The Night Manager

by John Le Carré

Her large eyes were fixed upon him in the moonlight. She did not easily resemble a helpless woman grateful for his help. “You have so many voices, Mr. Pine,” she resumed, after too long. “I have no idea anymore who you are. You look at me, and you touch me with your eyes. And I am not insensitive to your touch. I am not.” Her voice slipped a moment; she straightened herself and seemed to regroup. “You say one thing, and you are that person. And I am moved by that person. Then that person is called away, and somebody quite different takes his place. And you say something else. And I am moved again. So we have a changing of the guard. It is as if each person in you can only stand a little while of me, and then he has to go and get his rest. Are you like this with all your women?” “But you are not one of my women, Madame Sophie.” “Then why are you here? To be a boy scout? I don’t think so.” She fell silent again. He had a sense that she was deciding whether to abandon pretense. “I would like one of your many people to stay with me tonight, Mr. Pine. Can you arrange that?” “Of course. I’ll sleep on the sofa. If that’s what you wish.” “No. It’s not at all what I wish. I wish you to sleep with me in my bed and make love to me. I wish to feel that I have made at least one of you happy and that the others will take heart from his example. I cannot have you so ashamed. You accuse yourself much too much. We have all done bad things. But you are a good man. You are many good men. And...