var g_txt=[
{t:"All the Bright Contagions",p:2,x:33,y:42,w:141,h:14},
{t:"by Colin Holcombe",p:2,x:33,y:62,w:108,h:14},
{t:"© 2007",p:2,x:33,y:82,w:42,h:14},
{t:"‘All the Bright Contagions’ is a work of fiction.",p:2,x:33,y:102,w:256,h:14},
{t:"Names, characters, places and incidents are",p:2,x:33,y:122,w:254,h:14},
{t:"products of the author’s imagination, and any",p:2,x:33,y:142,w:255,h:14},
{t:"resemblance to actual events, locales and",p:2,x:33,y:162,w:237,h:14},
{t:"persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.",p:2,x:33,y:182,w:263,h:14},
{t:"Published by Ocaso Press Ltda.",p:2,x:33,y:322,w:183,h:14},
{t:"Santiago, Chile. All rights reserved.",p:2,x:33,y:342,w:200,h:14},
{t:"No part of this book may be used or reproduced",p:2,x:33,y:382,w:271,h:14},
{t:"in any manner whatsoever without written",p:2,x:33,y:402,w:233,h:14},
{t:"permission, except in the case of brief quotations",p:2,x:33,y:422,w:277,h:14},
{t:"in critical articles and reviews.",p:2,x:33,y:442,w:169,h:14},
{t:"ALL THE BRIGHT CONTAGIONS",p:3,x:49,y:158,w:279,h:24},
{t:"—A NOVEL—",p:3,x:131,y:279,w:115,h:24},
{t:"Colin Holcombe",p:3,x:120,y:435,w:137,h:24},
{t:"1",p:4,x:185,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:" CHAPTER ONE",p:4,x:42,y:167,w:163,h:27},
{t:"I worked some more colour into the background",p:4,x:61,y:232,w:274,h:14},
{t:"until the phone rang a third time.",p:4,x:42,y:253,w:183,h:14},
{t:"‘Ah, there you are’, said my dealer. ‘You re-",p:4,x:61,y:284,w:274,h:14},
{t:"member the lunch we talked about? Well, I have",p:4,x:42,y:305,w:294,h:14},
{t:"Mrs Stumpfl with me now. Shall we say one thirty?’",p:4,x:42,y:326,w:288,h:14},
{t:"So it had come back, one of those advances",p:4,x:61,y:356,w:274,h:14},
{t:"that were always threatening the little sandcastles I",p:4,x:42,y:377,w:292,h:14},
{t:"built to women’s charms.",p:4,x:42,y:398,w:141,h:14},
{t:"‘So that’s a yes, is it, old boy?’ he continued.",p:4,x:61,y:429,w:251,h:14},
{t:"‘Reg, I spent the whole weekend there. Toured",p:4,x:61,y:460,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the estate, admired the pictures, did everything",p:4,x:42,y:480,w:293,h:14},
{t:"2",p:5,x:175,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"needed, but not once did a commission come up.",p:5,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"There’s  a living to earn, and if Sir Richard’s por-",p:5,x:33,y:63,w:292,h:14},
{t:"trait isn’t finished on time―as the secretary keeps",p:5,x:33,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ringing to tell me―there will be blood on the moon.’",p:5,x:33,y:105,w:289,h:14},
{t:"‘Then we’ve good news for you.’ The voice",p:5,x:51,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"broadened into sunny cordiality, and over the",p:5,x:33,y:156,w:294,h:14},
{t:"phone came a picture of the scene at the Cope",p:5,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Street Gallery. Reg Ecclestone with green tie under",p:5,x:33,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"crumpled corduroy suit, glasses pushed up over a",p:5,x:33,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"great dome of a head, probably lunging about the",p:5,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"desk, waving the receiver in the air. Opposite",p:5,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"would be Mrs Stumpfl, her neat figure dressed in",p:5,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"something from Stehle or Catherine Walker. I can",p:5,x:33,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"give you the jottings. A suave Russian beauty,",p:5,x:33,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"controlled in her movements, with brilliant, grey-",p:5,x:33,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"blue eyes that seemed larger than their surround-",p:5,x:33,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ings. Heinrich Stumpfl got the same treatment,",p:5,x:33,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"though with less approval: the travel led executive",p:5,x:33,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with the smooth manners, the frizzled hair thinning",p:5,x:33,y:427,w:294,h:14},
{t:"and scraped back.",p:5,x:33,y:448,w:105,h:14},
{t:"3",p:6,x:185,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"That ’s what came to me as we sat at table: the",p:6,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Stumpfls, an MP acquaintance and an American",p:6,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"couple staying the night. Natalie Stumpfl was",p:6,x:42,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"poised and correct, that shimmering body hardly",p:6,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"belonging to its dress. Heinrich Stumpfl was po-",p:6,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"litely affable, like a Swiss banker with important",p:6,x:42,y:146,w:292,h:14},
{t:"clients, leaving his wife to arrange the seating and",p:6,x:42,y:167,w:292,h:14},
{t:"lead the conversation. I was intrigued, but also",p:6,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"annoyed as the even ing wore on an d there was still",p:6,x:42,y:209,w:292,h:14},
{t:"no talk of a commission. Reg’s bullying rankled,",p:6,x:42,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"though I hadn’t been looking forward to another",p:6,x:42,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"stay with Christine’s parents, which the weekend",p:6,x:42,y:271,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was replacing.",p:6,x:42,y:292,w:82,h:14},
{t:"Of course I should have done more research",p:6,x:61,y:323,w:274,h:14},
{t:"when Stumpfl’s name drew a blank on my library",p:6,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"shelves, and taken my chances when asked to",p:6,x:42,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"explain the Daily Telegraph’s snooty review of my",p:6,x:42,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"last show. I only smiled, however, and said that",p:6,x:42,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was journalism for you, at which our American",p:6,x:42,y:427,w:293,h:14},
{t:"friend thumped the table and exclaimed, ‘Hell, that",p:6,x:42,y:448,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was right: these newspaper men didn’t know a",p:6,x:42,y:469,w:294,h:14},
{t:"damn thing.’ We laughed and talked about the",p:6,x:42,y:490,w:294,h:14},
{t:"4",p:7,x:175,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"shipping business, new regulations from Europe,",p:7,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and their Bermuda holidays, while silently, all the",p:7,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"time, I felt the exotic Mrs Stumpfl was weighing me",p:7,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"up with a professional innocence.",p:7,x:33,y:105,w:189,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps these recollections detained me, as I",p:7,x:51,y:166,w:274,h:14},
{t:"was late getting to the restaurant, but on giving",p:7,x:33,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Reg ’s and then the gallery’s name, I saw Natalie",p:7,x:33,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Stumpfl sat at a table for two. ‘Reg not joining us?’",p:7,x:33,y:229,w:289,h:14},
{t:"I said, taking the napkin from the waiter and filling",p:7,x:33,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"our glasses.",p:7,x:33,y:270,w:69,h:14},
{t:"‘No’, she said, the exp ression holding me at a",p:7,x:51,y:301,w:274,h:14},
{t:"distance. ‘Is that difficult for you?’",p:7,x:33,y:322,w:190,h:14},
{t:"‘Not at all. Delighted to see you, Mrs Stumpfl.’",p:7,x:51,y:353,w:259,h:14},
{t:"She looked at me for a moment, and then went",p:7,x:51,y:384,w:274,h:14},
{t:"back to the menu.",p:7,x:33,y:405,w:101,h:14},
{t:"‘So you’ve been shopping’, I said when the",p:7,x:51,y:436,w:275,h:14},
{t:"waiter had taken our orders.",p:7,x:33,y:456,w:158,h:14},
{t:"5",p:8,x:185,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"‘Just a jacket and a belt.’ She reached for the",p:8,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"shiny bag at her feet. ‘Something for one of",p:8,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"Heinrich’s conferences.’",p:8,x:42,y:84,w:137,h:14},
{t:"‘This season’s colours should suit you.’",p:8,x:61,y:115,w:223,h:14},
{t:"She replaced the bag, and looked at me care-",p:8,x:61,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"fully. ‘Is that what you usually do, Mr Staunton?",p:8,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Start by advising women on their appearance?’",p:8,x:42,y:187,w:265,h:14},
{t:"‘For a commission I often have to. What did you",p:8,x:61,y:218,w:275,h:14},
{t:"have in mind?’",p:8,x:42,y:239,w:83,h:14},
{t:"‘No. That would be something else.’",p:8,x:61,y:270,w:202,h:14},
{t:"I toyed with the glass. ",p:8,x:61,y:300,w:131,h:14},
{t:"‘Look,’ I said, ",p:8,x:193,y:300,w:80,h:14},
{t:"‘this is go-",p:8,x:275,y:300,w:60,h:14},
{t:"ing to be difficult, but perhaps I should say I’d be",p:8,x:42,y:321,w:294,h:14},
{t:"only too pleased to paint your portrait. A captivating",p:8,x:42,y:342,w:292,h:14},
{t:"face, but not easy to get.’",p:8,x:42,y:363,w:142,h:14},
{t:"‘My likeness you are talking about?’",p:8,x:61,y:394,w:200,h:14},
{t:"‘The inner likeness. Faces are what we show to",p:8,x:61,y:425,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the world, but the truth is more difficult. Long pencil",p:8,x:42,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"studies, careful squaring up and then the utmost",p:8,x:42,y:466,w:293,h:14},
{t:"patience. ’",p:8,x:42,y:487,w:54,h:14},
{t:"6",p:9,x:175,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"‘Not the artist’s response, what he feels towards",p:9,x:51,y:42,w:273,h:14},
{t:"the sitter?’",p:9,x:33,y:63,w:59,h:14},
{t:"Of course that ’s the essence, the manners and",p:9,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"personality of the whole body to be conveyed i n a",p:9,x:33,y:115,w:294,h:14},
{t:"few features, but the obvious was escaping me as I",p:9,x:33,y:136,w:292,h:14},
{t:"breezed on. ‘Tedious hours of sitting by you, and a",p:9,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"large bill from me. Frankly, I’d do it for nothing, for",p:9,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the simple pleasure of painting you, but that’s not",p:9,x:33,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"being professional. Or sensible from your point of",p:9,x:33,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"view.’",p:9,x:33,y:240,w:31,h:14},
{t:"She looked down, as though swallowing her",p:9,x:51,y:270,w:274,h:14},
{t:"thoughts, but I drew the last bolts across. ‘Now,",p:9,x:33,y:291,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Mrs Stumpfl, you know what we’re talking about. If",p:9,x:33,y:312,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you’d wanted to commission something you should",p:9,x:33,y:333,w:292,h:14},
{t:"have discussed it when I was up at your place a",p:9,x:33,y:354,w:293,h:14},
{t:"couple of months ago. Or at least with my dealer",p:9,x:33,y:375,w:293,h:14},
{t:"present. No doubt I’m adding two and two to make",p:9,x:33,y:396,w:293,h:14},
{t:"five, but a private tête-à-tête causes misunder-",p:9,x:33,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"standings, with outsiders, and the parties con-",p:9,x:33,y:437,w:293,h:14},
{t:"cerned. Crass of me to mention it, but all I under-",p:9,x:33,y:458,w:292,h:14},
{t:"take is portraits to the best of my ability.’",p:9,x:33,y:479,w:226,h:14},
{t:"7",p:10,x:185,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"‘Portraits. I see.’ The voice was detached and",p:10,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"colourless. ‘Not the “Christine Sitting: Study Num-",p:10,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ber Three” I bought?’",p:10,x:42,y:84,w:120,h:14},
{t:"‘Ah, one of my life studies. I’d forgotten Reg had",p:10,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"those. For your husband?’",p:10,x:42,y:136,w:149,h:14},
{t:"‘Your model is beautiful, is she not?’",p:10,x:61,y:166,w:205,h:14},
{t:"‘Professional.’",p:10,x:61,y:197,w:79,h:14},
{t:"I’d swear I could see the thoughts working in the",p:10,x:61,y:228,w:275,h:14},
{t:"interval, but I was wrong. ‘Mr Staunton,’ she said,",p:10,x:42,y:249,w:293,h:14},
{t:"‘your private life does not concern me. My task was",p:10,x:42,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to find out who we would be dealing with. That is",p:10,x:42,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"why I arranged this meeting, which you have read",p:10,x:42,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"too much into, though your looks and charm get a",p:10,x:42,y:332,w:294,h:14},
{t:"lot of unwanted attention, I expect.’",p:10,x:42,y:353,w:196,h:14},
{t:"To say that I felt aggrieved is to underestimate",p:10,x:61,y:384,w:274,h:14},
{t:"my annoyance. I was now without a script, as if  I’d",p:10,x:42,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"blundered on to the stage in the wrong production",p:10,x:42,y:426,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and stood blinking at the lights. More than clumsy, I",p:10,x:42,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"felt ashamed, as though I’d been caught in an act",p:10,x:42,y:467,w:293,h:14},
{t:"8",p:11,x:175,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"of gross public indecency. ‘Then I owe you an",p:11,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"apology. Inexcusable of me. ’",p:11,x:33,y:63,w:160,h:14},
{t:"The mouth opened, and she almost laughed.",p:11,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘No, that is too much. Could you not call me Nata-",p:11,x:33,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lie? If I can call you Patrick.’",p:11,x:33,y:136,w:158,h:14},
{t:"‘Just as you like.’",p:11,x:51,y:166,w:96,h:14},
{t:"‘Well of course I have no designs on your virtue.",p:11,x:51,y:197,w:274,h:14},
{t:"You have you r way to make in a wor ld that de-",p:11,x:33,y:218,w:293,h:14},
{t:"pends on contacts and recommendations. That",p:11,x:33,y:239,w:293,h:14},
{t:"speaks for itself.’",p:11,x:33,y:260,w:96,h:14},
{t:"I didn’t reply.",p:11,x:51,y:290,w:72,h:14},
{t:"‘Though no woman’s going to be insulted to",p:11,x:51,y:321,w:274,h:14},
{t:"learn that she can still turn heads’, she continued.",p:11,x:33,y:342,w:293,h:14},
{t:"‘In her own particular way, I am saying.’",p:11,x:33,y:363,w:223,h:14},
{t:"I wondered how far she’d push this nonsense,",p:11,x:51,y:394,w:274,h:14},
{t:"but the voice suddenly dropped its playfulness. ‘So",p:11,x:33,y:415,w:293,h:14},
{t:"we must talk about Botes. How did you find the",p:11,x:33,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"house?’",p:11,x:33,y:456,w:45,h:14},
{t:"9",p:12,x:185,y:511,w:7,h:15},
{t:"Familiar ground. However little I may have",p:12,x:61,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"learned about the rich, this I did know, and had",p:12,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"prepared a few compliments, even for the Stumpfls’",p:12,x:42,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"place, which seemed odd. You went down a steep",p:12,x:42,y:105,w:294,h:14},
{t:"drive from the electrified gateway, through parkland",p:12,x:42,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and trees, and then, half hidden in the wooded hol-",p:12,x:42,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"low, saw an extended Jacobean facade, genuine,",p:12,x:42,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and all that survived the waggish attentions of",p:12,x:42,y:188,w:292,h:14},
{t:"some nineteenth-century restorer. Natalie Stumpfl",p:12,x:42,y:209,w:292,h:14},
{t:"was expecting more than the usual banalities, of",p:12,x:42,y:230,w:292,h:14},
{t:"course, and I said, ‘Botes Manor? Striking exterior,",p:12,x:42,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"of course. And the inside . . . ’",p:12,x:42,y:271,w:170,h:14},
{t:"‘It is an empty shell, I know.’",p:12,x:61,y:302,w:159,h:14},
{t:"‘It could do with some personal touches, but it’s",p:12,x:61,y:333,w:274,h:14},
{t:"an office as well. Your husband works from home,",p:12,x:42,y:354,w:293,h:14},
{t:"doesn’t he?’",p:12,x:42,y:375,w:69,h:14},
{t:"‘You are good",p:12,x:61,y:406,w:80,h:14},
{t:"’, she said, smiling at last, the first",p:12,x:140,y:406,w:194,h:14},
{t:"unaffected smile I’d seen of hers. ‘I am not a",p:12,x:42,y:426,w:293,h:14},
{t:"worldly creature, as my husband will tell you, but I",p:12,x:42,y:447,w:293,h:14},
{t:"did finish my courses. In Moscow and in Paris.’",p:12,x:42,y:468,w:268,h:14},
{t:"10",p:13,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘A reference to my Oxford years. Well, I accept",p:13,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the admonishment.’",p:13,x:33,y:63,w:111,h:14},
{t:"‘Patrick, what is the trouble? We are at Botes",p:13,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"again. All the time I was trying to bring you out and",p:13,x:33,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you put me down. Here is the famous Patrick",p:13,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Staunton, I thought, the up-and-coming portrait",p:13,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"painter, the gangling figure with his enthusiasms",p:13,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and his good opinion of himself. Heinrich found you",p:13,x:33,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"entertaining, but to me you seemed a fraud.’",p:13,x:33,y:219,w:249,h:14},
{t:"The conversation was taking a familiar turn, but",p:13,x:51,y:250,w:274,h:14},
{t:"I put on a mournful expression, heavy with per-",p:13,x:33,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sonal injury. She stopped, and looked exas perated.",p:13,x:33,y:291,w:292,h:14},
{t:"‘Well, that is what I thought. Wrong, but understand-",p:13,x:33,y:312,w:293,h:14},
{t:"able, I think.’",p:13,x:33,y:333,w:72,h:14},
{t:"‘Well, I’m sorry to hear that, because I really",p:13,x:51,y:364,w:274,h:14},
{t:"took to you. From the moment you held out your",p:13,x:33,y:385,w:292,h:14},
{t:"hand and made the introductions.’",p:13,x:33,y:406,w:192,h:14},
{t:"‘I tried.’ The silence continued, but I could afford",p:13,x:51,y:436,w:274,h:14},
{t:"to wait. ‘Yes,’ she continued, ‘perhaps I have spo-",p:13,x:33,y:457,w:293,h:14},
{t:"11",p:14,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"ken out of . . . not well. Rather rudely, Mr Staunton",p:14,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:". . . Excuse me.’",p:14,x:42,y:63,w:91,h:14},
{t:"‘Mrs Stumpfl, Natalie, I’m a painter, without ex-",p:14,x:61,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"pertise in anything else. If someone wants my opin-",p:14,x:42,y:115,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ion I say what everybody else says. If that makes",p:14,x:42,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"me evas ive or patronizing or sycophantic then no",p:14,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"doubt I am. Painting is all I understand, and not",p:14,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"even that sometimes. Whatever you learned in art",p:14,x:42,y:198,w:292,h:14},
{t:"courses, I see it only as a practical skill, nothing",p:14,x:42,y:219,w:292,h:14},
{t:"different from plastering or playing golf.’",p:14,x:42,y:240,w:224,h:14},
{t:"Gingerly she took the line. ",p:14,x:61,y:270,w:159,h:14},
{t:"‘I did take a course,",p:14,x:219,y:270,w:116,h:14},
{t:"yes. I wrote a dissertation. How did you know that?’",p:14,x:42,y:291,w:289,h:14},
{t:"‘Nothing unusual, and no harm done, provided",p:14,x:61,y:322,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you understand that writing is not painting.’ I gave",p:14,x:42,y:343,w:293,h:14},
{t:"her a magnanimous smile, but Natalie Stumpfl had",p:14,x:42,y:364,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lost her self-possession, and was looking at the",p:14,x:42,y:385,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tablecloth. Seconds ticked past. She opened and",p:14,x:42,y:406,w:292,h:14},
{t:"rearranged the handbag again. I could see the",p:14,x:42,y:426,w:293,h:14},
{t:"warm skin tightening over the collarbones, spread-",p:14,x:42,y:447,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing under the lapels of the bouclé jacket, and the",p:14,x:42,y:468,w:294,h:14},
{t:"gleaming curves of the lashes, their vitality almost",p:14,x:42,y:489,w:292,h:14},
{t:"12",p:15,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"tangible. I was in no hurry, and had now stopped",p:15,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"transferring skin tones to paint, imagining only that",p:15,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"fragrant body in its neat clothes.",p:15,x:33,y:84,w:181,h:14},
{t:"She looked up, her eyes inches from mine. ",p:15,x:51,y:115,w:249,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:15,x:300,y:115,w:26,h:14},
{t:"are laughing at me! You are, aren ’t you?’",p:15,x:33,y:136,w:229,h:14},
{t:"‘At this little comedy, Natalie. You are very",p:15,x:51,y:166,w:274,h:14},
{t:"pretty when you frown.’",p:15,x:33,y:187,w:131,h:14},
{t:"The sharp tap she gave my hand came with a",p:15,x:51,y:218,w:274,h:14},
{t:"sudden girlishness that was enchanting, and then",p:15,x:33,y:239,w:293,h:14},
{t:"unsettling. I tried not to look at the pink nails, or the",p:15,x:33,y:260,w:294,h:14},
{t:"small teeth that opened to take the slices of fruit.",p:15,x:33,y:280,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Do not get involved, I said silently, repeating it over",p:15,x:33,y:301,w:294,h:14},
{t:"and over as Natalie Stumpfl laid out her plans for",p:15,x:33,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the commission. There was a whole year of work.",p:15,x:33,y:343,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Portraits of Natalie and her husband, formal full-",p:15,x:33,y:364,w:292,h:14},
{t:"length pieces, and a couple of small character",p:15,x:33,y:385,w:293,h:14},
{t:"studies. Fine, fine, I said. And some landscapes,",p:15,x:33,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"views of the house and perhaps some interiors.",p:15,x:33,y:426,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Why not? I said with careless imbecility: not my",p:15,x:33,y:447,w:293,h:14},
{t:"speciality but I was sure to cope. Each stage drew",p:15,x:33,y:468,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Natalie closer, more candid and confiding. It was a",p:15,x:33,y:489,w:293,h:14},
{t:"13",p:16,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"long-cherished plan of hers. Whatever arrange-",p:16,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ments suited me would be fine for them. My social",p:16,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"commitments in London, my once a week c lass at",p:16,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the adult education centre: they were understood.",p:16,x:42,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"The work could be exh ibited, yes, of course. As we",p:16,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"left the restaurant, I was not so much drugged with",p:16,x:42,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"happiness as transfixed by danger. She asked",p:16,x:42,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"what we could do now. There was a moment of",p:16,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"deep longing, and then the sharpest awakening. I",p:16,x:42,y:209,w:294,h:14},
