all.'
'1 see.' The doctor looked out of the window thought- 'They won't, Doctor,' said John. 'All the drinking
fully. His fingers moved quietly on bis desk. 'And your water comes out of the river five kilometres upstream, you
company is producing a lot of these waste products now, know that. Who's going to drink salt water from the river
1 suppose.' mouth, for heaven's sake? Chemists from London have
'Yes, of course.' John was in a hurry. He had to meet checked it, too, you know, and our company lawyers
12 Chemical Secret Rich man 13

know all about it. So it's not dangerous and we're not
doing anything wrong. Don't worry about it.'
He went out of the door, and after haif an hour he had
forgotten the conversation.
He was a very busy man now. All day he had to test
different types of paints, and make sure they were safe.
He was also busy buying a big, comfortable house for
his family, with a large field beside it, where Christine
could keep a horse. The house was haif a kilometre from
the sea, and As gardis went dbwn to the river. TTie
was an empty boathouse there.
'Can we have a boat, Dad?' Andrew asked. '1 mean,
not now, of course, but one day - when you've finished
paying for the house, perhaps?'
John laughed. His children had been poor for so long.
But now he could buy them anything they wanted.
'You can have a boat now, if you want, my son,' he
said happily. 'If 1 can afford a big house like this, 1 can
certainly afford a small boat. We'll go fishing every week,
shall we? And I'hl teach you both to sai1 in the evenings.
I've always wanted to do that, you know.'
He could not believe how lucky he was. He had a good
job at last, a fine home, and his children had everything
they wanted. He only wished his wife, Rachel, was alive
to enjoy it with him. There was only one thing that he
could not give his children now. He could not give them
back their mother.

'So these chemicais had something to do with

the new paint, did they?' the doctor asked.
14 Chemical Secret

11

A few months later, John invited Mary to a meal in the

new house. It was a difficuit evening. He had never
invited anyone to their oid fiat, and the chiidren's friends
never carne for meals. The new house was very untidy,
and John was nervous about the food. He and Christine
cooked a chicken because they thought it was easy. But
the chicken was tasteiess and the rice was too soft.
Mary smiied, and pretended not to notice. But the
evening went badiy. Christine was angry with her
because she tidied up the kitchen, and Andrew was angry
with her because she didn't want to watch TV. Both the
chiidren went to bed eariy, and thought about their
mother.
But Mary carne again, on a Sunday, and John took
them all out in their new boat. That was much better.
Mary didn't know how to saii, so the chiidren had to teii
her what to do. She did what she was toid, and seemed to
be happy. John sat at the back of the boat, and watched
his chiidren quietiy. He feit proud of them, and he
thought they were proud of him too. The first time Mary
and the chiidren laughed together, John felt a big smiie
come onto his face.
It was a beautifui, sunny day in the middie of May.
There was a good wind, and the saiiing was fun. The boat
It was a big, comfortable house, and its gardens
saiied fast, over smaii, white-topped waves. The sky was
went down to the river. blue and clear. They sailed down to the mouth of the
16 Chemical Secret The seals 17

river, where there were lots of small islands and sand-

banks.
'Look, Dad, quick! Over there! What are they?'
Andrew pointed excitedly to one of the long, low
sandbanks.
'Seals,' said John. 'Haven't you seen them before?'
'No,' said Andrew. 'Only in films. Not in real life.' His
face was shining, excited, happy. 'Do they really live
here?'
'Yes. It's a group of seal families. The mothers come
here every year to have their babies.'
They sailed closer to the sandbank, until they were
only about twenty metres away from the seals. Wet, shiny
sea! mothers !ifted their heads and !ooked at them with
their blue eyes. The baby seals were drinking milk from
their mothers, climbing over them, and playing in the
shallow water. Then a big father seal lifted his head and
stared angrily at them.
'1 think they're beautiful,' said Mary. '1 never knew
they !ived here, so close to the town. It makes me feel
really happy, just to see them.'
'Yes, it does, doesn't it?' said Christine. '1 think nothing
can be really wrong with the world, if they can live here,
all by themselves, with no one looking after them.'
'Yes,' said Mary. 'And they're really beautiful, too.
Look! Did you see that little one, p!aying on his mother's
back? 1 wish 1 could do that!'
John smiled, as he watched Mary and his children
!aughing and taiking together. He thought the world was
"It's a group of sea! families,' John said. 'The mothers come here
a good place, too. every year to have their babies.'
 The new experiment 19

Mary looked through the rnagnifying glass. She began

5
to feel iii. There was a long silence.
The new experiment 'There certainly is a problem!' Mary's voice sounded loud
and high in the quiet room. She stared at the srnall anirnals
A few days later, John asked Mary to look at another under the rnagnifying glass. 'Baby rats with no eyes, no
experiment. He took her into a long, quiet room at the ears, six legs! Oh John! John! What have you done?' )
back of the factory. The room was fuil of the noises of He looked at her strangely. 'It's awful, isn't it? But 1
small animais. had to know. And remember, Mary - their mothers have
'I've been testing the waste products,' he said. 'Here, had five parts per million of these chemicais in their
look at this.' He gaye her a sheet of paper. 'Some of these drinking water for two weeks. That's a lot - rnuch, much
rats have had the waste products in their food and drink- more than we're putting in the river.'
ing water. There's no real problem yet. One or two have Mary looked away from the rats. She remembered the
become iii, but not many. There's nothing very serious.' beautiful afternoon that they had spent with John's
Mary read the results carefully. She didn't like this kind children, sailing on the clear blue water. 'John, these
of experiment, but she knew it was necessary. And John waste products are dangerous!' she said. 'We've got to
was right; no rats had died, and not very many were iii. stop putting them in the river!'
'So what do you want to show me?' she asked. '0 c— ou-r-
se-,—o cour.' John put his hand on her arm, to
'This,' he said. He opened a box by the window. 'These comfort her. But it was the same hand - the hand that
ten rats have had the waste products in their drinking had held the rats. 'Of course we'll stop it, if we need to,
water for two weeks now. 1 gaye them a lot - five parts Mary. The company can build machines to clean the waste
per million. They're going to have babies today. If the products. I'll start my report for David Wilson next week.'
babies are OK, we've got nothing to worry about.' 'But. . .' She turned rouníio face him. His hand fell
'Oh, John,' she said. 'What an awful thing to do!' from her arm. 'Don't you think we should stop making
'1 know, 1 know,' he said. But he wasn't listening. the paint now, John? Perhaps it'll take years to build
'Look,' he said excitedly. 'Some of them have been born those machines, and we're putting the chemicals into the
already!' river right now!'
He lifted some of the baby rats out of the box and A shadow crossed his face. His eyes looked at hers,
looked at them through a rnagnifying glass. then away, out of the window.
'Oh dear,' he said at last, sadly. 'Perhaps there is a '1.. . don't think we need to do that now, Mary. We're
problem. Look!' putting very little into the river at the moment. And the
20 Chemical Secret The report 21

company will build those machines, won't they?'

She remembered her long years of work, the hundreds
of unsuccessful experiments. She touched his hand, and
smiled. '1 hope so, John,' she said. '1 really hope so.'
She turned, and went quickly out of the room.

