Reunited: Charles' greatest achievement

Charles succeeds in getting Claire to Shanghai. This he considers to be the greatest achievement of his life.

I meanwhile lived through terrible days of anxiety. I had received her cable from Athens, that she is going away, but the cable from Moscow which I requested did not come. I was frantic in case something has happened to her. The Russians, now the allies of Germany, could very well treat her as a spy or something. These things had happened before and afterwards. At last came a cable from Dairen, that she will arrive in Shanghai on the 24th of December, Christmas Eve. And there I stood in drizzling rain on the wharf, and could not believe my senses, that the unbelievable is now going to happen indeed, after three terrible years of terrible separation. Soon the steamer came in sight and there was Claire on the deck waving to me, and then I had the nicest Xmas present I could think of. Then, and to-day, I still believe that of all my achievements and all my successes as modest as they may be, this my feat of bringing Claire to me in spite of the war, in spite of the frontiers, in spite of all, this achievement was indeed my master piece. I am still proud of it, and I still glow in happiness that I managed to do it. ^{(SS 210-61).}

Soon we were in our new home, which was dismal enough, without furniture and without the slightest comfort. I had bought a cheap divan, just the springs and some coverings and when Claire bedded down for the night covered with two blankets (I slept on the floor) she could not close an eye, but shivered the night through. It was mid-winter and Shanghai could be very cold. I had no stove, no nothing. Fortunately, Claire brought with her $15 in traveller’s cheques and this money helped me to buy a little comfort and warmth for Claire. Of course, it was wonderful to be together again, in spite of all the hardships of our new home, and the uncertainty of myself making a living. I had found a few customers, mostly British and American people who would give me their movies to be edited, and titled. Claire put up a brave front. She cooked our meals, and did the splicing of the film strips, something she did in Vienna so well. ^{(SS 210-61)}.

However, the joy of reunion was short-lived. Claire had paid a heavy psychological toll over the past three years and it suddenly expressed itself in a breakdown.

But what she concealed from me was that she was at the end of her tether, of her strength, of her power to go on living. Then it came. One day sitting at the table and doing some film splicing work, suddenly she put her head on the table and began to cry and cry. I was horrified, and asked her why she cries. “I cannot go on any more,” she sobbed, “I am ill, I am sick, I am weary to death. All through the forgoing three years I knew I had to hold out, I had to go on living and hoping. I knew I must not break down. But all was just too much for me. I cannot go on. I must lie down and rest and rest. I am a sick and old woman. Please understand!” Again I was horrified. I should have noticed her condition before. With all speed I did everything for her comfort and convalescence. Fortunately, I did make already a little money and I had meals brought from the restaurant nearby. Later, I even hired a Chinese “boy”, though he was a married man. They relish working for foreigners because they pay better than the Chinese. He cooked for us. He cleaned the rooms and did all errands. He went to the market and could buy everything cheaper than I or Claire would, and he would make his profit at the same time. Slowly Claire recovered, until she was up again and again her own self. ^{(SS 210-61)}