{t:"was penniless, without social credentials, and had",p:16,x:42,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"on my arm the wife of someone rich enough to end",p:16,x:42,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"my career.",p:16,x:42,y:271,w:60,h:14},
{t:"‘Some shopping?’ I said.",p:16,x:61,y:302,w:140,h:14},
{t:"‘We are not going to see something? You have",p:16,x:61,y:333,w:275,h:14},
{t:"talked so much about artists.’",p:16,x:42,y:354,w:166,h:14},
{t:"‘Exactly. You’ve had enough of my prating.’",p:16,x:61,y:385,w:244,h:14},
{t:"She stopped. ‘That was different. You came",p:16,x:61,y:416,w:274,h:14},
{t:"down the stairs, you said good morning and you",p:16,x:42,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"went straight to our Kustodiev in the corner. I like",p:16,x:42,y:457,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the picture, but no one else has heard of him.’",p:16,x:42,y:478,w:260,h:14},
{t:"14",p:17,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Boris was good enough in his way.’",p:17,x:51,y:42,w:202,h:14},
{t:"‘I know. And what you said was true.’",p:17,x:51,y:73,w:209,h:14},
{t:"‘Well then.’",p:17,x:51,y:104,w:63,h:14},
{t:"‘Because I was angry. The night before you",p:17,x:51,y:135,w:276,h:14},
{t:"treat me like a s impleton, and now you are playing",p:17,x:33,y:156,w:292,h:14},
{t:"games. That is why I walked out.’",p:17,x:33,y:176,w:188,h:14},
{t:"‘What was the point? No one else in your place",p:17,x:51,y:207,w:274,h:14},
{t:"cared about painting. I didn’t think you did until I",p:17,x:33,y:228,w:294,h:14},
{t:"saw the Kustodiev and then the Serov. It was a",p:17,x:33,y:249,w:293,h:14},
{t:"peace-offering.’",p:17,x:33,y:270,w:88,h:14},
{t:"‘Patrick, I have had two months to know that.’",p:17,x:51,y:300,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Her fingers tightened on my arm. ‘You don’t under-",p:17,x:33,y:321,w:293,h:14},
{t:"stand? I wanted you as a friend. I built up these",p:17,x:33,y:342,w:293,h:14},
{t:"hopes, and then you walked in and dashed them.",p:17,x:33,y:363,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Why are you so unapproachable?’",p:17,x:33,y:384,w:194,h:14},
{t:"‘Shall we try the National Gallery?’ The word",p:17,x:51,y:415,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘friend’ caught me short of breath as we climbed",p:17,x:33,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the stairs to the entrance and pushed through the",p:17,x:33,y:456,w:294,h:14},
{t:"revolving door.",p:17,x:33,y:477,w:82,h:14},
{t:"15",p:18,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘ So w here d o w e s tart?’ said Natal ie. ‘ The Impres-",p:18,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"sionists?’",p:18,x:42,y:63,w:50,h:14},
{t:"‘Bit crowded usually .’",p:18,x:61,y:94,w:119,h:14},
{t:"‘Not aristocratic enough?’",p:18,x:61,y:125,w:144,h:14},
{t:"‘Natalie, none of the best art of this century has",p:18,x:61,y:156,w:274,h:14},
{t:"been painted for a social elite. An intellectual or",p:18,x:42,y:176,w:293,h:14},
{t:"political one, yes, but not one that stresses good",p:18,x:42,y:197,w:293,h:14},
{t:"manners, tolerance and a detachment from life. ’",p:18,x:42,y:218,w:270,h:14},
{t:"‘So why did you not accept our Moscow invita-",p:18,x:61,y:249,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tion? We could have opened doors.’",p:18,x:42,y:270,w:203,h:14},
{t:"‘Because you weren ’t being serious.’",p:18,x:61,y:300,w:206,h:14},
{t:"‘And you had not told Christine.’ She swung",p:18,x:61,y:331,w:275,h:14},
{t:"round. ‘Is that not true?’",p:18,x:42,y:352,w:135,h:14},
{t:"‘Very likely. Let’s try the Venetians.’",p:18,x:61,y:383,w:200,h:14},
{t:"She took the stairs, and I followed her into a",p:18,x:61,y:414,w:275,h:14},
{t:"room that looked airless this weekday afternoon.",p:18,x:42,y:435,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Sometimes paintings will blaze into speech, but",p:18,x:42,y:456,w:293,h:14},
{t:"now they seemed only repositories of craft, what",p:18,x:42,y:476,w:293,h:14},
{t:"16",p:19,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"painters discuss and understand. Occasionally",p:19,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Natalie called me over and I explained how the",p:19,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"work had evolved, the successes and the patch-",p:19,x:33,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ings over. Carried away with these expositions, I",p:19,x:33,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"wasn’t thinking when I added, ‘Some things can be",p:19,x:33,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"perfect. Wouldn’t say you were too far off it.’",p:19,x:33,y:146,w:250,h:14},
{t:"She shot me a surprised glance, but was smil-",p:19,x:51,y:177,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ing again. ‘The Titian you do not like?’",p:19,x:33,y:198,w:214,h:14},
{t:"‘Lived too long. Around him all kinds of wonderful",p:19,x:51,y:229,w:274,h:14},
{t:"things were being done, but his hands weren’t up to",p:19,x:33,y:250,w:294,h:14},
{t:"it. Of course our demented critics have p raised the",p:19,x:33,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"freedom and spontaneity of the work, but it’s only",p:19,x:33,y:291,w:293,h:14},
{t:"rather sad.’",p:19,x:33,y:312,w:64,h:14},
{t:"‘Is that what you are afraid of?’",p:19,x:51,y:343,w:173,h:14},
{t:"‘Some were prodigiously gifted to the end. Tie-",p:19,x:51,y:374,w:274,h:14},
{t:"polo was. Those over there. Just scenery painting,",p:19,x:33,y:395,w:292,h:14},
{t:"but wonderful.’",p:19,x:33,y:416,w:84,h:14},
{t:"‘It is very accomplished.’",p:19,x:51,y:446,w:139,h:14},
{t:"17",p:20,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘You should have come to the Venetian exh ibi-",p:20,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tion at the Academy two years ago. Good deal",p:20,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"more than that.’",p:20,x:42,y:84,w:88,h:14},
{t:"‘It is better than Boris, I know.’",p:20,x:61,y:115,w:171,h:14},
{t:"‘Kustodiev was a colourist. So was Matisse. But",p:20,x:61,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"they kept everything in a high key. No shadows.",p:20,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Tiepolo brought in tone and colour in a way that no",p:20,x:42,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"one else ever has. See how the tertiaries work",p:20,x:42,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"together, the yel lows and greens all tied in. Same",p:20,x:42,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with the other colours. That ’s more than craftsman-",p:20,x:42,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ship. Boucher, Veronese: they’re not in it at all.’",p:20,x:42,y:270,w:267,h:14},
{t:"‘So where is Patrick Hugh Staunton?’",p:20,x:61,y:301,w:212,h:14},
{t:"‘Don’t. I have my strengths, but they’re nothing",p:20,x:61,y:332,w:274,h:14},
{t:"like this. Students in those days were apprenticed",p:20,x:42,y:353,w:293,h:14},
{t:"from the age of five to painters who knew their",p:20,x:42,y:374,w:292,h:14},
{t:"craft. Hour after hour, day af ter day they were",p:20,x:42,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"drilled and encouraged, for years and years. Not",p:20,x:42,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"just their craft, it was their life, how they saw and",p:20,x:42,y:436,w:292,h:14},
{t:"understood themselves. Perhaps you see that",p:20,x:42,y:457,w:293,h:14},
{t:"dedication in dancers at the Kirov, or American",p:20,x:42,y:478,w:293,h:14},
{t:"18",p:21,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"basketball players, but nowhere else. Today it’s",p:21,x:33,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"just words from critics who don’t know what they’re",p:21,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"talking about.’",p:21,x:33,y:84,w:78,h:14},
{t:"I’d said too much, and we’d collected a small",p:21,x:51,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"crowd. ‘Patrick,’ she said, slipping an arm through,",p:21,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"‘I understand. Can we have some tea now?’",p:21,x:33,y:156,w:247,h:14},
{t:"‘Shouldn’t have gone on like that. Lots more to",p:21,x:51,y:187,w:274,h:14},
{t:"see.",p:21,x:33,y:208,w:25,h:14},
{t:"’",p:21,x:57,y:208,w:2,h:14},
{t:"‘I must go back soon.’",p:21,x:51,y:239,w:124,h:14},
{t:"‘St. Martin’s crypt? The Meridian Hotel?’",p:21,x:51,y:270,w:228,h:14},
{t:"‘There is a cafeteria downstairs. Heinrich is col-",p:21,x:51,y:300,w:273,h:14},
{t:"lecting me at four.’",p:21,x:33,y:321,w:105,h:14},
{t:"We found an empty table, and I brought over",p:21,x:51,y:352,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the Earl Grey tea she’d wanted, with a slice of",p:21,x:33,y:373,w:294,h:14},
{t:"lemon. The eyes flickered as she took i t, and she",p:21,x:33,y:394,w:293,h:14},
{t:"angled herself out of direct view. Neither of us",p:21,x:33,y:415,w:292,h:14},
{t:"spoke for a wh ile, and I only reluctantly pointed out",p:21,x:33,y:436,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the usual crowd of students, visitors and the out-of-",p:21,x:33,y:456,w:293,h:14},
{t:"work that would make an ideal pencil sketch. You",p:21,x:33,y:477,w:293,h:14},
{t:"19",p:22,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"should try, she responded, allowing a long silence",p:22,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to follow. It had to be got out, however, and so I",p:22,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"asked again. Yes, the commission was still on, if I",p:22,x:42,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"wanted it.",p:22,x:42,y:105,w:54,h:14},
{t:"Somehow we got through the fifteen m inutes",p:22,x:61,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"before the Daimler arrived. Heinrich climbed ou t,",p:22,x:42,y:156,w:292,h:14},
{t:"exchanged a few words with me about his wife’s",p:22,x:42,y:177,w:292,h:14},
{t:"hair appointment, and then saw Natalie into the",p:22,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"back. She gave me what I thought was a despair-",p:22,x:42,y:219,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing glance, as though she had tried to make a con-",p:22,x:42,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"quest but had only hurt herself. That was a conjec-",p:22,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ture, a trick of the light, however, and I told myself",p:22,x:42,y:281,w:292,h:14},
{t:"that this was simply an important commission that",p:22,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"would get me launched.",p:22,x:42,y:323,w:134,h:14},
{t:"Frankly, it wasn’t Natalie concerning me as I",p:22,x:61,y:354,w:274,h:14},
{t:"walked round to see Ecclestone. Or the vigilant",p:22,x:42,y:375,w:292,h:14},
{t:"husband, whose features I had been assessing",p:22,x:42,y:396,w:293,h:14},
{t:"again: the hard intelligence, and the eyes that sat",p:22,x:42,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"waiting in their sockets. Not even Christine, I de-",p:22,x:42,y:437,w:293,h:14},
{t:"cided when I reached the plate glass door of the",p:22,x:42,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Cope Street Gallery and pressed the buzzer. My",p:22,x:42,y:479,w:293,h:14},
{t:"20",p:23,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"Miss Manderson was currently out of town, enjoy-",p:23,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing a budget holiday with a sister up north, a prel-",p:23,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ude to the usual nesting instinct. Something deeper",p:23,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"worried me as I peered into the gallery that after-",p:23,x:33,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"noon. Several minutes went by. Then the customer,",p:23,x:33,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"a portly gentleman in a blue pinstripe, was at the",p:23,x:33,y:146,w:294,h:14},
{t:"door and Reg was ushering him out with every",p:23,x:33,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"show of genial favour.",p:23,x:33,y:188,w:123,h:14},
{t:"Ecclestone led me through to the small back-",p:23,x:51,y:219,w:274,h:14},
{t:"office and listened with a faraway expression. ‘Yes,",p:23,x:33,y:240,w:292,h:14},
{t:"I thought you would.’ The thirty-five per cent had",p:23,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"come rather easily, I thought, but any grievance",p:23,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was snatched away by the contract Reg took from",p:23,x:33,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the drawer. All the details were in place, confirmed",p:23,x:33,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"by Reg ’s scrawl and the precise signature of Nata-",p:23,x:33,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lie M. Stumpfl.",p:23,x:33,y:365,w:82,h:14},
{t:"‘All we have to hope now,’ I said as I handed the",p:23,x:51,y:396,w:274,h:14},
{t:"contract back, ‘is that the painter can deliver.",p:23,x:33,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Hasn’t been consulted too much so far, has he?’",p:23,x:33,y:437,w:275,h:14},
{t:"21",p:24,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Wouldn’t worry, old boy. Everyone has com-",p:24,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"plete faith in you. They wou ldn’t have made you",p:24,x:42,y:63,w:295,h:14},
{t:"painter-in-residence otherwise. Private people. ’",p:24,x:42,y:84,w:264,h:14},
{t:"The eyes shifted and didn’t respond to my in-",p:24,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"quiry. But Reg had finished his patter, and it was",p:24,x:42,y:136,w:292,h:14},
{t:"time to start mine. ",p:24,x:42,y:156,w:123,h:14},
{t:"‘More Natalie Stumpfl’s idea",p:24,x:164,y:156,w:172,h:14},
{t:"than her husband’s, would you say?’",p:24,x:42,y:177,w:207,h:14},
{t:"‘Well, you know how it is’, he said carelessly.",p:24,x:61,y:208,w:274,h:14},
{t:"The young wife who wan ts to make something of",p:24,x:42,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the house, but Herr Stumpfl is behind her. All the",p:24,x:42,y:250,w:294,h:14},
{t:"way. ’ There was a pause, a momentary hesitation,",p:24,x:42,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"as he added, ‘I’m sure you can look after yourself.’",p:24,x:42,y:291,w:284,h:14},
{t:"‘As usual ’, I said as Ecclestone began to rear-",p:24,x:61,y:322,w:274,h:14},
{t:"range his pens. ‘Well, I’ll be off then. Thanks for the",p:24,x:42,y:343,w:293,h:14},
{t:"commission, and I’ll keep you posted.’",p:24,x:42,y:364,w:215,h:14},
{t:"‘Do’, he said, and held out a friendly hand. ‘You",p:24,x:61,y:395,w:274,h:14},
{t:"deserve it, and I’m sure you",p:24,x:42,y:416,w:162,h:14},
{t:"’ll acquit yourself admi-",p:24,x:202,y:416,w:132,h:14},
{t:"rably.’ He accompanied me to the door and gave",p:24,x:42,y:436,w:294,h:14},
{t:"his special boyish grin. ‘For both of us.’",p:24,x:42,y:457,w:222,h:14},
{t:"22",p:25,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Right you are’, I said, feeling the pursed look",p:25,x:51,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"following me till the corner was turned into Bond",p:25,x:33,y:63,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Street. I joined the rush-hour crowds making their",p:25,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"way down Piccadilly and paused for no reason",p:25,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"outside the Meridian Hotel. What I was looking for",p:25,x:33,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"I cannot imagine, except some friendly stranger",p:25,x:33,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with whom I could escape the thought that I was",p:25,x:33,y:167,w:292,h:14},
{t:"already far out to sea.",p:25,x:33,y:188,w:123,h:14},
{t:"As there was no one at the bar, I settled in the",p:25,x:51,y:219,w:274,h:14},
{t:"lounge, insisting on coffee from the Thai or Malay",p:25,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"waitress who came over with the tourist menu.",p:25,x:33,y:260,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Coffee to replace tea? Just a straight pot of coffee.",p:25,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Could she do that, in this over-gilt room of mirrors",p:25,x:33,y:302,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and chandeliers? She conferred with the head-",p:25,x:33,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"waiter, and coffee appeared. For a while I turned",p:25,x:33,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"over the even ts of the day, only vaguely following",p:25,x:33,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the movements of the wai tress as she floated",p:25,x:33,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"round. She laughed at my request for the bill, and",p:25,x:33,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"another deluge of fragrant coffee was splashed into",p:25,x:33,y:427,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the cup. The woman left with such an air of happi-",p:25,x:33,y:448,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ness that I wondered when the smiling apsara",p:25,x:33,y:469,w:293,h:14},
{t:"came off duty. Unreal, but I wanted reassurance,",p:25,x:33,y:490,w:293,h:14},
{t:"23",p:26,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"and company, and that compliant young body with-",p:26,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"out life’s troublesome complications.",p:26,x:42,y:63,w:205,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps Natalie had been in the room some",p:26,x:61,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"time, but it was only then I heard that soft and",p:26,x:42,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"slightly husky voice. Cautiously I looked round. She",p:26,x:42,y:136,w:294,h:14},
{t:"was sitting a few tables away, with her back to me,",p:26,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"happily chatting to the MP I’d seen at Botes. My",p:26,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"first impulse was to leave. It was none of my busi-",p:26,x:42,y:198,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ness, and the two of them might well have been",p:26,x:42,y:219,w:294,h:14},
{t:"waiting for Stumpfl. Only I didn’t think so, not in the",p:26,x:42,y:240,w:294,h:14},
{t:"Meridian Hotel, and Natalie’s hair looked the same.",p:26,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Why the lie, given so glibly when Stumpfl had col-",p:26,x:42,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lected her? That he didn’t want Natalie around after",p:26,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"she’d played her part, I could understand, but why",p:26,x:42,y:323,w:295,h:14},
{t:"such an obvious falsehood? I strained to hear what",p:26,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was being said. Odd rushes of words. Laughter.",p:26,x:42,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"They knew each other well, I realized with a stab of",p:26,x:42,y:386,w:292,h:14},
{t:"pain, and then came the obvious.",p:26,x:42,y:406,w:187,h:14},
{t:"I had been a fool. Stumpfl knew exac tly what his",p:26,x:61,y:437,w:273,h:14},
{t:"wife was up to. She had her life and he had his. It",p:26,x:42,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was as clear as day. She had teased me on Tie-",p:26,x:42,y:479,w:293,h:14},
{t:"24",p:27,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"polo’s rococo beauties and I’d given her a lecture",p:27,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"on the painter’s craft.",p:27,x:33,y:63,w:120,h:14},
{t:"I slunk off to the basement bar and ordered a",p:27,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"double whisky. An American in shirtsleeves was",p:27,x:33,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"already in place, stuffing fistfuls of peanuts into his",p:27,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"mouth, and there were some Chinese, with a spiky",p:27,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"intelligence behind rimless glasses. The lounge",p:27,x:33,y:177,w:294,h:14},
{t:"waitress came through for a signature. ",p:27,x:33,y:198,w:227,h:14},
{t:"‘No, I’m not",p:27,x:259,y:198,w:66,h:14},
{t:"staying here.’ I said with a smile. There was a look,",p:27,x:33,y:219,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the dark irises disappearing into the upper lid and",p:27,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"reappearing with a hint of reproach that stilled the",p:27,x:33,y:260,w:294,h:14},
{t:"blood. ‘Unfortunately,’ I added, ‘but keep the",p:27,x:33,y:281,w:294,h:14},
{t:"change . . . ’",p:27,x:33,y:302,w:70,h:14},
{t:"‘Sompong’, she said as she took the note.",p:27,x:51,y:333,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘Thank you, sir.’",p:27,x:33,y:354,w:90,h:14},
{t:"It was the ‘sir’, inflected and smoothed away",p:27,x:51,y:385,w:275,h:14},
{t:"into a rustle of sibilants that brought my resolution",p:27,x:33,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to its knees, causing me to order another double,",p:27,x:33,y:426,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and perhaps another after that, though I don’t re-",p:27,x:33,y:447,w:293,h:14},
{t:"member, or the tube journey back, though I found",p:27,x:33,y:468,w:293,h:14},
{t:"myself undressed when I woke the following morn-",p:27,x:33,y:489,w:293,h:14},
{t:"25",p:28,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"ing with a hangover that was soon to be the least of",p:28,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"my troubles.",p:28,x:42,y:63,w:69,h:14},
{t:"26",p:29,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"CHAPTER TWO",p:29,x:33,y:167,w:159,h:27},
{t:"Christine Manderson was back a week later, in",p:29,x:51,y:232,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ample time to pose as the dashing blonde when we",p:29,x:33,y:253,w:293,h:14},
{t:"drove out to my dealer ’s party. We parked the old",p:29,x:33,y:274,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Mercedes in a gap in the long line of cars, and",p:29,x:33,y:295,w:292,h:14},
{t:"walked up the chained path to the mock-Tudor",p:29,x:33,y:316,w:293,h:14},
{t:"house. ‘A knockout.’ declared Reg gallantly. ",p:29,x:33,y:336,w:262,h:14},
{t:"‘Even",p:29,x:294,y:336,w:32,h:14},
{t:"more stunning than the paintings.’ He led us",p:29,x:33,y:357,w:293,h:14},
{t:"through the chintz-furnished lounge to the guests",p:29,x:33,y:378,w:292,h:14},
{t:"on the far lawn. Natalie I noticed, and James, the",p:29,x:33,y:399,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sharer of my studio in Hammersmith, listening to an",p:29,x:33,y:420,w:293,h:14},
{t:"unusually animated Stumpfl. ‘Come and meet the",p:29,x:33,y:440,w:293,h:14},
{t:"others’, insisted Ecclestone as I went to join his",p:29,x:33,y:461,w:292,h:14},
{t:"27",p:30,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"wife, who was on her own, flustered as always by",p:30,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"company.",p:30,x:42,y:63,w:55,h:14},
{t:"‘Fantastic turnout, Sibyl. Half the town must be",p:30,x:61,y:94,w:275,h:14},
{t:"here. ’",p:30,x:42,y:115,w:31,h:14},
