1955-05-11 — Page 4

THE PRICE OF

D

SILENCE

URING '48 I received a letter from a man I will call Appletone. He said he had a proposition to make, a. literary proposition. Would I call? I replied that I would.

His address was a good one. But I was not prepared for him to be quite so wealthy. When I rang a butler opened the door. I was conducted up a wide staircase, the walls hung with old masters, and ushered into a library where Appletone welcomed

me.

"It is very good of

you to come," he said. “I am a great admirer of your books. Sit down. What will you have? A martini Scotch or do you like vodka ?"

by

Maurice Collis

I was a bit dashed by this and He was not long in getting to the point, "The fact is," he said rather coldly: "I see. You sald, "that I've got a story to want a ghost writer. I'm afraid tell, my life story. It's a good I don't do that sort of thing."

I can't write it. I've one, but

not," he said tried. torn up, tried again. But "Of course murdered the thing. made it You're a famous author. But sound rubbish,

worse, boring it's just because you are one of rubbish. Now you... well, I

the tip-top chaps that I'm ask shan't flatter. I've told

ing you. No ghost fellow could what I think of your books."

tackle

my stuff."

A ghost

"

נוסע

I mumbled, something and be proceeded: "I wonder whether

commission "Then why not me in the ordinary way to write a book about you??

He smiled a tile sheepishly, "You'll think me an ass but I want to be known as a writer. ... Let me pour

you would undertake it."*

"You want me to write your Always have biography?"

"Yes and no," he replied, "I want you to write my auto- blography. You write. I sign.”

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you another vodka." I took the vodka, but remained negative. "I don't see how I can ghost for you.” I said.

He got out his cheque book." "I'm asking a lot, I know, but I hope you'll agree I'm paying a lot," he said, writing. When he handed me the cheque, I read "ten thousand."

never Frankly I'm not, and have been,

stand a man to against

approach at that level However, I said: "You won't get half that back no matter how good the book."

"I don't expect to. All I want is the reputation. To be ac- cepted as a writer is worth that

to me."

THE CHINA MAIL, WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 1955,

tween the raw material he gave me and the finished article.

On the day I handed him the typescript with his name or the title page there was just a hint in his eye that he half belleved he was the author. This de- Jusion grew when he heard had from the publishers. He got in touch with a good frm and had an enthusiastic reply within the week.

They told him, among other was a born things that he writer. He was offered a large sum down and liberal royalties, advance though of course the

A story set in the heart

et Londen invites the

Question: DID IT HAPPEN 7

Every day on thin pags

■ now tale is tald, giving

`you` thu, chansa to dizeres

and dreids: Is it FACT or

FICTION?

Here's what will put them and

hundreds more in clover for a

NATHANIEL GUBBINS

IR WINSTON became bairier and hairier as CHURCHILL'S he grew older until he had a chest like a hearthrug. 1) was H-bomb speech a nature's protection against pro- peared in the papers longed cold. just when your Uncle Nat Moreover, she said, when the members of the tribe and his life partner, the younger

became sick of the smell of Plucky Little Woman, told smoke, blubber, and unwashed each other they would soon grandpop, they threw the old emerge from their anow.chap out into the snow to die. bound igloo and dance in'. the sunshine like the Es

kimos to give joyful wel come to the spring.

long time." He stared at me, Hien at the fvers, hesitated, and took them. All he said was: During the cold spell the

"You're right. It wouldn't be honest.. I could never look them again in the face." Afraid he'd change his mind, I left at once, after he had given me a packet of papers.

But despite this your Uncle when he mistook three Alsatia remained fairly cheerful even. dogs mining at the front door for wolves He did some of the shopping because the P.L.W. feels the cold acutely, but when Sea Nest seemed very much be was too busy to go out the like the igloos the P.LW was FLW invented a cold-weather

Ac shopping system of her own, reading about in a book,

She would telephone an order cording to her, it had the same stuffy atruosphere because all for fish, and when the fish- the windows were shut tight monger called would send him

buy her against the weather.

