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Well, when you say she caused a lot of troubles on the Random House scene, what do you mean?

Personal. First I fell for her and then Donald. Donald and I very often liked the same girl. Martha was a mighty attractive girl but utterly promiscuous. I fell completely under her spell--until I met Sylvia. Then she was outraged because I forgot all about her when Sylvia came along. And in revenge she set her cap for Donald, and Donald fell for her, too.

Was he divorced by this time?

Yes, he had been divorced but not yet remarried. Well, Martha finally fought with both of us. Sometime later she wrote a book about her father and our Berlin embassy. It was called Through Embassy Eyes. Harcourt published it. It got wonderful reviews in the Times and the Tribune. And Martha, who hadn't talked to either of us for months, called up and in her sweetest tones said, “Did you see the reviews of my book, dear Bennett?”

I said, “Yes, I did. They were great.”

She said, “How many copies do you think I'm going to sell?”

I was so annoyed, I'm afraid I answered, “Well, if everybody who slept with you buys a copy, it'll outsell Gone With the Wind.”