{t:"‘We do our best.’ Christine had now reached",p:30,x:61,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Natalie. I saw Reg make the introductions, and",p:30,x:42,y:166,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Christine’s hands stay firmly on the hips. Not a",p:30,x:42,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"good start, I was thinking as Sibyl chattered nerv-",p:30,x:42,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ously. ‘You can thank the Stumpfls. They insisted",p:30,x:42,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"on celebrating the commission.’",p:30,x:42,y:250,w:179,h:14},
{t:"‘Hope they chipped in.’",p:30,x:61,y:280,w:129,h:14},
{t:"‘Oh, we can run to it, at least for the moment.’",p:30,x:61,y:311,w:274,h:14},
{t:"She intercepted my glance across the garden to",p:30,x:42,y:332,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the neighbouring properties that emerged from the",p:30,x:42,y:353,w:293,h:14},
{t:"depths of the hill. ‘All mortgaged, you know: built on",p:30,x:42,y:374,w:293,h:14},
{t:"hopes.’ She patted my hand. ‘That’s why we were",p:30,x:42,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"so pleased you accepted.’",p:30,x:42,y:416,w:147,h:14},
{t:"‘Pretty well had to.’",p:30,x:61,y:446,w:106,h:14},
{t:"28",p:31,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Will you let me say something without taking of-",p:31,x:51,y:42,w:273,h:14},
{t:"fence? I’ve been watching you. You haven",p:31,x:33,y:63,w:251,h:14},
{t:"’t taken",p:31,x:283,y:63,w:43,h:14},
{t:"your eyes off the glamorous Mrs Stumpfl since you",p:31,x:33,y:84,w:294,h:14},
{t:"arrived.’",p:31,x:33,y:105,w:44,h:14},
{t:"‘Frau Stumpfl is out of my class. Not to mention",p:31,x:51,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"that she’s happily married.’",p:31,x:33,y:156,w:152,h:14},
{t:"‘Not from what I can see.’",p:31,x:51,y:187,w:144,h:14},
{t:"I made some deprecating gesture. ",p:31,x:51,y:218,w:199,h:14},
{t:"‘No cause for",p:31,x:250,y:218,w:76,h:14},
{t:"worry. All sorted.’",p:31,x:33,y:239,w:98,h:14},
{t:"‘Just be careful, will you?’ said Sibyl. ‘I have to",p:31,x:51,y:270,w:274,h:14},
{t:"go and check the food.’",p:31,x:33,y:290,w:132,h:14},
{t:"Natalie was picking her way from group to",p:31,x:51,y:321,w:274,h:14},
{t:"group, and Christine had collected her usual band",p:31,x:33,y:342,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of admirers when the first course appeared. We",p:31,x:33,y:363,w:293,h:14},
{t:"took our plates, and I helped myself to something",p:31,x:33,y:384,w:292,h:14},
{t:"for Christine who was still talking to a group clearly",p:31,x:33,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of my profession. ‘That ’s what he says. Don ’t you,",p:31,x:33,y:426,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Patrick?’",p:31,x:33,y:446,w:49,h:14},
{t:"29",p:32,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘I thought you’d like to start with the salmon.",p:32,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Looks excellent.’",p:32,x:42,y:63,w:93,h:14},
{t:"‘There hasn’t been a decent painter in England",p:32,x:61,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"since Orpie.’",p:32,x:42,y:115,w:72,h:14},
{t:"‘Orpen. Shall we try the table over there?’",p:32,x:61,y:146,w:233,h:14},
{t:"‘Don’t patronize me. That’s what you said.’",p:32,x:61,y:176,w:240,h:14},
{t:"No doubt I had, but now I was playing my role of",p:32,x:61,y:207,w:273,h:14},
{t:"Patrick the charmer, and could have done without",p:32,x:42,y:228,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the thin voice saying, ‘So we have an unbeliever in",p:32,x:42,y:249,w:292,h:14},
{t:"our midst.’",p:32,x:42,y:270,w:59,h:14},
{t:"‘Freddie, good to see you . Christine, this is Fre-",p:32,x:61,y:300,w:274,h:14},
{t:"derick Howells. You can read him in the Sunday",p:32,x:42,y:321,w:293,h:14},
{t:"papers.’",p:32,x:42,y:342,w:45,h:14},
{t:"‘A veritable Judas, I do declare.’",p:32,x:61,y:373,w:180,h:14},
{t:"‘Don ’t know I’ve ever been numbered among",p:32,x:61,y:404,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the twelve elect, but let ’s trade blows some other",p:32,x:42,y:425,w:293,h:14},
{t:"time .’",p:32,x:42,y:446,w:30,h:14},
{t:"30",p:33,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Why should we?’ said Christine, pushing the",p:33,x:51,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"plate back. ‘Aren’t you going to stand up for your-",p:33,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"self?’",p:33,x:33,y:84,w:30,h:14},
{t:"‘Everyone knows Patrick’s views.’ I took her",p:33,x:51,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"firmly by the arm, though she kept looking round till",p:33,x:33,y:136,w:294,h:14},
{t:"we reached an empty table.",p:33,x:33,y:156,w:155,h:14},
{t:"‘Now what have I done? ’",p:33,x:51,y:187,w:137,h:14},
{t:"‘Just didn’t want an argument with Howells.’",p:33,x:51,y:218,w:248,h:14},
{t:"‘I thought you believed in yourself.’",p:33,x:51,y:249,w:194,h:14},
{t:"‘You know that.’",p:33,x:51,y:280,w:89,h:14},
{t:"Christine had been there when I unearthed an",p:33,x:51,y:310,w:274,h:14},
{t:"old volume of ‘The Studio’, and found I liked the",p:33,x:33,y:331,w:293,h:14},
{t:"work, better than anything today. Of course I con-",p:33,x:33,y:352,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tinued giving the required answers to my first year",p:33,x:33,y:373,w:293,h:14},
{t:"class—how we approach the giants of modernism,",p:33,x:33,y:394,w:292,h:14},
{t:"how their ideas count more than technical skills—",p:33,x:33,y:415,w:292,h:14},
{t:"but started to look carefully at the painting busi-",p:33,x:33,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ness. Patrick the Apostate made his own paints",p:33,x:33,y:456,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and canvases, and even stopped running the usual",p:33,x:33,y:477,w:293,h:14},
{t:"31",p:34,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"course on contemporary theory. For a whole term",p:34,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the Principal said nothing, but then had me in. Art",p:34,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"colleges are state institutions, with syllabuses that",p:34,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"prepare students for careers in advertising and",p:34,x:42,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"commercial art. Didn’t I understand that?",p:34,x:42,y:126,w:231,h:14},
{t:"Theory was reinstated, but I added some proper",p:34,x:61,y:156,w:274,h:14},
{t:"aesthetics to the usual nonsense. I dug up old",p:34,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"painting manuals, and set students their humdrum",p:34,x:42,y:198,w:294,h:14},
{t:"exercises, until the year -end college exhibition",p:34,x:42,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"caused a rumpus. The hanging committee voted",p:34,x:42,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"my work out, and I countered with the regulations.",p:34,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"The work stayed, and I doubled the prices. Out of",p:34,x:42,y:281,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the blue, Reg Ecclestone phoned one lunchtime to",p:34,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"say that he’d seen the portraits and would I con-",p:34,x:42,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sider a small commission? So the career began,",p:34,x:42,y:344,w:292,h:14},
{t:"slowly, the second commission coming months",p:34,x:42,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"later, when I was still teaching five days a week ,",p:34,x:42,y:386,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and not enjoying the notoriety.",p:34,x:42,y:406,w:169,h:14},
{t:"‘Red or white?’ said our host, appearing sud-",p:34,x:61,y:437,w:274,h:14},
{t:"denly. ‘You can drink, can’t you, my dear?’ He",p:34,x:42,y:458,w:294,h:14},
{t:"tipped the white into her glass but shook his head",p:34,x:42,y:479,w:293,h:14},
{t:"32",p:35,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"at me. ",p:35,x:33,y:42,w:44,h:14},
{t:"‘Not if you",p:35,x:76,y:42,w:62,h:14},
{t:"’re going to hide over here. Not",p:35,x:138,y:42,w:188,h:14},
{t:"fair to the others, keeping a smashing creature like",p:35,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"this out of circulation.’",p:35,x:33,y:84,w:124,h:14},
{t:"‘I’m all right, Mr Ecclestone’, said Christine,",p:35,x:51,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"looking up with a pleased smile.",p:35,x:33,y:136,w:180,h:14},
{t:"‘Then I shall push people on to you. The",p:35,x:51,y:166,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Stumpfls for a start.’",p:35,x:33,y:187,w:115,h:14},
{t:"I got to my feet as the two came over. ‘Patrick,’",p:35,x:51,y:218,w:274,h:14},
{t:"said Natalie, ‘how nice to see you ag ain. And",p:35,x:33,y:239,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Christine. You have met Heinrich?’ She settled",p:35,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"herself as I held the chair. ‘The weat her has turned",p:35,x:33,y:280,w:293,h:14},
{t:"out warm again. You English are so much wiser.",p:35,x:33,y:301,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Heinrich, I told you. I should have worn something",p:35,x:33,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"like Christine’s. It is very becoming.’",p:35,x:33,y:343,w:203,h:14},
{t:"Natalie may have a s",p:35,x:51,y:374,w:127,h:14},
{t:"light accent, but her Eng-",p:35,x:176,y:374,w:149,h:14},
{t:"lish is better than that. Often it’s astonishing, like",p:35,x:33,y:395,w:294,h:14},
{t:"something from a thirties novel, and Christine must",p:35,x:33,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"have realized that battle lines were being drawn.",p:35,x:33,y:436,w:292,h:14},
{t:"‘Yes, an odd country,’ I said, ‘but  we do make an",p:35,x:33,y:457,w:294,h:14},
{t:"33",p:36,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"effort in this short summer of ours, mayflies as we",p:36,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"are. ’",p:36,x:42,y:63,w:24,h:14},
{t:"‘That is not correct, I think’, said Stumpfl. He sat",p:36,x:61,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"down and poured his wine into Natalie’s glass. ‘You",p:36,x:42,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"are not summer creatures.’",p:36,x:42,y:136,w:153,h:14},
{t:"‘We haven’t all bought the gloomy Modernist",p:36,x:61,y:166,w:274,h:14},
{t:"creed, if that’s what you mean.’",p:36,x:42,y:187,w:176,h:14},
{t:"‘Is the Bauhaus gloomy, Mr Staunton?’",p:36,x:61,y:218,w:220,h:14},
{t:"‘Pretty soulless, wouldn’t you think?’",p:36,x:61,y:249,w:205,h:14},
{t:"‘And you, Miss Manderson?’ said Stumpfl",p:36,x:61,y:280,w:274,h:14},
{t:"abruptly. ‘You know these things? You have been",p:36,x:42,y:300,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to Germany? ’",p:36,x:42,y:321,w:76,h:14},
{t:"‘Once’, said Christine. ‘With Patrick.’",p:36,x:61,y:352,w:209,h:14},
{t:"‘Two years ago. We took a coach tour to Berlin,",p:36,x:61,y:383,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Prague and Budapest. A fleeting glimpse of the",p:36,x:42,y:404,w:293,h:14},
{t:"cultural monuments. Of the past, mostly.’",p:36,x:42,y:425,w:233,h:14},
{t:"‘That is pity for you. Now everything is chang-",p:36,x:61,y:456,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ing.’",p:36,x:42,y:476,w:24,h:14},
{t:"34",p:37,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘I admit we should know our eastern neighbours",p:37,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"better. Even Christine thought our little coach tour",p:37,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was a wild adventure into the mists of the Slav",p:37,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"homelands.’ I turned to give her the floor but she",p:37,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was only baffled. ‘We have to talk, Chrissie’, I said,",p:37,x:33,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"reaching a hand across. ‘The Stumpfls have paid",p:37,x:33,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"us the compliment of setting up home in England.’",p:37,x:33,y:167,w:284,h:14},
{t:"‘Have t hey?",p:37,x:51,y:198,w:67,h:14},
{t:"’",p:37,x:118,y:198,w:2,h:14},
{t:"‘You must come down and see us’, said Natalie,",p:37,x:51,y:229,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the perfect teeth appearing in a radiant smile. ‘To",p:37,x:33,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"make sure we are looking after Patrick properly. ’",p:37,x:33,y:270,w:272,h:14},
{t:"‘Of course, and thank you’, I returned, as Chris-",p:37,x:51,y:301,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tine did nothing but fold her arms indignantly. ‘Per-",p:37,x:33,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"haps we shall even talk about prospects in the",p:37,x:33,y:343,w:294,h:14},
{t:"east, though I don’t know there’s much in it for an",p:37,x:33,y:364,w:293,h:14},
{t:"old reactionary like me. ’",p:37,x:33,y:385,w:132,h:14},
{t:"‘Mr Staunton, there is.’ He looked at Natalie as",p:37,x:51,y:416,w:274,h:14},
{t:"though by signal. ‘But you would know that. Ox-",p:37,x:33,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ford? Modern history?’",p:37,x:33,y:457,w:127,h:14},
{t:"‘Rather a blind alley.’",p:37,x:51,y:488,w:117,h:14},
{t:"35",p:38,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘You got your degree, but you did not use it.’",p:38,x:61,y:42,w:249,h:14},
{t:"‘That’s the English system. Study one thing and",p:38,x:61,y:73,w:274,h:14},
{t:"do another. Hopelessly old-fashioned.’",p:38,x:42,y:94,w:216,h:14},
{t:"‘But you had reasons, no?’",p:38,x:61,y:125,w:151,h:14},
{t:"‘Very likely.’",p:38,x:61,y:156,w:66,h:14},
{t:"‘It is business’, he said, smiling at my annoy-",p:38,x:61,y:186,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ance. ",p:38,x:42,y:207,w:35,h:14},
{t:"‘We Germans are methodical people. ’",p:38,x:77,y:207,w:214,h:14},
{t:"‘But you are not German, are you? Or only in",p:38,x:61,y:238,w:274,h:14},
{t:"name.’ There wasn’t a flicker of acknowledgement,",p:38,x:42,y:259,w:292,h:14},
{t:"but Stumpfl paused, and I could see the hand had",p:38,x:42,y:280,w:293,h:14},
{t:"been called. ‘Now, please,’ I said, ‘surely we d on ’t",p:38,x:42,y:300,w:292,h:14},
{t:"have to fight these battles. Both sides have much",p:38,x:42,y:321,w:292,h:14},
{t:"to repent of, but doesn’t that belong to the past?’",p:38,x:42,y:342,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘That is the victor talking.’",p:38,x:61,y:373,w:144,h:14},
{t:"‘Herr Stumpfl, your wife will tell you the English",p:38,x:61,y:404,w:274,h:14},
{t:"look at everything from their own interests. The",p:38,x:42,y:425,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Renaissance, literature, schools of painting: all",p:38,x:42,y:446,w:292,h:14},
{t:"grew up woefully out of shape in this cold climate.’",p:38,x:42,y:466,w:284,h:14},
{t:"36",p:39,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘You see, my dear: the English understatement.",p:39,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"The land of free speech. The great empire, the",p:39,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"originator of the industrial revolution, and Mr Staun-",p:39,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ton tells us that England is only a misshapen copy.’",p:39,x:33,y:105,w:290,h:14},
{t:"‘In artistic matters. For the ever yday conduct of",p:39,x:51,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"life, no doubt it’s best the English do muddle along.",p:39,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps business even boils down to common",p:39,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sense. ’",p:39,x:33,y:198,w:40,h:14},
{t:"‘You deceive you rself, Mr Staunton. Decisions",p:39,x:51,y:229,w:273,h:14},
{t:"are planned. Always they are part of a larger strat-",p:39,x:33,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"egy.’",p:39,x:33,y:270,w:26,h:14},
{t:"‘So you see how hopeless I’d be. ’",p:39,x:51,y:301,w:188,h:14},
{t:"‘But you have sold yourself to my wife. That is",p:39,x:51,y:332,w:273,h:14},
{t:"something not easy.’",p:39,x:33,y:353,w:116,h:14},
{t:"‘A wife as attractive and intelligent as yours",p:39,x:51,y:384,w:273,h:14},
{t:"would bring out the best in anyone’, I said, ignoring",p:39,x:33,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Christine, who looked back wary and uncertain.",p:39,x:33,y:426,w:267,h:14},
{t:"‘And how would you know?’ said Natalie, the",p:39,x:51,y:456,w:275,h:14},
{t:"voice issuing as though out of nowhere.",p:39,x:33,y:477,w:224,h:14},
{t:"37",p:40,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"I was surprised to see how piercing was the",p:40,x:61,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"look beneath the doll-like features, but if Christine",p:40,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"had been threatened, and my past troubles brought",p:40,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"up, I wasn’t going to let matters drop. ‘Natalie,’ I",p:40,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"said, ‘you have a degree in art history. You saw my",p:40,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"work, and said you could count on my doing the job",p:40,x:42,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"properly. But if some penance is needed, if we must",p:40,x:42,y:167,w:292,h:14},
{t:"right the wrongs of modern Europe, then perhaps we",p:40,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"should tear up the contract right now.’",p:40,x:42,y:209,w:214,h:14},
{t:"The smile held, but for a moment there ap-",p:40,x:61,y:240,w:274,h:14},
{t:"peared—how shall I put it?—something faltering",p:40,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and pleading in Natalie’s expression. She turned",p:40,x:42,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"away, and looked for reassurance to her husband.",p:40,x:42,y:302,w:283,h:14},
{t:"‘My wife has a diploma in picture restoration ’,",p:40,x:61,y:333,w:274,h:14},
{t:"said Stumpfl. ‘But in other ways you are right.’ He",p:40,x:42,y:354,w:294,h:14},
{t:"nodded to Natalie, who got to her feet. ‘We shall",p:40,x:42,y:375,w:292,h:14},
{t:"look forward to seeing you at Botes soon. I hope",p:40,x:42,y:396,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you will come too, Miss Manderson. It has been a",p:40,x:42,y:416,w:295,h:14},
{t:"pleasure.’ Natalie smiled at Christine, and shook",p:40,x:42,y:437,w:294,h:14},
{t:"hands with me, the hand lingering a moment.",p:40,x:42,y:458,w:255,h:14},
{t:"38",p:41,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘A great pleasure’, retorted Christine when they",p:41,x:51,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"were out of earshot. ‘What was all that about?’",p:41,x:33,y:63,w:262,h:14},
{t:"‘Chrissie, I have no idea.’",p:41,x:51,y:94,w:142,h:14},
{t:"I’d registered Stumpfl’s dexterity within an hour",p:41,x:51,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"of our meeting, but I had never seen h im before in",p:41,x:33,y:146,w:292,h:14},
{t:"this forensic manner, nor found myself so inade-",p:41,x:33,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"quate to the occasion. The Stumpfls left the party",p:41,x:33,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"an hour later, and I told Christine to announce our",p:41,x:33,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"departure around four. Howells had disappeared,",p:41,x:33,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"but I was not sure of safety till we were motoring",p:41,x:33,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"home along the M40, both of us fretful and de-",p:41,x:33,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"pressed.",p:41,x:33,y:291,w:49,h:14},
{t:"Things were different when Christine first ap-",p:41,x:51,y:322,w:274,h:14},
{t:"peared, one even ing at the college dance. I’d heard",p:41,x:33,y:343,w:292,h:14},
{t:"one of the models referred to as the ‘blonde bomb-",p:41,x:33,y:364,w:292,h:14},
{t:"shell’, but hadn’t met her. It was only boyish high",p:41,x:33,y:385,w:293,h:14},
{t:"spirits, after some student I’d been dancing with",p:41,x:33,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"went off to get us drinks, that caused me to stroll",p:41,x:33,y:426,w:292,h:14},
{t:"up to the figure chatting near the band, and I’m",p:41,x:33,y:447,w:293,h:14},
{t:"surprised she even heard me above the noise. She",p:41,x:33,y:468,w:293,h:14},
{t:"turned round immediately, however, and I saw",p:41,x:33,y:489,w:293,h:14},
{t:"39",p:42,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"those cornflower-blue eyes open with surprise. My",p:42,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"partner was waiting, however, and after a few m in-",p:42,x:42,y:63,w:292,h:14},
{t:"utes I sauntered back. An hour or so later Christine",p:42,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"reappeared, gave my partner a shove, and",p:42,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"dragged me off.",p:42,x:42,y:126,w:89,h:14},
{t:"We got a taxi back, Christine running into the",p:42,x:61,y:156,w:275,h:14},
{t:"road and stretching out her arms to make the driver",p:42,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"brake suddenly. ‘He’ll tell you’, she said, and",p:42,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"handed over a note. The closeness of our dancing",p:42,x:42,y:219,w:292,h:14},
{t:"was nothing to the frank happiness with which she",p:42,x:42,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"now reached up and folded me in her arms. We",p:42,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"were still lying over the back seat, her warm body",p:42,x:42,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"pressed into mine, when I realized we’d stopped.",p:42,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Dreamily she came to, pushed the hair from her",p:42,x:42,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"face, and staggered down. The cabby was waving",p:42,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the note she’d given him as I fumbled for the extra",p:42,x:42,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"money, but the man simply drove off, the only time",p:42,x:42,y:386,w:294,h:14},
{t:"I’ve seen a flicker of heart in our national institution.",p:42,x:42,y:406,w:290,h:14},
{t:"My flat was much too neat to be true, and, with",p:42,x:61,y:437,w:274,h:14},
{t:"that uncanny intuition of women, Christine marched",p:42,x:42,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"over, pulled out a drawer and tossed its contents",p:42,x:42,y:479,w:292,h:14},
{t:"40",p:43,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"out of the window. ‘You belong to me’, she said, as",p:43,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"I stared into the garden below. ‘I don ’t share. Not",p:43,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Christine Manderson.’",p:43,x:33,y:84,w:125,h:14},
{t:"So began the affair, good in those days. She",p:43,x:51,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"could cry off, be difficult, but once in bed was al-",p:43,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ways direct with her feelings. Models do not take",p:43,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"up with painters, I should tell you, despite the biog-",p:43,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"raphies and the public’s fantasies. They are modest",p:43,x:33,y:198,w:292,h:14},