We were

to

also wrapped in send day, when she refused

her groceries. When the the grocer called she would When Appletone and I opened

him to buy fish. On the the packet we found the paper layers of woollies until....... we had nothing to do with us. I looked mind and squat like even to open the back door, she was a different eminent writer Eskimos. If the cold weather rapped on the kitchen window (I confess I would never have had lasted much longer

and we to stop a passing tradesman different might have eaten the packet of mouthed suspected him) and

orders at him ghost. "I'm afraid I

wasted candles we always keep handy through the glass He was such an amusing raconteur.

your money," I said, “though 'I'm glad to say 'It wasn't neces- invited to

his it: "I've just learned of a shock- sary to give him more than half parties, when he would intro- ing fraud.”

you put up." I laid 60-avers on the table duce me as a famous author.

*What fraud this time, Grubble?" I rallied him.

that.

I

was

One day alone with me he ever said, that he owed to me the happiest time of his life and that he had paid me too felt little, though he did not actually follow this up.

I had been quite content at fee had first. After all, my teen tremendous. I found it amusing, too, to watch the literary world fawning on

MAURICE COLLIS is a man with two distinct

careers. The Arst' has helped the second.

After 15 years in the Indian Civil Service,

he retired in 1935 and at ance began writing Ducks, capitalising his great knowledge of the East. The drst, Siamese White, was quickly followed by a stream-one, and sometimes two, a year.

He has two children by a first marriage, three by a second and Hves in Maidenhead.

was only a fraction of what he had given me. "No matter," he told me, "a good Press is what want. And that's fairly sure, considering how the publishers have praised me. I mear you, of course," he added quickly.

Success!

Then he told me the gist of his story, I cannot, of course, reveal what it was. But I can say that it included strange

that titled persons The book came out in due adventures were implicated, that there was course. We had expected mystery and: it had a leve success but nothing like the interest. Indeed, it quite carried success there was. me away, he was such a splen- did talker. I put the cheque in my pocket.

Hard work

During the next six months I worked steadily on the book: 1 frequently saw Appletone and made notes while he talked. He had documents, too, photo graphs and maps. I also ex- changed many letters with him.

As the book grew, I felt it was the best thing I'd ever written, a genuine creation, in- spired by him but my own. And I enjoyed the work be- cause he was an engaging person, though, in spite of what

he said at our Erst meeting, I don't think he ever quite under

stood the literary difference be

Appletone

overnight,

a

་

DID IT REALLY HAPPEN?

in ease the electric lights fuse. That was why, when she was

observed, ceo "Fish, fish,

fish, and

sun came

cheese, at a frozen, and puzzled greengrocer Almost hidden by eiderdowns on the other side of the win- "Oh, keep the change," he and reading from her book, the dow, your Uncle began to wo

PLW. informed your Uncle der if she needed a holiday, sald.

that there was always 2 grand Then the snow disappeared, out, and the father in an igloo who sat in a the "Something that will interest WORLD COPYRIGHT RESERVED

greet corneTM smoking. or eating Eskimos were ready to you." There's a fellow posing

lumps of blubber, and smelling the spring with song and dance.. Churchill speechy. as a literary ant, but I have

But the worse than all the others be-

to go at found papers which prove that

cause he was too old to give giving us four years

the most, put an end to all that he employs a ghost writer."

Did this story actually hap-himself a snow bath pen? Make a crom in the space

nonsense, though your Uncle, As your Uncle is a grand "always looking on the bright i concealed my feelings above, and compare tomorrow, father, is always smoking in a side," reminded the PIW. that when there will be a new story corner and had dodged a bath it will just give him time to kept smiling. "What are

by

that day because the bathroom draw his postwar credits, going to do?" I asked.

was like a refrigerator, these

caused

and you

"Expose him unless he makes

a public admission. But I must My dogs are wait- hurry now.

ing. I'll tell you more another time."

I went straight to Appletone "IL'S and gave him the news.

all my fault," I ended, telling him I had thrown the papers in the dustbin.

"How could he have got hold of them?" he objected

man who had never written

And I had the Things like that happen," I anything. private satisfaction of knowing said "Dustmen drop their rut- that I had written a masterpiece, bish, papers blow away. Grubble

lives in the next street to me."

But when I saw Appletone so"

Appletone did not disguise his self-deluded, heard him deliver,

anxiety. "It will be ruin if he Hterary judgments and even

talks. But surely be can be patronise real writers, I grew dismaded. Let him

пале Mis depressed. The thought would figure."

come that I had received only.

