" 'I don’t want to meet you in England but there’s the rest of Europe and there are other bits of America. It just needs working out … I relish you as the most beautiful woman in the world. You stand somewhere between the end of a garden and the sea, emerging from a large oyster shell, with only your black hair for chastity …' This image must have stimulated him, because he returned to it a month later. 'I need more of you. I am beginning to write something wonderful. Stay on your oyster shell. Wear nothing.' "

From "THE SECRET LIFE OF JOHN LE CARRÉ" by Adam Sisman, 2023.

Two guesses as to how this affair turned out.

On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:53:44 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 11:43:31 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:34:38 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > > On Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 11:38:07 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > " 'I don’t want to meet you in England but there’s the rest of Europe and there are other bits of America. It just needs working out … I relish you as the most beautiful woman in the world. You stand somewhere between the end of a garden and the sea, emerging from a large oyster shell, with only your black hair for chastity …' This image must have stimulated him, because he returned to it a month later. 'I need more of you. I am beginning to write something wonderful. Stay on your oyster shell. Wear nothing.' "
> > > >
> > > > From "THE SECRET LIFE OF JOHN LE CARRÉ" by Adam Sisman, 2023.
> > > >
> > > > Two guesses as to how this affair turned out.
> > > C. Everyone DIES
> > Well, sure, but don't put embarrassing things in writing, because people will SELL them after you die (or sometimes before).
> >
> > Answer: His wife found out.
> Lo7! I didn't see that coming...
> BTW: Anon and I must be on the same wavelength, I poised your question to them and they also came up wit (C)-- neither of us are any help >.<
Our library doesn't have the book yet (it will be published on October 24, 2023). David Cornwell was a serial adulterer, an unhappy man (artists!) and wanted to make people love him. When/if they did, he lost interest.

"Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over five decades. To these relationships he brought much of the tradecraft that he had learned as a spy - cover stories, cut-outs and dead letter boxes. These clandestine operations brought an element of danger to his life, but they also meant deceiving those closest to him. Small wonder that betrayal became a running theme in his work."
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-John-Carre/dp/0063341042

One of the letters from a Cornwell extramarital interest was forwarded to his wife. She was not pleased.

On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 4:26:42 PM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:53:44 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 11:43:31 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:34:38 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > > > On Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 11:38:07 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > > " 'I don’t want to meet you in England but there’s the rest of Europe and there are other bits of America. It just needs working out … I relish you as the most beautiful woman in the world. You stand somewhere between the end of a garden and the sea, emerging from a large oyster shell, with only your black hair for chastity …' This image must have stimulated him, because he returned to it a month later. 'I need more of you. I am beginning to write something wonderful. Stay on your oyster shell. Wear nothing.' "
> > > > >
> > > > > From "THE SECRET LIFE OF JOHN LE CARRÉ" by Adam Sisman, 2023..
> > > > >
> > > > > Two guesses as to how this affair turned out.
> > > > C. Everyone DIES
> > > Well, sure, but don't put embarrassing things in writing, because people will SELL them after you die (or sometimes before).
> > >
> > > Answer: His wife found out.
> > Lo7! I didn't see that coming...
> > BTW: Anon and I must be on the same wavelength, I poised your question to them and they also came up wit (C)-- neither of us are any help >.<
> Our library doesn't have the book yet (it will be published on October 24, 2023). David Cornwell was a serial adulterer, an unhappy man (artists!) and wanted to make people love him. When/if they did, he lost interest.

All for the thrill of the sell?
> "Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over five decades. To these relationships he brought much of the tradecraft that he had learned as a spy - cover stories, cut-outs and dead letter boxes. These clandestine operations brought an element of danger to his life, but they also meant deceiving those closest to him. Small wonder that betrayal became a running theme in his work."

Hmmm... cover stories, clandestine meetings... *cough* sounds like my normal love affairs <.< >.>
> https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-John-Carre/dp/0063341042
>
> One of the letters from a Cornwell extramarital interest was forwarded to his wife. She was not pleased.

I can imagine, lets hope he didn't teach her any spycraft.