{t:"creatures who earn too l ittle from back-breaking",p:43,x:33,y:219,w:292,h:14},
{t:"poses to continue associating with the trade. All the",p:43,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"same, students do sense the privacy of the bodies",p:43,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"they draw, however engrossing the posture of the",p:43,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"skeleton, or the exact webbing of the dozens of",p:43,x:33,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"muscles they must note and understand. Here  is a",p:43,x:33,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"creature extended and vulnerable in a way they",p:43,x:33,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"wouldn’t otherwise see, and with that familiarity",p:43,x:33,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"comes possessiveness. The sense of something",p:43,x:33,y:386,w:292,h:14},
{t:"stolen from the class fuelled the dislike when Pat-",p:43,x:33,y:406,w:292,h:14},
{t:"rick turned apostate.",p:43,x:33,y:427,w:116,h:14},
{t:"I don’t think Christine cared. She doesn’t make",p:43,x:51,y:458,w:275,h:14},
{t:"enemies, and placidly continued her hours as",p:43,x:33,y:479,w:292,h:14},
{t:"41",p:44,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"commissions began to arrive, and I could transfer",p:44,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to one day a week at the adult education centre at",p:44,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"Belsize Park in north London. Two summers later I",p:44,x:42,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"won a large commission—the six grandchildren of",p:44,x:42,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"a doting landowner—and in a fit of confidence",p:44,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"didn’t reapply. Immediately I regretted the decision",p:44,x:42,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and spent six months on State support. Once set-",p:44,x:42,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tled into the hand-to-mouth existence of the other",p:44,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tutors, however, I began to like the threadbare",p:44,x:42,y:209,w:293,h:14},
{t:"independence. I had time to widen my interests,",p:44,x:42,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"though it was to Georg Michnik that I owed my",p:44,x:42,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"interest in matters Russian.",p:44,x:42,y:271,w:156,h:14},
{t:"Georg is a Pole, a taciturn etcher in his early",p:44,x:61,y:302,w:274,h:14},
{t:"sixties. At that time I knew him only slightly, as a",p:44,x:42,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"shambling automaton who would hunch his shoul-",p:44,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ders at being spoken to, and then swivel round to",p:44,x:42,y:365,w:294,h:14},
{t:"fix a gimlet stare through wire-rimmed glasses. To",p:44,x:42,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"everyon e’s relief he took his meals in the etching",p:44,x:42,y:406,w:292,h:14},
{t:"room, an outbuilding of the converted school that",p:44,x:42,y:427,w:293,h:14},
{t:"served as the centre, and it was here that I men-",p:44,x:42,y:448,w:292,h:14},
{t:"tioned the Stumpfl’s pictures after my return from",p:44,x:42,y:469,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Botes.",p:44,x:42,y:490,w:36,h:14},
{t:"42",p:45,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"He looked at me crossly. ‘The Futurists? They",p:45,x:51,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"are rubbish.’",p:45,x:33,y:63,w:73,h:14},
{t:"‘The World of Art. Serov, Supunov, Kustodiev. I",p:45,x:51,y:94,w:276,h:14},
{t:"saw a couple recently. ’",p:45,x:33,y:115,w:128,h:14},
{t:"‘They will be copies.’",p:45,x:51,y:146,w:117,h:14},
{t:"‘Looked pretty much like the genuine article to",p:45,x:51,y:176,w:274,h:14},
{t:"me.’",p:45,x:33,y:197,w:24,h:14},
{t:"‘So now you are expert?’ Georg gave h is",p:45,x:51,y:228,w:273,h:14},
{t:"Himmler look and went to turn off a hotplate begin-",p:45,x:33,y:249,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ning to blur with smoke at the far end of the room.",p:45,x:33,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"He’d understood, though, and was waiting for de-",p:45,x:33,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tails as he settled himself again. ‘These people",p:45,x:33,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"have money?",p:45,x:33,y:332,w:76,h:14},
{t:"’",p:45,x:108,y:332,w:2,h:14},
{t:"‘Heinrich Stumpfl. An industrialist or something.’",p:45,x:51,y:363,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘No wife? ’",p:45,x:51,y:394,w:55,h:14},
{t:"‘You know my policy.’",p:45,x:51,y:425,w:121,h:14},
{t:"‘When I was a young man it was different. I  was",p:45,x:51,y:456,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the best dancer in Warsaw.’",p:45,x:33,y:476,w:159,h:14},
{t:"43",p:46,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"I doubted that, but said, ‘How life passes.’",p:46,x:61,y:42,w:237,h:14},
{t:"‘Like a dream. You do not know that because",p:46,x:61,y:73,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you are young. You think life will go on just the",p:46,x:42,y:94,w:293,h:14},
{t:"same, for ever and ever.’",p:46,x:42,y:115,w:139,h:14},
{t:"I saw myself the recipient of a shameful confi-",p:46,x:61,y:146,w:273,h:14},
{t:"dence the old man would later regret mentioning.",p:46,x:42,y:166,w:276,h:14},
{t:"‘The young never listen.’",p:46,x:61,y:197,w:138,h:14},
{t:"Not true. Largely through Georg I started draw-",p:46,x:61,y:228,w:273,h:14},
{t:"ing: in life-class and at railway stations: anywhere",p:46,x:42,y:249,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the body is relaxed and at ease with itself. I even",p:46,x:42,y:270,w:295,h:14},
{t:"spent two exhausting weeks in Delhi—a cheap flight",p:46,x:42,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and an even cheaper hotel—where for hour after",p:46,x:42,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"hour on the hot roads I drew the bustle, the street",p:46,x:42,y:332,w:293,h:14},
{t:"porters, the women trudging about the markets.",p:46,x:42,y:353,w:268,h:14},
{t:"Georg might produce his etchings of rural",p:46,x:61,y:384,w:274,h:14},
{t:"scenes, which were beautiful but strangely empty,",p:46,x:42,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"apparently selling only at some Painters’ Coopera-",p:46,x:42,y:426,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tive he belonged to, but for me it was people.",p:46,x:42,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Couldn’t you exhibit back home, I’d once asked",p:46,x:42,y:467,w:293,h:14},
{t:"44",p:47,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"him, but he’d had only growled something about art",p:47,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"being universal.",p:47,x:33,y:63,w:89,h:14},
{t:"He was still looking at me. ",p:47,x:51,y:94,w:158,h:14},
{t:"‘She is married hap-",p:47,x:208,y:94,w:116,h:14},
{t:"pily, this client of yours?’",p:47,x:33,y:115,w:139,h:14},
{t:"‘Georg, people are. Or they have the freedom to",p:47,x:51,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"change.’",p:47,x:33,y:166,w:48,h:14},
{t:"‘They are luckier than they realize. ’",p:47,x:51,y:197,w:195,h:14},
{t:"I knew what he meant. Poland when the war",p:47,x:51,y:228,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ended: whole cities destroyed, people starving, a",p:47,x:33,y:249,w:293,h:14},
{t:"quarter of the population missing. I knew how Georg",p:47,x:33,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"had wangled a student exchange to Czechoslovak ia",p:47,x:33,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and fled to Austria when the Uprising failed.",p:47,x:33,y:311,w:248,h:14},
{t:"‘But we build again. Stone by stone we make",p:47,x:51,y:342,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Warsaw as before: Poland for the Poles.’",p:47,x:33,y:363,w:233,h:14},
{t:"It had been stupid of me, and Georg was now",p:47,x:51,y:394,w:274,h:14},
{t:"off on his favourite theme: the need to believe in",p:47,x:33,y:415,w:292,h:14},
{t:"something, that art expressed spiritual values. In",p:47,x:33,y:436,w:292,h:14},
{t:"my present state I might well have believed h im. ‘I",p:47,x:33,y:456,w:292,h:14},
{t:"know what you think’, I said, nodding to one of my",p:47,x:33,y:477,w:293,h:14},
{t:"45",p:48,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"sketches he’d put on the wall. ‘Just amusement to",p:48,x:42,y:42,w:294,h:14},
{t:"people who have nothing beyond their self-satisfied",p:48,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"vanity. That ’s why the latest commission includes",p:48,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"some landscapes. Broadening my scope. ’",p:48,x:42,y:105,w:236,h:14},
{t:"‘That is sure? You are doing landscapes? You",p:48,x:61,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"are getting desperate, my friend. Or this client of",p:48,x:42,y:156,w:292,h:14},
{t:"yours . . . ’ He looked at me shrewdly and then",p:48,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"winked. ‘You have more freedom there? ’",p:48,x:42,y:198,w:227,h:14},
{t:"‘Nothing like that.’",p:48,x:61,y:229,w:101,h:14},
{t:"‘ Well, your friend will ask around.’",p:48,x:61,y:260,w:194,h:14},
{t:"‘I’d be obliged if you did nothing of the sort.",p:48,x:61,y:290,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Heinrich and Natalie Stumpfl are simply clients.’",p:48,x:42,y:311,w:271,h:14},
{t:"Georg’s marriages I’d heard about in his flat one",p:48,x:61,y:342,w:274,h:14},
{t:"wet February, crouched round the smoking paraffin",p:48,x:42,y:363,w:292,h:14},
{t:"heater. He’d been annoyed when I’d only nodded,",p:48,x:42,y:384,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and rummaged in a drawer. ‘You think my wife not",p:48,x:42,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"beautiful?’ he said, producing a photo.",p:48,x:42,y:426,w:216,h:14},
{t:"She was. ‘Renata, is that?’",p:48,x:61,y:456,w:151,h:14},
{t:"46",p:49,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Marie. Austrian.’ He looked at me with jovial",p:49,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"complicity. My Polish wife was something else.’ But",p:49,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"then he changed, and I had to prattle on about my",p:49,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"own affairs, which didn’t interest him, not in the",p:49,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"slightest, though he opened a new bottle of",p:49,x:33,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"schnapps. ‘To women ’, he said. ‘Or in your case,",p:49,x:33,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"because you do not understand much, to woman,",p:49,x:33,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"eternal woman.’",p:49,x:33,y:188,w:89,h:14},
{t:"‘What does that mean?’",p:49,x:51,y:219,w:135,h:14},
{t:"‘I tell you what you do,’ said Georg, leaning con-",p:49,x:51,y:250,w:273,h:14},
{t:"fidentially across, ‘you rejoice. ’",p:49,x:33,y:270,w:171,h:14},
{t:"‘Rejoice has it, Georg. You’re right.’",p:49,x:51,y:301,w:201,h:14},
{t:"‘No, you listen, my young friend. You under-",p:49,x:51,y:332,w:274,h:14},
{t:"stand nothing. Life is a bewitchment, an enchant-",p:49,x:33,y:353,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ment. If  you do not know that then you cannot be",p:49,x:33,y:374,w:294,h:14},
{t:"artist. You see: here I have nothing, but I am",p:49,x:33,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"happy, because I look at the wor ld. It is tragic. A",p:49,x:33,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"terrible place, but it is beautiful.’",p:49,x:33,y:436,w:180,h:14},
{t:"Matters had gone too far to make a joke, and I",p:49,x:51,y:467,w:275,h:14},
{t:"stared at him uncertainly.",p:49,x:33,y:488,w:142,h:14},
{t:"47",p:50,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Do not worry, my friend. You will see. It will turn",p:50,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"out good.’",p:50,x:42,y:63,w:55,h:14},
{t:"It hadn’t so far, and all that was clear this after-",p:50,x:61,y:94,w:273,h:14},
{t:"noon as we drove back along the M40 were other",p:50,x:42,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"people hurtling past in the fast lane. Occasionally I",p:50,x:42,y:136,w:292,h:14},
{t:"joined them. Patrick Staunton may not have the",p:50,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"family intelligence, but he does have the sports-",p:50,x:42,y:177,w:292,h:14},
{t:"man ’s steady nerves. The Mercedes has seen",p:50,x:42,y:198,w:294,h:14},
{t:"better days, however, and I soon had to drop back",p:50,x:42,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"into the middle lane. We were now entering Hilling-",p:50,x:42,y:240,w:294,h:14},
{t:"don, the western edge of London, passing rows of",p:50,x:42,y:260,w:292,h:14},
{t:"suburban houses and sensible lives. With Christine",p:50,x:42,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"quiet, I thought again of explaining the commission,",p:50,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the four days a week I should have to be at Botes.",p:50,x:42,y:323,w:281,h:14},
{t:"I was always explaining, even to my father when",p:50,x:61,y:354,w:274,h:14},
{t:"I’d tried to prepare him for Christine. ‘Just bring her",p:50,x:42,y:375,w:293,h:14},
{t:"along’, he’d said promptly. ‘If she’s a good-looking",p:50,x:42,y:396,w:293,h:14},
{t:"girl that’ll be more than enough.’ But I could see",p:50,x:42,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"within a few minutes that the old boy was deter-",p:50,x:42,y:437,w:292,h:14},
{t:"mined to en joy h imself. ‘We came here for our",p:50,x:42,y:458,w:292,h:14},
{t:"48",p:51,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"honeymoon",p:51,x:33,y:42,w:66,h:14},
{t:"’, he remarked as soon as we settled",p:51,x:98,y:42,w:228,h:14},
{t:"for lunch in the Basil Street Hotel.",p:51,x:33,y:63,w:190,h:14},
{t:"‘Oh right’, said Christine.",p:51,x:51,y:94,w:141,h:14},
{t:"‘Seems a long time now, though the décor",p:51,x:51,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"hasn’t changed.’",p:51,x:33,y:146,w:93,h:14},
{t:"Christine looked round vacantly.",p:51,x:51,y:176,w:181,h:14},
{t:"‘Or the waiters, by the look of them.’",p:51,x:51,y:207,w:203,h:14},
{t:"‘Don’t know about that,’ I put in, ‘they wouldn’t",p:51,x:51,y:238,w:275,h:14},
{t:"have been Greek or Portuguese then.’",p:51,x:33,y:259,w:215,h:14},
{t:"‘Spanish’, decided my father, calling one of",p:51,x:51,y:290,w:273,h:14},
{t:"them over. I have a r easonably stocked mind, but",p:51,x:33,y:310,w:292,h:14},
{t:"my father is a natural, one of those who grow pee-",p:51,x:33,y:331,w:293,h:14},
{t:"vish when surrounded by everyday stupidity. Once",p:51,x:33,y:352,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Penelope, my brilliant sister, was dead, from leu-",p:51,x:33,y:373,w:292,h:14},
{t:"kaemia at twenty, he was already making plans for",p:51,x:33,y:394,w:293,h:14},
{t:"an early retirement to Spain. ‘It’s a fascinating",p:51,x:33,y:415,w:292,h:14},
{t:"country’, he said to Christine. ‘Still Moorish in",p:51,x:33,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"places. Berbers, as you know.’",p:51,x:33,y:456,w:173,h:14},
{t:"49",p:52,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"Christine was unruffled. She took the old gen-",p:52,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tleman in the frayed linen jacket as a leftover from",p:52,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"another age, to whom she had no responsibilities.",p:52,x:42,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"It never crossed her mind that my father was ex-",p:52,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"pecting a contribution to his talk on Andalusia. Or",p:52,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"that in our bantering exchange, he was continually",p:52,x:42,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"trying to draw her in, though without success.",p:52,x:42,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"When he asked to be seen off at the airport the",p:52,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"following day I knew I was in for some searching",p:52,x:42,y:209,w:292,h:14},
{t:"questions.",p:52,x:42,y:230,w:58,h:14},
{t:"He seemed conciliatory at first. ‘Clearly level-",p:52,x:61,y:260,w:273,h:14},
{t:"headed ’, he said after a longish while, mostly spent",p:52,x:42,y:281,w:292,h:14},
{t:"discussing the items for which I was to scour the",p:52,x:42,y:302,w:294,h:14},
{t:"antiquarian booksellers. ‘No doubt about tha t.’",p:52,x:42,y:323,w:259,h:14},
{t:"‘Amazingly good-natured.’",p:52,x:61,y:354,w:147,h:14},
{t:"‘She is. And much else. It’s none of my busi-",p:52,x:61,y:385,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ness, but if you want someone devoted to you, to",p:52,x:42,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"look after you, then you",p:52,x:42,y:426,w:138,h:14},
{t:"’ll never do better than that",p:52,x:179,y:426,w:156,h:14},
{t:"woman. Not in this world. You understand me?’",p:52,x:42,y:447,w:268,h:14},
{t:"‘I do know that.’",p:52,x:61,y:478,w:88,h:14},
{t:"50",p:53,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Well, don’t bridle at what I’m saying. Tell her. If",p:53,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you care for her, get married. There’s nothing else",p:53,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to be done.’",p:53,x:33,y:84,w:66,h:14},
{t:"‘Christine might very well turn me down.’",p:53,x:51,y:115,w:229,h:14},
{t:"‘But if you want a soul mate, more you r intellec-",p:53,x:51,y:146,w:273,h:14},
{t:"tual equal, then it’s no good stringing her along. For",p:53,x:33,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"her sake or yours.’",p:53,x:33,y:187,w:104,h:14},
{t:"‘So we’re not talking about Christine .’",p:53,x:51,y:218,w:210,h:14},
{t:"‘Patrick, you are all I’ve got. The one person I",p:53,x:51,y:249,w:274,h:14},
{t:"still care about. I’ve done my best to instil the fun-",p:53,x:33,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"damental decencies of life, but I seem somehow to",p:53,x:33,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"have failed. I don ’t know what you propose to do",p:53,x:33,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with this woman, or your whole life.’ He was angry,",p:53,x:33,y:332,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and I thought for a moment he’d pick up his belong-",p:53,x:33,y:353,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ings and march off through Departures.",p:53,x:33,y:374,w:224,h:14},
{t:"‘I’m to plan for what I don’t even know myself?’",p:53,x:51,y:405,w:263,h:14},
{t:"‘Then isn’t it time you found out? I fought in the",p:53,x:51,y:436,w:276,h:14},
{t:"Spanish Civil War, but not at your age.’",p:53,x:33,y:456,w:222,h:14},
{t:"‘I happen to be working hard.’",p:53,x:51,y:487,w:167,h:14},
{t:"51",p:54,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Why take up this damn-fool profession in the",p:54,x:61,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"first place?’",p:54,x:42,y:63,w:65,h:14},
{t:"‘It’s the only way I feel in charge.’",p:54,x:61,y:94,w:186,h:14},
{t:"‘I told you at the time, and I’ll tell you again:",p:54,x:61,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"what is done is done. You will always remember",p:54,x:42,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"what happened, and so perhaps you should. But",p:54,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"there’s no point in blighting y our future with it. Just",p:54,x:42,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"face up to your shortcomings. We all have to.’",p:54,x:42,y:208,w:259,h:14},
{t:"He stopped and was staring at me, the skin",p:54,x:61,y:239,w:274,h:14},
{t:"stretched sharply over the impatient cut of the eyes",p:54,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and small jaw. But we’d both said more than was",p:54,x:42,y:280,w:293,h:14},
{t:"needed, and were glad when a couple joined our",p:54,x:42,y:301,w:293,h:14},
{t:"table. For several minutes we were silent, until my",p:54,x:42,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"father gathered his things and said, ‘Let’s go for a",p:54,x:42,y:343,w:293,h:14},
{t:"walk. I’ll be cooped up for hours in that metal tube",p:54,x:42,y:364,w:294,h:14},
{t:"shortly.’ I carried his battered holdall and we",p:54,x:42,y:385,w:293,h:14},
{t:"walked through the terminal building, pausing to",p:54,x:42,y:406,w:294,h:14},
{t:"watch the aircraft coming in over nearby runways.",p:54,x:42,y:426,w:292,h:14},
{t:"‘There’s no one else, is there?’ he said gently,",p:54,x:42,y:447,w:293,h:14},
{t:"almost as an aside.",p:54,x:42,y:468,w:110,h:14},
{t:"52",p:55,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘I meet attractive women through my work. But",p:55,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"that’s as far as it goes.’",p:55,x:33,y:63,w:131,h:14},
{t:"‘Couldn’t you get around more?’",p:55,x:51,y:94,w:180,h:14},
{t:"‘I have to paint what I can. Mostly that means",p:55,x:51,y:125,w:273,h:14},
{t:"the women of rich husbands.’",p:55,x:33,y:146,w:167,h:14},
{t:"‘You don’t know? You should, Patrick. Look, I",p:55,x:51,y:176,w:274,h:14},
{t:"am sorry for the unpleasantness. I care about you,",p:55,x:33,y:197,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and would like you to do well. Write to me, would",p:55,x:33,y:218,w:292,h:14},
{t:"you? You used to write very well.’",p:55,x:33,y:239,w:188,h:14},
{t:"‘I used to do a lot of things’, I said and shook his",p:55,x:51,y:270,w:274,h:14},
{t:"hand. We walked to Departures. He went through",p:55,x:33,y:290,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and then suddenly turned, waved his hat, and dis-",p:55,x:33,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"appeared.",p:55,x:33,y:332,w:56,h:14},
{t:"That had been nine months ago. I had written,",p:55,x:51,y:363,w:274,h:14},
{t:"but not said anything important, a fact that weighed",p:55,x:33,y:384,w:293,h:14},
{t:"on me as we arrived at the flat. But Christine, balm",p:55,x:33,y:405,w:292,h:14},
{t:"as she is to all life’s complications, simply stripped",p:55,x:33,y:426,w:293,h:14},
{t:"off and climbed into bed. ‘Come on then. If you still",p:55,x:33,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"want me?’",p:55,x:33,y:467,w:58,h:14},
{t:"53",p:56,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Rather’, I said, repeating it an hour later, though",p:56,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"she wasn’t fooled.",p:56,x:42,y:63,w:102,h:14},
{t:"‘What’s the matter?’",p:56,x:61,y:94,w:114,h:14},
{t:"‘Nothing.’",p:56,x:61,y:125,w:54,h:14},
{t:"Christine took a last puff, and squashed the",p:56,x:61,y:156,w:275,h:14},
{t:"cigarette stub into the ashtray. ‘You know, I think",p:56,x:42,y:176,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you’re giving me up.’",p:56,x:42,y:197,w:116,h:14},
{t:"What can you say to someone who expresses",p:56,x:61,y:228,w:274,h:14},
{t:"herself so nakedly, when you have a warm-blooded",p:56,x:42,y:249,w:293,h:14},
{t:"woman reeking of intimacy, her flushed body wait-",p:56,x:42,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing for your answer?",p:56,x:42,y:290,w:115,h:14},