6
The report

John's report took longer than he had thought. It was

nearly six weeks later when he went to discuss the results
with David Wilson.
Mr Wilson wasn't a scientist. He was a businessman.
He knew how to run a business, how to make money.
Thanks for coming, John.' David Wilson carne out
from behind his desk and shook hands with John. They sat
in two big, comfortable arrnchairs by the window.
David Wilson's office was large, with a thick carpet
and beautiful pictures on the walls. From the window,
John could see the river, and the woods and fields on the
other side. He felt comfortable, happy, safe.
'I've read your report,' Wilson began. Then he stopped,
and lit a cigarette. 'Not very good, is it?'
'What?' John stared at him in surprise.
Wilson smiled, and moved his hand through the clouds
of smoke. 'No, no, don't worry - 1 don't mean the report
is bad, of course not. You've worked very hard, and done
'These waste products are dangerous!' said Mary. 'We've got to your job weil. What 1 mean is, 1 don't like the ideas at the
stop putting them in the river!' end of the report.'
22 Chemical Secret The report 23

'What's wrong with them?'

They're too expensive.' The two men stared at each
other for a moment, and John felt cold and sick in his
stomach. Wilson smiled, but it wasn't the kind of smile
that John liked.
'Look, John,' he said. 'Your report says that we should
build some new machines to clean up the waste products
before they go into the river, right? And those machines
will cost two million pounds! Where do you think we can
find all that? Money doesn't grow on trees, you know!'
'No, of course not.' John's rnouth was dry. He took a
drink of water, and felt his hand shaking. 'Bút we're
selling a lot of the new paint. We're making millions of
pounds every month from that, aren't we?'
'We're doing very well, yes,' said Wilson. 'But if we
spend two million pounds to build these new machines,
the paint wihl have to cost more, and we won't sehl so
much.'
'But - we've got to do it,' said John. 'These waste
products are much more dangerous than I'd thought.
Didn't you read that in my report? When 1 put the
chemicals in rats' drinking water, some of the baby rats
were born without eyes and ears. One didn't have any
legs, and one had six.' He shivered. 'And some were born
without legs when they drank only two parts per million.
We can't put those chemicais in the river.'
'Of course 1 read that, John. 1 read your report very
carefully indeed. And your report also says that on most
days we put less than two parts per million into the river.
No, wait, listen to me for a minute! We both know that 'Where do you think we can find two million pounds?' Wilson said.
24 Chemical Secret Christine and Simon 25

no drinking water comes out of this part of the river, There was a long silence. Then David Wilson stood up.
don't we? And in two kilometres the river goes out into He walked past John Duncan, without looking at him,
the sea. So why is it dangerous? Nobody is ever going to and sat down behind his desk. When he looked up, his
drink it, John! We don't need to build these new eyes were cold and grey, like stones from the beach.
machines!' If you do that, John, 1 shall say you're a liar. You'll
John thought of his children, sailing on the river in lose your job. You'll have to sell your house, and go back
their boat. He thought of the seals, and people fishing, to living in a nasty little fiat. You'll never get another job,
and little children playing on the beach and swimming. and you'll never have a house or any money again. You'll
'We've got to build them!' he said. just be an old man, walking the streets without friends or
David Wilson looked at him carefully. His voice, when money. Is that what you want?'
he spoke, was very quiet and hard. 'Listen to me, John. John didn't answer. He stood for a long time, and
You're a very good scientist, and we're lucky to have you stared at David Wilson, and didn't say a word. After
in this company. But you're not a businessman, and 1 am. nearly two minutes, Wilson smiled - a thin quiet smile.
Look at this.' He picked up a sheet of paper, and held it 'But if you stay with us, you will be paid twice as much
across the table for John to see. It showed how much next year. And no one will ever be hurt, because no one
money the company had. 'We borrowed ten million will ever drink that water.'
pounds last year, and we employed four hundred more He got up from his desk, carne round to the front, and
people. Think how much that means to a small town like held out his hand. John stood still for a long moment.
this!' Then he shook hands.
'1 know,' said John. 'But...' 'Think about it, John,' said David Wilson.
'Just a minute. Listen to me. If we build these cleaning John Duncan turned, and walked slowly towards the
machines of yours, people will lose their jobs - a lot of door.
people! This company can't afford to borrow any more
money, John. We just can't do it!'
7
John stood up. 'And what happens if people get iii
because of this? Have you thought of that? What will the Christine and Simon
newspapers say then?'
'No one will get ill, because no one drinks that water, Mary talked to Mr Wilson too, but it was no good. She
John. The newspapers will never know about it.' carne out looking tired and very sad.
They will if 1 tell them.' For many months she argued with David Wilson about
26 Chemical Secret Christine and Simon 27

the danger of the waste products, but he would not listen factory, because he was always laughing, or singing to
to her. And so, eighteen months after John's report, Mary himself.
decided to move to another company. She was pleased, But for the iast eighteen months he had been much
because it was a more important job, but that wasn't the quieter. He was always busy, but he didn't sing or laugh,
reason she was going. She knew that the cieaning and he didn't often look Mary in the eyes. And when he
machines would never be buiit. was alone, he looked tired and sad.
John was sad to see her go. He had enjoyed working She took her hand away from his, gently. 'You know
with her, and she had come to his house several times why I'm going, John,' she said. '1 know what's going into
over the iast year and a haif. His children liked her now. the river, and 1 don't like to think about it. You shouid
They had never been so friendiy with any woman, since leave, too, and get a job in another company.'
their mother had died. 'I'm too oid.' John stared at her angriiy. 'It isn't easy
On her iast day, Mary and John had lunch in the for me to get a new job. And Mary, the company has
factory restaurant together. been making the paint for more than two years now, and
'You don't have to go, you know, Mary,' John said. no one's been hurt, have they?'
This company is very successful, and it's growing all the Mary didn't answer for a moment. Then she said,
time. Your new paint has meant four hundred new jobs - 'Only you.'
all because of your discovery! This isn't a poor town any 'What do you mean, oniy me?'
more it's becoming successful, rich! Peopie wiil want to She looked at him sadly. His head was baid now, and
move here from other places.' he was beginning to look iike an oid man. Once, she had
He talked about the new sports centre at Andrew's wanted to marry him. Now, she was pleased that he
school, which was built with money from the paint hadn't asked her.
company. There were two big, new shops in the town as 'Oh, 1 just meant your ieg, of course.' John stili had a
weli, and a new theatre, and a lot of new houses. 'And it's painful red place on his leg, and sometimes he waiked
all because of you,' he said. 'It's wonderful, Mary, don't badly because of it. But that wasn't what Mary meant.
you think?' He smiled at her across the tabie, and took John smiled. 'My leg's nearly better. I'd almost
her hand in his. forgotten about it. But Mary, before you go. . . 1 wonder
She looked at him quietiy. He had changed a lot since if you couid heip me. It's a family matter.'
he had first started working at the factory. For the first six '1 see. Weii, how can 1 heip? 1 don't know your chiidren
months after he had got the job, he had been really happy very weii, you know.'
and iiveiy. She had always known where he was in the 'No, of course not. But you're a woman, and. . . weli,
28 Chemical Secret Christine and Simon 29

it's sometimes difficuit for me, as a father on my own.

