William Somerset Maugham's short stories are most fascinating. Notlong ago I read one of his short stories, it is the story about a man who isvery rich, very powerful, very intelligent, very successful in his career andyet he is most unhappy. His name is Lord Mountdrago (the story says: he was anable and distinguished man who was appointed Secretary of Foreign Affairs whenhe was still under forty. He was considered the ablest politician in theConservative Party and for a long time directed the foreign policy of hiscountry). One day he comes to Dr. Audlin who is a psychotherapist and whosereputation as a psychotherapist is very good. Dr. Audlin seems to be able tohelp almost everybody (the story says: he could relief certain pains by thetouch of his cool, soft hands and by talking to his patients often induce sleepin those who were suffering from sleeplessness. He spoke slowly. His voice hadno particular color, but it was musical, soft and lulling. Dr. Audlin foundthat by speaking to people in that low monotonous voice of his, by looking atthem with his pale, quiet eyes, by stroking their foreheads with his long firmhands he could sometimes do things that seemed miraculous). Lord Mountdrago hasa strange dreams. They get on his nerves. And he is afraid that he will go mador commit suicide if it goes on like that every night. He says that his decisioncan affect the welfare of the country. When Dr. Audlin asks to describe one ofhis dreams, he begins: «the first I had was about a month ago. I dreamtthat I was at a party at Connemara House. It was an official party. The Kingand the Queen were to be there and many prominent people too. Suddenly I saw alittle man there called Owen Griffiths, who is a member of parliament from theLabour Party and to tell you the truth, I was surprised to see him there. TheConnemaras were at the top of a marble staircase receiving their gusets…Suddenly I noticed that the King and the Queen had come, turned my back on theConnemaras I understood that I had got my trousers on. You can't understandwhat I felt at that moment, an agony of shame. I awoke in a cold sweat andunderstood what it was only a dream».
Dr. Audlin can't diagnose the case and soon he learns that LordMountrago has ruined his opponent in the House of Commons. Whose name is OwenGriffiths. He did cruelly and mercilessly. His conscience has protested thatinjury he caused to Griffiths. The story has a tragic end. Lord Mountdrago isunable to get rid of his terrible dreams. He commits suicide. His antagonistsuddenly dies too. The newspaper wrote that his death was supposed to be due tonatural reason but we know that his death was supernaturally conditioned byLord Mountdrago's tragic end. In conclusion we come to after having read thatsupernatural forces effect our lives. No matter how sensitive or insensitive wemight be to them. Thus the moral of the story is that doing good is the onlycertainly happy action of a man's life.
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