Saturday 2.0 pm
Dear Terrick - I'm afraid you need never have any real fear that I shall stop my weekly "out-pour" - unless, of course, you don't give me anything to "pour" about - because I thought to myself last week:- - "now I jolly well won't be such a blimey fool as to answer his next letter by return - for one thing it is very silly to make it a habit until it almost becomes a physical necessity - and for another letters written in the heat of the moment often catch your weak moments & I shall probably say things that'll make him think I like him better than I do" - (last reason somewhat unfounded I think - but we're both turning into rather cautious people aren't we? - in different ways). - But anyway it was no good - I got your letter last night when we arrived in from Romen & Juliet - & deep into the night (for just about the 6½ minutes I managed to keep awake) I was thinking of things to put in this :- so perhaps this means it's habit already.
But I revel in it (even without considering my recipient at all) - so here goes:-
- Thank you ever so much for intermittent post-cards - they always come at the right moments - & I'm generally greeted on the doorstep at 7.0 pm by "family" with "post-card from Fitz - having topping weather - only two clients & he's looking forward to your next letter"! or something equivalent - families are like that - aren't they? Jack & I nearly sent you one of High Holborn with "We stood and played at this marvellous spot for 30 minutes today - gorgeous weather - we are just thinking of experimenting a drive in one of these quaint red vehicles, but the office calls" - but Jack thought you'd probably miss the point - so we didn't.
Norah & I were so broke this Wednesday that we just went home & she gave me a horribly stiff hour of shorthand (shear spite egging us both on!) - she's frightfully strict & persevering - & most scathing when I put "cake" instead of "coke" - but it's jolly interesting. (so far). Thursday was the dress rehearsal of our Health & Beauty Display next Thursday. I'm in one of the choruses (chorii?) - with a short bright blue skirt & big blue bows on my shoes! - Oh it's gorgeous! - I think I'm going to join their "national dance" class - I love rhythm - don't you? - folk-dances & tunes make me exult.
- On Thursday I had a most exciting surprising letter from the Loc H Drama League - asking me to attend an audition on March 27th to read a scene from a play - & do a selection of my own!! I was frightfully bucked - although I expect thousands will stand a better chance than me - & I'll let you know if I get in - if not I'll have to join Richmond Dramatic - it'll be a bit of a come-down - but I must try something.
- What did you mean by - I must help with the book or I'll have "lived, died & given nothing"? - you wait.
I was frightfully interested in your picturesque fluence about the Idea of the Book - you transplanted the theme most ably - I think I got just what you felt. The only small doubt I had was "Do you think - however much better & more interesting - other people would still want to read about Robin Hood?" Such a frightful lot has already been written - I know he's just righ tofr the sort of thing you want to portray - but he's had such a varied & long life already. - anyhow we'll have to leave that till we can "talk" it - I probably missed a lot of what you were thinking so it needs explaining a bit.
- I laughed at the '(optomist)' after your suggestion that "Edwy" might provide the necessary cash - I wondered if it would have been there if it had come in your first letter to me - but perhaps you don't see the point & it's really neither here nor there - it only made me chuckle in my head!
I see what you're driving at with the "improvement scheme" - but you don't know what a sacrifice it would be for me to try & stop posing in front of everybody - I'm so frightened they'd find me dull - but we'll see - & don't forget to be scathing - no - perhaps I'd like you cross better - where you catch me being "cheap" - will you?
- While I was making the beds this morning (another fun Saturday!) - I was trying to sum up all your "nasty bits" - but you see I'm afraid I can't tell you what I mean because - not counting (1) Losing train tickets etc. & (2) unbounded cockiness - they're just small things here & there which are probably only annoying to me personally, - & are not really "nasty" at all - and anywayI couldn't explain what they are to you - because they're a bit too personal & I'm afraid I don't know you well enough, Mr. FitzHugh! - but, as you see, there can't be much - so I wouldn't worry to much - you know you can trust me to tell you anything bit - (smug!) - but with our combined improvements you'll probably ? to mockery & I shall either become a salvation-armyist (the hat & red bow suits me so well!) or be caught up to Heaven clad in righteousness - (if there's enough to cover me decently).
- Have you actually bathed yet? - oh heaven - you lucky dog - we've had sheets of rain this week - but it's fine today - Romeo & Juliet was excellent - far more than I'd imagined . Shakespeare was a clever old thing you know, a bit coarse at times, but he gauged his audience wonderfully.
- Do you really think you'll be coming back about 30th? - don't you have to stay out there over Easter? - will you have to go straight up to FW? - mouldy -
I'm simply inundated with Poly Literature - would I like to travel by Air? - Go for a Motor Tour? - A Cruise? British or Foreigh Holiday? - Mums says the only one I haven't got is the specially conducted trip to the Ocean Bed - guaranteed perfect rest & privacy for a month or longer - money refunded for one drop of rain!
Immediately after I'd posted your letter last time Reggie phoned to ask me to a dance next Wednesday - only a Hospital Dance at Finchley - but it was rather a coincidence after telling you I'd never been to one with him - wasn't it?
- Anyhow it'll probably be quite fun as I shall know most of the people there - all school people, you know. - For future reference I'll tell you that Norah & Gray is distinctly off - he must be a bit of a young pig because he's giving a party - inviting all N's friends who she'd introduced him to - including me - & not inviting her! - I think it's a bit the limit so (much to N's annoyance) I wrote & told him so - horribly rude - but still it was just like I felt & shan't see him again. But mum's the word! - Norah would flay me if she know I'd told you.
I knew I was barking up a false tree about Mr Bernays - but you see I don't exactly know how you look upon clergymen & I took a chance - one has to now and again.
- Why must you be so drastically different from anything I've ever met before? - I think perhaps you're a bit too self-opinionated - I expect you think that's a good point - I know you can see both sides of a thing fairly well - but you're rather inclined to sniff at the opposite camp - I don't know what we can do about it, because you're quite convinced you're in the right & I'm not - so perhaps it would be best left. - only I hate other people to think you "odd" - so it's really quite a selfish adversness on my part.
- Crowd of people swarming into front garden - will finish later.
* * * *
- All gone - Lingwoods, Mums, Jill & Flip to flicks. Mitchell also to flicks. Jack & friend from Cambridge up to town in car (just had rather deadlock argue on Evolution with friend from C!) - so, as last Saturday when I wrote to you, I am absolutely par seul (?) - my only fear being that a burgular (sic) will walk in - I'm just trying to plan what it would be best to do if he did.
- Heaven, I'd give such a lot for you to be sitting in the empty chair opposite in a talkie mood, so I could knit and listen.
- Gadzooks, I must stop - do you ever get as far as Bordighera from Nice? - or is it millions of miles? Because one of my best friends has been living at the Hôtel Prince de Galles for some months - she's a Phillipine - with a Scotch father - one of the best - Helen Dick. I was at school with her for 8 years.
- I'm just writing to her that's what reminded me of her.
- Well, I'm looking forward ever so much to "Edwy".
- Couldn't you wangle a week-end in London & spend it with us?
- Can't dance music have futile words? - I often make up ones of my own - don't you?
- Love
Mary Pleasant xxx
P.S. What's the matter with the dentist's eyes?
P.P.S. What is the logical proof that Man is the highest evolved creature?
P.P.S. I'm so sentimental sometimes that it hurts.
(Sorry this isn't as nice as the last one)
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