I don't believe 'Mr Todd' so much 'captivated' Tony, as rescued him at the point of death, and then manoevred events so as to keep him in the jungle for his own selfish reasons. In just the same way that Tony's wife had used him, and even the woman employed as a co-respondent in the divorce used him - as a nice little paid break upon which she insisted her daughter accompany her.
I understand that Waugh's American publishers insisted upon the last section being re-written, to show that Tony actually got away from Todd and returned to Hetton and the problems with his wife.
Of course, I realize that it was Waugh's purpose to show that the British upper
class was crumbling, and so Tony was depicted as useless - but had he not been he might have been able to entice Mr Todd to accompany him back to England on the promise of a life of ease and comfort in a stately home. He could easily have got rid of him once back there - paid him off, or had him deported or something. That's what I would have done, anyway.
George... don't do that!
reply
share