by Max Howell
“I went to Harvard”, he said softly.
Her quick reply astounded him: “I know!”
“Know? How can you possibly know?”
“I have a confession to make. I actually know a fair bit about you. I have never met you before, as you know only too well, but the moment you told me your name I put two and two together in rapid order. You came out of the Luce Mansion – that is what it is called and it is well known – and like any good librarian I read the newspapers. I know you are a shipping magnate, that you travel throughout the world in search of business, and that you are among the wealthiest young men in Boston. I even know your father and mother.”
“You what? That’s impossible! How could you possibly know them?” She now had his complete attention!
“As I told you, I’m in charge of Special Collections. One of our most extensive collections is on early religion in Massachusetts. Religion was pivotal in this area, all part of an expression of freedom for which our country is renowned. Boston and later Amherst were the principal centres for the Society of the Propagation of the Gospel, for example. The role of the missions is important in our library collection, and as you know only too well your own family was one of the pioneers who went to China as missionaries. I went to see your parents, and not only did they give me many primary documents and artefacts of their days there, but I actually recorded their experiences. The new terminology hails it as the Oral Interview Technique. It did come out that they had one son by the name of Henry, and they told me lots about you, maybe things you might have forgotten. They even mentioned your Chinese tutor, but at the moment I cannot recall her name. So there you are!”
Henry managed his first smile since his ordeal had started. “Well, you are loaded with surprises, aren’t you?”
“Maybe in this case, but in actuality I lead a very ordinary life.”
“In the last few hours, Joanne, I have come to realise the value of an ordinary life. By the way, how old are you?”
“I’m 23.”
“Married?”
“No!”
“Prospects?”
“Not on the horizon. The main ones who come to the Library are 80-year-olds and 12-year-olds. Proposals are hard to come by!”
“And your parents?”
“Like me, just ordinary people. They run the Waters Bookshop in downtown Boston, which is the leading used book-store in the city. They are still alive, hale and hearty. So I can read for free, as long as I don’t mark up their books. Like you, I’m an only child, and they sacrificed to send me to Wellesley. Now you know just about everything.”
“Do you live with them?”
“No, I have a tiny place of my own. It’s certainly no rival of the Luce Mansion. I wanted my independence and besides, I can borrow the best books a short distance away at little cost.”
Everything had been going so well, he had become more relaxed, so she drew in a breath and blurted out: “Henry, it is no business of mine, but perhaps in some small way I can help. Excuse me, but dare I ask why you have been so distressed?”
She was simply amazed at what happened next. His face paled, his hands shook uncontrollably. As soon as she saw the reaction she stated: “I’m sorry, Henry, I’m really sorry. I should not have asked. Please forgive me, please!”
He gathered his thoughts as best he could: “Joanne, I just do not want to talk about it yet. I am not ready to discuss it. I have no wish to be rude to you. I am just not ready.”
Disturbed, she said: “There’s no hurry, Henry, and for that matter there is no need to tell me anything now or in the future. It is your business, and your business alone.”
“I understand, Joanne, I understand. Perhaps I shall tell you some time. You have been awfully good to me. I just wanted to be with someone, to provide myself with time to gather my thoughts. I’m quite lost, actually. All I have at the moment is what I have brought with me. I don’t even have a coat and tie. What I do have is a wallet, a cheque-book fortunately which I always keep in a specially made back pocket, and about three hundred dollars. That’s all! That’s Henry Luce as you now look at him!”
“All right, then, why don’t I walk you back to your home?”
His reaction was swift. He frowned and half-yelled: “I will never enter that house again, never!”
She went on quickly. “Then why don’t I walk you to a hotel?”
“Look, Joanne, I just don’t want to. I don’t wish to see anyone until I am good and ready, and if I check into a hotel I’ll be quickly traced. I need time at the moment. I don’t even know what day it is, believe it or not. I was in Paris about twelve days ago.”
“It’s Friday!”
“Friday, eh?”
“Yes, Friday.”
A thought suddenly occurred to him. He hesitated somewhat, then asked: “Look, I know this sounds absolutely crazy, and you can run for your life any time, but do you live alone?”
It was she who frowned now. Hesitatingly, and choosing her words carefully, she replied. “I do. I live alone. But I know you are also happily married.”
“Well I’m married, that’s for certain!” Instinctively, by the tone of his voice, she knew that something had happened in his marriage, but she made no comment. “I’m many things, Joanne, but the last thing I do is go around and proposition young ladies like yourself.”
He decided to press on. “As I said, you can run away from me at any time, but do you have room in your apartment for a disoriented millionaire who wants to be alone, no strings attached?”
She hesitated before she answered. She knew well enough that she could trust him, and he certainly needed someone to be with, even if only to act as a sounding board. Confused somewhat, she said “I… I’m not sure!”
“I don’t blame you, Joanne, I know the whole thing sounds crazy, simply ridiculous. All I can do is try to assure you that I am really quite harmless and have no psychiatric problems that you need to worry about. I am no threat to anybody, least of all you. As far as that goes, if you are worried I am some kind of sex maniac, I confess to you, but please keep it to yourself, that I have only had one liaison in my life, and that was with my wife. Cross my heart, or whatever else you require.”
