The End Of The Affair

Bendrix arrives late for the funeral. He has met with Waterbury, a man writing an article about Bendrix’s writing career. Since Sarah left him, Bendrix has found little enjoyment in his work. But with little else to do and after feeling lonely, Bendrix decided to meet with Waterbury.

They meet in a sherry-bar, and Waterbury arrives with a “girl much taller and better-looking than he was” (80), an apprentice to Waterbury’s trade. “Even now,” Bendrix thinks, “I could get her from him” (80). Bendrix finds himself more inclined to the girl (named Sylvia) than he is to Waterbury. Waterbury is irritable when Sylvia offers to escort Bendrix to the Golders Green (where the funeral is being held), thus cutting the interview short. They travel together and Bendrix is “reminded of desire” (81) as they discuss funerals and preferences. Bendrix lies about his own preferences, confessing to himself that it was he who “persuaded Henry against burial” (82).

The previous afternoon, Henry had invited Bendrix to his home. Henry was wavering. Bendrix notes that it is “odd how close we had become with Sarah gone” (82). A priest named Father Crompton is with Henry when Bendrix arrives. They discuss Sarah’s burial arrangements. Bendrix lies and says that there is no reason to believe Sarah wanted to become a Catholic, despite Crompton’s suggestions. They quarrel over the funeral arrangements, and when Crompton stands up to leave, there is clear animosity between him and Bendrix.

Sylvia offers to go all the way to Golders Green with Bendrix, and he begs her to attend the funeral, as he needs “her beauty to support [him]” (84). Sylvia agrees. She knows her way around the crematorium, as her father was “done here two years ago” (84). They arrive just as everybody is leaving. Bendrix walks around the rapidly-empty venue and meets Parkis, who points out the names and backgrounds of each of the attendees. When a pang of jealousy strikes Bendrix, he invites Sylvia for dinner, almost as challenge to Sarah and evidence that he can “get on without [Sarah]” (86). Bendrix suddenly wishes to retract the invitation when he is interrupted by a “grey old woman” (86): Sarah’s mother.

Sarah’s mother knows of Bendrix, who Sarah described as “her best friend” (86). Bendrix struggles to remember the woman’s name but eventually recalls that it is Mrs. Bertram. With tears swelling in her eyes, the old woman asks to borrow a pound from Bendrix. Instead of giving her money, Bendrix invites her to dinner and then has to explain to Sylvia the change of plans.

When he speaks to Mrs. Bertram, Bendrix feels as though he is “speaking again to Sarah” (87). They dine together at the Isola Bella and talk about the service and Henry, who does not care for Sarah’s mother. Mrs. Bertram reveals that she was once a Catholic and that she believes Sarah to have been one too. When Sarah was young, her mother had her secretly baptized to spite her father. But the Catholicism “didn’t take” (89), Mrs. Bertram laments.

On the way home, the phrase “it didn’t take” (89) stays with Bendrix. He argues with an imaginary God and tries to sleep. He goes to sleep and dreams about how Sarah belonged to him, not God.