BOO KS
603
Mr. Waugh's writing stands out as a beautiful exception, constantly de–
lighting by its crisp, accurate notation so little burdened with rhapsodic
bric-a-brac.
The Ordeal of Gilbert Pinfold
is as much a memoir as a novel. We
are told in a prefatory note that Mr. Pinfold is largely based on Mr.
Waugh, and his ordeal upon a brief bout of hallucinations suffered
by the author a few years ago, to the recollection of which "nothing of
importance has been added."
What happens to Mr. Pinfold, of whom at the age of fifty we are
given a brilliant description (which may be read, perhaps, as savage
beyond its intentions ) is this: for the relief of certain minor but dis–
turbing symptoms he embarks on a sea voyage. On shipboard, he over–
hears various private and conspiratorial conversations, music, religious
services, and concludes that the ship's communication system, survival
of the War, passes through his cabin: "the engineers had neglected to
disconnect it." These overheard episodes soon assume, first in general
and then personally, a punitive character, as Mr. Pinfold's mainly maso–
chistic fantasies objectify themselves in threatening or seductive voices,
whose owners for the most part cannot be identified among the pas–
sengers or crew. At last, after temporarily accepting explanations hav–
ing to do with "existentialism and psychology and ghosts and diabolic
possession," as well as something very like an orgone
box,
Mr. Pinfold
leaves the ship, flies home to his wife, understands that he has suffered
hallucinations, and begins to write an account called "The Ordeal of
Gilbert Pinfold."
This is not much, though Mr. Waugh's skill keeps it lively a good
deal of the time. As to what it means, well, there is now and then a
touch of
symbolism
(the ship is the C
aliban,
and other Shakespearean
murmurs are heard, mainly from
King L ear:
"Oh, let me not be mad,
not mad, sweet heaven"). But "those who sought to detect cosmic
significance in Mr. Pinfold's work, to relate it to fashions in philosophy,
social predicaments or psychological tensions, were baffled by his frank,
curt replies to their questionnaires.... Mr. Pinfold gave nothing away.
Not that he was secretive or grudging by nature; he had nothing to
give these students."
They must be odd students indeed who interpret novels by quizzing
authors, but nothing will come of nothing, as King Lear also said, and
these remarks do, I think, touch both the success and the limitation
of Mr. Pinfold's later novels, this one included: their admirably polished
character as things made, their "elegance and variety of contrivance"
which result from "so much will and so much ability to please," are the