On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 9:50:05 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 4:26:42 PM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:53:44 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 11:43:31 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:34:38 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > > > > On Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 11:38:07 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > > > " 'I don’t want to meet you in England but there’s the rest of Europe and there are other bits of America. It just needs working out … I relish you as the most beautiful woman in the world.. You stand somewhere between the end of a garden and the sea, emerging from a large oyster shell, with only your black hair for chastity …' This image must have stimulated him, because he returned to it a month later.. 'I need more of you. I am beginning to write something wonderful. Stay on your oyster shell. Wear nothing.' "
> > > > > >
> > > > > > From "THE SECRET LIFE OF JOHN LE CARRÉ" by Adam Sisman, 2023.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > Two guesses as to how this affair turned out.
> > > > > C. Everyone DIES
> > > > Well, sure, but don't put embarrassing things in writing, because people will SELL them after you die (or sometimes before).
> > > >
> > > > Answer: His wife found out.
> > > Lo7! I didn't see that coming...
> > > BTW: Anon and I must be on the same wavelength, I poised your question to them and they also came up wit (C)-- neither of us are any help >.<
> > Our library doesn't have the book yet (it will be published on October 24, 2023). David Cornwell was a serial adulterer, an unhappy man (artists!) and wanted to make people love him. When/if they did, he lost interest.
> All for the thrill of the sell?

He mentioned in one of his clandestine letters to his fan/lover that he thought he was impotent but that she could cure that. It's the thrill of the new.

> > "Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over five decades. To these relationships he brought much of the tradecraft that he had learned as a spy - cover stories, cut-outs and dead letter boxes. These clandestine operations brought an element of danger to his life, but they also meant deceiving those closest to him. Small wonder that betrayal became a running theme in his work."
> Hmmm... cover stories, clandestine meetings... *cough* sounds like my normal love affairs <.< >.>

Put all of those characteristics together with heavy/doom/death metal, and you have a dark stormy night.

> > https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-John-Carre/dp/0063341042
> >
> > One of the letters from a Cornwell extramarital interest was forwarded to his wife. She was not pleased.
> I can imagine, lets hope he didn't teach her any spycraft.

He used a variation on the "my wife doesn't understand me" line. He was using being "trapped in a loveless, sexless marriage." Women fell for that, but we think that he was lonely, and fame gave him a push in meeting willing participants.

On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 6:10:39 PM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 9:50:05 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 4:26:42 PM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:53:44 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > > > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 11:43:31 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > > On Monday, October 23, 2023 at 3:34:38 PM UTC, Ash Wurthing wrote:
> > > > > > On Sunday, October 22, 2023 at 11:38:07 AM UTC-4, NancyGene wrote:
> > > > > > > " 'I don’t want to meet you in England but there’s the rest of Europe and there are other bits of America. It just needs working out … I relish you as the most beautiful woman in the world. You stand somewhere between the end of a garden and the sea, emerging from a large oyster shell, with only your black hair for chastity …' This image must have stimulated him, because he returned to it a month later. 'I need more of you. I am beginning to write something wonderful. Stay on your oyster shell. Wear nothing.' "
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > From "THE SECRET LIFE OF JOHN LE CARRÉ" by Adam Sisman, 2023.
> > > > > > >
> > > > > > > Two guesses as to how this affair turned out.
> > > > > > C. Everyone DIES
> > > > > Well, sure, but don't put embarrassing things in writing, because people will SELL them after you die (or sometimes before).
> > > > >
> > > > > Answer: His wife found out.
> > > > Lo7! I didn't see that coming...
> > > > BTW: Anon and I must be on the same wavelength, I poised your question to them and they also came up wit (C)-- neither of us are any help >.<
> > > Our library doesn't have the book yet (it will be published on October 24, 2023). David Cornwell was a serial adulterer, an unhappy man (artists!) and wanted to make people love him. When/if they did, he lost interest.
> > All for the thrill of the sell?
> He mentioned in one of his clandestine letters to his fan/lover that he thought he was impotent but that she could cure that. It's the thrill of the new.
> > > "Apparently content in his marriage, the novelist conducted a string of love affairs over five decades. To these relationships he brought much of the tradecraft that he had learned as a spy - cover stories, cut-outs and dead letter boxes. These clandestine operations brought an element of danger to his life, but they also meant deceiving those closest to him. Small wonder that betrayal became a running theme in his work."
> > Hmmm... cover stories, clandestine meetings... *cough* sounds like my normal love affairs <.< >.>
> Put all of those characteristics together with heavy/doom/death metal, and you have a dark stormy night.
> > > https://www.amazon.com/Secret-Life-John-Carre/dp/0063341042
> > >
> > > One of the letters from a Cornwell extramarital interest was forwarded to his wife. She was not pleased.
> > I can imagine, lets hope he didn't teach her any spycraft.
> He used a variation on the "my wife doesn't understand me" line. He was using being "trapped in a loveless, sexless marriage." Women fell for that, but we think that he was lonely, and fame gave him a push in meeting willing participants.

That's always the case, even for happily married-- that temptation of the old lust. Just 'cause one commits to another, doesn't mean the habit of years of chasing women and it's thrill and satisfaction magically goes away.