The Heart of the Matter - Graham Greene [82]
Dr Sykes said, ‘They should have kept Mrs Rolt in hospital a while longer.’
‘Why?’
‘Nerves. I could feel it when she shook hands.’
He waited another half an hour and then he drove home. As usual Ali was waiting for him, dozing uneasily on the kitchen step. He lit Scobie to the door with his torch. ‘Missus leave letter,’ he said, and took an envelope out of his shirt,
‘Why didn’t you leave it on my table?’
‘Massa in there.’
‘What massa?’ but by that time the door was open, and he saw Yusef stretched in a chair, asleep, breathing so gently that the hair lay motionless on his chest
‘I tell him go away,’ Ali said with contempt, ‘but he stay.’
‘That’s all right. Go to bed.’
He had a sense that life was closing in on him. Yusef had never been here since the night he came to inquire after Louise and to lay his trap for Tallit. Quietly, so as not to disturb the sleeping man and bring that problem on his heels, he opened the note from Helen. She must have written it immediately she got home. He read, My darling, this is serius. I can’t say this to you, so I’m putting it on paper. Only I’ll give it to Ali. You trust Ali. When I heard your wife was coming back...
Yusef opened his eyes and said, ‘Excuse me, Major Scobie, for intruding.’
‘Do you want a drink? Beer. Gin. My whisky’s finished.’
‘May I send you a case?’ Yusef began automatically and then laughed. ‘I always forget. I must not send you things.’
Scobie sat down at the table and laid the note open in front of him. Nothing could be so important as those next sentences. He said, ‘What do you want, Yusef?’ and read on. When I heard your wife was coming back, I was angry and bitter. It was stupid of me. Nothing is your fault.
‘Finish your reading, Major Scobie, I can wait.’
‘It isn’t really important,’ Scobie said, dragging his eyes from the large immature letters, the mistake in spelling. ‘Tell me what you want, Yusef,’ and back his eyes went to the letter. That’s why I’m writing. Because last night you made promises about not leaving me and I don’t want you ever to be bound to me with promises. My dear, all your promises...’
‘Major Scobie, when I lent you money, I swear, it was for friendship, just friendship. I never wanted to ask anything of you, anything at all, not even the four per cent. I wouldn’t even have asked for your friendship ... I was your friend .. ‘ this is very confusing, words are very complicated, Major Scobie.’
‘You’ve kept the bargain, Yusef. I don’t complain about Tallit’s cousin.’ He read on: belong to your wife. Nothing you say to me is a promise. Please, please remember that. If you never want to see me again, don’t write, don’t speak. And, dear, if you just want to see me sometimes, see me sometimes. I’ll tell any lies you like.
‘Do finish what you are reading, Major Scobie. Because what I have to speak about is very, very important.’
My dear, my dear, leave me If you want to or have me as your hore if you want to. He thought: she’s only heard the word, never seen it spelt: they cut it out of the school Shakesspeare [sic!]. Good night. Don’t worry, my darling. He said savagely, ‘All right, Yusef. What is it that’s so important?’
‘Major Scobie, I have got after all to ask you a favour. It has nothing to do with the money I lent you. If you can do this for me it will be friendship, just friendship.’
‘It’s late, Yusef, tell me what it is.’
‘The Esperança will be in the day after tomorrow. I want a small packet taken on board for me and left with the captain.’
‘What’s in the packet?’
‘Major Scobie, don’t ask. I am your friend. I would rather have this be a secret. It will harm no one at all.’
‘Of course, Yusef, I can’t do it. You know that.’
‘I assure you, Major Scobie, on my word -’ he leant forward in the chair and laid his hand on the black fur of his chest - ‘on my word as a friend the package contains nothing, nothing for the Germans. No industrial diamonds, Major Scobie.