556
PARTISAN REVIEW
"Very well. As you like . But yes, as it happens , Henry and I
have met, you know, to discuss this and that ."
all."
"But never me."
"No, as it happens."
"Good God, no, it's simply not ... Ijust can't believe it, that's
He said apologetically, "You see, the subject never arose."
"Oh, why should it! I'm only the woman who is going to marry
Henry, that's all."
A silence. "But ... Jody ... Jody?"
"J
ody. A name. Like Mary."
"Or like Sebastian," he said, with a small placatory laugh.
"Look, Jody , don't you see? We don't discuss-that sort of thing. I'm
sure you don't discuss me with Henry? You've better things to talk
about!"
"No, but then you're quite a new phenomenon , aren't you?
You've just happened?"
all?"
"Hardly, I've know Angela about three years now-more."
"Three years," she said, intending to sound stunned.
"Something like that, yes. Henry hasn't mentioned me to you at
"Angela's new
bloke,
he said ."
"Well! Oh well, and what of it? That's hardly the point, surely?
I don't spend my time with Angela with the aim of discussing her ex–
husband's love life ."
"I must tell you that if I'd known you were
there
I'd have rung
you up long ago."
"A pleasure," said he.
"Oh no," she said. "Oh no no
no
...
not that tone. Not that
English
tone.
When I hear it
1. ... "
"You reach for your revolver?"
"If
I had one, yes. I'm not going to be switched
off."
Sudden anger, the anger of a man who expects too much of
himself in the way of sweet reason. "This is all too much of a good
thing," he exploded.
"If
you want to talk, then talk, but I'm not sit–
ting here as a substitute target for-someone or other."
"Oh God," she suddenly wailed. "I'm sorry, oh I'm sorry, I
didn't mean ... I wanted to talk to you, I
had
to, I've simply got to
find out ... no, you're right. Sorry. Goodbye Sebastian."
He was alone. It was eleven at night, and he was ready for bed.
Instead he poured himself a Scotch, not his custom at that hour, and