Christine's a young woman now, and she hasn't got a
mother to discuss things with. 1 don't aiways know what
to say.'
'No.' Mary iooked at him sadiy. She often wondered
why he didn't ask her to his house more often. She liked
him and his chiidren, and she thought he liked her. 'How
oid is Christine now?'
'Eighteen. And she wants to get married.'
'Aiready? She's rather young, isn't she?'
John looked unhappy. 'Weli, that's what 1 say. But she
gets so angry with me, Mary, reaiiy angry.'
'Who's the young man?'
'He's caiied Simon MacDonaid. He's a journalist - he
works for the local newspaper. He's a fice young man, 1
suppose. But every time 1 speak to him, we argue. And
then Christine always agrees with him, and 1 get angry
with her, too. 1 don't want to, Mary, but 1 do. 1 feel I'm
losing her, you see.'
'What do you argue about?'
'Oh, 1 don't know. Stupid things, really. He beiongs to
one of these environmentai groups - Greenworld, 1 think
- and he's aiways taiking about it. He thinks oniy young
people are right, and everyone over twenty-five is aiways•
wrong!'
Mary iooked at John thoughtfuliy.
'Weii, what do you want me to do, John? I'm not a
mother and I've never been married.'
'I'm too oid. It isn't easy for me to get a new job,' 'No, but . . . you couid taik to Christine, perhaps? If
said John angriiy. you carne to our house for Sunday lunch ...
30 Chemical Secret Christine and Simon 31

So Mary went to John's house. Simon was there too.

They had a meal and talked about horses and sailing.
Everyone was polite, and there were no arguments. Later,
Mary went with Christine to look at her horse, and
Simon stayed with John. In the field, Mary began to taik
about Simon.
'He's a fine young man, Christine. He's very clever and
kind. He makes me think of your father.'
'My father! He's nothing like my father! And Dad
hates him!'
'I'm sure he doesn't.'
'He does! He says he's too oid for me, and 1 mustn't see
him! He thinks I'm still a little giri, Mary! But I'm
eighteen! 1 want to get married!'
Teli me more about Simon. .
And so for a long time Mary stood in the quiet, lonely
field. She helped Christine give food to her horse, and
listened to her taik about Simon. Simon, Christine said,
was kind, intelligent, very hard-working. He liked sailing
and riding, and he wanted to make the world a cleaner,
better place. He made her feel important, like an adult,
not a child any more. She had met his parents, and they
liked her a lot. It was oniy her father .
'So what should 1 do, Mary?' Christine asked.
Mary put her hand on the horse's neck. 'I'm not sure,'
she said. '1 think you should marry him, but you don't
want to make your father angry, do you? That's not the
best way to start your life with Simon.'
'No, but 1 will if 1 have to!'
'Would you like me to taik to him? Perhaps he'll listen 'I'm eighteen! 1 want to get married?' said Christine.
32 Chemical Secret Christine and Simon 33

to me. It's difficult for him - you're his only daughter,

and he's probably very worried about it.'
'Oh, would you, Mary? Please. 1 want Dad to like
Simon, really, but he's always nasty to him.'
'I'll do my best, my dear, but 1 don't know if it'll work.'
Mary did try, very hard, before she moved to Scotland
for her new job. She spoke to John on the phone, and
sometimes they had a cup of coffee together in town. She
was surprised how carefully John listened to her, and
how grateful he seemed for her help. He's really a very
lonely man, she thought. It must be hard for him with
two children and no wife. He used to taik to his children
a lot, but he doesn't now.
At last John agreed to the marriage. Mary was invited
to a special supper because of the good news. Christine
was very happy. She kissed Mary when she arrived, and
gaye her a small, secret present to thank her. It was a pair
of pretty ear-rings. At the meal, John seemed a little
nervous, but happy too. He tried hard to smile, and
thanked Mary, although he didn't think of giving her a
present. He watched Christine all through the meal. He
seemed to be afraid that he would never see her again,
and he was very happy when she smiled at him.
Then Simon stood up to say something.
'Mr Duncan,' he said. 'I'hl always remember this night.
1 know how much you love your daughter, and believe
me, sir, 1 love her too. You've been worried about me
because you want her to have the best husband possible,
and 1— well, 1 can't promise anything, but I'm going to try
to be that man. You're a rich man, Mr Duncan, and of '1'11 always remember tbis night,' said Simon.
34 Chemical Secret The wedding day 35

course, Christine and 1 won't have a lot of money at first, the factory, John Duncan found two young chemists
but 1 hope we'll manage.' He srniled at Christine. 'And testing samples of water from the river. The water carne
yesterday, Mr Duncan, 1 spoke to my employer, and he's from two kilometres upstream, near the sewage works.
going to pay me a little more than before!' 'Why are you doing that?' he asked, surprised.
John looked surprised. 'Oh really? Why is that?' 'It's a special experiment,' one of them answered.
'Well, because he's given me a new job. He's asked me 'David Wilson asked us to do it hirnself. Didn't he te!l
to write about the environment for out newspaper. 1 have you, sir?'
to write a fuil-page article every week on the environment. John didn't answer. He watched them quietly for
And this is the first one. Look here!' several minutes. 'What are the results?' he asked.
He pulled a page of newspaper out of his pocket, and 'They're bad, sir,' said the young man. But he didn't
held it up in front of them. There were pictures of water, look worried; he looked pleased, proud of himself. 'That
sandbanks, and some seals. The headline read: sewage works is putting a lot of nasty things into the
river, you know. 1 think the newspapers will be very
SEALS AT Rl VER MOUTH
interested.'
HAVE STRANGE DISEASE
'The newspapers?' John asked. The young man smiled.
Four baby seals found dead
'Yes, Mr Duncan, of course. Our company cares about
the environment, doesn't it? That's why we're doing this.
8
We want to help those poor seals, if we can.'
The wedding day As John walked away, he listened for the sound of
quiet laughter behind him. But he heard nothing. Perhaps
The disease among the seals got worse. Threçinore baby the young man really believed what he said.
seals died, and one was born without a tau. Scientists
caiñefrom London to look at them, and there were long Christine and Simon were married on a fine day in June.
articles in the newspapers, but no one was sure what the When they carne back from the church, they had a party
reasons were. Some people said that it was a disease that in the garden at John's house. Everyone seemed very
was always in the water; some people said the seals were happy. John liked Simon's parents, and talked to them a
eating diseased fish; and some people said that it was the lot.
paint factory near the river. 'You're very lucky, Mr Duncan,' Sirnon's father said.
There was a sewage works near the river too. The 'You have a beautiful house with a lovely river at the end
sewage from another srnall town carne to it. One day, in of the garden.'
36 Chemical Secret The wedding day 37

