then perhaps I should - shall we say - qualify my name , sir , he suggested . we are known - the family , I mean - as the Stratford-Lees . my mother likes it . she was a Stratford , you see , from Norfolk . he spoke as though both of us should be acquainted with the Stratfords of Norfolk , but neither one of us commented . but the old man does n&apos;t care for using double-barrelled names , as he calls them . and I think I agree with him . that &apos;s why I use just the plain Lee on my cards . 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 . there are far too many double-barrelled names out here as it is . he sat back again , obviously satisfied . I &apos;m inclined to agree with you , sir , he said . we had a leisurely lunch . Nigel &apos;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 . the gin pahits , and now the beer with the curry , had their desired effect on us ; or rather , on Nigel and myself . Lee , I noticed , had asked for Coca-Cola . this rather surprised me from a young man who was otherwise so sophisticated . he was not , however , ostentatious about the matter . if anything , he had merely become a little more reserved , and much more polite . I thought to myself : a few years in the east , my boy , and you &apos;ll drink - I &apos;ve seen your kind before ! after the curry , I wanted only to go upstairs to bed . I had long since become accustomed , and now addicted , to an after-curry nap . Lee , however , showed not the slightest sign of fatigue . I wonder if you &apos;d mind if I took a bit of a look round , he asked Nigel . I do n&apos;t sleep in the afternoons . Nigel , I must say , was very good about it . I knew how much he probably wanted to sleep himself . but , almost gallantly , he said : not at all . I &apos;ll show you . oh no , young Lee protested , considerate as always . that &apos;s not necessary if you want to rest , sir . I &apos;m sure I will n&apos;t do any harm . Nigel laughed . I had not known he was so good-natured . but then , I suppose I had never given him similar cause to display such amiability . I had n&apos;t for one moment thought you would , Nigel said . bring your swimming costume , if you like . we &apos;ve got a small pool over on the other side of the estate , near the latex factory . oh excellent ! young Lee said , and his face lit up with enthusiasm , like an energetic young athlete . 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 . as I went off to sleep , I was very grateful to Nigel for not having suggested that I should accompany them . I slept soundly , and much later than I should . it was already after six when I awoke , and the sun was nearly setting beyond the west window . downstairs I could hear the murmur of voices , and knew they were back . I wondered , as I wrapped a sarong around my waist , if Nigel at all resented being deprived of his afternoon sleep . they were sitting over the tea things when I joined them . Nigel did n&apos;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 . no , Nigel was n&apos;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 s&amp;ecirc;patus . and I said to myself : oh , God , does n&apos;t the boy ever relax ! 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 . he probably thought my appearance quite a breach of the social graces ; but , naturally , he said not so much as a word about it . we &apos;ve just had tea , Nigel said . would you like the cookie to make you a fresh lot ? I &apos;d rather have whisky , I told him . thought as much . sun &apos;s nearly below the yard-arm , anyway . would n&apos;t mind a stengah myself . how about you , Harry ? so they had managed to come to the stage of using each other&apos;s Christian names , I noted . perhaps Lee was n&apos;t quite as reserved as I thought . thanks , Nigel , he said . just Coca-Cola . although I &apos;d like to have whatever you have . I want to get to know the kind of life people lead in the east , you know . at this , I felt a return of the irritation I felt with him at times . 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 ! 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 . it would be silly , at this point , to let such trivialities bother me . I was even surprised that they should . the drinks were served , not by the Chinese cook-boy , but by two young Malay girls dressed gracefully in sarong and k&amp;ecirc;baya . barefooted , they moved around the room silently , but with voluptuous and unmistakable insinuation . I could tell almost instantly which one I preferred . 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 . knowing Nigel , I would have been surprised if he had not made his usual arrangements . a bachelor himself , he knew well how to entertain his bachelor friends . he caught my look and pursed his lips in a quick little grimace of acknowledgement ; then raised an enquiring eyebrow in young Lee &apos;s direction . I shrugged a shoulder . 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 . and I thought to myself : he may be still too much of a new chum to see the beauty of the east . there was still an ease in our conversation , but its scope was restricted . I felt that I could hardly make the usual enquiries and comments about Nigel &apos;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 . and I suppose he felt the same . we had only a few drinks , then decided to bathe and dress for a rather early dinner . 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 . 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 . he read widely , and had collected a sizeable library . 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 . he had one of the better Kashmir carpets on the floor . his pictures and curtains , indeed I suppose the entire furnishings , had been selected personally . the house was , as he occasionally proclaimed , his home - and he had made it as such . I doubt if he will ever leave Malaya , even when he retires . the country , and his mistresses , have come to mean too much to him . 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 . 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 . Lee did not demur , and I gathered from Nigel &apos;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 . after I had showered , I found that the girl I had looked at was in the bedroom , making a pretence of tidying my clothes . I got under the mosquito-net and lay there in my sarong , waiting for her . patiently , precisely , she folded the last garment and put it on the chest of drawers . then she turned out the light and , without saying a word , took off her k&amp;ecirc;baya and , unwinding her sarong , moved it up from her waist to over her breasts in the sleeping position . there was just enough light seeping through the windows for me to watch her . 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 . without further ado she began the assiduous and almost energetic routine of love-play . 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 . 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 . 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 . but , as I succumbed to the lewdness of her skilled ministrations , I could not help wondering about young Lee &apos;s reactions to the arrangements . he in turn was probably wondering , I supposed , if this was the kind of hospitality he could expect in every bachelor &apos;s bungalow in which he might find himself as a guest . but , even in Malaya , not all of them are Nigels . my companion of the night was gone when I awoke in the morning . Nigel has them well trained , I thought to myself . I dressed quickly , curious to see how Lee had reacted to it . I expected , or even hoped , that it would unbend him a little . I was surprised to find that he was not only dressed , but packed ready to continue the journey . he was pacing up and down the living-room with obvious irritation . Nigel was not yet down , and Lee looked decidedly relieved when he saw me ; wished me an almost grateful , but still polite , good morning . did you sleep well ? I enquired , deliberately turning away from him a little to look through one of the windows . I kicked her out ! he said perfunctorily . the tone of his voice quite astonished me . 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 . his eyes penetrated mine with a fierce fixity , and his cheeks were inflamed with two small spots of bright red . I think it was damned presumptuous , I must say ! he declaimed hotly . 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 . 