“Henry, I know I can trust you, I know that. It’s just that this is all very unusual, don’t you agree? That is stating it mildly… very unusual. Just a few hours ago I was walking past your house, and someone lobbed a ring at me. Now I find myself considering whether you can stay with me!”
“Not with you, you know that. I just want to stay at your apartment the next few days!”
She shook her head. “I must be mad. The whole thing is insane, totally and emphatically insane. The understatement of the year is that nothing like this has ever happened to me before. But if you want to stay at my place, you can. Frankly, I am surprised at myself for agreeing.”
He breathed a sigh of relief. “Thanks, Joanne, I appreciate it more than you might know.”
“Let’s go, then!” she said, both of them getting up from the restaurant table. “Now, I repeat, it is a small two-bedroom apartment a few blocks from here. I still do not believe all this is happening. Luckily I don’t work this Saturday or Sunday, so at least I can keep an eye on you. You did not look very well the first time I saw you, but I have to admit you’ve improved.” She walked with him to her apartment, at times shaking her head in disbelief at the turn of events. He walked quietly with her, his mind churning over and over at what he should, or had, to do.
Joanne did not exaggerate, he thought, as he walked in to her apartment. The room that Henry was to sleep in was more of a sewing room than anything else, but it had a single bed and that was all he wanted.
It was barely 7 p.m. when they arrived. She got him a towel and a couple of blankets, and showed him where the toilet was. As soon as he saw the bed he said: “Joanne, I hope you will excuse me, but I am awfully tired. Completely bushed actually. Do you mind if I just go to bed now?”
Sh
e actually felt quite relieved: “No, Henry, you just go ahead. I’ll go out and buy us a few things for breakfast. You won’t believe it, but I was not expecting guests. I am not used to men staying over, either. You sleep as long as you like, and we will have something to eat when you get up. If you happen to get up early, the ice-box is over there. Take anything your heart desires. I’ll leave the coffee out by the sink if you want some.”
He took $100 out of his wallet and gave it to her. “Whatever you buy, take it out of this. The last thing I want is you to spend money on me. As you are going out, if anywhere is open I would not mind some cheap pyjamas, some underwear and sox, shaving gear, towel, tooth-brush and tooth-paste. Otherwise I’ll get by as I am now.”
She couldn’t help laughing. “Sounds to me like you’re settling in for the summer.”
“Not quite”, he said with a smile, “but it will tide me over for a few days and I’ll try to get out of your hair after that… and thanks for everything, Joanne, I am sincerely indebted to you.”
He closed the door to what was now his bedroom, took off everything but his underwear, and climbed into bed. For a long time he just lay there, going over what had happened and what he had to do. Finally exhaustion took over and he fell into a deep sleep, occasionally waking up covered with perspiration as his sub-conscious merged with his dreams.
It was about 10 a.m. the next morning when he got up, and he noticed inside his room, in a neat pile, was what he had asked Joanne to get. She must have come into the room while he slept, he thought, but he had no recollection of it whatsoever. He put on his clothes, with new underwear and sox, and proceeded to the bathroom. Joanne was in the lounge room reading a book. “Good morning”, she called out, “how would you like your eggs done?”
“Over easy”, he said easily and warmly. It was obvious that he had now gathered himself together.
As they ate, sitting at a small table in the kitchen, and throughout the day, his story unfolded, of his obsession with wealth and success, which he had achieved beyond his wildest dreams. He confided to her that his estimated wealth was somewhere in the vicinity of 100 million dollars, and that he had predicted the Depression that gripped the United States and for that matter the world, and had placed his money in bank vaults. “Now I know why you paid for the coffee”, she said, laughing.
“Yes”, he replied”, I could have bought that restaurant. Who knows, I may even own it, my accountant handles all my investments.”
He did not tell her of the real significance of the ring, but he told her he had found his wife in bed with one of his best friends, and she already knew how he had reacted. He also told Joanne of the children’s story about the greedy boy, and how it had parallels in his own life.
When breakfast was over, he asked permission to use the telephone, informing Joanne that there was nothing that he might say that could not be heard by her. She was welcome to listen, he said.
Henry first of all rang his lawyer at his home, explaining to him the whole situation. The lawyer stated that the family had been searching everywhere for him. Henry stated in no uncertain terms that he wanted a divorce, and he wanted it as soon as he could get it. He gave Joanne’s telephone number to his lawyer, swearing him to secrecy not to divulge it to anyone else. He wanted no-one other than his lawyer to know where he was. He explained he had no desire to talk to his wife or for that matter her parents. The phone was busy during the day, as his wife’s lawyer was endeavouring to effect a compromise. But Henry remained implacable as to his intentions. He offered not to divulge his wife’s infidelity to expedite matters, and suggested irreconcilable differences or even his own adultery as legal reasons, if that would help.