{t:"‘Are you sleeping with he r?’ The eyes had gone",p:56,x:61,y:321,w:275,h:14},
{t:"opaque, as they do those rare occasions when",p:56,x:42,y:342,w:293,h:14},
{t:"something troubles her.",p:56,x:42,y:363,w:134,h:14},
{t:"‘Who, for Heaven",p:56,x:61,y:394,w:101,h:14},
{t:"’s sake? ’",p:56,x:160,y:394,w:50,h:14},
{t:"She sat up, tucked her legs in and said, ‘So",p:56,x:61,y:425,w:275,h:14},
{t:"that ’s it. You",p:56,x:42,y:446,w:78,h:14},
{t:"’re afraid. This Stumpfl woman has",p:56,x:119,y:446,w:215,h:14},
{t:"given you the shakes.’",p:56,x:42,y:466,w:125,h:14},
{t:"54",p:57,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Nothing of the kind.’",p:57,x:51,y:42,w:117,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:57,x:51,y:73,w:26,h:14},
{t:"’re afraid of the experience, the deeply",p:57,x:77,y:73,w:249,h:14},
{t:"transformative experience into a vulnerable, caring",p:57,x:33,y:94,w:292,h:14},
{t:"human being.’",p:57,x:33,y:115,w:81,h:14},
{t:"‘Chrissie, put the psychology book away, would",p:57,x:51,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you? I’m telling you the truth.’",p:57,x:33,y:166,w:166,h:14},
{t:"‘You’re a monster. Any thought of me cross your",p:57,x:51,y:197,w:274,h:14},
{t:"mind, the poor mutt who’s been going with you all",p:57,x:33,y:218,w:293,h:14},
{t:"this time?’",p:57,x:33,y:239,w:58,h:14},
{t:"‘Now that you can’t complain about.’",p:57,x:51,y:270,w:204,h:14},
{t:"I was shot down immediately. ",p:57,x:51,y:300,w:179,h:14},
{t:"‘You were a mi l-",p:57,x:230,y:300,w:95,h:14},
{t:"lion miles away this time .’",p:57,x:33,y:321,w:143,h:14},
{t:"‘Was I? Sorry.’",p:57,x:51,y:352,w:84,h:14},
{t:"‘Is that all you can say?’ Abruptly she swung",p:57,x:51,y:383,w:275,h:14},
{t:"herself off the bed and padded over to the sink, the",p:57,x:33,y:404,w:294,h:14},
{t:"broad vastus muscles flexing under the raw sienna",p:57,x:33,y:425,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of the thighs, a mesmerizing sight, making the soul",p:57,x:33,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ache for brush.",p:57,x:33,y:466,w:86,h:14},
{t:"55",p:58,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘It’ll have t o be instant. You",p:58,x:61,y:42,w:160,h:14},
{t:"’re out of the other.’",p:58,x:220,y:42,w:114,h:14},
{t:"She lit the gas, dumped the kettle on the ring, and",p:58,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"padded back. ‘You",p:58,x:42,y:84,w:109,h:14},
{t:"’re a fool. I could be really fond",p:58,x:151,y:84,w:184,h:14},
{t:"of you.’",p:58,x:42,y:105,w:41,h:14},
{t:"‘What about going out tonight?’ I said. ‘Try the",p:58,x:61,y:136,w:275,h:14},
{t:"new French place?’",p:58,x:42,y:156,w:111,h:14},
{t:"‘What do you take me for? I’m not forking out so",p:58,x:61,y:187,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you can give me the bad news in swish surround-",p:58,x:42,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ings.’",p:58,x:42,y:229,w:30,h:14},
{t:"I watched her sit down heavi ly, tug on a pair of",p:58,x:61,y:260,w:274,h:14},
{t:"briefs, and then go over to the TV., finding one of",p:58,x:42,y:280,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the panel games that were her usual refuge when",p:58,x:42,y:301,w:293,h:14},
{t:"vexed . Soon would come tidying up the flat: stack-",p:58,x:42,y:322,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing the folders, returning plates and dishes to the",p:58,x:42,y:343,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sink. I know she had no conversation, that we’d go",p:58,x:42,y:364,w:294,h:14},
{t:"to college functions, and at the bar she would sit,",p:58,x:42,y:385,w:293,h:14},
{t:"hour after hour, saying nothing, only waiting until",p:58,x:42,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"she could take me back to the flat.",p:58,x:42,y:426,w:194,h:14},
{t:"There my little arrangements were sacrosanct.",p:58,x:61,y:457,w:274,h:14},
{t:"A book might be collected from the floor and placed",p:58,x:42,y:478,w:293,h:14},
{t:"56",p:59,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"on the bedside table, but the page at which I’d left it",p:59,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"open would still be upwards or have a m arker. She",p:59,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"worried endlessly about my diet, and if I got low on",p:59,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tea or bread I would find that she’d slipped out and",p:59,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"restocked. Her family’s birthdays were remem-",p:59,x:33,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"bered, and all her friends’, scrupulously, and what",p:59,x:33,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was chosen was always thoughtful. No doubt she",p:59,x:33,y:167,w:294,h:14},
{t:"was possessive and domineering, but if there is a",p:59,x:33,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"heaven we go to, then I believe it will be peopled",p:59,x:33,y:209,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with warm and caring creatures like Christine.",p:59,x:33,y:230,w:259,h:14},
{t:"She was bringing the coffee, and loomed over",p:59,x:51,y:260,w:275,h:14},
{t:"the bed. There were the two cups, the sunlight",p:59,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"playing over the dark surface, a large hand with",p:59,x:33,y:302,w:292,h:14},
{t:"pink-painted nails, a warm body with its peach and",p:59,x:33,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"salmon blotches and small freckles, the crisp white",p:59,x:33,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"brief—and astonishment. Whatever I’d been think-",p:59,x:33,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing a moment ago, I now had a picture, possibly a",p:59,x:33,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"whole series of pictures. I should have to add items",p:59,x:33,y:406,w:292,h:14},
{t:"to the tray, and perhaps give Christine a half-open",p:59,x:33,y:427,w:293,h:14},
{t:"housecoat, but here was something I unquestiona-",p:59,x:33,y:448,w:293,h:14},
{t:"bly wanted to paint. I knew it as I always knew",p:59,x:33,y:469,w:293,h:14},
{t:"them: a searing pain of recognition, and then the",p:59,x:33,y:490,w:294,h:14},
{t:"57",p:60,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"despairing months of working it out. Christine was",p:60,x:42,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"not in a mood to be asked, however, and for a",p:60,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"while we concentrated on drinking the coffee. ",p:60,x:42,y:84,w:262,h:14},
{t:"‘Now,",p:60,x:303,y:84,w:32,h:14},
{t:"Chrissie,’ I said at last, ‘we get on well enough,",p:60,x:42,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"don’t we ?’",p:60,x:42,y:126,w:57,h:14},
{t:"She didn’t hide the contempt. ‘Just tell me .’",p:60,x:61,y:156,w:244,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:60,x:61,y:187,w:26,h:14},
{t:"’ve met the Stumpfls. All they’ve done is",p:60,x:86,y:187,w:248,h:14},
{t:"commission a large series of pictures.’",p:60,x:42,y:208,w:218,h:14},
{t:"‘So Christine will model the dresses, is that what",p:60,x:61,y:239,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you’re asking?’",p:60,x:42,y:260,w:85,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:60,x:61,y:290,w:26,h:14},
{t:"’re a different size. I’ll get someone else if",p:60,x:86,y:290,w:248,h:14},
{t:"necessary. What I’d like to keep you for is some-",p:60,x:42,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"thing different.’",p:60,x:42,y:332,w:85,h:14},
{t:"‘So why all the drama? You",p:60,x:61,y:363,w:165,h:14},
{t:"’ve had good com-",p:60,x:225,y:363,w:109,h:14},
{t:"missions before. ’",p:60,x:42,y:384,w:96,h:14},
{t:"‘There isn’t any drama, though I have a feeling",p:60,x:61,y:415,w:274,h:14},
{t:"that all is not well, that I’m being played along.’",p:60,x:42,y:436,w:262,h:14},
{t:"‘The contract’s been signed?’",p:60,x:61,y:466,w:167,h:14},
{t:"58",p:61,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Yes.’",p:61,x:51,y:42,w:31,h:14},
{t:"‘Well, maybe it’s just you treading the straight",p:61,x:51,y:73,w:274,h:14},
{t:"and narrow with your clients.’ The happy expres-",p:61,x:33,y:94,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sion returned. ‘Only I never know with you.’ She",p:61,x:33,y:115,w:294,h:14},
{t:"frowned and tentatively slipped an arm round.",p:61,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:61,x:33,y:156,w:26,h:14},
{t:"’re keeping me for the other series?’ She",p:61,x:58,y:156,w:268,h:14},
{t:"looked at me carefully. ",p:61,x:33,y:177,w:142,h:14},
{t:"‘Well, I may even get the",p:61,x:174,y:177,w:151,h:14},
{t:"meal tonight. On your forthcoming earnings.’",p:61,x:33,y:198,w:252,h:14},
{t:"‘Don’t worry. I’m in the funds. Sold another of",p:61,x:51,y:229,w:273,h:14},
{t:"my pieces recently .’",p:61,x:33,y:250,w:112,h:14},
{t:"A mistake. It was blindingly obvious before I’d",p:61,x:51,y:280,w:274,h:14},
{t:"finished the sentence, but I had to sit there, smiling,",p:61,x:33,y:301,w:293,h:14},
{t:"as Christine gathered her thoughts. ‘Which picture?",p:61,x:33,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"One of those studies of me? ’",p:61,x:33,y:343,w:163,h:14},
{t:"‘One of those that Reg took away for a mixed",p:61,x:51,y:374,w:275,h:14},
{t:"exhibition.’",p:61,x:33,y:395,w:59,h:14},
{t:"‘And this Stumpfl woman, she bought it?’",p:61,x:51,y:426,w:234,h:14},
{t:"‘As it happens. For her husband.’",p:61,x:51,y:456,w:189,h:14},
{t:"59",p:62,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Patrick, you",p:62,x:61,y:42,w:72,h:14},
{t:"’re a fool.’ She got off the bed and",p:62,x:132,y:42,w:203,h:14},
{t:"walked about the room, finally plonking herself in a",p:62,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"chair opposite. ",p:62,x:42,y:84,w:90,h:14},
{t:"‘God, you",p:62,x:132,y:84,w:57,h:14},
{t:"’re a fool. I might till then",p:62,x:188,y:84,w:147,h:14},
{t:"have swallowed your story. But it’s Natalie after all.",p:62,x:42,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"She’s got designs on you, and you don’t know what",p:62,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to do.’",p:62,x:42,y:146,w:34,h:14},
{t:"‘Of course not. Natalie simply bought the study",p:62,x:61,y:177,w:275,h:14},
{t:"because her husband collects paintings.’",p:62,x:42,y:198,w:232,h:14},
{t:"‘Because she’s sizing up the competition.’",p:62,x:61,y:229,w:238,h:14},
{t:"‘Come on, Chrissie.’",p:62,x:61,y:260,w:115,h:14},
{t:"‘You know how much you owe me in modelling",p:62,x:61,y:290,w:275,h:14},
{t:"fees? Two hundred and eighty, with yesterday’s",p:62,x:42,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"session. So you can pay up. If this Natalie Stumpfl’s",p:62,x:42,y:332,w:293,h:14},
{t:"got money to throw about, there are deserving",p:62,x:42,y:353,w:292,h:14},
{t:"causes nearer home. ’",p:62,x:42,y:374,w:122,h:14},
{t:"‘Christine, you’ll get it. Once the contract’s over.’",p:62,x:61,y:405,w:273,h:14},
{t:"‘Oh no, you",p:62,x:61,y:436,w:68,h:14},
{t:"’re not escaping into work this time.",p:62,x:128,y:436,w:207,h:14},
{t:"You’re going to have to do better than that.’",p:62,x:42,y:456,w:243,h:14},
{t:"‘Let’s just go out, shall we?’",p:62,x:61,y:487,w:156,h:14},
{t:"60",p:63,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘And forget all those times when you w ere",p:63,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"prancing round your studio, showing off what I’d",p:63,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"bought you.’",p:63,x:33,y:84,w:69,h:14},
{t:"‘You’ve been fantastic, Chrissie.’",p:63,x:51,y:115,w:185,h:14},
{t:"‘And you",p:63,x:51,y:146,w:52,h:14},
{t:"’ve taken advantage of it. ‘Oh, you look",p:63,x:102,y:146,w:224,h:14},
{t:"so enchanting, Samantha. Please sit your elegant",p:63,x:33,y:166,w:292,h:14},
{t:"fanny down here, Lady Stewart.’’",p:63,x:33,y:187,w:184,h:14},
{t:"‘Mrs Stewart, actually .’",p:63,x:51,y:218,w:128,h:14},
{t:"‘I know you, Patrick. You",p:63,x:51,y:249,w:146,h:14},
{t:"’re a fraud. Maybe the",p:63,x:197,y:249,w:128,h:14},
{t:"work isn’t bad, but women don’t pose for that. They",p:63,x:33,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"like to be titillated. It’s what you’re good at.’",p:63,x:33,y:290,w:241,h:14},
{t:"‘Chrissie, just shut up.’",p:63,x:51,y:321,w:131,h:14},
{t:"‘That’s struck home, hasn’t it? Well this time the",p:63,x:51,y:352,w:275,h:14},
{t:"shoe’s on the other foot. You",p:63,x:33,y:373,w:177,h:14},
{t:"’re going to have to",p:63,x:209,y:373,w:117,h:14},
{t:"interest me. And not just interest, work for me.",p:63,x:33,y:394,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Have a shower and come back. I want it properly",p:63,x:33,y:415,w:293,h:14},
{t:"from you this time. No fantasizing, no just going",p:63,x:33,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"through the motions. I’m a woman, just how much",p:63,x:33,y:456,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you’re going to discover. When I’m finished with",p:63,x:33,y:477,w:293,h:14},
{t:"61",p:64,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"you, you",p:64,x:42,y:42,w:50,h:14},
{t:"’re not going to feel a separate person for",p:64,x:91,y:42,w:244,h:14},
{t:"a long time.’",p:64,x:42,y:63,w:68,h:14},
{t:"What could I say to that, borrowed as it was, I",p:64,x:61,y:94,w:275,h:14},
{t:"suppose, from some book she’d been reading? But",p:64,x:42,y:115,w:294,h:14},
{t:"she was right, and stayed so for the weeks follow-",p:64,x:42,y:136,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing, until I took myself wearily off to Northampton-",p:64,x:42,y:156,w:292,h:14},
{t:"shire and the new assignment.",p:64,x:42,y:177,w:174,h:14},
{t:"62",p:65,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"CHAPTER THREE",p:65,x:33,y:167,w:171,h:27},
{t:"Botes Manor stands at the far edge of the",p:65,x:51,y:232,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Cotswolds. On three sides are the level fields of the",p:65,x:33,y:253,w:293,h:14},
{t:"shire counties, bordered by elms and slow-",p:65,x:33,y:274,w:292,h:14},
{t:"meandering rivers, but for a few miles around the",p:65,x:33,y:295,w:293,h:14},
{t:"house the land rises again into small hills. The estate",p:65,x:33,y:316,w:293,h:14},
{t:"is not marked on maps, however, and, as on the",p:65,x:33,y:336,w:293,h:14},
{t:"previous trip, it took some time to find the entrance,",p:65,x:33,y:357,w:293,h:14},
{t:"where I had to pose for the surveillance camera",p:65,x:33,y:378,w:293,h:14},
{t:"before the gates whirred slowly open.",p:65,x:33,y:399,w:210,h:14},
{t:"Two miles down the drive the facade came into",p:65,x:51,y:430,w:274,h:14},
{t:"view. Thin ribbings of yellow sandstone rose into",p:65,x:33,y:450,w:293,h:14},
{t:"spires and were separated by immense diamond",p:65,x:33,y:471,w:292,h:14},
{t:"panes of glossy darkness. Again it had that secre-",p:65,x:33,y:492,w:293,h:14},
{t:"63",p:66,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"tive appearance, and the housekeeper stood wait-",p:66,x:42,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing when I brought the Mercedes to a halt on the",p:66,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"gravel led forecourt. The Stumpfls were away at",p:66,x:42,y:84,w:295,h:14},
{t:"present, she said, but arrangements had been",p:66,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"made. We went through the high entrance hall, and",p:66,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"up the stone staircase to the first floor. My room",p:66,x:42,y:146,w:294,h:14},
{t:"was a short way down the passage: a man ’s room,",p:66,x:42,y:167,w:292,h:14},
{t:"homely and airy, with a scatter of Persian rugs on",p:66,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the floor and deep armchairs. The late sun spar-",p:66,x:42,y:209,w:292,h:14},
{t:"kled on the lead joins, and through the rippled",p:66,x:42,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"glass I could see the lawn sloping down to the",p:66,x:42,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"swimming pool. Perfect, I told her, and went down",p:66,x:42,y:271,w:292,h:14},
{t:"to collect my second bag.",p:66,x:42,y:292,w:144,h:14},
{t:"Mrs Wylie was hovering when I helped myself to",p:66,x:61,y:323,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the cold buffet laid out in the small dining room.",p:66,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Herr Stumpfl had been most particular. Whatever I",p:66,x:42,y:365,w:292,h:14},
{t:"wanted for breakfast, or any other meal, I was to let",p:66,x:42,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"her know. Kippers, I said, with toast and coffee.",p:66,x:42,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"She nodded, and later took me up to the north wing",p:66,x:42,y:427,w:293,h:14},
{t:"where a room had been converted into a s tudio. My",p:66,x:42,y:448,w:293,h:14},
{t:"easel, mixing table and paints had been brought",p:66,x:42,y:469,w:293,h:14},
{t:"over as I’d asked, but there were also stretchers,",p:66,x:42,y:490,w:292,h:14},
{t:"64",p:67,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"another studio easel and two rolls of canvas. New",p:67,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"brushes stood in jars, and I didn’t need to run my",p:67,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"fingers through to know their quality.",p:67,x:33,y:84,w:205,h:14},
{t:"My first concern was to plan the assignment.",p:67,x:51,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"The owners would come first, and after them the",p:67,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"staff, and then the house. I made rough drawings",p:67,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of the Mrs Wylie, Bursken the bailiff, and the",p:67,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"groundsmen, and afterwards splashed in a little",p:67,x:33,y:198,w:294,h:14},
{t:"watercolour. The real work would have to wait until",p:67,x:33,y:219,w:292,h:14},
{t:"my hosts returned, as I explained to Christine on",p:67,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"my first weekend back.",p:67,x:33,y:260,w:130,h:14},
{t:"‘So w e’re having to live it up all on our own-",p:67,x:51,y:291,w:274,h:14},
{t:"some. ’",p:67,x:33,y:312,w:37,h:14},
{t:"‘It’s just a job. We agreed the mon ey’s going to",p:67,x:51,y:343,w:274,h:14},
{t:"be useful.’",p:67,x:33,y:364,w:59,h:14},
{t:"‘We agreed that you",p:67,x:51,y:395,w:125,h:14},
{t:"’d be out of this hole by",p:67,x:175,y:395,w:150,h:14},
{t:"now. You haven",p:67,x:33,y:416,w:95,h:14},
{t:"’t even looked at the Steeles Road",p:67,x:126,y:416,w:200,h:14},
{t:"flat.’ She handed me the sales details again.",p:67,x:33,y:436,w:250,h:14},
{t:"‘We will.’",p:67,x:51,y:467,w:51,h:14},
{t:"65",p:68,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘And there’s an invitation to a fancy dress party.",p:68,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Opened it because it could have been urgent.’",p:68,x:42,y:63,w:260,h:14},
{t:"‘That ’s all right, Chrissie. I don ’t have an y se-",p:68,x:61,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"crets from you.’",p:68,x:42,y:115,w:88,h:14},
{t:"‘So who are Mr and Mrs G.F. Howard?’",p:68,x:61,y:146,w:223,h:14},
{t:"‘Must be Jerry Howard. Haven",p:68,x:61,y:176,w:177,h:14},
{t:"’t seen him since",p:68,x:236,y:176,w:98,h:14},
{t:"Oxford days.’",p:68,x:42,y:197,w:75,h:14},
{t:"‘You can count me out.’",p:68,x:61,y:228,w:133,h:14},
{t:"‘Don’t be silly. You’ll like him. What are you going",p:68,x:61,y:259,w:274,h:14},
{t:"as?’",p:68,x:42,y:280,w:23,h:14},
{t:"‘You don’t listen.’",p:68,x:61,y:310,w:96,h:14},
{t:"She agreed in the end, and through the London",p:68,x:61,y:341,w:274,h:14},
{t:"A to Z we found a detached house in one of",p:68,x:42,y:362,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Esher ’s leafier quarters, expensive and not what I’d",p:68,x:42,y:383,w:292,h:14},
{t:"have expected of Jerry’s background. Our host",p:68,x:42,y:404,w:292,h:14},
{t:"wasn’t at the door, and I couldn’t place the brunette",p:68,x:42,y:425,w:293,h:14},
{t:"who stretched out a black-gloved hand. ‘Of course, ’",p:68,x:42,y:446,w:292,h:14},
{t:"I said, going back, Christine not following, ‘you’re",p:68,x:42,y:466,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Jerry’s wife. We haven’t met.’",p:68,x:42,y:487,w:167,h:14},
{t:"66",p:69,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘And you’re Patrick. Told you much about his",p:69,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"errant past, has he?’ she said to Christine.",p:69,x:33,y:63,w:240,h:14},
{t:"‘No.’",p:69,x:51,y:94,w:25,h:14},
{t:"‘Just as well. You and I should have a l",p:69,x:51,y:125,w:230,h:14},
{t:"ittle talk.",p:69,x:278,y:125,w:47,h:14},
{t:"If you haven",p:69,x:33,y:146,w:77,h:14},
{t:"’t netted Patrick by now you clearly",p:69,x:109,y:146,w:217,h:14},
{t:"need some help.’",p:69,x:33,y:166,w:96,h:14},
{t:"She put a protective arm around as I tried to in-",p:69,x:51,y:197,w:273,h:14},
{t:"tervene. ",p:69,x:33,y:218,w:51,h:14},
{t:"‘I’ll look after her. You go and enjoy you r-",p:69,x:83,y:218,w:242,h:14},
{t:"self.’",p:69,x:33,y:239,w:26,h:14},
{t:"‘Lost the better half already?’ said one of the",p:69,x:51,y:270,w:274,h:14},
{t:"men who’d strolled over.",p:69,x:33,y:290,w:137,h:14},
{t:"I grinned. ‘Patrick Staunton.’",p:69,x:51,y:321,w:161,h:14},
{t:"‘Peter Rivers’, he said, shaking my hand again.",p:69,x:51,y:352,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘Yes, you can count on Gloria. That Avengers turn-",p:69,x:33,y:373,w:293,h:14},
{t:"out suits her, don’t you think?",p:69,x:33,y:394,w:167,h:14},
{t:"’",p:69,x:199,y:394,w:2,h:14},
{t:"‘So that’s what it is. I had more lurid ideas.’",p:69,x:51,y:425,w:242,h:14},
{t:"‘Naughty boy.’ He looked at me closely. ",p:69,x:51,y:456,w:252,h:14},
{t:"‘Old",p:69,x:302,y:456,w:23,h:14},
{t:"friend of Jerry’s?’",p:69,x:33,y:476,w:98,h:14},
{t:"67",p:70,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Oxford days. Same college. ’",p:70,x:61,y:42,w:162,h:14},
{t:"‘Ah, the artist. Jerry said he’d invited some lu-",p:70,x:61,y:73,w:274,h:14},
{t:"minary or other. But I can’t say you look much like",p:70,x:42,y:94,w:293,h:14},
{t:"a painter to me.’",p:70,x:42,y:115,w:90,h:14},
{t:"‘I’m Attila the Hun, in case this get-up isn’t mak-",p:70,x:61,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ing the point.’",p:70,x:42,y:166,w:76,h:14},
{t:"‘Not like the other industrious little doodlers we",p:70,x:61,y:197,w:274,h:14},
{t:"have in our agency. You wouldn’t keep your head",p:70,x:42,y:218,w:294,h:14},
{t:"down for long.’",p:70,x:42,y:239,w:83,h:14},
{t:"‘I’d be happy to try.’",p:70,x:61,y:270,w:110,h:14},
{t:"‘Packaging. That’s what we do.’",p:70,x:61,y:300,w:179,h:14},
{t:"I laughed. ‘Tell me how Jerry’s doing.’",p:70,x:61,y:331,w:214,h:14},
{t:"‘Ask him yourself. He ’s through there. But make",p:70,x:61,y:362,w:274,h:14},
{t:"sure you meet my wife. Veronica’s got her eye on",p:70,x:42,y:383,w:295,h:14},
{t:"you.’",p:70,x:42,y:404,w:26,h:14},
{t:"It was Jerry, though older, with a little heaviness",p:70,x:61,y:435,w:273,h:14},
{t:"in the good-natured expression. He poured a",p:70,x:42,y:456,w:293,h:14},
{t:"whisky and then, without looking up, doubled it.",p:70,x:42,y:476,w:293,h:14},
{t:"68",p:71,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Rapine and slaughter tonight, is it, O valorous",p:71,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"one?",p:71,x:33,y:63,w:28,h:14},
{t:"‘Jerry, how are you? Long time.’",p:71,x:51,y:94,w:180,h:14},