'1 haven't always been lucky,' John answered. 'People

used to say 1 was a very unlucky man.' He stood still,
thinking. He remembered how unhappy he had been in
the little fiat in the middle of the town. He had been
unemployed then, with no money to buy good things for
his children. But he had always been able to taik to them.
Now he was a rich man, a success, and his children didn't
want to taik to him.
He smiled at Mr and Mrs MacDonald. 'Yes,' he said.
'I'm a very lucky man. 1 have Simon for my son-in-law.
I'm very pleased for my daughter.'
Mrs MacDonald was pleased. 'We're very pleased to
have Christine for our daughter-in-law, too,' she said.
'And I'm sure Simon will help you with this river, Mr
Duncan. 1 understand there's a disease in it, which is
making the seals ili. Simon told me he's going to work
very hard to find the reason for that, and clean up the
river. I'm sure you're pleased about that, Mr Duncan.'
'Yes, of course.' John had seen Simon's article in the
newspaper last night, about the diseases that carne from
the sewage works. David Wilson had shown it to him.
John didn't want to taik about it.
He saw his daughter laughing with Simon, Andrew and
some friends. He had never seen her look so happy. He
remembered his own wedding, and the hopes he and
Rachel had had.
'Let me get you another drink, Mrs MacDonald,' he
said. 'We must drink to our children's future, and wish
them luck.'
Christine and Simon were married on a fine day in June. At the bar in the house he met Mary. She carne back to
38 Chemical Secret 1 don't believe you 39

the town sometimes, and twice he had visited her in Christine and her father had argued all evening. John had
Scotland. known for a long time that they would have this
This day's been a great success, John,' she said. 'You argument. And next week in the town there would be a
must be a happy man.' Public Enquiry, when government officials would try to
He touched her arm thoughtfully. 'I'd like to be, discover the truth. Scientists and lawyers would speak on
Mary,' he said. 'I've tried, you know. I've done my best. both sides of the argument. Everyone in the town was
But it's their world now. They must do what they can taiking about the Enquiry - and about Simon's newspaper
with it.' article.
'Why did David Wilson write to the paper, Father?'
Christine asked. 'He's not a scientist, he's just a business-
9
man. Why didn't you write to the paper?'
1 don't believe you '1 have written to the paper,' said John, sadly. 'You'll
probably read my letter tomorrow.'
'It's not true, Christine. Simon's information is wrong.' 'Oh. What did you say?' Christine asked.
'1 don't believe you, Father.' John felt sad. He hadn't wanted to write the letter. He
John and Christine stared at each other angrily. It was and David Wilson had had a big argument about it. But
a miserable, frightening mornent for them both. It was a in the end he had agreed. He had agreed to hide rnany
night three months after the wedding, and Christine had bad things before, so one more didn't make any difference.
come with some happy news. She had come to tell her '1 said that our waste products don't make the river water
father that she was going to have a baby - his first dangerous. We've tested them very carefully for rnany
grandchild! For a while they had talked about that, but years, and if they are diluted in water, they are not danger-
then Christine had begun to taik about Simon's new job. ous at ah. There are usually only one and a half parts per
Simon had found some information about the waste million in the river water, that's ah. And the seals aren't
products from the paint factory. His information was in the river. They're out at sea. 1 wrote that in my letter,
dangerous for the company. Simon had written an article and 1'11 say the same thing at the Enquiry next week.'
in the newspaper, saying that waste products from the Christine was watching him carefully as he spoke. She
paint factory could be killing the baby seals. David saw how tired and sad his face was. He was looking at his
Wilson had written to the newspaper immediately, saying hands most of the time, not at her.
that Simon's article was completely untrue. 'Father, 1 want to believe you. But 1 can't,' she said
And so instead of taiking happily about the baby, softly.
40 Chemical Secret

He looked up. 'Don't then!' he said angrily. 'You lo

believe Simon, if you want to! He's a journalist, after ah -
I'm oniy a biologist, and your father. Why should you Green world
believe me?' He stood up angrily, walked to the door, and
opened it. 'I'm sorry, Christine. I've had a hard day, I'm Two days later Christine and Simon arrived at John's
tired, and 1 don't want to sit here listening to my daughter house. It was very early - five o'clock in the morning -
telling me I'm a liar. Go home to Simon. I'm going to and they didn't knock at the door, or try to wake anyone
bed!' up. In fact John wasn't there; Christine knew he had gone
She got up slowly. 'It's important, Father,' she said to Scotland to see Mary. He was coming back on
slowly. 'It's important for everyone.' the morning of the Enquiry.
'1 know it is, Christine. But the paint factory's Christine and Simon walked quietly down to the
important too. It's given a lot to you, and me, and to the boathouse by the river. Without taiking, they put the
people of this town. Try to remember that, and forget boat in the water, and sailed away across the river.
about the seals for a while, can't you?' On the other side of the river they met two friends,
There are more important things than money, Father.' Peter and Susan. Their friends were wearing white
'Are there? You tel1 that to all the people who work in clothes, with Greenworld written on them. Simon and
the company, and live in this town. What are they going Christine also put on white clothes. Then they all got into
to live on, when the factory's closed because of Simon's the boat and sailed upstream, towards the paint factory.
stupid articles? Can they give their children photographs It was a windy morning, and the waves on the river
of baby seals to eat?' were quite big. But Christine was a good sailor, and in
Christine looked at him for a long moment before she about haif an hour, they reached the factory. Two
went out of the door. 'And what about children who play photographers stood by the river, taking photos of them.
by the river, Father? What if they drink the river water? 'OK, Simon, where is it?' shouted Christine.
What then?' 'Over there, look - in front of that post!' he said.
'Nobody drinks water from that part of the river,' he Christine sailed the boat towards the post. When they
said. 'And I've told you it isn't dangerous to children.' were near it, they could see under the water. It was the
Christine closed the door quietly behind her. pipe that took the waste products out of the factory.
'OK, here!' shouted Simon. Christine turned the boat
towards the wind, and Susan caught hold of the post. Then
Simon and Peter climbed out of the boat into the water.
42 Chemical Secret Greenworld 43

The water was moving fast here, and they had to hoid
onto the pipe and the boat. Peter then took several strong
paper bags out of the boat. The bags were small but very
heavy, because they were fihled with building cement.
Peter passed the bags one at a time to Simon, and Simon
went down under the water and pushed each bag into the
pipe. A few minutes later the mouth of the pipe was fuil
of bags of cement.
Simon carne up out of the water for the last time. 'It's
OK!' he shouted. 'We've done it! The cement is wet
already, and in a few hours it'll be as hard as a rock.
Nothing can come out of that pipe now!' The two men
climbed back into the boat and smiled at the photo-
graphers. Then Simon stood up in the boat with
Christine, and heid up a long white sheet. On the sheet
was written:
GREEN
WORLD
This pipe kilis seals!
At that moment two things happened. A man tan out
of the factory, shouting angrily. And the wind suddenly
became stronger. It caught the sail and sent it quick!y
from one side of the boat to the other. The back of the
sail hit Christine hard on the back of the head. She feil
into the water, like a bag of potatoes. Then the wind
caught the sail again and threw it back across the boat.
This time the boat feil over on its side and lay with its sail
under the water.
Simon was under the sail. The sail and the sheet were
all around him, and for several seconds he could see
They put the boat in the water, and sailed away across the river. nothing. Then he carne up, into the air. He saw a foot
44 Chemical Secret Greenworld 45

