The Human Factor by Greene Graham

Author:Greene, Graham [Graham, Greene,]
Format: epub
Published: 2009-10-02T23:00:00+00:00

2

Sarah came out to greet him as he was hanging his coat in the hall. She asked, 'Has something happened?'

'No.'

'You've never been as late as this without telephoning.'

'Oh, I've been going here and there, trying to see people. I couldn't find any of them in. I suppose they are all taking long week-ends.'

'Will you have your whisky? Or do you want dinner straight away?'

'Whisky. Make it a large one.'

'Larger than usual?'

'Yes, and no soda.'

'Something has happened.'

'Nothing important. But it's cold and wet almost like winter. Is Sam asleep?'

'Yes.'

'Where's Buller?'

'Looking for cats in the garden.'

He sat down in the usual chair and the usual silence fell between them. Normally he felt the silence like a comforting shawl thrown round his shoulders. Silence was relaxation, silence meant that words were unnecessary between the two of them their love was too established to need assurance: they had taken out a life policy in their love. But this night, with the original of Muller's notes in his pocket and his copy of it by this time in the hands of young Halliday, silence was like a vacuum in which he couldn't breathe: silence was a lack of everything, even trust, it was a foretaste of the tomb.

'Another whisky, Sarah.'

'You are drinking too much. Remember poor Davis.'

'He didn't die of drink.'

'But I thought...'

'You thought like all the others did. And you're wrong. If it's too much trouble to give me another whisky, say so and I'll help myself.'

'I only said remember Davis...'

'I don't want to be looked after, Sarah. You are Sam's mother, not mine.'

'Yes, I am his mother and you aren't even his father.'

They looked at each other with astonishment and dismay. Sarah said, 'I didn't mean...'

'It's not your fault.'

'I'm sorry.'

He said, 'This is what the future will be like if we can't talk. You asked me what I'd been doing. I've been looking for someone to talk to all this evening, but no one was there.'

'Talk about what?'

The question silenced him.

'Why can't you talk to me?'

'Because They forbid it, I suppose.'

'The Official Secrets Act—all that stupidity.'

'It's not them.'

'Then who?'

'When we came to England, Sarah, Carson sent someone to see me. He had saved you and Sam. All he asked in return was a little help. I was grateful and I agreed.'

'What's wrong with that?'

'My mother told me that when I was a child I always gave away too much in a swap, but it wasn't too much for the man who had saved you from BOSS. So there it is—I became what they call a double agent, Sarah. I rate a lifetime in jail.'

He had always known that one day this scene would have to be played out between them, but he had never been able to imagine the kind of words they would say to each other. She said, 'Give me your whisky.' He handed her his glass and she drank a finger from it. Are you in danger?' she asked. 'I mean now. Tonight.'

'I've been in danger all our life together.'

'But is it worse now?'

'Yes.

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