{t:"‘Fine.’ He gave my h and a vigorous shake.",p:71,x:51,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:71,x:33,y:146,w:26,h:14},
{t:"’ve met Gloria, haven",p:71,x:58,y:146,w:120,h:14},
{t:"’t you?’",p:71,x:177,y:146,w:40,h:14},
{t:"‘She snaffled my girlfriend.’",p:71,x:51,y:176,w:155,h:14},
{t:"‘You could always pick them.’",p:71,x:51,y:207,w:167,h:14},
{t:"‘Gloria is charming. Congratulations.’",p:71,x:51,y:238,w:210,h:14},
{t:"‘My friend, I thank you.’ He bent down to open",p:71,x:51,y:269,w:274,h:14},
{t:"another box of glasses. ‘Drop back in an hour or",p:71,x:33,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"so, would you? We can slope off and have a pow-",p:71,x:33,y:310,w:292,h:14},
{t:"wow. Unless you’re going to stay the night? Bags",p:71,x:33,y:331,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of room.’",p:71,x:33,y:352,w:49,h:14},
{t:"‘Love to, but I don’t think Christine approves of",p:71,x:51,y:383,w:273,h:14},
{t:"my drinking buddies.’",p:71,x:33,y:404,w:120,h:14},
{t:"‘Say no more. Toiling like the rest of us, eyeless",p:71,x:51,y:435,w:273,h:14},
{t:"in the mill at Gaza.’",p:71,x:33,y:456,w:108,h:14},
{t:"69",p:72,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"I wandered round, through the six rooms that",p:72,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"made up the ground floor, all furnished in standard",p:72,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"taste. Snatches of conversation floated past: the",p:72,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"job, last year",p:72,x:42,y:105,w:81,h:14},
{t:"’s holiday, the children ’s education.",p:72,x:121,y:105,w:213,h:14},
{t:"One could do worse, even i f all the bright promise",p:72,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of these bodies was already settling into comfort-",p:72,x:42,y:146,w:292,h:14},
{t:"able middle age. In the garden I found a concrete",p:72,x:42,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"bench and put my feet up on the sundial, realizing",p:72,x:42,y:188,w:294,h:14},
{t:"that Christine had been right: my boots didn’t go",p:72,x:42,y:209,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with the costume. Still, I preferred a Bohemian",p:72,x:42,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"style, even as I liked the Spartan surroundings of",p:72,x:42,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"my bedsit, with its scuffed plaster and curtains that",p:72,x:42,y:271,w:293,h:14},
{t:"didn’t reach the window-sill.",p:72,x:42,y:292,w:157,h:14},
{t:"‘Why’s that?’ Christine had once demanded.",p:72,x:61,y:323,w:252,h:14},
{t:"‘The contrast. Your glowing skin against the",p:72,x:61,y:354,w:275,h:14},
{t:"tawdry scene.’",p:72,x:42,y:375,w:81,h:14},
{t:"‘You’re sick.’",p:72,x:61,y:406,w:72,h:14},
{t:"‘The freedom to make a new world.’",p:72,x:61,y:436,w:201,h:14},
{t:"‘And selfish.’",p:72,x:61,y:467,w:73,h:14},
{t:"70",p:73,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"That’s what I did. Women bought themselves",p:73,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"underwear and bedroom ornaments that no one",p:73,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"would see because the ob jects created a wor ld of",p:73,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"interior luxury. That world I sensed—eventually, if I",p:73,x:33,y:105,w:292,h:14},
{t:"flattered and cajoled enough—was filled with an",p:73,x:33,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"individual personality. It’s what I painted, and what",p:73,x:33,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"they paid for, even if I cheated w ith the fees or the",p:73,x:33,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"setting. To create a presence that only the two of",p:73,x:33,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"us understood, to stain the air with a bright radi-",p:73,x:33,y:209,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ance, as someone put it. The phrase came back as",p:73,x:33,y:230,w:294,h:14},
{t:"an intriguing reminder, and I wasn’t for a moment",p:73,x:33,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"aware of Jerry standing over me.",p:73,x:33,y:271,w:185,h:14},
{t:"‘You ready?’ he said.",p:73,x:51,y:302,w:118,h:14},
{t:"‘You’re not giving up your own party?’",p:73,x:51,y:333,w:211,h:14},
{t:"‘We most certainly are. Sir Walter Raleigh and",p:73,x:51,y:364,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Attila the Hun are off to the local for fresh supplies.",p:73,x:33,y:385,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Come along.’",p:73,x:33,y:406,w:74,h:14},
{t:"We threaded our way through the cars parked in",p:73,x:51,y:436,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the long driveway and set off down the road—",p:73,x:33,y:457,w:292,h:14},
{t:"sauntered, I should say, with the self-conscious",p:73,x:33,y:478,w:292,h:14},
{t:"71",p:74,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"happiness of boys truant from school. Ten minutes",p:74,x:42,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"brought us to The Wheatsheaf, where Jerry held",p:74,x:42,y:63,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the door. I went through into a lounge almost empty",p:74,x:42,y:84,w:294,h:14},
{t:"this warm Saturday evening. ‘Lummy ’, said the",p:74,x:42,y:105,w:294,h:14},
{t:"barmaid as I made my way over",p:74,x:42,y:126,w:183,h:14},
{t:".",p:74,x:221,y:126,w:3,h:14},
{t:"‘No, this is on me’, said Jerry. ‘Sheila, let me in-",p:74,x:61,y:156,w:274,h:14},
{t:"troduce an old friend: Patrick Staunton the painter.",p:74,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Now in disguise.’",p:74,x:42,y:198,w:96,h:14},
{t:"I grinned raffishly.",p:74,x:61,y:229,w:102,h:14},
{t:"‘Take your hat off when you meet a lady. No",p:74,x:61,y:260,w:274,h:14},
{t:"manners these barbarians.’",p:74,x:42,y:280,w:155,h:14},
{t:"The woman collapsed slowly on to the bar, dis-",p:74,x:61,y:311,w:274,h:14},
{t:"playing an extravagant cleavage. ",p:74,x:42,y:332,w:202,h:14},
{t:"‘You",p:74,x:243,y:332,w:26,h:14},
{t:"’re off your",p:74,x:268,y:332,w:66,h:14},
{t:"block. Both of you.’",p:74,x:42,y:353,w:108,h:14},
{t:"‘That ’s no way to speak to an old and valued",p:74,x:61,y:384,w:274,h:14},
{t:"customer. I shall have the usual, if you please.’ He",p:74,x:42,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"handed over a fiver. ‘And my friend . . . ’",p:74,x:42,y:426,w:226,h:14},
{t:"‘Will have a tonic water.’",p:74,x:61,y:456,w:137,h:14},
{t:"72",p:75,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Careful type, are we?’ said the woman, placing",p:75,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the drinks on the bar.",p:75,x:33,y:63,w:120,h:14},
{t:"‘Driving.’",p:75,x:51,y:94,w:49,h:14},
{t:"‘Use the tube, loverboy.’",p:75,x:51,y:125,w:136,h:14},
{t:"I smiled, put on my helmet, and carried the",p:75,x:51,y:156,w:275,h:14},
{t:"drinks over to the table near the window.",p:75,x:33,y:176,w:227,h:14},
{t:"‘It’s good to see you",p:75,x:51,y:207,w:120,h:14},
{t:"’, said Jerry. ‘And sit round",p:75,x:169,y:207,w:156,h:14},
{t:"here, so you don ’t ogle my property. A ll going well,",p:75,x:33,y:228,w:292,h:14},
{t:"is it? The good and the great queuing outside your",p:75,x:33,y:249,w:293,h:14},
{t:"studio?’",p:75,x:33,y:270,w:44,h:14},
{t:"‘I’d like to hope so.’",p:75,x:51,y:300,w:108,h:14},
{t:"‘You think I’ve sold out’, he said in that self-",p:75,x:51,y:331,w:274,h:14},
{t:"deprecating drawl I could now remember.",p:75,x:33,y:352,w:234,h:14},
{t:"‘You’re doing pretty well, as far as I can see.’",p:75,x:51,y:383,w:253,h:14},
{t:"‘Balderdash. The blight of middle-class respect-",p:75,x:51,y:414,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ability has fallen across my life. How does it go?’",p:75,x:33,y:435,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘And there is nothing left remarkable under the",p:75,x:51,y:466,w:275,h:14},
{t:"visiting moon?’",p:75,x:33,y:486,w:84,h:14},
{t:"73",p:76,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘That’s it. True, my friend. I see nothing of the",p:76,x:61,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"old crowd. You’re the last of the innings.’",p:76,x:42,y:63,w:230,h:14},
{t:"‘Patter of tiny feet now?’",p:76,x:61,y:94,w:136,h:14},
{t:"‘Sebastian and Philip. Take after their mother.’",p:76,x:61,y:125,w:262,h:14},
{t:"‘Congratulations.’",p:76,x:61,y:156,w:98,h:14},
{t:"‘Yes, all satisfactory on t hat front, but you know",p:76,x:61,y:186,w:274,h:14},
{t:"what I mean. I want them to make something of",p:76,x:42,y:207,w:293,h:14},
{t:"themselves. You don ’t have a real job, but the sky",p:76,x:42,y:228,w:293,h:14},
{t:"hasn’t fallen in. Not everyone has to have a mort-",p:76,x:42,y:249,w:292,h:14},
{t:"gage or holidays abroad or school fees to save for.’",p:76,x:42,y:270,w:288,h:14},
{t:"‘Sometimes wish I had.’",p:76,x:61,y:300,w:135,h:14},
{t:"‘Really? Cupid’s arrow has struck home? Found",p:76,x:61,y:331,w:274,h:14},
{t:"your soul mate, your true heart’s desire? I am most",p:76,x:42,y:352,w:292,h:14},
{t:"profoundly happy. Don’t be put off by the moan-",p:76,x:42,y:373,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ings  of this poor married doormat. Marriage is an",p:76,x:42,y:394,w:293,h:14},
{t:"honourable estate. Engaged to the woman? Chris-",p:76,x:42,y:415,w:292,h:14},
{t:"tine, is it?’",p:76,x:42,y:436,w:57,h:14},
{t:"‘Not exactly.’",p:76,x:61,y:466,w:71,h:14},
{t:"74",p:77,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘You may bend Uncle Jerry’s ear. I am replete",p:77,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"with the wisdom of ages, and very discrete.’",p:77,x:33,y:63,w:247,h:14},
{t:"‘Hence the budding affair with our friend over",p:77,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"there.’",p:77,x:33,y:115,w:35,h:14},
{t:"‘That is a gross slander on my character.’",p:77,x:51,y:146,w:235,h:14},
{t:"‘Just wondering where I fitted in.’",p:77,x:51,y:176,w:187,h:14},
{t:"‘Nowhere. Unless that studio of yours is avai l-",p:77,x:51,y:207,w:273,h:14},
{t:"able?’",p:77,x:33,y:228,w:33,h:14},
{t:"‘Not really .’",p:77,x:51,y:259,w:62,h:14},
{t:"‘Occasionally?’",p:77,x:51,y:290,w:85,h:14},
{t:"‘Jerry, I have a poky bedsit that serves as flat",p:77,x:51,y:320,w:274,h:14},
{t:"and studio and everything else. It’s Christine’s",p:77,x:33,y:341,w:293,h:14},
{t:"territory. I’ve never brought women back there. Or",p:77,x:33,y:362,w:292,h:14},
{t:"clients. They go to a studio I share down in Ham-",p:77,x:33,y:383,w:292,h:14},
{t:"mersmith, where there’s no privacy. None at all.’",p:77,x:33,y:404,w:272,h:14},
{t:"‘Just an idea.’",p:77,x:51,y:435,w:78,h:14},
{t:"‘What’s wrong with a quiet hotel?’",p:77,x:51,y:466,w:191,h:14},
{t:"75",p:78,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Gloria. She scrutinizes everything: it’s her",p:78,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"money, or most of it. Besides, a painter ’s studio",p:78,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"would be romantic.’",p:78,x:42,y:84,w:110,h:14},
{t:"‘Anything else I should know? Nothing about",p:78,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"having promised the poor woman a sitting?’",p:78,x:42,y:136,w:246,h:14},
{t:"‘It is possible .’",p:78,x:61,y:166,w:80,h:14},
{t:"‘You haven",p:78,x:61,y:197,w:65,h:14},
{t:"’t changed. Look, these days I never",p:78,x:125,y:197,w:211,h:14},
{t:"work for free. I have to be professional.’",p:78,x:42,y:218,w:222,h:14},
{t:"He looked at me forlornly. ",p:78,x:61,y:249,w:152,h:14},
{t:"‘Understood. I should",p:78,x:212,y:249,w:122,h:14},
{t:"have known better.’",p:78,x:42,y:270,w:109,h:14},
{t:"‘Sorry.’",p:78,x:61,y:300,w:39,h:14},
{t:"‘Quite all right, old man. We forget how people",p:78,x:61,y:331,w:274,h:14},
{t:"are when we haven",p:78,x:42,y:352,w:119,h:14},
{t:"’t seen them for a wh ile. You",p:78,x:159,y:352,w:176,h:14},
{t:"always were a serious coot. Stuck to your guns,",p:78,x:42,y:373,w:292,h:14},
{t:"whatever you did.’",p:78,x:42,y:394,w:102,h:14},
{t:"‘I’m not making difficulties. Just the truth.’",p:78,x:61,y:425,w:236,h:14},
{t:"‘What you have to remember is that not all of us",p:78,x:61,y:456,w:273,h:14},
{t:"are made of the same unbending steel. It causes",p:78,x:42,y:476,w:293,h:14},
{t:"76",p:79,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"problems. Patrick says no, and everyone has to",p:79,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"adapt. Even Rowena did. Now don’t interrupt. I’m",p:79,x:33,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"going to tell you something. You know who went up",p:79,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"to Scotland afterwards to see her father? Muggins.’",p:79,x:33,y:105,w:290,h:14},
{t:"I stared at him, puzzled. ‘Didn’t know you’d met",p:79,x:51,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"him.’",p:79,x:33,y:156,w:27,h:14},
{t:"‘Why did I invite her to that last ball? Just to take",p:79,x:51,y:187,w:275,h:14},
{t:"her off your hands? No, it was because I was in",p:79,x:33,y:208,w:292,h:14},
{t:"love wi th her. Absolutely besotted. All that time you",p:79,x:33,y:229,w:295,h:14},
{t:"were half taking her out and playing around I was",p:79,x:33,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the one who desperately wanted her back. Didn’t",p:79,x:33,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"you know that?’",p:79,x:33,y:291,w:88,h:14},
{t:"‘Why the hell didn’t you say?’",p:79,x:51,y:322,w:165,h:14},
{t:"‘Because we were friends, and Rowena wan ted",p:79,x:51,y:353,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you. Is that hopelessly derring-do? If Rowena could",p:79,x:33,y:374,w:293,h:14},
{t:"be happy with you I wasn’t going to stand in the",p:79,x:33,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"way.’",p:79,x:33,y:416,w:28,h:14},
{t:"Slowly the memories came back: Jerry’s behav-",p:79,x:51,y:446,w:275,h:14},
{t:"iour, the odd hints Rowena had dropped. I saw the",p:79,x:33,y:467,w:293,h:14},
{t:"kindness of Rowena’s father, the unspoken as-",p:79,x:33,y:488,w:292,h:14},
{t:"77",p:80,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"sumption among the staff that I would gradually",p:80,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"take over. Of course I",p:80,x:42,y:63,w:141,h:14},
{t:"’d been flattered, as any",p:80,x:182,y:63,w:153,h:14},
{t:"young man would, and it was only one afternoon,",p:80,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"as we sat in the drawing room in the spotlessly-",p:80,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"kept house, that I realized what was missing. Row-",p:80,x:42,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ena was a presentable woman. Her father had all",p:80,x:42,y:146,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the straight dealing you",p:80,x:42,y:167,w:135,h:14},
{t:"’d expect of a military back-",p:80,x:176,y:167,w:158,h:14},
{t:"ground. And the setting was magnificent. But there",p:80,x:42,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"was nothing of the atmosphere in which Patrick",p:80,x:42,y:209,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Staunton could live. A better man would have",p:80,x:42,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ended matters on the spot, spoken to laird and",p:80,x:42,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"daughter, and quietly packed his bags. I hung",p:80,x:42,y:271,w:294,h:14},
{t:"about, though, shocked by the revelation. For a",p:80,x:42,y:292,w:293,h:14},
{t:"whole year I couldn’t explain.",p:80,x:42,y:313,w:162,h:14},
{t:"Jerry was looking at me.",p:80,x:61,y:344,w:137,h:14},
{t:"‘I don’t know what to say.’",p:80,x:61,y:375,w:144,h:14},
{t:"‘All forgotten, old man. Water under the bridge .’",p:80,x:61,y:406,w:269,h:14},
{t:"‘Look, I’ll do the girl’s portrait, and gratis, if that’s",p:80,x:61,y:436,w:274,h:14},
{t:"what you",p:80,x:42,y:457,w:51,h:14},
{t:"’ve promised.’",p:80,x:92,y:457,w:78,h:14},
{t:"‘Like to do Gloria’s as well?’",p:80,x:61,y:488,w:157,h:14},
{t:"78",p:81,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘I’m not cheap now. One grand at least.’",p:81,x:51,y:42,w:225,h:14},
{t:"‘Ask two. Just get us a room in London with the",p:81,x:51,y:73,w:275,h:14},
{t:"extra cash.’",p:81,x:33,y:94,w:65,h:14},
{t:"‘No, Jerry.’",p:81,x:51,y:125,w:61,h:14},
{t:"‘Or just slip us the money.’",p:81,x:51,y:156,w:151,h:14},
{t:"‘Rather high stakes, isn’t it? With a good-looking",p:81,x:51,y:186,w:274,h:14},
{t:"wife, beautiful home, two children . . . ’",p:81,x:33,y:207,w:217,h:14},
{t:"‘If I don ’t break out occasionally, I shall go mad.",p:81,x:51,y:238,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Sheila is something I must have.’",p:81,x:33,y:259,w:187,h:14},
{t:"‘Couldn’t you use her place?’",p:81,x:51,y:290,w:164,h:14},
{t:"‘Seen her boyfriend, all fourteen stone of him?",p:81,x:51,y:320,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Sheila knows the score. She’s not my type any",p:81,x:33,y:341,w:293,h:14},
{t:"more than Christine is yours.’",p:81,x:33,y:362,w:166,h:14},
{t:"‘Christine is about the kindest creature I know.’",p:81,x:51,y:393,w:265,h:14},
{t:"‘Right, grovelling apologies, old man. We’ll fix",p:81,x:51,y:424,w:275,h:14},
{t:"up a dinner party sometime. I thought you were just",p:81,x:33,y:445,w:293,h:14},
{t:"playing around.’",p:81,x:33,y:466,w:90,h:14},
{t:"79",p:82,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Would you mind if we went back now? I prom-",p:82,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ised Christine she wouldn’t be abandoned.’",p:82,x:42,y:63,w:244,h:14},
{t:"‘Understood. We shall go back on the instant.’",p:82,x:61,y:94,w:262,h:14},
{t:"I looked at Jerry during our return as though to",p:82,x:61,y:125,w:275,h:14},
{t:"find something I hadn’t seen before, but he was",p:82,x:42,y:146,w:292,h:14},
{t:"just the same, ambling along with that small boy’s",p:82,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"quizzical expression. The front door was open as",p:82,x:42,y:187,w:294,h:14},
{t:"we came up the drive and I could feel the music",p:82,x:42,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"heavy on the air. Christine was sitting it out, but got",p:82,x:42,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"up immediately I came into the room. ‘Right,’ I said,",p:82,x:42,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"‘let ’s dance. Dance as though our lives depended",p:82,x:42,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"on it. Chrissie, please.’",p:82,x:42,y:291,w:129,h:14},
{t:"Both Stumpfls were back the following week,",p:82,x:61,y:353,w:274,h:14},
{t:"though it was through Natalie that I made arrange-",p:82,x:42,y:374,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ments. I began their portraits in the studio, working",p:82,x:42,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"at them alternately. The fierce look had not re-",p:82,x:42,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"turned to Stumpfl, and I soon gave up trying to",p:82,x:42,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"balance the man’s chilly ambience with his busi-",p:82,x:42,y:457,w:293,h:14},
{t:"80",p:83,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"ness successes, concentrating on the doting",p:83,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"pleasure with which he followed his wife around.",p:83,x:33,y:63,w:273,h:14},
{t:"In truth it was Natalie’s portrait that pleased me",p:83,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"most. There is something unexpected, even magi-",p:83,x:33,y:115,w:292,h:14},
{t:"cal about a portrait coming to life, and I began to",p:83,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"feel I’d never painted so well. Even Stumpfl would",p:83,x:33,y:156,w:292,h:14},
{t:"look in at lunchtime, and again at five. Sometimes",p:83,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"he would sit there after dinner, with all the lights",p:83,x:33,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"turned on, which spoiled the flesh tones that I’d",p:83,x:33,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"built up with acid yellows and pinks. But it made no",p:83,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"difference. He was astonished, and I think for those",p:83,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"spellbound minutes Natalie’s portrait meant more",p:83,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"than all his shipping and international concerns put",p:83,x:33,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"together.",p:83,x:33,y:323,w:49,h:14},
{t:"The portrait began to make claims on me too.",p:83,x:51,y:354,w:275,h:14},
{t:"There was nothing unusual about the pose, just",p:83,x:33,y:375,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Natalie three-quarters facing, with the light coming",p:83,x:33,y:396,w:293,h:14},
{t:"from the window and reflected on the left. Too",p:83,x:33,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"much light, an older school would have thought, not",p:83,x:33,y:437,w:293,h:14},
{t:"so much bathing the face as dissolving into it, as",p:83,x:33,y:458,w:292,h:14},
{t:"though that surface were a gentle swelling from the",p:83,x:33,y:479,w:294,h:14},
{t:"81",p:84,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"ground itself, a soft-breathing membrane of trans-",p:84,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"parent subtleties that I wove hour after hour in a",p:84,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"slow frenzy of concentration.",p:84,x:42,y:84,w:162,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps the strain began to tell, as I started",p:84,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"making excuses. We should go out, walk in the",p:84,x:42,y:136,w:294,h:14},
{t:"grounds, take picnics, place characters in a more",p:84,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"natural setting. All these experiments came off:",p:84,x:42,y:177,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Natalie sprawled by the picnic hamper, in a loose",p:84,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"white top, her sandalled feet pushing into the",p:84,x:42,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"grass. The pencil found its own way, picked out just",p:84,x:42,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the right features. Even the watercolour washes,",p:84,x:42,y:260,w:292,h:14},
{t:"where I touched in the shadows in the far eye and",p:84,x:42,y:281,w:292,h:14},
{t:"under the chin, and then filled the background with",p:84,x:42,y:302,w:294,h:14},
{t:"the glowing greens and blues of the thick trees",p:84,x:42,y:323,w:292,h:14},
{t:"behind had only to take their place around some-",p:84,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"thing that was already abundantly alive.",p:84,x:42,y:365,w:221,h:14},
{t:"The reasons were obvious. With this carefree",p:84,x:61,y:396,w:275,h:14},
{t:"gentle creature I was in love, wholly given to her",p:84,x:42,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"presence, and could not imagine how it should be",p:84,x:42,y:437,w:293,h:14},
{t:"otherwise. I had said nothing, and done nothing,",p:84,x:42,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"but Botes staff and Stumpfl himself were as aware",p:84,x:42,y:479,w:293,h:14},