kicking hard in the water beside him. Someone was

moving under the sai1. Quickly, he went down under the
water again, and tried to heip Peter. But Peter caught
hoid of Simon, and puiled him under water too. There
was a quick, frightening fight, and then Simon managed
to puil them both up, into the air again. They heid onto
the side of the boat together, breathing deeply.
Simon saw Susan holding onto the back of the boat.
Then he heard someone shouting. He looked behind him
and saw the man from the factory. He was shouting and
pointing downstream. But Simon had water in his ears,
and at first he couidn't hear the words very well. Then he
understood.
'Look!' the man said. 'The giri! She's drowning!'
Simon looked downstream, where the man was pointing.
He saw something white, floating, far away. It was not
doing anything, just floating round and round, like a bag
of oid clothes on the water. Christine! The river was
taking her quickiy downstream, towards the sea.
Hurriediy, Simon began to swim after her. He was a
good swimmer, but the white ciothes siowed him down.
He swam as fast as he could, but he seemed to go slowiy,
so slowly. The water seemed heavy, and heid him back.
For the rest of his iife he wouid dream about that long,
slow swim, towards a white body that floated quickly
away in front of him.
At last he reached Christine. She was floating with her
face down, unconscious. He tried to turn her over, but it
was so difficult. She was heavy, and her arms feli back in
Simon and Christine heid up a long white sheet. the water when he dropped them. He got her face out of
46 Chemical Secret Greenworld 47

the water but her head feil backwards, lifeless, and she
was not breathing. He caught hoid of her face then, put
his mouth over hers, and blew into it. He rested, and then
blew into her mouth again, and again. Nothing happened.
He looked around him. They were in the middle of the
river, moving quickly downstream. Here, it was about
twenty-five metres to the bank, but about two hundred
metres downstream a second river carne in from the left.
The bank was further away there, and the water moved
faster. Simon was tired, and afraid. It had rained last
night, and there was a lot of water moving downstream
to the sea. The strong wind blew little waves into bis face.
He began to swim on his back, pulling Christine
towards the trees on the bank. He swam for haif a
minute, then stopped, and blew four times into her
mouth. Once, he thought he saw her breathe, but he
couldn't be sure. Her face was very white, and he had no
idea if her heart was beating. The river was taking them
quickly to the sea.
He swam harder, kicking strongly with his legs. Nearer
- only five metres to go now. But the bank was moving
past very quickly. There was a tree near the bank. Its
branches were low over the water. Simon kicked hard,
caught the branch, and held onto ft. The water tried to
puli him away. He took a deep breath, and blew strongly
into Christine's mouth again. And this time, he was sure,
she took a breath by herself, afterwards.
It took him nearly five minutes to pu11 her on to the
bank. When they got there, he put her on the ground,
breathed into her mouth again, and then felt for her heart. Only five metres to go now.
48 Chemical Secret The Public Enquiry 49

At first he couldn't find it - his hands were too cold. Then their jobs. And the first person to lose his job will he you,
- yes! - it was beating. John. 1 promise you that.'
For another five minutes he helped her breathe, until he
was sure she could do it by herself. Then he began to The Enquiry room was crowded. There were a lot of
shiver. The wind made his wet clothes cold on his body. journahists and photographers there, and a lot of people
He wondered what to do. Then he looked down, and saw from the town and the factory too. John's train was late,
that Christine's eyes were open. and he caught a taxi from the station. When he carne into
'Chris,' he said. 'Are you all right?' the room, he saw Simon, sitting with the journalists.
She said something, but very quietly and he could not Christine was near him, with Andrew and some young
hear it. He lay down, and put his arms around her, to people from Greenworld. John smiled at her, but she
keep her warm. He could feel her heart beating, and her didn't smile back. She looks very white and ill, he
body breathing under him. Simon began to cry. thought. It's probably the baby. He remernbered how ill
his wife Rachel had been in the rnornings, before
11 Christine was born, and he smiled sadly to himself.
'Mr John Duncan, please!'
The Public Enquiry He walked to the front of the room. As he sat down, he
saw David Wilson's cold, grey eyes watching him from
Two days later, the Enquiry began. Scientists carne from the other side of the room. That man should be up here
London to ask questions about the disease that was instead, he thought. He shou!d tell his own lies.
kilhing the seals. Before he had gone to Scotland, John A lawyer began to ask him questions. At first it was
had been to see David Wilson about the Enquiry. David easy. John explained how long he had worked for the
Wilson had asked John to speak for the company. company, and how much paint the factory produced.
'You're our chief biologist, John,' he said. 'You're an Then the lawyer asked about the waste products.
important man. They'll believe you.' 'These are very dangerous chemicals, aren't they?' the
John said nothing. He didn't want to speak at the lawyer said.
Enquiry, but he knew he had to. David Wilson smiled. Or 'Well yes, of course,' John answered. 'Most chemicals
at least, his mouth smiled. But his eyes watched John are dangerous if people aren't careful with thern. But
carefuhly, all the time, hike the cold eyes of a fish. we're very careful with them in our factory. Everyone
Think carefuhly about what you say, John. If you say wears special clothing. We haven't had a single serious
the wrong thing next week, hundreds of people wihl lose accident in three years.'
SO Chemical Secret The Public Enquiry 51

'I'm pleased to hear it,' said the lawyer. 'But what inilhion in their drinking water for ten days. That's very
happens outside the factory? Do you really put these very different. No one drinks the river water. It goes straight
dangerous chemicais into the river?' out to sea.'
'Yes, we do,' said John. There was a noise in the room. He looked at the lawyer, and waited for the question
Someone near Christine shouted something angrily, and a about the seals. But it didn't come. Instead, the lawyer
policewoman toid him to be quiet. John went on. 'Of said: 'So you won't be worried, Mr Duncan, if someone
course we put these chemicals in the river, but we don't falis into the river by accident, and drinks a lot of river
put a lot in. Only two or three hundred litres every day. water. Your OWfl daughter, for example. There's no
That's not much. And we check the river all the time - danger in an accident hike that - is that right?'
three times every day. There are usually only two parts John looked at Christine across the room. How big
per mihlion, or less, in the water near the factory, and her eyes look in that white face, he thought. It must be
there is much less downstream. That's not dangerous.' because of the baby.
'Not dangerous, Mr Duncan?' said the lawyer slowly. 'No,' he said. 'There's no danger at ah.'
'Are you sure?' There was the sound of voices in the room. The lawyer
'Yes, 1 am,' John said. He looked up, at the hundreds smiled a small, rat-like smihe. He heid his newspaper out
of eyes watching him. David Wilson's eyes, Christine's eyes, towards John.
Simon's. 'You've been away in Scothand, Mr Duncan,' he said.
1 understand', the lawyer said slowly, 'that there has 'Have you seen this?'
been an experiment with some rats. Some mother rats As John read the newspaper, his hands began to shake,
were given these chemicais in their drinking water, and and he had to hold the side of the table. There was a
some of their babies were born without legs. Is that right, picture of Christine, standing up in a boat near the
Mr Duncan?' factory, and another picture of her hying in an ambulance,
John looked at the lawyer for the first time. He was a with Simon beside her. The headline said:
small, uninteresting-looking man in grey clothes, with
grey hair and a thin face. He looks like a rat himself, John BIOLOGIST'S DAUGHTER NEARLY
thought. The man's eyes were small and bright, and for DRO WNS IN Rl VER
some strange reason he had a newspaper in his hand.
John began to feel afraid of him. There was a long silence. He tried to read the
'Yes,' he said. 'That's right. But rats are much smalher newspaper carefully, but there was something wrong
than people, and they were given nearly five parts per with his eyes. And his head was fuil of pictures of
52 Chemical Secret The Public Enquiry 53