By the end of the day an agreement was reached. His wife was to retain the mansion and all its contents, her jewellery and five million dollars, though through gifts from her parents and her own investments she was a very wealthy woman in her own right. She again asked to see him in the hope of a reconciliation, but he adamantly refused.
He then made an agreement with the lawyer that the latter would hand deliver a letter on this very weekend to Clifford Hemingway resigning his position at the Shipping Company.
So Henry emerged from it all with everything arranged. It would take a few months for everything to finalise, he knew that, but as everything was uncontested, his own terms being liberal, divorce would eventually become a reality.
Joanne sat impassively while these conversations were going on with Henry’s lawyer, but she was intrigued by how Henry had drawn on his inner strength and effected solutions with respect to his concerns. He was clearly an outstanding leader, and a high-principled one at that.
That evening, they sat down for a spaghetti bolognaise dinner at Joanne’s place. Henry could have done with a drink, but Prohibition was still in effect in the USA. He went over with her one by one the events of the previous two days. During their conversations, he asked if she would accompany him to see his own parents on the afternoon of Sunday, knowing full well that they would have been to Church by this time.
“But wouldn’t you be better off going to see your parents alone?” she queried.
“No”, he replied, “not at all. You actually saved my life, you know!”
“You are exaggerating my role.”
“I am not. I have a confession to make. No-one else will ever know this in my lifetime. When I went downstairs after seeing my wife and another man in bed, I decided I was going to kill myself. We always kept a revolver in the study in case of burglary, and I took out the gun and was going to pull the trigger when you tapped on the mansion door. It was at that precise moment. If you had not arrived that day exactly when you did, I would be dead. So, you see what you did?”
“I scarcely believe it, Henry, I scarcely believe it. What a terrible waste that would have been!”
“Perhaps, but of that I’m not certain. So will you come with me to my parents? You are my lucky charm. I was in China a long time, and the Chinese believe in destiny, in fate. I have never been a particular advocate before, as I always was of the belief that one forged one’s own destiny. But now I am not so certain. Perhaps, indeed, we were fated to meet, by powers above and beyond us.”
“Well, it’s a nice thought. Perhaps we are indeed caught in the vortex of fate. Why was I walking past your home at that precise moment, why did the ring hit me of all people, and why did I immediately decide to return it? It certainly makes one think. Perhaps there is some ordered destiny which we mere mortals cannot control.”
“So, my co-partner in destiny, will you come with me to meet my parents?”
“I would be honoured.”
He rented a car, which was not easy in those days, and drove from Boston to Amherst. When they came to the country-side, with the rolling fields and farm-houses, it was like a breath of fresh air to both of them. Everything seemed to fall into place, pessimism was replaced by optimism, tears by laughter. They were perfectly at peace with one another.
When he went into his parents’ home he was surprised they remembered Joanne, but there was an over-riding concern in their faces. Why was Joanne with their son? And where was Muriel?
Henry then carefully explained everything that had happened the previous few days to his parents. He knew full well that their church was against divorce, and they were taken aback at the rapid turn of events as they had no previous inkling that there were any problems in the marriage.
His father spoke first: “You know, Henry, you have our full support in everything you do. You surely know that.” Henry nodded. “But are you really certain about getting a divorce? Do you know what you are doing? Isn’t there some possibility of a reconciliation?”
“Dad, and Mum also, I know absolutely and emphatically what I am doing. Maybe I am too idealistic, if so I got if from my loving parents who, by the way, I apologise to for neglecting somewhat the last few years. But the simple fact is I know myself. There is no possibility of Muriel and I ever getting together agai
n. Know thyself! Was it Tacitus who said that? I forget where the phrase came from, but I could never ever forget, never, the sight of my wife in bed with someone else. I could never forgive her, and our relationship would not only not be the same, it would deteriorate. I could not live with her knowing that. I am discussing all this with you, maybe explaining it better sums it up, as steps are already being taken to obtain a divorce as expeditiously as possible.”
“So it is already done, son?”
“Yes, Dad, it is done!”
“Then though divorce is for certain against the decrees of our church, we are behind you all the way. But how does Joanne fit into all this?” They looked over at her, and she blushed.
“I don’t want to go into it at this time, but you can take it from me that she saved my life. I would not be here today if it were not for her. The whys and wherefores. are not worth recounting. We never met before last Friday. She has helped me since then more than even I admit. I feel that fate has had something to do with our meeting, and I was astounded to know that she had already met you.”
“Yes, we three had a wonderful chat about our Mission in China.”
“Talking about that, have you ever heard from Lin? I have never forgotten what she did for me as a child.”
“It’s funny you should ask, because we received a letter from her the other day. The letters have been infrequent, maybe just two a year. Anyhow, her school is going well and, incredibly, her son is now 27 years of age. It’s hard to believe. But there is a matter of great concern. You doubtless know as much about it as me, but the Japanese are threatening China, in a move aimed at territorial expansion. It appears to be mainly in the Manchurian area. She and the rest of the country are alarmed, as no-one believes the Japanese will stop at Manchuria if they are successful.
“Is there any way of getting her and her son here?”