{t:"82",p:85,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"of it as though we walked around all day wi th tall",p:85,x:33,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"paper hats on our heads. In six short weeks, where",p:85,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"not a word of intimacy had passed between us, it",p:85,x:33,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"was as though I’d known Natalie all my life. The",p:85,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"light chatter of her voice, the precise fold of arm,",p:85,x:33,y:126,w:292,h:14},
{t:"leg and body in a hundred arrangements, her",p:85,x:33,y:146,w:293,h:14},
{t:"dresses, the indescribable softness of her body",p:85,x:33,y:167,w:293,h:14},
{t:"fragrance: all this I felt and was fiercely partisan to.",p:85,x:33,y:188,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Since she knew that, and seemed instinctively to",p:85,x:33,y:209,w:293,h:14},
{t:"know what I would say and do next, there was no",p:85,x:33,y:230,w:293,h:14},
{t:"need to draw attention to the matter. We were",p:85,x:33,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"courteous and awed by each other, and the day",p:85,x:33,y:271,w:293,h:14},
{t:"went on quietly around us.",p:85,x:33,y:292,w:149,h:14},
{t:"Unreal, you will say, ad olescent, make-believe.",p:85,x:51,y:323,w:275,h:14},
{t:"No doubt, though left to myself, composing land-",p:85,x:33,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"scapes, or half reading a book in the library after",p:85,x:33,y:365,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the Stumpfls had gone to bed, there wasn’t an inch",p:85,x:33,y:386,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of her body that I didn’t imagine caressing and",p:85,x:33,y:406,w:293,h:14},
{t:"intimately filling. But all fantasies vanished on see-",p:85,x:33,y:427,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing her, and while I’m sure that no gross physical",p:85,x:33,y:448,w:293,h:14},
{t:"act would have d istressed her, nothing was ex-",p:85,x:33,y:469,w:293,h:14},
{t:"pected or advisable. If a word is wanted it is ver-",p:85,x:33,y:490,w:292,h:14},
{t:"83",p:86,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"tigo. Here on the high trapeze we swung effort-",p:86,x:42,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"lessly through our elaborate routines, safe wh ile we",p:86,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"followed them exactly.",p:86,x:42,y:84,w:124,h:14},
{t:"I generally got up early, went for a stroll around",p:86,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the estate, and then joined the Stumpfls for",p:86,x:42,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"breakfast. Natalie was a late riser, but Stumpfl had",p:86,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"put in an hour or two at his desk, appearing soberly",p:86,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"correct in grey suit a nd tie . Natalie dressed informally ,",p:86,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"but I ne ver saw her in negligee or dressing gown.",p:86,x:42,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps it was a courtesy to me, so my",p:86,x:42,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"imagination should have less to fasten on, but in",p:86,x:42,y:260,w:294,h:14},
{t:"time I realized that Natalie was also a sensible and",p:86,x:42,y:281,w:292,h:14},
{t:"organized woman, her day fitting into her husband’s",p:86,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"routines.",p:86,x:42,y:323,w:49,h:14},
{t:"For long periods the two were away on business",p:86,x:61,y:354,w:273,h:14},
{t:"but Natalie always prepared lunch when back, and",p:86,x:42,y:375,w:293,h:14},
{t:"often dinner as well. She had her own interests,",p:86,x:42,y:396,w:292,h:14},
{t:"probably the estate finances, as I saw her in con-",p:86,x:42,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"versation with Bursken, or bending over the flower",p:86,x:42,y:437,w:293,h:14},
{t:"beds with the gardeners. Did she still see her friend",p:86,x:42,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"in London? I knew she did, but whereas she took",p:86,x:42,y:479,w:293,h:14},
{t:"84",p:87,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"the ten o’clock train on Saturday, I had left the",p:87,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Thursday evening before.",p:87,x:33,y:63,w:144,h:14},
{t:"What could I say to the dashing blonde? Chris-",p:87,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tine had drawn her own conclusions, and was soon",p:87,x:33,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"trying to compete. She now cooked on Friday eve-",p:87,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"nings, having a meal prepared when I came home",p:87,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"from class. She bought herself recipe books, and",p:87,x:33,y:177,w:292,h:14},
{t:"invited Georg and another couple to lunch one",p:87,x:33,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Sunday, which went off well. Just needs company,",p:87,x:33,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Christine said, reminding me of what I should have",p:87,x:33,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"done years ago. She talked for the first time about",p:87,x:33,y:260,w:292,h:14},
{t:"painters, dragging me off to London exhibitions on",p:87,x:33,y:281,w:293,h:14},
{t:"which she had clearly done her best to become",p:87,x:33,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"knowledgeable.",p:87,x:33,y:323,w:88,h:14},
{t:"Of course we also toured the letting agencies,",p:87,x:51,y:354,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tramping up and down stairs, admiring rooms, gar-",p:87,x:33,y:375,w:293,h:14},
{t:"dens and a host of details I carefully noted on the",p:87,x:33,y:396,w:293,h:14},
{t:"particulars—a tedium relieved only by the charm of",p:87,x:33,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"some agents, with whom I was often chatting as",p:87,x:33,y:437,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Christine stocked up with even more literature.",p:87,x:33,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Each prospect was to be our new l ife together. I",p:87,x:33,y:479,w:292,h:14},
{t:"85",p:88,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"gave way to breezy enthusiasm, which was then",p:88,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"tempered with qualifications, and remarks that we",p:88,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"wanted the best, something worth the money,",p:88,x:45,y:84,w:290,h:14},
{t:"which of course depended on keeping in with Reg,",p:88,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the Stumpfls and a continuous stream of new cli-",p:88,x:42,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ents.",p:88,x:42,y:146,w:27,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps it would still work out. None of this was",p:88,x:61,y:177,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Christine’s fault, and I tried as much as was hu-",p:88,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"manly possible to be attentive to this good-natured",p:88,x:42,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"woman. Each night I would draw her up and batter",p:88,x:42,y:240,w:293,h:14},
{t:"away at that heavy libido, filling and pounding as at",p:88,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"some impregnable fortress that was locked against",p:88,x:42,y:281,w:292,h:14},
{t:"me. She always responded, eventually, her body",p:88,x:42,y:302,w:293,h:14},
{t:"shuddering in paroxysms that would have been",p:88,x:42,y:323,w:293,h:14},
{t:"gratifying had I not been drenched and shaking",p:88,x:42,y:344,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with exhaustion.",p:88,x:42,y:365,w:91,h:14},
{t:"Those thoughts were somewhere else when I",p:88,x:61,y:396,w:274,h:14},
{t:"fastened another sheet to my pad and began on",p:88,x:42,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the figure sat in the long grass and pretending to",p:88,x:42,y:437,w:294,h:14},
{t:"read. ‘Can ’t see why we shouldn’t have one of",p:88,x:42,y:458,w:293,h:14},
{t:"these as a full-length painting.’",p:88,x:42,y:479,w:174,h:14},
{t:"86",p:89,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘We are forgetting someone. ’",p:89,x:51,y:42,w:163,h:14},
{t:"‘I could easily paint Heinrich in. You take his",p:89,x:51,y:73,w:274,h:14},
{t:"place. Just angle yourself  and look at me .’",p:89,x:33,y:94,w:241,h:14},
{t:"‘Patrick, he will not want that. And I should not",p:89,x:51,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"either.’",p:89,x:33,y:146,w:38,h:14},
{t:"She looked angry for a moment, and then went",p:89,x:51,y:176,w:274,h:14},
{t:"on sorting out the hamper. I took a sandwich and a",p:89,x:33,y:197,w:293,h:14},
{t:"couple of boiled eggs, and then sat away from her,",p:89,x:33,y:218,w:292,h:14},
{t:"gazing towards the house which appeared on the",p:89,x:33,y:239,w:294,h:14},
{t:"far slope, its south face almost white now in the",p:89,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"strong sunshine. One of the gardeners was work-",p:89,x:33,y:280,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing on the terrace, and in the upstairs room",p:89,x:33,y:301,w:294,h:14},
{t:"Heinrich would be at his desk, writing or on the",p:89,x:33,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"telephone.",p:89,x:33,y:343,w:59,h:14},
{t:"‘Look, my idea, I know, but should we be having",p:89,x:51,y:374,w:274,h:14},
{t:"so many of these picnics?’ She didn’t reply and I",p:89,x:33,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"turned round to find her staring into the hamper. ‘Is",p:89,x:33,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"it wise, do you think?’",p:89,x:33,y:436,w:121,h:14},
{t:"87",p:90,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"She reached a hand across and I realized that",p:90,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"she’d been crying. ‘You have finished the studies",p:90,x:42,y:63,w:292,h:14},
{t:"out of doors anyway.",p:90,x:42,y:84,w:118,h:14},
{t:"’",p:90,x:159,y:84,w:2,h:14},
{t:"For a second I wanted to take the body in my",p:90,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"arms and say that I should never finish admiring",p:90,x:42,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and being near her. That was against our under-",p:90,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"standings, of course, and I said, ‘Suppose so. It’s",p:90,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"just the trees that keep me awake at night, as",p:90,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Heinrich knows.’",p:90,x:42,y:219,w:94,h:14},
{t:"‘You should not tease him. When he pays for",p:90,x:61,y:250,w:274,h:14},
{t:"something he thinks it belongs to him.’",p:90,x:42,y:270,w:218,h:14},
{t:"‘He can have the work when I’m satisfied ’, I",p:90,x:61,y:301,w:274,h:14},
{t:"said. ‘That’s the only way he’s going to buy me.’",p:90,x:42,y:322,w:270,h:14},
{t:"Natalie coloured. ‘Do you know what my class-",p:90,x:61,y:353,w:274,h:14},
{t:"mates are reduced to, the people I trained with?",p:90,x:42,y:374,w:292,h:14},
{t:"They are in tiny flats, one room f lats in tower blocks",p:90,x:42,y:395,w:292,h:14},
{t:"where nothing works. Their lives are not going",p:90,x:42,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"anywhere. Of course they may be lucky: their hus-",p:90,x:42,y:436,w:293,h:14},
{t:"bands do not come home drunk, or beat them up.",p:90,x:42,y:457,w:293,h:14},
{t:"88",p:91,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"The rest have become couriers or call-girls or",p:91,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"cheap prostitutes on Komsomolskaya p loshchad.’",p:91,x:33,y:63,w:280,h:14},
{t:"‘That’s not what I’m talking about.’",p:91,x:51,y:94,w:193,h:14},
{t:"‘You do not know why Heinrich was angry at",p:91,x:51,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Ecclestone’s party? All these people who gave",p:91,x:33,y:146,w:294,h:14},
{t:"themselves airs, and do not know a thing outside",p:91,x:33,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"what appears in the papers. You waved Heinrich’s",p:91,x:33,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"openings aside and started on some airy nonsense",p:91,x:33,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"of your own.’",p:91,x:33,y:229,w:72,h:14},
{t:"‘I don’t know anything about business.’",p:91,x:51,y:260,w:219,h:14},
{t:"‘Heinrich does not know how to talk to people.",p:91,x:51,y:290,w:274,h:14},
{t:"But you do not know what the others were like—fat",p:91,x:33,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Poles, German bankers with their business ex-",p:91,x:33,y:332,w:293,h:14},
{t:"penses, Americans not out of nappies. Heinrich",p:91,x:33,y:353,w:292,h:14},
{t:"was the on ly one who treated me like a woman. He",p:91,x:33,y:374,w:293,h:14},
{t:"did not sidle up, or make promises. For six weeks",p:91,x:33,y:395,w:292,h:14},
{t:"he sent a car for me every evening, and took me",p:91,x:33,y:416,w:293,h:14},
{t:"wherever I wanted to go. With me he was honest",p:91,x:33,y:436,w:292,h:14},
{t:"and straightforward. One even",p:91,x:33,y:457,w:200,h:14},
{t:"ing, he looked",p:91,x:230,y:457,w:96,h:14},
{t:"across the table and asked if I would be his mis-",p:91,x:33,y:478,w:292,h:14},
{t:"89",p:92,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"tress. No terms he give me. Nothing about a flat or",p:92,x:42,y:42,w:294,h:14},
{t:"foreign currency. Patrick, I liked him. I was happier",p:92,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"that night than I was ever in my life.’",p:92,x:42,y:84,w:202,h:14},
{t:"‘You left him for Paris.’",p:92,x:61,y:115,w:128,h:14},
{t:"‘Heinrich sent me. After six months he said I",p:92,x:61,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"should get a qualification recognized outside Rus-",p:92,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sia. There were no strings. If I found someone else,",p:92,x:42,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"or wanted to stay abroad, he would understand.’",p:92,x:42,y:208,w:272,h:14},
{t:"‘Generous of him’, I said, trying to keep the bit-",p:92,x:61,y:239,w:274,h:14},
{t:"terness from my voice.",p:92,x:42,y:260,w:129,h:14},
{t:"‘Maybe he is a ruthless operator, but that is not",p:92,x:61,y:290,w:274,h:14},
{t:"with me.’ She smiled. ‘You are thinking of Magwitch",p:92,x:42,y:311,w:293,h:14},
{t:"and “Great Expectations”. Someone Heinrich could",p:92,x:42,y:332,w:292,h:14},
{t:"always think of.’",p:92,x:42,y:353,w:90,h:14},
{t:"‘Is that why you moved to England?’",p:92,x:61,y:384,w:204,h:14},
{t:"‘It is why you were chosen. Because you also",p:92,x:61,y:415,w:274,h:14},
{t:"have a past.’",p:92,x:42,y:436,w:71,h:14},
{t:"‘There’s nothing mysterious about me .’",p:92,x:61,y:466,w:220,h:14},
{t:"90",p:93,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Who are you trying to find? Your mother, the lit-",p:93,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"tle girl that dumped you?’",p:93,x:33,y:63,w:142,h:14},
{t:"‘Rowena didn’t dump me. She took an over-",p:93,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"dose. ’",p:93,x:33,y:115,w:34,h:14},
{t:"‘She dumped the whole world. Just as your",p:93,x:51,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"mother did.’",p:93,x:33,y:166,w:67,h:14},
{t:"‘Natalie, what is this?’",p:93,x:51,y:197,w:123,h:14},
{t:"‘Why did your father marry? He was old for that.’",p:93,x:51,y:228,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘We have been doing our homework, haven",p:93,x:51,y:259,w:269,h:14},
{t:"’t",p:93,x:319,y:259,w:6,h:14},
{t:"we? My father met Pru through a wager. She was a",p:93,x:33,y:280,w:293,h:14},
{t:"helper in the college canteen, just serving and",p:93,x:33,y:300,w:293,h:14},
{t:"doing the sweeping up. But she was beautiful, and",p:93,x:33,y:321,w:293,h:14},
{t:"when someone bet my father, this old dry stick of a",p:93,x:33,y:342,w:293,h:14},
{t:"bachelor, that he’d not get her, he took the chal-",p:93,x:33,y:363,w:292,h:14},
{t:"lenge. ’",p:93,x:33,y:384,w:37,h:14},
{t:"‘He fell in love with her?’",p:93,x:51,y:415,w:137,h:14},
{t:"‘Completely, though there were always other",p:93,x:51,y:446,w:274,h:14},
{t:"men. She was away weekends at a time, even",p:93,x:33,y:466,w:294,h:14},
{t:"when I was small.’",p:93,x:33,y:487,w:104,h:14},
{t:"91",p:94,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘So you blame her. Which is why you keep",p:94,x:61,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"Christine.’ She paused. ‘Don’t you understand?",p:94,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Heinrich wants me to forget someone by taking up",p:94,x:42,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"with you.’",p:94,x:42,y:105,w:53,h:14},
{t:"The blood drained away.",p:94,x:61,y:136,w:139,h:14},
{t:"‘In time. When there is something to bring us",p:94,x:61,y:166,w:275,h:14},
{t:"together and keep me safe. ’",p:94,x:42,y:187,w:157,h:14},
{t:"‘From your friend in London?’",p:94,x:61,y:218,w:166,h:14},
{t:"She smiled. ‘Why are you so slow? Of course I",p:94,x:61,y:249,w:275,h:14},
{t:"am interested, and perhaps more than interested.",p:94,x:42,y:270,w:292,h:14},
{t:"But you will not leave you r model, and I cannot",p:94,x:42,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"leave H einrich.’",p:94,x:42,y:311,w:86,h:14},
{t:"‘I’ve n o reason to. Christine is one in a million. I",p:94,x:61,y:342,w:274,h:14},
{t:"can hardly support myself, and certainly not some-",p:94,x:42,y:363,w:293,h:14},
{t:"one like you .’",p:94,x:42,y:384,w:73,h:14},
{t:"‘You do not want an affair because you d o not",p:94,x:61,y:415,w:274,h:14},
{t:"know what will happen.’",p:94,x:42,y:436,w:133,h:14},
{t:"‘I’d be more desperately in love than ever.",p:94,x:61,y:466,w:274,h:14},
{t:"You’ve no idea what it’s like .’",p:94,x:42,y:487,w:161,h:14},
{t:"92",p:95,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘It is a nightmare for me too, every time I see",p:95,x:51,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"you. That was why Heinrich talked me into lunch",p:95,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"with you, because I liked you. I told you: he is",p:95,x:33,y:84,w:292,h:14},
{t:"clever.’",p:95,x:33,y:105,w:40,h:14},
{t:"‘Heartless is more like it.’",p:95,x:51,y:136,w:141,h:14},
{t:"‘Then it is a heartless world, if you want some-",p:95,x:51,y:166,w:274,h:14},
{t:"thing badly enough. Patrick, are you listening to",p:95,x:33,y:187,w:294,h:14},
{t:"me? Please, I cannot say more.’",p:95,x:33,y:208,w:182,h:14},
{t:"The pain came so suddenly that I wasn’t even",p:95,x:51,y:239,w:276,h:14},
{t:"aware of holding Natalie in my arms, or of her",p:95,x:33,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"whispering urgently as she freed herself, ‘Not now,",p:95,x:33,y:280,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Patrick, please, please darling . . . ’ It must have",p:95,x:33,y:301,w:294,h:14},
{t:"been in stupefaction that I got up awkwardly to put",p:95,x:33,y:322,w:293,h:14},
{t:"distance between us. A plate snapped under my",p:95,x:33,y:343,w:294,h:14},
{t:"feet as I went over to ad just the easel. Then the",p:95,x:33,y:364,w:293,h:14},
{t:"wretched contraption fell over, and I was trying in",p:95,x:33,y:385,w:292,h:14},
{t:"my confused way to set it up again when I felt",p:95,x:33,y:406,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Natalie’s hand on my shoulder.",p:95,x:33,y:426,w:174,h:14},
{t:"‘I am going to the house now. Heinrich and I are",p:95,x:51,y:457,w:274,h:14},
{t:"eating out tonight. But you will think about it?’",p:95,x:33,y:478,w:255,h:14},
{t:"93",p:96,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘What use is that?’ I muttered, still picking the",p:96,x:61,y:42,w:275,h:14},
{t:"grass from the paint. I looked up, but Natalie was",p:96,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"now walking back to the house.",p:96,x:42,y:84,w:177,h:14},
{t:"Christine had a surly manner when I returned",p:96,x:61,y:146,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the following day. Her flat had been burgled, noth-",p:96,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing much stolen, but the whole place turned over,",p:96,x:42,y:187,w:293,h:14},
{t:"which Patrick seemed not to understand. At Satur-",p:96,x:42,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"day lunch we had one of those sputtering discus-",p:96,x:42,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sions on how the relationship was developing.",p:96,x:42,y:250,w:259,h:14},
{t:"‘I’m not pressing you to marry me. I’m even",p:96,x:61,y:280,w:276,h:14},
{t:"turning a blind eye to your carrying on with this",p:96,x:42,y:301,w:293,h:14},
{t:"German tart.’",p:96,x:42,y:322,w:75,h:14},
{t:"‘I’m not carrying on.’",p:96,x:61,y:353,w:114,h:14},
{t:"‘I said I’d get a better job so we could have a",p:96,x:61,y:384,w:274,h:14},
{t:"decent flat together. Which you still won’t decide",p:96,x:42,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"on.’",p:96,x:42,y:426,w:20,h:14},
{t:"‘They haven’t paid me.’",p:96,x:61,y:456,w:130,h:14},
{t:"94",p:97,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Patrick, you could give up the commission to-",p:97,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"morrow. If you weren’t playing me along.’",p:97,x:33,y:63,w:231,h:14},
{t:"‘I want what’s best for us.’",p:97,x:51,y:94,w:147,h:14},
{t:"‘Best for you.’",p:97,x:51,y:125,w:77,h:14},
{t:"‘I’ll go and see Georg this afternoon",p:97,x:51,y:156,w:206,h:14},
{t:"’, I said. ‘He",p:97,x:257,y:156,w:68,h:14},
{t:"wanted to look at my landscape sketches. All right,",p:97,x:33,y:176,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Chrissie? I’ll be back to cook.’ She didn’t reply, but",p:97,x:33,y:197,w:293,h:14},
{t:"sat down heavi ly in the one armchair and turned on",p:97,x:33,y:218,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the television. ‘About six’, I added, pulling the door",p:97,x:33,y:239,w:293,h:14},
{t:"behind me.",p:97,x:33,y:260,w:63,h:14},
{t:"Georg gave me a pointed look, poured us",p:97,x:51,y:290,w:273,h:14},
{t:"schnapps and helped unpack the folders. ‘Ja’, he",p:97,x:33,y:311,w:294,h:14},
{t:"said irritably, waving me as ide to sort out a small",p:97,x:33,y:332,w:292,h:14},
{t:"pile, which he laid on the table. ",p:97,x:33,y:353,w:181,h:14},
{t:"‘These are all right’,",p:97,x:213,y:353,w:112,h:14},
{t:"he decided at last. ‘For you it is start. It is not bad.’",p:97,x:33,y:374,w:285,h:14},
{t:"‘Thank you.’",p:97,x:51,y:405,w:69,h:14},
{t:"‘But it is not art. You are not a landscape",p:97,x:51,y:436,w:274,h:14},
{t:"painter. It does not talk to you.’",p:97,x:33,y:456,w:173,h:14},
{t:"95",p:98,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Just tell me about the colours. I’m trying to work",p:98,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the Stumpfls into their setting.’",p:98,x:42,y:63,w:173,h:14},
{t:"He looked at the Polaroids I’d taken of the",p:98,x:61,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Stumpfls’ portraits, and then put them down.",p:98,x:42,y:115,w:252,h:14},
{t:"‘Just the colours, if you would.’",p:98,x:61,y:146,w:174,h:14},
{t:"‘Terrible, my friend.’",p:98,x:61,y:176,w:113,h:14},
{t:"So it came out: the pent-up frustrations, the",p:98,x:61,y:207,w:275,h:14},
{t:"evas ions I’d been forced to adopt. I was shouting,",p:98,x:42,y:228,w:292,h:14},
{t:"perhaps wildly, that Georg knew nothing about the",p:98,x:42,y:249,w:294,h:14},
