'Then perhaps I should- shall we say- qualify my name , sir,' he suggested .sx 'We are known- the family , I mean- as the Stratford-Lees .sx My mother likes it .sx She was a Stratford , you see , from Norfolk .sx ' He spoke as though both of us should be acquainted with the Stratfords of Norfolk , but neither one of us commented .sx 'But the Old Man doesn't care for using double-barrelled names , as he calls them .sx And I think I agree with him .sx That's why I use just the plain " Lee " on my cards .sx But if you think'- and his expression changed quickly to deliberation- 'that I should use the Stratford-Lee , just out here I mean , then of course-' 'Oh Lord , no,' I said , perhaps just a little too abruptly .sx 'There are far too many double-barrelled names out here as it is .sx ' He sat back again , obviously satisfied .sx 'I'm inclined to agree with you , sir,' he said .sx We had a leisurely lunch .sx Nigel's cook-boy had prepared an excellent curry , hot enough with chili to make my eyes water a little , even after so many years of hot curries .sx The gin pahits , and now the beer with the curry , had their desired effect on us ; or rather , on Nigel and myself .sx Lee , I noticed , had asked for Coca-Cola .sx This rather surprised me from a young man who was otherwise so sophisticated .sx He was not , however , ostentatious about the matter .sx If anything , he had merely become a little more reserved , and much more polite .sx I thought to myself :sx 'A few years in the East , my boy , and you'll drink- I've seen your kind before !sx ' After the curry , I wanted only to go upstairs to bed .sx I had long since become accustomed , and now addicted , to an after-curry nap .sx Lee , however , showed not the slightest sign of fatigue .sx 'I wonder if you'd mind if I took a bit of a look round,' he asked Nigel .sx 'I don't sleep in the afternoons .sx ' Nigel , I must say , was very good about it .sx I knew how much he probably wanted to sleep himself .sx But , almost gallantly , he said :sx 'Not at all .sx I'll show you .sx ' 'Oh no,' young Lee protested , considerate as always .sx 'That's not necessary if you want to rest , sir .sx I'm sure I won't do any harm .sx ' Nigel laughed .sx I had not known he was so good-natured .sx But then , I suppose I had never given him similar cause to display such amiability .sx 'I hadn't for one moment thought you would,' Nigel said .sx 'Bring your swimming costume , if you like .sx We've got a small pool over on the other side of the estate , near the latex factory .sx ' 'Oh excellent !sx ' young Lee said , and his face lit up with enthusiasm , like an energetic young athlete .sx I only just recall hearing them drive off from the bungalow as I took myself gratefully up the stairs and , stripping off to just underpants in the heat of the afternoon , collapsed on the bed .sx As I went off to sleep , I was very grateful to Nigel for not having suggested that I should accompany them .sx I slept soundly , and much later than I should .sx It was already after six when I awoke , and the sun was nearly setting beyond the west window .sx Downstairs I could hear the murmur of voices , and knew they were back .sx I wondered , as I wrapped a sarong around my waist , if Nigel at all resented being deprived of his afternoon sleep .sx They were sitting over the tea things when I joined them .sx Nigel didn't look at all put out ; in fact I decided he must have quite enjoyed himself with young Lee during the afternoon , and I was glad of it .sx No , Nigel wasn't put out ; but to my surprise , and amusement , I detected a slight frown of disapproval from Lee at my sarong , and my feet shod in only se@5patus .sx And I said to myself :sx Oh , God , doesn't the boy ever relax !sx He turned his gaze away from me almost instantly , but it had been enough to make me conscious of the nakedness of the upper half of my body , even of the matted grey hairs on my chest .sx He probably thought my appearance quite a breach of the social graces ; but , naturally , he said not so much as a word about it .sx 'We've just had tea,' Nigel said .sx 'Would you like the cookie to make you a fresh lot ?sx ' 'I'd rather have whisky,' I told him .sx 'Thought as much .sx Sun's nearly below the yard-arm , anyway .sx Wouldn't mind a stengah myself .sx How about you , Harry ?sx ' So they had managed to come to the stage of using each other's Christian names , I noted .sx Perhaps Lee wasn't quite as reserved as I thought .sx 'Thanks , Nigel,' he said .sx 'Just Coca-Cola .sx Although I'd like to have whatever you have .sx I want to get to know the kind of life people lead in the East , you know .sx ' At this , I felt a return of the irritation I felt with him at times .sx He would not have had a drink for the sake of the drink , but only to know the kind of life we led in the East !sx But then I dispelled my irritation , or endeavoured to ; apart from its being so irrational , I had , probably , another two or three weeks of his company ahead of me .sx It would be silly , at this point , to let such trivialities bother me .sx I was even surprised that they should .sx The drinks were served , not by the Chinese cook-boy , but by two young Malay girls dressed gracefully in sarong and ke@5baya .sx Barefooted , they moved around the room silently , but with voluptuous and unmistakable insinuation .sx I could tell almost instantly which one I preferred .sx As she set down my drink beside me , I looked at her , probably with blatant assessment , and she returned my gaze with a mischievous sidelong glance , and just the faintest suggestion , though quite inaudible , of a giggle .sx Knowing Nigel , I would have been surprised if he had not made his usual 'arrangements' .sx A bachelor himself , he knew well how to entertain his bachelor friends .sx He caught