The Magus - John Fowles [172]
going to the police, or of hiring a ca�e and going to Nauplia myself. The days dragged on, redeemed only by one little piece of information that fell into my hands by chance. Looking through the books in the English bay in the library for a suitable "unseen" for the exams, I took down a Conrad. There was a name on the flyleaf: _D. P. R. Nevinson_. I knew he had been at the school before the war. Underneath was written _Balliol College, 1930_. I started looking through the other books. Nevinson had left a good number; but there was no other address besides Balliol. The name W. A. Hughes, another prewar master's, appeared on two poetry volume flyleafs, without address. I left lunch early on the Thursday, asking a boy to bring me any letters that might be distributed later. I had come not to expect any. But about ten minutes afterwards, when I was already in pyjamas for the siesta, the boy knocked on my door. Two letters. One from London, a typewritten address, some educational publisher's catalogue. But the other... A Greek stamp. Indecipherable postmark. Neat italic handwriting. In English. _Siphnos, Monday_ _MY DEAR SWEET NICHOLAS,_ _I know you must be angry with me for not having written, but the answer is very simple. We've been at sea (in all ways) and today is our first in sight of a postbox. I must be quick, because the boat that takes the mail sails in half an hour. I am writing in a cafe' by the harbour and June is keeping watch._ _We left Nauplia in the yacht on Thursday, we thought for a day or two's cruise. I don't know where to begin--well, first of all, June has refused to go on. He began to tell us the "script" on Friday evening. It involved my having a ridiculous quarrel with you. Then June trying to make it up--and trying to make love to you at the same time. Of course we demanded to know why--why everything, in the end. I can't tell you all we said--except that when it had all been said, neither June nor myself was satisfied. He went back to this business of mystification, and some incomprehensible talk about time. Time with a capital T. I don't think we were meant to understand. He was cunning, really, because he said that the more we demanded to know, the more impossible it was to go on._ _June took all the initiative. She told him about you and me. He pretended to be amazed, but we didn't believe his amazement (probably weren't meant to). (I must hurry.) In the end he became very understanding, but once again too understanding. You know what I mean. Greeks, and fearing gifts._ _When we went to bed we thought we were heading back for Nauplia--and then on to the island on Saturday. Instead when we got up we were out of sight of land--and we've stayed out of sight--reach, anyway--of land till now. All Maurice would say was that he had to revise all his plans. I think he may have been trying to soften us--show us how hurt he was, and remind us (me, sweet Nicholas) of what we were missing. But we stood firm._ _What has been arranged is this: he has begged me to play my part for one more week. He says he wants to tell you the last chapter of his life and to play what he calls the "disintoxication" scene. He says you will now be expecting the last chapter (?). Whatever seems to be happening (he's told us, so I tell you) on Saturday and Sunday, at the end no bell will ring. I shan't have to go away... unless you want me to. Perhaps you do now._ _It will be only one or two more days when you get this. He may play some last Maurician trick, so please pretend, remember that you haven't read this, you know nothing--you must act a little now!--please. For my sake._ _Nicholas._ _June says I must finish._ _I so want to see you. If you only knew how often I think of you. That night._ _JULIE_ _P. S. There's to be a present for you. A sort of surprise. At the very end. J._ I read the letter twice, three times. I lay on the bed and thought of her coming to me; her nakedness; lying together, nothing other between us. I felt completely buoyant again, able to cope; as long as she was still in Greece, to be waiting for me at