{t:"Stumpfls, or portraits, or anything at all. His figure",p:98,x:42,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"seemed to collapse into itself, but then he was",p:98,x:42,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"recover ing something from the table drawer, a",p:98,x:42,y:311,w:294,h:14},
{t:"studio album, I realized as I took the folder and",p:98,x:42,y:332,w:292,h:14},
{t:"turned the pages. Georg was just about recogniz-",p:98,x:42,y:353,w:293,h:14},
{t:"able—not unhandsome in a thickset way—but his",p:98,x:42,y:374,w:293,h:14},
{t:"wife I knew immediately, the smile radiating from",p:98,x:42,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the figure stood on the church steps.",p:98,x:42,y:416,w:208,h:14},
{t:"‘She was beautiful, Renata, ja?’ he said",p:98,x:61,y:446,w:274,h:14},
{t:"hoarsely.",p:98,x:42,y:467,w:51,h:14},
{t:"96",p:99,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘Yes. And those portraits are not so bad.’",p:99,x:51,y:42,w:231,h:14},
{t:"‘That is why I tell you make changes. Now,",p:99,x:51,y:73,w:274,h:14},
{t:"when you can.’ He’d gone over to the table and",p:99,x:33,y:94,w:292,h:14},
{t:"was looking again at the Polaroid shots, at Nata-",p:99,x:33,y:115,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lie ’s portrait, which he picked up and stared at for a",p:99,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"long time, shaking his head as he put it down. ‘My",p:99,x:33,y:156,w:294,h:14},
{t:"friend, it is dangerous. You do not know these peo-",p:99,x:33,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ple.’ He shook his head again and waved me into",p:99,x:33,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"the armchair. ‘All these months and you do not",p:99,x:33,y:219,w:293,h:14},
{t:"know who this man is.’",p:99,x:33,y:240,w:128,h:14},
{t:"Perhaps I did, vaguely.",p:99,x:51,y:270,w:129,h:14},
{t:"‘Matynia,’ said Georg carefully, mashing the syl-",p:99,x:51,y:301,w:273,h:14},
{t:"lables between his teeth, ‘Kostek Matynia. This I",p:99,x:33,y:322,w:292,h:14},
{t:"tell, and you listen, you listen very carefully .’",p:99,x:33,y:343,w:246,h:14},
{t:"It was after twelve when Georg finished. I",p:99,x:51,y:374,w:265,h:14},
{t:"’d",p:99,x:316,y:374,w:10,h:14},
{t:"phoned Christine earlier, and did so again after our",p:99,x:33,y:395,w:293,h:14},
{t:"talk, but she slammed the phone down. Georg",p:99,x:33,y:416,w:292,h:14},
{t:"found me a blanket and I slept in the easy chair. In",p:99,x:33,y:436,w:292,h:14},
{t:"the morning I went out for supplies early, and made",p:99,x:33,y:457,w:293,h:14},
{t:"a decent breakfast. There was much show of digni-",p:99,x:33,y:478,w:292,h:14},
{t:"97",p:100,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"fied refusal, and Georg was so long dressing in the",p:100,x:42,y:42,w:294,h:14},
{t:"bathroom the eggs turned leathery, but around nine",p:100,x:42,y:63,w:294,h:14},
{t:"we were both drinking a final coffee as the weather",p:100,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"cleared and the prospect of another sunny day",p:100,x:42,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"glowed through the window.",p:100,x:42,y:126,w:158,h:14},
{t:"‘Why don’t we go down by the river? I’ve got",p:100,x:61,y:156,w:274,h:14},
{t:"another portrait to do this morning but I should be",p:100,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"clear by one. You could bring the car back and",p:100,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"collect Christine, couldn’t you? Have a pub lunch.’",p:100,x:42,y:219,w:284,h:14},
{t:"Georg looked at me suspiciously. ",p:100,x:61,y:250,w:221,h:14},
{t:"‘Christine",p:100,x:281,y:250,w:54,h:14},
{t:"know this?’",p:100,x:42,y:270,w:63,h:14},
{t:"‘Better you don’t tell her.’",p:100,x:61,y:301,w:139,h:14},
{t:"‘Ja, okay, we go.’",p:100,x:61,y:332,w:96,h:14},
{t:"We didn’t talk on the drive down, and afterwards",p:100,x:61,y:363,w:274,h:14},
{t:"Georg simply moved over and drove of f in his gear-",p:100,x:42,y:384,w:292,h:14},
{t:"grinding way. I walked over to the turn-of-the-",p:100,x:42,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"century frontage, creaked open the door and went",p:100,x:42,y:426,w:292,h:14},
{t:"through. There are several small rooms off which",p:100,x:42,y:446,w:292,h:14},
{t:"James and I use by agreement, but only the one",p:100,x:42,y:467,w:293,h:14},
{t:"studio, a large converted room that opens on to the",p:100,x:42,y:488,w:293,h:14},
{t:"98",p:101,x:172,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"garden. James is not a tidy person, I was still clear-",p:101,x:33,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing the trolley and adjusting the screens when the",p:101,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"doorbell rang. I went out to find Sheila and partner",p:101,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lodged on the doorstep.",p:101,x:33,y:105,w:133,h:14},
{t:"‘This is Stewart’, said Sheila, tripping back in a",p:101,x:51,y:136,w:275,h:14},
{t:"tight pair of jeans and smiling ha lf-embarrassed.",p:101,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"‘He’s my boyfriend.’",p:101,x:33,y:177,w:112,h:14},
{t:"I saw what Jerry had meant: a large man with",p:101,x:51,y:208,w:274,h:14},
{t:"an angry expression, crew-cut and a gilt earring",p:101,x:33,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"disappearing into the strong neck. ‘Delighted to",p:101,x:33,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"meet you’, I said.",p:101,x:33,y:270,w:96,h:14},
{t:"‘This your place?’ he said, pushing past me into",p:101,x:51,y:301,w:275,h:14},
{t:"the studio.",p:101,x:33,y:322,w:59,h:14},
{t:"‘What I share with a colleague, yes.’",p:101,x:51,y:353,w:204,h:14},
{t:"‘You do all this?’ He walked over ",p:101,x:51,y:384,w:200,h:14},
{t:"to the portrait",p:101,x:248,y:384,w:77,h:14},
{t:"of Gloria and then pulled some others from the",p:101,x:33,y:405,w:293,h:14},
{t:"stack of failures.",p:101,x:33,y:426,w:93,h:14},
{t:"99",p:102,x:181,y:511,w:14,h:15},
{t:"‘That is so, Stewart. Can I get you a beer or",p:102,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"something? It’s a tiring business watching some-",p:102,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"one have their portrait done. ’",p:102,x:42,y:84,w:160,h:14},
{t:"‘Okay girl,’ he said, ‘seems all right. I’ll get your",p:102,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"bag from the car.’",p:102,x:42,y:136,w:100,h:14},
{t:"He carried in a large suitcase, took h imself",p:102,x:61,y:166,w:273,h:14},
{t:"round the other rooms, and then went out, slam-",p:102,x:42,y:187,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ming the door. ‘Was that necessary?’ I said once",p:102,x:42,y:208,w:293,h:14},
{t:"she had finished examining the stack and flopped",p:102,x:42,y:229,w:293,h:14},
{t:"into the portrait chair.",p:102,x:42,y:250,w:120,h:14},
{t:"‘He didn’t think you were genuine.’ She",p:102,x:61,y:280,w:275,h:14},
{t:"stretched out lazily and smiled. ‘But I can tell.’",p:102,x:42,y:301,w:258,h:14},
{t:"‘Right, well, we’ve got a couple of hours. For",p:102,x:61,y:332,w:274,h:14},
{t:"changing, there’s a screen back there, or a bath-",p:102,x:42,y:353,w:292,h:14},
{t:"room on the left. Give me a s hout when you",p:102,x:42,y:374,w:280,h:14},
{t:"’re",p:102,x:321,y:374,w:14,h:14},
{t:"ready. I’ll fix some coffee meanwhile. ’",p:102,x:42,y:395,w:210,h:14},
{t:"‘Okay, loverboy.",p:102,x:61,y:426,w:91,h:14},
{t:"’",p:102,x:151,y:426,w:2,h:14},
{t:"Some ten minutes went by. She was making up,",p:102,x:61,y:456,w:274,h:14},
{t:"I supposed, which would have spoiled the silky",p:102,x:42,y:477,w:294,h:14},
{t:"100",p:103,x:168,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"complexion. ‘All right, is it?’ I called out as I came",p:103,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"through.",p:103,x:33,y:63,w:47,h:14},
{t:"‘Ready’, she sang out.",p:103,x:51,y:94,w:126,h:14},
{t:"I nearly dropped the tray. She was sprawled",p:103,x:51,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"elegantly in the chair, legs crossed, wearing high",p:103,x:33,y:146,w:294,h:14},
{t:"heels and nothing else.",p:103,x:33,y:166,w:131,h:14},
{t:"‘Lord in heaven! What the hell are you doing?",p:103,x:51,y:197,w:274,h:14},
{t:"It’s a portrait we agreed.’",p:103,x:33,y:218,w:139,h:14},
{t:"‘Do you think I have a good figure?’ She un-",p:103,x:51,y:249,w:274,h:14},
{t:"wound and stretched herself, angling her arms",p:103,x:33,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"behind her head. ‘Stewart thinks so.’",p:103,x:33,y:290,w:206,h:14},
{t:"‘He may not be so thrilled at you showing you r-",p:103,x:51,y:321,w:274,h:14},
{t:"self off to someone else. ’",p:103,x:33,y:342,w:141,h:14},
{t:"‘I want you to paint me like this. You do other",p:103,x:51,y:373,w:274,h:14},
{t:"women, don’t you?",p:103,x:33,y:394,w:106,h:14},
{t:"‘I paint professional models, under certain con-",p:103,x:51,y:425,w:273,h:14},
{t:"ditions, which doesn’t include a private studio when",p:103,x:33,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"there’s no one else around.’",p:103,x:33,y:466,w:156,h:14},
{t:"101",p:104,x:177,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"‘Afraid Stewart will come back and catch us? He",p:104,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"wouldn’t mind.’ She stepped down and walked",p:104,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"across to the suitcase, from which she extracted a",p:104,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"wallet of family snaps.",p:104,x:42,y:105,w:125,h:14},
{t:"There was Sheila on the bed in various poses,",p:104,x:61,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"by the window, sat in the garden and holding a",p:104,x:42,y:156,w:294,h:14},
{t:"straw hat coyly over bust and navel. ‘Fine, but not",p:104,x:42,y:177,w:293,h:14},
{t:"my scene.’",p:104,x:42,y:198,w:61,h:14},
{t:"‘Stewart took those. Belongs to a photo club.",p:104,x:61,y:229,w:274,h:14},
{t:"They swap them, the boyfriends. So he wouldn’t",p:104,x:42,y:250,w:293,h:14},
{t:"mind.’",p:104,x:42,y:270,w:35,h:14},
{t:"‘Sheila, let me exp lain. Painting is not photogra-",p:104,x:61,y:301,w:274,h:14},
{t:"phy. It’s hard work. You have to stretch yourself",p:104,x:42,y:322,w:292,h:14},
{t:"into unbelievab le poses. It’s uncomfortable after",p:104,x:42,y:343,w:293,h:14},
{t:"five minutes and unbearable after ten. It’s badly",p:104,x:42,y:364,w:293,h:14},
{t:"paid and not well regarded. If you want glamour, go",p:104,x:42,y:385,w:294,h:14},
{t:"and see one of the west end agencies.’",p:104,x:42,y:406,w:221,h:14},
{t:"‘I have, and they won",p:104,x:61,y:436,w:128,h:14},
{t:"’t take me. Even tried the",p:104,x:187,y:436,w:148,h:14},
{t:"local art college. Awful. They d idn’t come out look-",p:104,x:42,y:457,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ing like me at all.’",p:104,x:42,y:478,w:97,h:14},
{t:"102",p:105,x:168,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"I remembered my ear ly efforts. ‘So wh o’s to",p:105,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"know I’d be any better?’",p:105,x:33,y:63,w:134,h:14},
{t:"She was off in a flash, over to the stack and",p:105,x:51,y:94,w:274,h:14},
{t:"pulling out canvases till she found what she",p:105,x:33,y:115,w:294,h:14},
{t:"wanted. ‘There you are,’ she said, holding up an",p:105,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"unfinished study of Christine, ‘if you can do that for",p:105,x:33,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"her, you can do that for me.’",p:105,x:33,y:177,w:158,h:14},
{t:"‘Jerry said a quick portrait sketch, because h e’d",p:105,x:51,y:208,w:274,h:14},
{t:"led you on.’",p:105,x:33,y:229,w:64,h:14},
{t:"‘What’s a boring old portrait to me?’",p:105,x:51,y:260,w:202,h:14},
{t:"‘Soft complexion: excellent bone structure: you",p:105,x:51,y:290,w:266,h:14},
{t:"’ll",p:105,x:317,y:290,w:8,h:14},
{t:"be amazed.’",p:105,x:33,y:311,w:68,h:14},
{t:"‘Your friend coming here?’",p:105,x:51,y:342,w:149,h:14},
{t:"‘About twelve,’ I lied, ‘and I’d like the portrait fin-",p:105,x:51,y:373,w:274,h:14},
{t:"ished by then. I don’t want the situation exploited.’",p:105,x:33,y:394,w:281,h:14},
{t:"‘Oh I am, I am.’ She smiled provocatively.",p:105,x:51,y:425,w:274,h:14},
{t:"‘Please Patrick. If you paint me like this I’ll do",p:105,x:33,y:446,w:293,h:14},
{t:"whatever you want.’",p:105,x:33,y:466,w:111,h:14},
{t:"103",p:106,x:177,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"‘Very well’, I said angrily. ",p:106,x:61,y:42,w:147,h:14},
{t:"‘We have an h our and",p:106,x:207,y:42,w:127,h:14},
{t:"a half. I’ll do a life study for twenty minutes and",p:106,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"then the portrait. That’s my last offer. Twenty min-",p:106,x:42,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"utes and you’re going to have to keep still.’",p:106,x:42,y:105,w:240,h:14},
{t:"The pose was a difficult one, enough to make",p:106,x:61,y:136,w:274,h:14},
{t:"even Christine complain, but Sheila kept it surpris-",p:106,x:42,y:156,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ingly well, the arms and body sweeping out in the",p:106,x:42,y:177,w:294,h:14},
{t:"joy of life. A good figure: chubby but with a soft",p:106,x:42,y:198,w:293,h:14},
{t:"lustre to the skin and two neat little dimples above",p:106,x:42,y:219,w:294,h:14},
{t:"the sacrum. ‘Right, that’s it’, I said, putting the",p:106,x:42,y:240,w:294,h:14},
{t:"charcoal down.",p:106,x:42,y:260,w:85,h:14},
{t:"She came to stiffly, eased her shoulders and",p:106,x:61,y:291,w:274,h:14},
{t:"then stalked over. For a moment she said nothing.",p:106,x:42,y:312,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Then she unfastened the paper from the easel and",p:106,x:42,y:333,w:292,h:14},
{t:"held it up. ‘Can I have it? I’ll tell Stew it was the life",p:106,x:42,y:354,w:293,h:14},
{t:"class at college. ’",p:106,x:42,y:375,w:93,h:14},
{t:"‘Whatever you like. I’ll leave y ou to dress, and",p:106,x:61,y:406,w:274,h:14},
{t:"we’ll get started on the portrait.’",p:106,x:42,y:426,w:177,h:14},
{t:"104",p:107,x:168,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"‘Patrick, which one? She skipped over and",p:107,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"hoisted one dress and then another from the suit-",p:107,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"case. ‘Which one?’",p:107,x:33,y:84,w:109,h:14},
{t:"‘The black.’",p:107,x:51,y:115,w:65,h:14},
{t:"‘Don’t go. You can talk to me.’",p:107,x:51,y:146,w:169,h:14},
{t:"‘There are certain proprieties we’re supposed to",p:107,x:51,y:176,w:274,h:14},
{t:"follow.’",p:107,x:33,y:197,w:38,h:14},
{t:"‘I want to talk about Jerry.’",p:107,x:51,y:228,w:147,h:14},
{t:"‘What about Jerry?’",p:107,x:51,y:259,w:111,h:14},
{t:"‘I’ll tell you.’ She rummaged about in the case",p:107,x:51,y:290,w:274,h:14},
{t:"and selected some red underwear, which, hum-",p:107,x:33,y:310,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ming slowly, she slipped on. ‘Fasten me up, would",p:107,x:33,y:331,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you?’",p:107,x:33,y:352,w:30,h:14},
{t:"‘What about Jerry? I hope you’re going to be",p:107,x:51,y:383,w:274,h:14},
{t:"careful. He’s got a lot to lose.’",p:107,x:33,y:404,w:167,h:14},
{t:"‘Everyone knows about Jerry.’ She fluffed out",p:107,x:51,y:435,w:274,h:14},
{t:"the dress and went to look in the mirror. ‘Do you",p:107,x:33,y:456,w:294,h:14},
{t:"105",p:108,x:177,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"know why he fancies me? Because I won ’t give it",p:108,x:42,y:42,w:292,h:14},
{t:"him.’",p:108,x:42,y:63,w:27,h:14},
{t:"‘Then what’s the point?’",p:108,x:61,y:94,w:135,h:14},
{t:"She didn’t reply but settled on the chair, and",p:108,x:61,y:125,w:274,h:14},
{t:"straightened her head. ‘Is that okay?’",p:108,x:42,y:146,w:208,h:14},
{t:"‘About it. More to the right and look up a bit.’",p:108,x:61,y:176,w:250,h:14},
{t:"Half an hour went past, and there were no diffi-",p:108,x:61,y:207,w:274,h:14},
{t:"culties. In fact I began to be amused by this for-",p:108,x:42,y:228,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ward creature, similar to Natalie in size but so dif-",p:108,x:42,y:249,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ferent otherwise. Around half eleven I called a",p:108,x:42,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"break, and Sheila stepped over to inspect pro-",p:108,x:42,y:290,w:293,h:14},
{t:"gress.",p:108,x:42,y:311,w:35,h:14},
{t:"‘Cor. That ’s marvellous.’ She kissed me on the",p:108,x:61,y:342,w:274,h:14},
{t:"cheek and then turned the easel to view the sketch",p:108,x:42,y:363,w:292,h:14},
{t:"from a distance. ",p:108,x:42,y:384,w:98,h:14},
{t:"‘Better than the other one, isn’t it?",p:108,x:139,y:384,w:195,h:14},
{t:"Expect you were nervous. Your girlfriend the jeal-",p:108,x:42,y:405,w:292,h:14},
{t:"ous type?’",p:108,x:42,y:426,w:58,h:14},
{t:"‘Sometimes. Only these last months I’ve been",p:108,x:61,y:456,w:275,h:14},
{t:"so busy she on ly sees me at weekends.’",p:108,x:42,y:477,w:228,h:14},
{t:"106",p:109,x:168,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"‘Wish Stewart would. That would be really nice. ’",p:109,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"I must have looked surprised, as she went on",p:109,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"coyly, ‘You know. He’s a piledriver. When he’s not",p:109,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"working on that exercise bicycle he’s grinding away",p:109,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"at me .’",p:109,x:33,y:126,w:38,h:14},
{t:"‘So why, excuse my curiosity, do you want to",p:109,x:51,y:156,w:274,h:14},
{t:"take up with Jerry?’",p:109,x:33,y:177,w:110,h:14},
{t:"‘Because I want someone to hold me, whisper",p:109,x:51,y:208,w:274,h:14},
{t:"sweet nothings in my ear. Is that too much to ask?’",p:109,x:33,y:229,w:287,h:14},
{t:"‘Suppose he might.’",p:109,x:51,y:260,w:113,h:14},
{t:"‘Doesn’t have to be Jerry.’",p:109,x:51,y:290,w:146,h:14},
{t:"‘No thank you. My life’s quite complicated",p:109,x:51,y:321,w:274,h:14},
{t:"enough.’",p:109,x:33,y:342,w:49,h:14},
{t:"‘I know you’d be nice.’",p:109,x:51,y:373,w:124,h:14},
{t:"‘And it’s not fair on Jerry.’",p:109,x:51,y:404,w:144,h:14},
{t:"‘You went round together, didn’t you, because",p:109,x:51,y:435,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you pulled the birds? I can tell. What do you think",p:109,x:33,y:456,w:294,h:14},
{t:"of these?’ She fished out a small pair of briefs from",p:109,x:33,y:476,w:293,h:14},
{t:"107",p:110,x:177,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"the suitcase: black silk, slit up the front and",p:110,x:42,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"trimmed with lace. That ’s what I’m going to wear",p:110,x:42,y:63,w:295,h:14},
{t:"now. Think Jerry will like them?’",p:110,x:42,y:84,w:180,h:14},
{t:"‘I thought Stewart was picking you up.’",p:110,x:61,y:115,w:218,h:14},
{t:"‘Told him I was seeing a girlfriend.’ She made a",p:110,x:61,y:146,w:275,h:14},
{t:"face, opening her mouth mouth in surprise. ‘When",p:110,x:42,y:166,w:293,h:14},
{t:"you",p:110,x:42,y:187,w:21,h:14},
{t:"’ve phoned for a minicab we can talk about this",p:110,x:62,y:187,w:272,h:14},
{t:"modelling you",p:110,x:42,y:208,w:79,h:14},
{t:"’re going to give me. ’",p:110,x:120,y:208,w:116,h:14},
{t:"‘Oh no I’m no t.’",p:110,x:61,y:239,w:86,h:14},
{t:"She draped her arms around my neck. ‘Please. ’",p:110,x:61,y:270,w:269,h:14},
{t:"‘Four days a week I’m up in No rthamptonshire",p:110,x:61,y:300,w:275,h:14},
{t:"on a big commission. For the rest of the time I’m",p:110,x:42,y:321,w:292,h:14},
{t:"using Christine for another series. I don ’t have a",p:110,x:42,y:342,w:293,h:14},
{t:"moment spare. ’",p:110,x:42,y:363,w:88,h:14},
{t:"‘This Christine my size?’ she said, hanging in",p:110,x:61,y:394,w:275,h:14},
{t:"closer.",p:110,x:42,y:415,w:38,h:14},
{t:"‘No. What are you anyway, 34 E?’",p:110,x:61,y:446,w:193,h:14},
{t:"‘D. I just push them up a bit.’",p:110,x:61,y:476,w:163,h:14},
{t:"108",p:111,x:168,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"‘Well, look, possibly, just possibly, I could do",p:111,x:51,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"with someone to model the dresses. The client in",p:111,x:33,y:63,w:292,h:14},
{t:"Northamptonshire is about your build, though not",p:111,x:33,y:84,w:293,h:14},
{t:"so full in the bust. If you could get into a C fitting",p:111,x:33,y:105,w:293,h:14},
{t:"without doing yourself a mischief I suppose there",p:111,x:33,y:126,w:293,h:14},
{t:"could be some work.’",p:111,x:33,y:146,w:119,h:14},
{t:"‘That’s my boy.’",p:111,x:51,y:177,w:88,h:14},
{t:"Irritably I finished the portrait, sprayed the two",p:111,x:51,y:208,w:275,h:14},
{t:"sketches, and slipped them into separate tubes.",p:111,x:33,y:229,w:292,h:14},
{t:"The minicab called some ten minutes later, and I",p:111,x:33,y:250,w:292,h:14},
{t:"gave the suitcase over . Back in the studio I tidied",p:111,x:33,y:270,w:293,h:14},
{t:"up so there was only the August sunshine stream-",p:111,x:33,y:291,w:293,h:14},
{t:"ing through the windows when Christine arrived an",p:111,x:33,y:312,w:293,h:14},
{t:"hour later. She handed the keys over, and seemed",p:111,x:33,y:333,w:293,h:14},
{t:"in a good mood. Georg had brought his etching",p:111,x:33,y:354,w:293,h:14},
{t:"plates, and would be busy while we talked, the two",p:111,x:33,y:375,w:294,h:14},
{t:"of us, to make up for some of the recent troubles.",p:111,x:33,y:396,w:279,h:14},
{t:"109",p:112,x:177,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"It was possible, I thought at Botes the following",p:112,x:61,y:42,w:274,h:14},
{t:"afternoon, though Stumpfl himself wouldn’t have",p:112,x:42,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"been present.",p:112,x:42,y:84,w:78,h:14},
{t:"‘So,’ said my host, throwing the newspaper",p:112,x:61,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"down as he got up from the chair, ‘you are not",p:112,x:42,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"represented in German galleries?’",p:112,x:42,y:156,w:192,h:14},
{t:"‘I have an exclusive contract with Reg Ec-",p:112,x:61,y:187,w:274,h:14},
{t:"clestone. ’",p:112,x:42,y:208,w:54,h:14},
{t:"‘That is why I obtained his permission. I have",p:112,x:61,y:239,w:274,h:14},
{t:"contacts in Frankfurt and your work will appeal to",p:112,x:42,y:260,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Germans. You have some paintings unsold?’",p:112,x:42,y:280,w:255,h:14},
{t:"Of course I was thinking of Georg’s words, the",p:112,x:61,y:311,w:275,h:14},
{t:"atrocious pictures they conjured up. Perpetrated by",p:112,x:42,y:332,w:293,h:14},
{t:"Stumpfl’s thugs, or people he had worked for. ‘Not",p:112,x:42,y:353,w:293,h:14},
{t:"really, Herr Stumpfl.’",p:112,x:42,y:374,w:116,h:14},
{t:"‘Mr Ecclestone tells me you have twenty pieces",p:112,x:61,y:405,w:274,h:14},
{t:"with him. They will make a good introduction.’",p:112,x:42,y:426,w:257,h:14},
{t:"Why had Georg given me the stories? Surely",p:112,x:61,y:456,w:274,h:14},
{t:"you keep them to you rself? Your own wife dragged",p:112,x:42,y:477,w:293,h:14},
{t:"110",p:113,x:168,y:511,w:21,h:15},
{t:"off, raped and mutilated. ‘I have to organize things.’",p:113,x:33,y:42,w:293,h:14},
{t:"I could see him at his desk, signing papers as the",p:113,x:33,y:63,w:293,h:14},
{t:"knife sliced off a breast.",p:113,x:33,y:84,w:135,h:14},
{t:"‘That is why Mr Ecclestone has lent us your",p:113,x:51,y:115,w:274,h:14},
{t:"portfolio. My wife has made a booking for Tuesday.",p:113,x:33,y:136,w:293,h:14},
{t:"You have no ob jection?’",p:113,x:33,y:156,w:134,h:14},
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