HAMMOND INNES

B

certain

amount of resentment partie Dog's Life

Yesterday's story by Milton | larly when the PLW..added Shulman was FACT.

that the Eskime grandfather ****..........................................

SAM WHITE'S PARIS NEWSLETTER

PICASSO

QUITS

VALLAURIS

PARIS, traction is his stature "Mary THE 2,000 inhabitants of with a Sheep," which is in the

THE

of

THE

THE startling news that Ameri- ❤n poodles" get nervous breakdowns when their owners. cre worried about income tax has inspired the following article by Mr. Wuff Wu Rover, the distinguished Airedale.

-written specially Actual's Newspaper..

It was

for Tha

Ever since men and dogs bện came friends (writes Mr Rover) observant people have cotle that the faces of many dogs REG disfigured by permanent frowns and worry wrinkles.

the picturesque village village square opposite the 14th-coll

century church.

Vallauris, overlooking Golfe-Juan on the Riviera, have received some worry-

an eighth of the royalties and "He's not that sort of man," "a case of prin- none of the praise for a hit II said: It's a

might never equal again. And ciple, not blackmail, worse lucking news." Pablo Picasso is wasn't it a little unfair to hoodwink the public? Didn't it discredit the rather

whole

became famous literary scene?

Humbled

seco

One day, when in this dis-

"Principle! Good God! What's illusioned mood, "I came. on to be done, then?" Appletone my manuscript and Appletone's was humbler than I had letters. In a fit of pique I him for a long time. chucked the lot in the custbin.

"I've thought of a counter principle that may work. I will cost something, Have 1 carte blanche?”

Not only was there material success, but he had also a great succes d'estime. Leading critics praised his admirable style, his his profundity. He was at literary guest of luncheons, was invited to pre- side over literary dicussions. In all this, he had such an excel- lent manner, was Such ari amusing. raconteur and could entertain so sumptuously in his big house, that he perfectly 'a filled the role.

Trouble

than

It was, I suppose, less

week later that I ran into Grubble in the street.

I had known him for years as enthusiast. He espoused

leaving.

more

FRENCH TEST. /

as

It is particularly noticeable. among thoughtful, responsible breeds such bloodhounds, collies, bull dogs, boxers, and St. Bernards. Up till now their wor- rics have boon comparatively trivial, though just as real as the worries of any over-anxious person saddled with responsibi Ky.

Hard-working, conscientious RECENTLY I saw a STORED of

English schoolgirls consult sheep dogs have spent steepless Vallauris, Το

painter ing their dictionaries in puzzle nights wondering if one of their dock has strayed, counting sheep ment outside a Champs Elysee Picasso has been something cinema.

They had reason to aver and over again in their than its most dis- be puzzled

The cinema they troubled dreams and doubting tinguished citizen and a were standing outside advertised their own arithmetic. Police dogs. great tourist attraction in a film with the title "Razzia sur worry about unsolved crime, la Chnout Opposite another trouse dogs about burglars, and himself; he has also been a la reanimator of the village's chema was showing Du Rin dogs put in charge of children Chez Lies -- Hommes. Further about road crossings and motor- major industry..

along there was a flm with yet cars. another baffling title: "Ne Dogs also have real worries

All about their own affairs; Touchez Pas le Grisbi When Picasso first went to

Like under-privileged people, Vallauris in 1946 be found an three ins were adapted from ancient pottery works in almost gangster thrillers written by under privileged dogs are always "Of course. Here. Take this." complete disuse. Only a hand- 40-year-old ex-convict, Auguste asking themselves where the He opened a drawer and took ful of "arty-crafty shops kept le Breton out a bundle of fivers. His hand alive the memory of what had shook as he handed them over. *Don't delay an instant,” he

begged.