my look and pursed his lips in a quick little grimace of acknowledgement ; then raised an enquiring eyebrow in young Lee's direction .sx I shrugged a shoulder .sx Lee would have to decide about that for himself , I thought , and noticed that although he was looking at the other girl , he did so quite dispassionately , almost as though he was merely interested in the unfamiliar clothes she was wearing .sx And I thought to myself :sx He may be still too much of a 'new chum' to see 'the beauty of the East' .sx There was still an ease in our conversation , but its scope was restricted .sx I felt that I could hardly make the usual enquiries and comments about Nigel's various mistresses as I was accustomed to whenever I saw him , much as I wondered which of his girls was in favour at the moment .sx And I suppose he felt the same .sx We had only a few drinks , then decided to bathe and dress for a rather early dinner .sx Lee was impressed not only with the estate , or so he said , but also with the accommodation provided for a planter , and a bachelor at that .sx It was , of course , very comfortable , and Nigel had made it very presentable with additions of furniture , pictures , the radio equipment , and personal touches of his own .sx He read widely , and had collected a sizeable library .sx He was also interested in Malay customs , more especially in those of the aboriginal Sakais , and his walls were adorned with a varied collection of Sakai weapons .sx He had one of the better Kashmir carpets on the floor .sx His pictures and curtains , indeed I suppose the entire furnishings , had been selected personally .sx The house was , as he occasionally proclaimed , his home- and he had made it as such .sx I doubt if he will ever leave Malaya , even when he retires .sx The country , and his mistresses , have come to mean too much to him .sx And , indirectly , this impression I had of him was one of several reasons why I had decided I should leave it- before , for me too , it would be too late .sx I used the excuse of our early start in the morning to retire as soon as it seemed prudent to do so , after the coffee and brandy , already anticipating the familiar pleasures awaiting me .sx Lee did not demur , and I gathered from Nigel's expression that he had presumed that his other guest , even if of so recent acquaintance , would approve of , and even appreciate , his usual 'arrangements' .sx After I had showered , I found that the girl I had looked at was in the bedroom , making a pretence of tidying my clothes .sx I got under the mosquito-net and lay there in my sarong , waiting for her .sx Patiently , precisely , she folded the last garment and put it on the chest of drawers .sx Then she turned out the light and , without saying a word , took off her ke@5baya and , unwinding her sarong , moved it up from her waist to over her breasts in the sleeping position .sx There was just enough light seeping through the windows for me to watch her .sx Then she came to the bed , and I lifted the mosquito-net for her as , still without a word , but with another barely audible giggle , she lay beside me .sx Without further ado she began the assiduous and almost energetic routine of love-play .sx For such a leisurely race in almost everything else- not only leisurely , but renownedly lazy- the Malays , surprisingly enough , have a sort of energetic deliberation for their dancing and love-play , but which is not to be mistaken for ardour .sx 'Chantek,' I murmured obligingly , not really meaning it , nor really caring whether she was beautiful or not , but only glad to know that she kissed in the Western fashion and not just as Moslems do .sx I kept her mouth busy so that I would not have to go through the usual long and boring rigmarole of being told what her name was , who her parents were , where she was born , where she had lived- and especially the list of names , displayed like a string of beads , of all the white tuans she had slept with .sx But , as I succumbed to the lewdness of her skilled ministrations , I could not help wondering about young Lee's reactions to 'the arrangements' .sx He in turn was probably wondering , I supposed , if this was the kind of hospitality he could expect in every bachelor's bungalow in which he might find himself as a guest .sx But , even in Malaya , not all of them are Nigels .sx My companion of the night was gone when I awoke in the morning .sx Nigel has them well trained , I thought to myself .sx I dressed quickly , curious to see how Lee had reacted to it .sx I expected , or even hoped , that it would 'unbend' him a little .sx I was surprised to find that he was not only dressed , but packed ready to continue the journey .sx He was pacing up and down the living-room with obvious irritation .sx Nigel was not yet down , and Lee looked decidedly relieved when he saw me ; wished me an almost grateful , but still polite , good morning .sx 'Did you sleep well ?sx ' I enquired , deliberately turning away from him a little to look through one of the windows .sx 'I kicked her out !sx ' he said perfunctorily .sx The tone of his voice quite astonished me .sx Turning , I saw , with surprise , and again with amusement , that he was standing rigidly in the centre of the room , his arms held stiffly to his sides , almost like a child playing soldiers and standing to attention .sx His eyes penetrated mine with a fierce fixity , and his cheeks were inflamed with two small spots of bright red .sx 'I think it was damned presumptuous , I must say !sx ' he declaimed hotly .sx And then , perhaps because he had become conscious of the slightly ridiculous pose he had struck , and this consciousness humiliated him , he slumped slightly , spreading his legs apart , almost like the child soldier standing at ease ; or , rather , standing easy .sx