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she had insisted that Masters should move into the spare room； some pretext about it being too hot to sleep together … and if she ever tidied the house or cooked him a meal it was only makeshift and to keep up some kind of appearance。 Of course； in a month； the whole thing was public property and poor Masters was wearing the biggest pair of horns that had ever been seen in the Colony。 Lady Burford finally stepped m and gave Rhoda Masters a talking to … said she was ruining her husband's career and so forth But the trouble was that Lady Burford found Masters a pretty dull dog； and having perhaps had one or two escapades in her own youth … she was still a handsome woman with a twinkle in her eye … she was probably a bit too lenient with the girl。 Of course Masters himself； as he was to tell me later； went through the usual dreary sequence … remonstrance； bitter quarrel； furious rage； violence （he told me he damned nearly throttled her one night） and； finally； icy withdrawal and sullen misery。〃 The Governor paused。 〃I don't know if you've ever seen a heart being broken； Mr Bond； broken slowly and deliberately。 Well； that's what I saw happening to Philip Masters； and it was a dreadful thing to watch。 There he had been； a man with Paradise in his face； and； within a year of his arrival in Bermuda； Hell was written all over it。 Of course I did my best； we all did in one way or another； but once it had happened； on that eighteenth green at the Mid…Ocean； there was really nothing to do but try and pick up the bits。 But Masters was like a wounded dog。 He just drew away from us into a corner and snarled when anyone tried to e near him。 I even went to the length of writing him one or two letters。 He later told me he had torn them up without reading them。 One day； several of us got together and asked him to a stag party in my bungalow。 We tried to get him drunk。 We got him drunk all right。 The next thing that happened was a crash from the bathroom。 Masters had tried to cut his wrists with my razor。 That broke our nerve and I was deputed to go and see the Governor about the whole business。 The Governor knew about it； of course； but had hoped he wouldn't have to interfere。 Now the question was whether Masters could even stay on in the Service。 His work had gone to pieces。 His wife was a public scandal。 He was a broken man。 Could we stick the bits together again？ The Governor was a fine man。 Once action had been forced on him； he was determined to make a last effort to stave off the almost inevitable report to Whitehall which would finally smash what remained of Masters。 And Providence stepped in to lend a hand。 The very next day after my interview with the Governor； there was a dispatch from the Colonial Office saying there was to be a meeting in Washington to delineate off…shore fishing rights； and that Bermuda and the Bahamas had been invited to send representatives of their Governments。 The Governor sent for Masters； spoke to him like a Dutch uncle； told him that he was being sent to Washington； and that he had better have his domestic affairs settled one way or the other in the next six months； and packed him off。 Masters left in a week and sat in Washington talking fish for five months； and we all heaved a sigh of relief and cut Rhoda Masters whenever we could find an opportunity to do it。〃
The Governor stopped speaking and it was silent in the big brightly lit drawing…room。 He took out a handkerchief and wiped it over his face。 His memories had excited him and his eyes were bright in the flushed face。 He got to his feet and poured a whisky and soda for Bond； and one for himself。
Bond said： 〃What a mess。 I suppose something like that was bound to happen sooner or later； but it was bad luck on Masters that it had to happen so soon She must have been a hard…hearted little bitch。 Did she show any signs of being sorry for what she'd done？〃
The Governor had finished lighting a fresh cigar。 He looked at the glowing tip and blew on it。 He said： 〃Oh no。 She was having a wonderful time。 She probably knew it wouldn't last for ever； but it was what she had dreamed about … what the readers of women's magazines dream about； and she was pretty typical of that sort of mentality。 She had everything … the best catch on the island； love on the sands under the palm trees； gay times in the town and at the Mid…Ocean； fast drives in the car and the speedboat … all the trappings of cheap romance。 And； to fall back on； a slave of a husband well out of the way； and a house to have a bath in and change her clothes and get some sleep。 And she knew she could get Philip Masters back。 He was so abject。 There would be no difficulty。 And then she could go round and apologize to everyone and turn on the charm again and everyone would forgive her。 It would be all right。 If it wasn't all right； there were plenty of other men in the world besides Philip Masters … and more attractive ones at that。 Why； look at all the men at the golf club！ She could have her pick of them at the drop of a hat。 No； life was good； and if one was being a bit naughty it was after all only the way plenty of other people behaved。 Look at the way the filmstars went on in Hollywood。〃
〃Well； she was soon put to the test。 Tattersall got a bit tired of her and； thanks to the Governor's wife； the Tattersall parents were making the hell of a fuss。 That gave Tattersall a good excuse to get out of it all without too much of a scene。 And it was summer and the island was flooded with pretty American girls。 It was time for some fresh blood。 So he chucked Rhoda Masters。 Like that。 Just told her they were through。 That his parents had insisted or they would cut off his allowance。 It was a fortnight before Philip Masters was due back from Washington； and I will say she took it well。 She was tough and she had known it would have to e some time or other。 She didn't squeal。 For that matter there was no one to squeal to。 She just went and told Lady Burford that she was sorry and that she was now going to be a good wife to Philip Masters； and she started on the house and cleaned it up and got everything shipshape ready for the big reconciliation scene。 The necessity for bringing about this reconciliation was made clear to her by the attitude of her former cronies at the Mid…Ocean。 She had suddenly bee bad news there。 You know how these things can happen； even in an open…handed place like a country club in the tropics。 Now not only the Government House set but also the Hamilton merchants clique frowned on her。 She was suddenly shoddy goods； used and discarded。 She tried to be the same gay little flirt； but it didn't work any more。 She got sharply snubbed once or twice and stopped going。 Now it was vital to get back to a secure base and start slowly working her way up again。 She stayed at home and set to with a will； rehearsing over and over again the act she would put on… the tears； the air hostess cosseting； the lengthy； sincere excuses and explanations； the double bed。〃
〃And then Philip Masters came home。〃
The Governor paused and looked reflectively over at Bond。 He said： 〃You're not married； but I think it's the same with all relationships between a man and a woman。 They can survive anything so long