Christine in the river, drowning. And his wife, Rachel,

drowning in the storm, long ago.
He shook his head quickly from side to side, then took
his glasses off and cleaned them.
'No,' he said in a quiet voice. '1 haven't read this
before.'
'It's all right, Mr Duncan,' said the lawyer softly. 'Your
daughter is safe. Her husband saved her, and she hasn't lost
her baby. But she did drink a lot of river water. It was near
the factory, too. You're not worried about that, are you?'
The lawyer's bright eyes were staring at him, like a rat
that has just seen its food. Behind him, David Wilson
suddenly stood up.
That is a terrible question!' he shouted into the sihence.
'You can't ask a man questions like that! Of course he's
worried about his daughter! You must stop this Enquiry
at once!'
'Just a minute, Mr Wilson,' said the lawyer. 'Mr
Duncan can go in a minute. He just has to answer one
question. Are you worried, because your daughter has
drunk so much river water, Mr Duncan? Are you worried
about her baby?'
John Duncan stared at the lawyer with fear in his eyes.
Suddenly he hated him. He picked up the newspaper and
threw it into the little man's rat-like face. 'Yes!' he
shouted wildly. 'Yes! Yes! Yes! Of course I'm worried
about the baby! Of course it's dangerous! Now let me
go!'
He ran down the room, out of the door, into the street.
'You've been away in Scotland, Mr Duncan. Have you seen this?' A hundred staring eyes watched him go.
 The future 55

12
The future

Six rnonths later, John Duncan was living in a small fiat

near the sea. He had lost his job, and had had to seli his
expensive house. He couldn't afford the payments on it.
From a window in his fiat, he could look at the sea. He
sat and looked at the coid, grey sea for hours, every day.
Christine would have her baby soon. He had bought
lots of baby clothes to give her. His bedroom was fuli of
baby clothes - little pink coats and trousers for a giri,
blue ones for a boy. There were little soft toys too - teddy
bears and small animais with blue, empty eyes.
But he hadn't given any of these things to her, because
she wouldn't taik to him. When he went to see her, she
closed the door in his face; when he rang, she put the
phone down; when he wrote, she sent the Ietters back
unopened.
There were a lot of books and magazines in his
bedroom, too. But he kept them under his bed. He read
them sometirnes at night, but he didn't like to see them
during the day. They were about babies, and the diseases
that babies could get, before they were born. There were
some terrible things in the books, terrible pictures. He
didn't like to think about them, but he couldn't stop. He
thought about them all day, all the time.
Today, as he sat staring out of the window at the sea,
he could not stop his hands shaking. Every morning he For two hours John had sat by the telephone,
rang the hospital, to ask if his daughter Christine afraid to ring the hospital again.
56 Chemical Secret 57

MacDonald was there. He had rung this morning, and a GLOSSARY

nurse had said yes, Christine was there, and the baby was
coming. That had been four hours ago. For two hours
acid (n) a chemical liquid that burns
John had sat by the telephone, afraid to ring the hospital afford to have enough money for something
again. Three times he had picked it up, and three times he article a report in a newspaper
had put it down again. bank (of a river) the ground along the side of a river
He picked it up again, and rang the number. Seven biologist a scientist who studies animais and plants
five... eight . . . three . . . it was no good. He put the breathe to take air in and send it out through the nose and
phone down again. He could not hear the news from the mouth
coid voice of a nurse over the telephone. He had to see cement grey powder that becomes hard like rock when mixed
the baby for himself. with water
chemical (n) something solid or liquid used in chemistry
He got up, put on his coat, and went downstairs. There
chemist a scientist who studies chemistry
was a cold wind outside, biowing from the sea. The sea
collar the piece of a shirt or coat that goes round the neck
and the sky were grey and miserable. He went into a shop comfort (y) to try to make someone feel happier
and bought some fiowers. He chose them carefully - congratulations a word said to someone who has been lucky or
bright red and yellow colours - and the shopkeeper put done well
paper around them to keep them safe. John took them develop to change something and make it bigger or better
and walked quickly, nervously, along the windy road by dilute to make a liquid thinner or not so strong by adding
the sea, towards the hospital. water
It was raining out at sea. Already the rain was falling downstream in the direction in which a river moves (towards
on the sandbanks where the seals used to live. Soon it the sea)
drown to die in water because you cannot breathe
would be failing on the town. John Duncan shivered, and
environment all the natural things around us (land, air, water,
turned his coat collar up. Then, with his bright fiowers in
plants, etc.)
his hand, he walked on, into the winter wind. experiment (n) a test on something to find out what happens
and to learn something new
float to stay on top of the water
future the days, years, etc. that wihl come after today
government the group of people who control a country
Heaven's sake (for...) words people say to show they are
angry or surprised
58 Glossary Glossary 59

journalist a person who writes for newspapers, television or shiver to shake because you are cold or frightened
radio skiing a sport when people move over snow on skis (long pieces
kick (y) to move a foot very quickly and suddenly of wood)
kiss (y) to touch someone with your lips in a loving way son-in-law the husband of your daughter
lawyer someone whose job is helping people with the law spill (past tense spilt) to make a liquid run or fail out of a
liar a person who says things that are not true container by mistake
local belonging to one place or arca teddy bear a furry animal which is a popular child's toy
magnifying glass a special glass that makes small things look test (u) to look at something carefully to find out how good it is
bigger thoughtful thinking
nasty bad, not fice toy something for a child to play with
nervous afraid, worried unconscious a kind of sleep, when a person is ill or hurt
paint (n) a coloured liquid used to change the colour of other upstream up the river away from the sea (the opposite of
things downstream)
part per million how much something is diluted by, e.g. 2 litres waste products something that is made (but which is useless
of waste products in each million litres of river water = two and not needed) during the making of something else
parts per million wave (n) a movement of water in the sea or a river
point (u) to show with your finger or hand where something is
produce (u) to make something
proud feeling pleased about something you have or did
Public Enquiry a special meeting when people can ask
questions or argue about the plans or actions of a company,
the government, etc.
rat a small grey or brown animal with a long tail
result (n) what happens because of something (e.g. an
experiment)
sample (n) a small piece of something, which is an example of
the test
sandbank a large arca of sand in a river or the sea
scientist someone who studies science (the study of natural
things)
sea¡ (n) an animal that lives both in the sea and on land
sewage works a place where sewage (human waste) is cleaned
before it goes into the sea or a river
 60 61

ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES

Be [ore Reading While Reading

1 Read the back cover, and the introduction on the first page. Read Chapters 1 and 2. Choose the best question-word for
What kind of person do you think John Duncan is going to be? these questions, and then answer them.
Choose Y (Yes) or N (No) for each of these ideas.
What / How / Why
1 He is a murderer. Y/N 1 . . . oid was John Duncan?
2 He is an honest man who makes a big mistake. Y/N 2 . . . were John Duncan's two interests in life?
3 He is a man who likes money. Y/N 3 . did John Duncan stop working as a biologist?
4 He is a man who needs money. Y/N 4 . happened to John Duncan's wife?
5 He is a man who loves his children. Y/N 5 . did the paint factory need a biologist?
6 He is a dishonest man. Y/N 6 . did John Duncan feel about David Wilson?
7 . long had John Duncan been without a job?
2 What do you think will happen in the story? Choose the words
8 . had Christine Duncan never been skiing?
you prefer to complete these sentences.
1 John Duncan telis / doesn't tell the truth about his job. Read Chapters 3 and 4. Here are some untrue sentences about
2 The chemical factory kilis some peo pie / animais. them. Change them, into true sentences.
3 John Duncan loses / ieaves his job at the chemical factory. 1 The cornpany had not brought any new jobs to the town.
4 By the end of the story John Duncan is a rich / poor man. 2 The waste products from the factory went into the sea.
3 The factory was five kilometres from the sea.
3 The story introduction talks about different kinds of crime.
4 The town's drinking water carne from the river at the river
Which of these crimes do you think is worse? Why?
mouth.
1 A man who kilis his wife's lover. 5 John had spilt some of the waste products on his leg, and
2 A drunk driver who kilis somebody in a car accident. was very worried about it.
3 Someone who knows the name of a murderer, but doesn't 6 John bought a computer for his children.
tel1 the police. 7 When Mary carne to dinner, the evening went well.
8 Nobody enjoyed watching the seals on the sandbank.
62 ACTIVITIES: While Reading ACTIVITIES: While Reading 63

Read Chapters 5 and 6. Use these words from the story to Read Chapters 7 to 10, and then match these halves of
complete John Duncan's report. sentences.
before, born, chemicais, diluted, drinking, experiments, eyes, 1 when he told her that the river water was not dangerous.
legs, less, machines, million, no, parts, per, produced, rats, 2 Christine was unconscious when she fell in the river.
results, safe, test, waste, were, without 3 Although John didn't want Christine to marry Simon,
4 but she was pleased that he hadn't asked her to rnarry him.
Several were done on rats to the waste products
5 in order to stop the chernicais going into the river.
which are by the factory. These chernicais are
6 Christine did not believe her father.
and on rnost days than two parts per go into the
7 so she nearly drowned before Sirnon saved her.
river. Two groups of mother were given water
8 in the end he agreed to the marriage.
which contained the ____ products: the first group had five
9 The Greenworld people put bags of cement in the pipe...
per million; the second group had two parts
10 Mary liked John and felt sorry for him,...
million. When the baby rats were , in the first group
some had no , some had ears, and some had six Before you read Chapter 11, can you guess the answers to
In the second group some born legs. these questions?
These show that it is not to put these in
1 Will John be angry with Christine, or worried about her?
the river. The cornpany rnust build to clean up the
2 What will happen to Christine's baby?
waste products they leave the factory.
3 What will John do at the Enquiry?
Before you read Chapter 7, can you guess what happens next? 4 Read Chapters 11 and 12, and then answer these questions.
Choose Y (Yes) or N (No) for each sentence.
1 John leaves the paint factory. Y/N 1 Why did John have to speak at the Enquiry?
2 The cornpany builds the new rnachines. Y/N 2 Why didn't John know about Christine's accident?
3 John tells the newspapers about the chernicais. Y/N 3 What did the lawyer show John at the Enquiry?
4 The factory closes and everybody loses their jobs. Y/N 4 Why did John lose his job?
5 Anirnals and fish in the river begin to die. Y/N 5 Why hadn't John given the toys and clothes to Christine?
6 The chernicals get into the town's drinking water. Y/N 6 Why was John afraid for Christine?
7 Your own idea.
 64 ACTIVITIES: After Reading 65

ACTIVITIES 3 Here is a conversation between David Wilson and Mary

Carter. The conversation is in the wrong order. Write it out in
After Reading the correct order and put in the speakers' names. Wilson
speaks first (number 6).
1 Complete this newspaper story about Christine's accident. 1 'The seals do. And look at their babies.'
(Use as many words as you like.) 2 'Yes, they are. Look at those baby rats!'
BIOLOGIST'S DAUGHTER NEARLY 3 'I've come to tell you that I'rn leaving, David.'
DROWNS IN RIVER
4 'OK, so you care. But what can 1 do about it?'
Yesterday a young woman neariy when she was 5 'You know why. Because of the waste products that
sailing with near the . Christine are going into the river.'
MacDonald, aged 18, was hit by a sail and was 6 'Helio, Mary, what can ¡ do for you?'
when she . Her body began to 7 'Oh, them! Mary, ¡'ve toid you, those chemicals
but shouted a warning, and her aren't dangerous!'
husband, Simon MacDonald, swam after her and 8 'Seals! Who cares about a few seals?'
9 'But they're rats, Mary, not people. And nobody
Mrs MacDonald is the daughter of John Duncan, who is drinks water from the river mouth. You know that!'
His daughter Christine belongs to Greenworid, 10 'You can buy machines to take out some of the
an which believes that chemicals are chemicais before the waste products go into the river.'
kiliing . She and her friends put into 11 'So the seals have to die because you can't afford the
the factory's waste pipe to stop machines?'
Mrs Macdonald is going to and doctors are 12 'Leaving? But why?'
very worried because she from 13 'No, 1 can't, Mary. The company can't afford them.'
14 'Wel!, you don't have to worry about my job any
2 Do you think John Duncan was a good father, or not? Make a more, David. I'm leaving tomorrow. Goodbye.'
list of the good things that he did for bis children, and the bad 15 '1 care. 1 care about everything in the river.'
things. 16 'Yes. People come first, Mary. Four hundred people
He was a good father because. work here. That's what ¡ worry about - their jobs!'
He was a bad father because.
 66 ACTIVITIES: After Reading ACTIVITIES: After Reading 67

