has all those, and she's had to work like the devil to produce the effects that she has produced. In the process her nerves get shot to pieces, and she's not actually a strong woman physically. Not as strong as you need to be. She's got one of those temperaments that swing to and fro between despair and rapture. She can't help it. She's made that way. She's suffered a great deal in her life. A large part of the suffering has been her own fault, but some of it hasn't. None of her marriages has been happy, except, I'd say, this last one. She's married to a man now who loves her dearly and who's loved her for years. She's sheltering in that love and she's happy in it. At least, at the moment she's happy in it. One can't say how long all that will last. The trouble with her is that either she thinks that at last she's got to that spot or place or that moment in her life where everything's like a fairy tale come true, that nothing can go wrong, that she'll never be unhappy again; or else she's down in the dumps, a woman whose life is ruined, who's never known love and happiness and who never will again.' He added dryly, 'If she could only stop halfway between the two it'd be wonderful for her; and the world would lose a fine actress.'
He paused, but Dermot Craddock did not speak. He was wondering why Maurice Gilchrist was saying what he did. Why this close detailed analysis of Marina Gregg? Gilchrist was looking at him. It was as though he was urging Dermot to ask one particular question. Dermot wondered very much what the question was that he ought to ask. He said at last slowly, with the air of one feeling his way:
'She's been very much upset by this tragedy happening here?'
'Yes,' said Gilchrist, 'she has.'
'Almost unnaturally so?'
'That depends,' said Dr Gilchrist.
'On what does it depend?'
'On her reason for being so upset.'
'I suppose,' said Dermot, feeling his way, 'that it was a shock, a sudden death happening like that in the midst of a party.'
He saw very little response in the face opposite him 'Or might it,' he said, 'be something more than that?'
'You can't tell, of course,' said Dr Gilchrist, 'how people are going to react. You can't tell however well you know them. They can always surprise you. Marina might have taken this in her stride. She's a soft-hearted creature. She might say, “Oh, poor, poor woman, how tragic. I wonder how it could have happened.” She could have been sympathetic without really caring. After all deaths do occasionally occur at studio parties. Or she might, if there wasn't anything very interesting going on, choose - choose unconsciously, mind you - to dramatize herself over it. She might decide to throw a scene. Or there might be some quite different reason.'
Dermot decided to take the bull by the horns. 'I wish,' he said, 'you would tell me what you really think?'
'I don't know,' said Dr Gilchrist, 'I can't be sure.' He paused and then said, 'There's professional etiquette, you know. There's the relationship between doctor and patient.'
'She has told you something?'
'I don't think I could go as far as that.'
'Did Marina Gregg know this woman, Heather Badcock? Had she met her before?'
'I don't think she knew her from Adam,' said Dr Gilchrist. 'No. That's not the trouble. If you ask me it's nothing to do with Heather Badcock.'
Dermot said. 'This stuff, this Calmo. Does Marina Gregg ever use it herself?'
'Lives on it, pretty well,' said Dr Gilchrist. 'So does everyone else around here,' he added. 'Ella Zielinsky takes it, Harley Preston takes it, half the boiling takes it - it's the fashion at this moment. They're all much the same, these things. People get tired of one and they try a new one that comes out and they think it's wonderful, and that it makes all the difference.'
'And does it make all the difference?'
'Well,' said Gilchrist, 'it makes a difference. It does its work. It calms you or it peps you up, makes you feel you could do things which otherwise you might
He paused, but Dermot Craddock did not speak. He was wondering why Maurice Gilchrist was saying what he did. Why this close detailed analysis of Marina Gregg? Gilchrist was looking at him. It was as though he was urging Dermot to ask one particular question. Dermot wondered very much what the question was that he ought to ask. He said at last slowly, with the air of one feeling his way:
'She's been very much upset by this tragedy happening here?'
'Yes,' said Gilchrist, 'she has.'
'Almost unnaturally so?'
'That depends,' said Dr Gilchrist.
'On what does it depend?'
'On her reason for being so upset.'
'I suppose,' said Dermot, feeling his way, 'that it was a shock, a sudden death happening like that in the midst of a party.'
He saw very little response in the face opposite him 'Or might it,' he said, 'be something more than that?'
'You can't tell, of course,' said Dr Gilchrist, 'how people are going to react. You can't tell however well you know them. They can always surprise you. Marina might have taken this in her stride. She's a soft-hearted creature. She might say, “Oh, poor, poor woman, how tragic. I wonder how it could have happened.” She could have been sympathetic without really caring. After all deaths do occasionally occur at studio parties. Or she might, if there wasn't anything very interesting going on, choose - choose unconsciously, mind you - to dramatize herself over it. She might decide to throw a scene. Or there might be some quite different reason.'
Dermot decided to take the bull by the horns. 'I wish,' he said, 'you would tell me what you really think?'
'I don't know,' said Dr Gilchrist, 'I can't be sure.' He paused and then said, 'There's professional etiquette, you know. There's the relationship between doctor and patient.'
'She has told you something?'
'I don't think I could go as far as that.'
'Did Marina Gregg know this woman, Heather Badcock? Had she met her before?'
'I don't think she knew her from Adam,' said Dr Gilchrist. 'No. That's not the trouble. If you ask me it's nothing to do with Heather Badcock.'
Dermot said. 'This stuff, this Calmo. Does Marina Gregg ever use it herself?'
'Lives on it, pretty well,' said Dr Gilchrist. 'So does everyone else around here,' he added. 'Ella Zielinsky takes it, Harley Preston takes it, half the boiling takes it - it's the fashion at this moment. They're all much the same, these things. People get tired of one and they try a new one that comes out and they think it's wonderful, and that it makes all the difference.'
'And does it make all the difference?'
'Well,' said Gilchrist, 'it makes a difference. It does its work. It calms you or it peps you up, makes you feel you could do things which otherwise you might
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