My talk with Grubble

was

next come is coming from. They envy rich dogs meering at them once been Vallauris's great oc- Le Breton's works, written in from the windows of limousices cupation.

almost incomprehensible gang- and are jealous of sporting dogs. A few months of this adula-

*ster slang, are best sellers in living a healthy life in the coun tion and he had forgotten that an

Picasso fell in love with the Paris now; For those who are try, mixing with the best people I was the author of his book. causes, unmasked villains and).

up on their French and always sure of a good home, medium, producing in ceramics brushing a it was ran home for stray dogs. short. After a minimum of ex- some of his nest brillant work. here are rough translations of good food and regular employ Or if he remembered, only occasionally and with a bit Now he had a bustling, cheer- planation, and no names men-

Moreover, dogs rich by dog of a shock. Not that when we ful air, which told me he had doned, I said: "Don't do it, old Dozens of pottery workers who the three titles in the order

standarda are sometimes jer- met he put on airs. He was found a new wrong to put right. chap. It's not faic on the dogs, had drifted to other industries have mentioned them:

Narcotics Raid; A Spot of tured by worry inherent in the altogether too decent a chap for Sure enough he burst out with It's not being honest with them soon returned to their ancient craft: Picasso's studio, a con- verted garage, became a centre Disagreement, Hands of the possession of property.

Dough, of instruction in the craft.

Why

|

tt Mr PRESIDENT WILL GIVE HIS HAND ?"

"NO, IKE, NO! YOU MIGHT NOT GET IT BACK!!

CAREFUL AMITY.

World Copyright

the Manchester Qiled Man

is. Picasso having Vallauris? The reason lies in

HOUSE CHANGE

his recent separation from his wile, 33-year-old common-law Francoise Gilot, mother of two DRITAIN'S of his children. Picasso's simple three-storeyed house in Vallauris was bought by him in her name and now she has claimed it.

I

I knew one, obviously a smart business dog, neat and clean. with a brass studded collar round. Ambassador in his neck, who always appeared Paris, Sir Gladwyn Jebb, to be trotting off to his office has rented a house in the South regularly at 8 am. He had buried of France for July and August: his invested bones in many The house is the property of gardoca and for some time had Nottingham-born 61-year-old the poise and self-assurance

Eric Dunstan; the Am- the well-to-do, 'bassador. will. be paying the As he grew older be seemed bargain, price of £25 a week lees self-assured. "A weled. for it...

puzzled frown appeared on his face. Often be would pause in Picasso is not moving far. For Dunstan, a former BBC an his morning walk to think things 215,000 he has bought a villa, The California, on the outskirts American in 1937. His wife died

nouncer, ⠀ married a wealthy out.

It appeared that he had of Canges. His fure and only eight months later in a car too clever. Instead of eating his canvass ETE already being crash in Mexico Before her bones or tharing them with

death the couple had bought dogs in creed, he had left th

MARRIAGE PLANS

moved into it.

The Califonia is an imposing villa in Grasse which has since so long buried that they were property, in large grounds, and remodelled and is now one worthless Some, of his, bonier the villa itself contains some 20 of the most lavishy homes in the bad been dug up by younger, dogs, but what caused rooms with four large mans, one South of France.

his puzzled frowol was that he' of which will be converted into

10. It stands in 44 acres of wooded had forgotten where he had Picasso's studio.

dand and contains many valuable buried most of his treasure. old masters. Dunstan's staff of Anxiety about his aftams had It is in a part of Cannes in a 50-year-old Indian valet, a softened his brakit, He lost his which are some of the Riviera's buller, a secretary, chauffeur memory, became hysterical and most sumptuous vilta. Among and gardener-remain with Sir dangerous, and had rather Picasso's near neighbours will be Gladwyn.

the Aga Khan and Communist

leader, Maurice Thorez, for

whom the party has recendy bought & villa

QUOTES

Hopes in Vallauris of a recon- Premier Edgar Faure (Aprů ciliation between

sudden and unhappy end

1 think it was The Animal's Newspaper when Interviewing the dog that could count and tell the time. which first rew

vealed that dogs could

Picasso and@4): France cannot be a great not surprising

Wale Glet and going to prove power unless she produces the grounders Shempians, formany-antom-bomb.

Paris painter.":

Premk

Terefore, it is not

that dogs who study The ne ere gravely concerned dangerous world which Edgar Faure (April live, become as nervous as the

One object of value which 201: France con all be a great owners, even to the point of icasso, has left to the village power it without wasting her worrying about income tax they and which is a great tourist at resources on the atom bomb

don't have to pay Juhl