4 Here is David Wilson's letter to the newspaper. Use the linking 2 There is always a chance that people will drink the water
words below to complete it. by accident.
although / and / and / because / but / if 1 since / so / that / 3 Animals need clean water as wc!l as people.
where / which / why David Wilson is right, because.
1 No chemicals go into the town's drinking water.
Sir: your article yesterday about our factory contained some
2 jobs for people are more important than seals dying.
information was cornpletely untrue, 1 wonder
3 The river water is already dirty because of the sewage.
your journalist got his facts from. Scientists do not yet
know the seals are dying. our factory puts some 6 What was John Duncan thinking at these moments in his life?
waste products into the river, it is less than twó parts per Complete the sentences in your own words.
million, a lot more waste comes from the sewage
1 If 1 get this job at the paint factory,
works. It is also untrue to say the river water is unsafe
2 If Mary hikes my children, perhaps
for people. All the town's drinking water comes from five
3 If the baby rats are born healthy,
kilometres upstream, nobody can drink water which
4 If Wilson agrees to bui!d the machines,
contains our waste products.
5 If 1 leave this job,
Our company cares about this town a lot of our
6 If 1 stay here and say nothing,
workers live here. We have created four hundred new jobs
7 It was a terrible mistake to
we carne here ten years ago. We can clean up the waste
we spend two million pounds on machines to do it, 7 What happens next? Choose some of these ideas and write a
that would mean fewer jobs for the people of this new ending of your own for the story.
town.
• Christine's baby is born hea!thy / dead / without legs.
David Wilson,
• Christine is pleased to see her father / is angry with him for
Managing Director, Wi!tech Paints
a while / never speaks to him again.
5 Who is right in this story - David Wilson, or Greenworld? Do • Christine and Simon stay in the town / go to another
you agree (A) or disagree (D) with the ideas below? Think of country / have more children / have no more children.
some more ideas of your own. • The factory cleans up the river / does nothing.
• John Duncan gets a new job / never works again / joins
Greenworld is right, because.
Greenworld / finds a kind woman to marry him.
1 Al! rivers should be free from dangerous chemica!s.
68 69

ABOUT THE AUTHOR OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY

Classics • Crime & Mystery . Factfiles Fantasy & Horror
Tim Vicary is an experienced teacher and writer, and has Human Interest • Playscripts • Thriller & Adventure
written several stories for the Oxford Bookworms Library. True Stories • World Stories
Many of these are in the Thril!er & Adventure series, such as
Skyjack! (at Stage 3), or in the True Stories series, such as The The OXFORD BOOKWORMS UBRARY provides enjoyable reading in Eng!ish, with
Bronte Story (also at Stage 3), which is about the lives of the a wide range of classic and modem fiction, non-fiction, and plays. It includes
original and adapted texts in seven carefully graded language stages, which
famous novelists, Charlotte, Emily, and Anne Bront.
take learners from beginner to advanced leve!. An overview is given on the
Tim Vicary has two children, and keeps dogs, cats, and next pages.
horses. He !ives and works in York, in the north of England,
A!! Stage 1 tit!es are available as audio recordings, as WC!l as over eighty
and has also published two long noveis, The Blood upon the
other tities from Starter to Stage 6. Al! Starters and many tit!es at Stages 1
Rose and Cat and Mouse. to 4 are specia!ly recommended for younger learners. Every Bookworm is
illustrated, and Starters and Factfi!es have full-co!our il!ustrations.

The OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY also offers extensive support. Each book
contains an introduction to the story, flotes about the author, a glossary,
and activities. Additional resources inc!ude tests and worksheets, and
answers for these and for the activities in the books. There is advice on
running a c!ass !ibrary, using audio recordings, and the many ways of using
Oxford Bookworms in reading programmes. Resource materia!s are
available on the website <www.oup.comlbookworms>.

The Oxford Bookworms Collection is a series for advanced learners. It

consists of vo!umes of short stories by we!1-known authors, both c!assic and
modern. Texts are not abridged or adapted in any way, but careful!y selected
to be accessib!e to the advanced student.

You can find detai!s and a ful! list of tities in the Oxford Bookworms Library
Catalogue and Oxford English Language Teaching Catalogues, and on the
website <www.oup.com/bookworms>.
70 71

THE OXFORD BOOKWORMS LIBRARY STAGE 3 • 1000 HEADWORDS

GRADING AND SAMPLE EXTRACTS should, may - present perfect continuous - used to - past perfect -
causative - relative clauses - indirect statements
STARTER • 250 HEADWORDS Of course, it was most important that no one should see
present simple - present continuous - imperative - Colin, Mary, or Dickon entering the secret garden. So Colin
can! cannot, must - going to (future) - simple gerunds gaye orders to the gardeners that they must all keep away
Her phone is ringing - but where is it? from that part of the garden in future. The Secret Garden
Sally gets out of bed and looks in her bag. No phone. She
STAGE 4 • 1400 HEADWORDS
looks under the bed. No phone. Then she looks behind the
past perfect continuous - passive (simple forms) -
door. There is her phone. Saily picks up her phone and would conditional clauses - indirect questions -
answers it. Sally's Phone relatives with wherefwhen - gerunds after prepositions!phrases
1 was glad. Now Hyde could not show his face to the world
STAGE 1 • 400 HEADWORDS
again. If he did, every honest man in London would be proud
past simple - coordination with and, but, or -
to report him to the police. DrJekyll and Mr Hyde
subordination with before, after, when, because, so
1 knew him in Persia. He was a famous builder and 1 STAGE 5 • 1800 HEADWORDS
worked with him there. For a time 1 was his friend, but future continuous - future perfect -
passive (modals, continuous forms) -
not for long. When he carne to Paris, 1 carne after him -
would have conditional clauses - modais + perfect infinitive
1 wanted to watch him. He was a very clever, very
If he had spoken Estella's name, 1 would have hit him. 1 was so
dangerous man. The Phantom of the Opera angry with him, and so depressed about my future, that 1 could
not eat the breakfast. Instead 1 went straight to the oid house.
STAGE 2. • 700 HEADWORDS
Great Expectations
present perfect -will(future) -(don't) have to, must not, could -
comparison of adjectives - simple if clauses - past continuous -
STAGE 6 • 2.500 HEADWORDS
tag questions - askitell + infinitive
passive (infinitives, gerunds) - advanced modal meanings -
While 1 was writing these words in my diary, 1 decided what clauses of concession, condition
to do. 1 must try to escape. 1 shall try to get down the wall When 1 stepped up to the piano, 1 was confident. It was as if 1
outside. The window is high aboye the ground, but 1 have knew that the prodigy side of me really did exist. And when ¡
to try. 1 shall take some of the goid with me - if 1 escape, started to play, ¡ was so caught up in how ioveiy 1 looked that
perhaps it will be helpful later. Dracula 1 didn't worry how 1 would sound. TheJoy Luck Club
72

BOOKWORMS THRILLER & ADVENTURE • STAGE 3

Skyj ack!
TIM VICARY

When a large plane is hijacked, the Prime Minister looks at the list
of passengers and suddenly becomes very, very frightened.
There is a name on the list that the Prime Minister knows very
well - too well. There is someone on that plane who will soon be
dead - if the hijackers can find out who he is!
And there isn't much time. One man lies dead on the runway.
In a few minutes the hijackers will use their guns again. And the
Prime Minister knows who they are going to kill.

SOOKWORMS • CRIME & MYSTERY • STAGE 3

As the Inspector Said

and Other Stories
RETOLD BY JOHN ESCOTT

The murder plan seems so neat, so clever. How can it possibly

fail? And when Sonia's stupid, boring little husband is dead, she
will be free to marry her handsome lover. But perhaps the boring
little husband is not so stupid after all .
Murder plans that go wrong, a burglar who makes a bad
mistake, a famous jewel thief who meets a very unusual detective
• . These five stories from the golden age of crime writing are full
of mystery and surprises.