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Authors: Winston Graham

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‘Because you're not a civil servant on a guaranteed salary – you're a scientific business man at a delicately balanced point in his business career. This strike scare only shows how much you need to be on hand. Of course it would be a great help to everyone concerned to have you out on the survey – no one's denying that for a moment – but you have other responsibilities, not only to other establishments but to yourself. No one has the right to demand that you give those up.'

I said: ‘ No one's demanding it, David – except myself.' He didn't reply. After a minute I went on: ‘I can't explain it to you more than by saying that this is the thing I have to do.'

We talked for a minute or two and then I put the receiver down.

I put my cigarette down. I eased the plaster on my forehead and lay staring at the ceiling. I don't often remember feeling more alone. There was a fly on the ceiling walking upside down dogged by a tiny shadow cast by the light. It seemed just then that he probably knew quite as much as I did about the equilibrium of the world.

I picked up the receiver again to telephone my love.

Copyright

First published in 1956 by Hodder & Stoughton

This edition published 2013 by Bello
an imprint of Pan Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited
Pan Macmillan, 20 New Wharf Road, London N1 9RR
Basingstoke and Oxford
Associated companies throughout the world

www.panmacmillan.co.uk/bello

ISBN 978-1-4472-5454-6 EPUB
ISBN 978-1-4472-5453-9 POD

Copyright © Winston Graham, 1956

The right of Winston Graham to be identified as the
author of this work has been asserted in accordance
with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

Every effort has been made to contact the copyright holders of the material
reproduced in this book. If any have been inadvertently overlooked, the publisher
will be pleased to make restitution at the earliest opportunity.

You may not copy, store, distribute, transmit, reproduce or otherwise
make available this publication ( or any part of it) in any form, or by any means
(electronic, digital, optical, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise),
without the prior written permission of the publisher. Any person who does
any unauthorized act in relation to this publication may be liable to
criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

The Macmillan Group has no responsibility for the information provided by
any author websites whose address you obtain from this book (‘author websites').
The inclusion of author website addresses in this book does not constitute
an endorsement by or association with us of such sites or the content,
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This book remains true to the original in every way. Some aspects may appear
out-of-date to modern-day readers. Bello makes no apology for this, as to retrospectively
change any content would be anachronistic and undermine the authenticity of the original.
Bello has no responsibility for the content of the material in this book. The opinions
expressed are those of the author and do not constitute an endorsement by,
or association with, us of the characterization and content.

A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library.

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BOOK: The Sleeping Partner
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