◆ SpookStack

he had said MacArthur, and ed what he had to with “Sqiator McCarthy,” said Bur- ges } Terrible atmosphere. All tht urges.” ‘He seemed very well and almost javnty, obviously pleased to be back even if he went around saying he was convinced that America had gone mad and was determined on war. During the winter Donald Maclean had made a great effort to fit into his new existence as a'commuter. Mrs, Maclean was expecting another child, and Denald conscientiously refused to go to cocktail parties in order not to miss his evening train to Kent. By May, however, he seemed to be * more about London of an evening, : come n © batt and it would be interesting if we could discover if there was any 24 sudden increase in these outings after the return of Guy Burgess. On one occasion in April, after some feint attacks. he knocked down one of his greatest friends for taking the side of Whittaker Chambers in the Hiss case. Chambers, according to Donald, was a double- faced exhibition- ~ ist too revolting to be defended by anyone, Donald's drink- ing followed an established routine. The charming and amiable self was gradually left behind, and the hand — which patted his friend on the back. ~ became a fisil. A change would into his voice like the roll of drums for the cabaret. It tovk the form of an out- burst of indignation, often directed against himself, in which the embittered idealist would aban- don all compromise and castigate all forms of humbug and pretence. AS the last train left for Sevenoaks from faraway Charing Cross he would wave a Jarge hand, in some bar, to his companions. “ Well, any- how, you're all right. And you are al) right." The elected smiled hap- pily, but doubt was spreading like a frown on Caligula. “ Wait—I'm not sure. Perhaps you aren't all right. After u—y@'re the worst of the lot, 1, you said this and this. fact you're very wrong. You . Npn't dh at all. (Bis). And as for Fy «Bas AS c ———- [ppose T must forgive you. Cross Jnexpected Visit from iam Maclean as “Ronald Maclean ATTER & dinner-party on May 15 six of us came back to my house: it was divided Into two, and Donald occasionally spent the night in the other flat. Past mid- night there was a battering on the door and I let him in, sober-drunk, the first time I had seen him tn this legendary condition. He began to Wander round the room, blinking at the guests as he divided the sheep from the goats, and then went out to lie down to sleep in the hall, stretched out on the stone floor under his overcoat like some figure from a shelter sketch-book. ‘The departing guests had to make their way over him. and I noticed that. although in apparent coma. he would raise his long stiff leg lke a drawbridge when one of the goats was trying to pass. I put him to bed in his absent friend's flat and gave him an Alka-Seltzer breakfast in the morning. On May 25. the day when Burgess and Maclean left England, I arranged to greet some friends in Schmidt's before lunching down the street at the Etoile. We met in the road. Donald was with them, looking rather creased and yellow. casual but diffident. We all stood on the pavement. I said to him, “You're Cyril Connolly. aren’t you? —I'm Sir Donald Maclean”; this reference to our conversation at his club was intended to efface our last meeting. He seemed calm and genial, and went off gaily to con- tinue the luncheon with his friends, who were to rejoin me for coffee. At luncheon, they told me when they came back, he had been mel- Jow and confidential; he had talked about himself, about how much better he felt, how he didn't have to visit his psycho-analyst so» often. and how he was determined to take a hold on himself lest he got into any trouble which might bring disgrace upon his children. ‘That day was his birthday. The Juncheon was his treat, and the week after he was getting some compassionate leave, for his wife would be going to hospital for the baby; he asked if he could come down and visit my friends for some part of the time. ‘They had been very kind to him when he was ill, and he was now in effect making them a favourable report. After spending the afternoon in | his office he went off to Charing and caught his usual train Sevenoaks. That evening Burgess arrived at Donald's house at Tatsfield—he had driven d in a hired car—and was introduced Styles.” Burgess had engaged ne ‘Preparations } car by telephone at about two. o'clock and then gone round, paid Journey the deposit, and undergone a brief HEN Burgess had | driving test. At 530 he had 1 tlekets on the Wer _Fecelved a long telephone call at ould otnny peatnt hie fat. Thursday night he seem After a quiet and rather an agitated state " look \sober dinner Donald and“ Ronald” friend who was going walked in the garden, Donald ie seems to have spent then said that they had to priday with Miller, fet go to see a friend who lived fromthe Green Park 5 nearby and that he might have to morning and lunching ‘slay away for the night. He At two'o'ciock he ring ‘promised that he would return on hig club for the hired the morrow and took only his brief-"the garage with Miller. car near his New Pond eae . {and goes shopping, buy: Midnight Arrival at ‘mackintosh (he had 1 tosh), a fibre suitcase : Southampton many nylon shirts whi ft him. THE pair got into the hired ear gt 6.25 he Jett Mi and drove to Southanipton just hotel, saying “See yo ‘fn time to reach the cross-Channel, je then’ went back { vessel Falaise, which left at mid- received the telephone hight on a specia] week-end cruise packed into two. sUitct to Saint. Malo and back by the briefcase four suits, Channel Islands, returning early 00 piue jeans, socks, hat: Mgnday morning. “What about and his gaudy cotlectio car?” yelled a port garage an extensive wardrob: nights at sea. At sever last drink at his club. evening the American r flat to know why he ha case with him when he lef:. - attpndant. ‘on#Monday.’ He had booked the two-berth fitnea cabin at Victoria on the Wednesday. _— in his own name, and on that day” Maclean's day_Wwas had invited a young American, Quite inactive. Burgess i: whom he introduced to various Maclean the patient, a: people as “Miller” and whom he nothing to show that ,” had met on the Queen Mary, tended going anywher when returning irom Washington, Was driven off from hi: to accompany him. But Burgess Burgess. His birthday let him down at the Iast moment. lasted from 12.30 until Burgess seems to have had the idea — Champagne and c of a jong holiday in France in his Wheeler's, then some : mind. but tha: was unconnecteci food at Schmidt's; he w with the week-end jaunt. For this tll 5.30 and he went hc Friday evening he had an impor. usual train. But it mi tant dinner engagement which ha the telephone call whic never cancelled. ‘ rroelved at $30 ras Sor At Saint Malo, where the boat rom Maclean. arrived at 10 am., the two stayed During May Burgess h on board, breakfasting and drink. Worries. but he had be ing beer au the others had left, an dnportant foe ote hen at eleven they. too. went. ashore, leaving behind Burgess Clizch this on the day he two suitcases, At the station, which — ————————____ the Paris express had fust left (they would have had plenty ot time to catch it) they took a taxi to Rennes, the junction some fifty miles away. ‘They did not speak on the way. They gave no tip to the driver on the fare of 4.500 francs and they arrived at Rennes station in time to catch the express again. They were not noticed on the train, which reacl aris, via . between five and six. Soman ment they have yanished. Burgess cried: “ Bacl