Saunton
Christchurch Road
East Sheen
Dear Terrick
- You may be glad to hear that your 23 page composition considerably brightened one of the wetter days we've had this winter. I perused it in the bus with the rain streaming down the windows which were hot & steamy with the evaporation & mixed breathing of the mass. - It was a lovely letter - I chuckled & simpered and roared one after the other (even at the bits that you didn't mean to be humourous) until Jack gave me a subduing glance.
I simply shook at the "neater, sweeter, maiden" - wherever did it come from? - it's lovely - only at first I read it as "neater, cleaner, maiden" - which would, perhaps, have been equally appropriate - I showed it to Jack - so now he quotes it on every occasion!
First of all I'll begin with the general news - personal always comes better at the end - you escape quickly after it.
All this week it has poured & poured - floods are up everywhere - but this afternoon has been lovely - just like the one Norah took us out in the car - do you remember? Last Wednesday we saw Children in Uniform - the play - very goo indeed - & it's really wonderful the way the girl repeats the samd peak of emotion at each performance - as she must do - but (perhaps because they only had to express themselves once) the German acting gets inside you more - their faces and the whole atmosphere portrays more feeling in the film - & of course, I missed the German language. I don't think all that's meant can be said in English.
This Wednesday we want to see "The White Flame" at the Rialto - it's directed by the sam girl as The Blue Light - & contains some marvellous ski-ing photography.
Just after I'd posted your letter last Saturday Jack bashed the car into the back of a G.W.R. lorry - completely bashed the radiator in and smashed off a headlamp - so it's in dry dock for the week being repaired - & will leave a stain on our characters with the insurance people! So we didn't get to Cambridge after all. My evening with Roger wasn't as dusty as Mervyn Spraig was there - he's horribly rude & egotistical - but a decided improvement on Roger - who, however, I'm going to dance with next Friday at the same place as the 29th one - it'll be the second dance in my life that my partner's paid for my ticket - I'm getting on! - We've got a party on Easter Saturday - but I suppose you're sure to be away - aren't you? Our play for the Church has been dropped through at the moment - for lack of male characters - am most disappointed.
Norah asked after you on Wednesday - she's quite OK again & is easily the nicest person I know - I wonder if I shall ever find anyone who will mean such a tremendous lot to me - she's always been my one great driving force - & has thus caused much controversy & discussion amongst my "never-understanding-but-all-for-the-orthodox" relations.
At the moment we're listening to the inauguration of Rosevelt - relayed from America + + + +
I've had my summer programme - heaven only knows where the money's coming from - but I've started saving anyway. Norah says it's too early to decide yet.
I've finished my jumper & am starting another - navy & white. I'm going to have a new summer coat (I hope you're interested in all this) - either plain grey or black & white flecked - I'm afraid the latter would make me look a bit too much of "a fine upstanding woman"!! - anyway I shall have to have a new hat - whoopee!
I'm sorry about my "effect" remarks - but it only goes to show what a certain part of me is really like - doesn't it? - Because I do do some things for effect - it's a horrible habit - but, you see, I should be so horribly dull if I didn't -& it wears off considerably as I get to know a person better - anyhow I'll try & remember not to mentally bring you down to my level again - please forgive me - & go on getting cross with me over little things like that - won't you? It's so good for me - & it makes me think such a lot more of you - & you simply can't like a person unless you respect them - so treat me exactly how you feel my extreme youth should be treated - won't you? even if I jib?
All this week I've been most annoyingly content - it's not a resigned content - but more a feeling of rightness & fullness of life in general.
Perhaps Mr Bernays did it for me. I spent a most satisfying day with him last Sunday - oh - you would like him - although he probably wouldn't think much of you. He's the most perfect man I know (what a funny couple he & I make!). We discussed everything - specially things I'd wanted to ask a sensible person for ages - such as God & shorthand & men & religion & Capitalism & flat-roofed houses - he was really most helpful in everything, the conversation would have amused you tremendously! but I don't think it would have been very good for you!
He's especially keen on my getting married! - In fact he thinks it's the most likely thing to save my soul - mostly because I think he so badly wants to perform the actual ceremony - but I told him I didn't think the reason was worth the effect.
- Let me see - I really had heaps more things much more interesting to tell you - I'm sorry this is so scrappy & "me-y".
- I do hope you'll be coming back soon - it's so much nicer being able to talk isn't it? - specially about things like "forces of nature" & Capitalism - because, you see, I'm not particularly intelligent - in fact the other day I summed myself up rather aptly as "simple, but interested" - I can listen to people for ages - & it's the thing I like doing best with you - probably because it's the thing you do best! - & I don't agree with half you say - but - oh - I don't know - perhaps I'm weakly opinionated.
- But I msut stop running on like this although paper is such a beastly temptation.
- You're not to send my photographs to the family - just because "they wouldn't think it out of the ordinary" - you gave me the very reason I wanted! - & please, please don't treat me as "final" - you can't possibly know - & I should never forgive myself if I let you down - & you make it so difficult for me when you say things like that - but thank you, all the same, for thinking of me as you do.
- Write again one day - unless you choose to arrive in person instead!!
- My love to your "human decaying vegetation" at the hotel!
Mary Pleasant xxx
P.S. Don't take me too seriously & remember I'm hopelessly young & inexperienced! Poor old thing - I'm rather inconsistent - ain't I?
P.P.S. I'm going to have a tooth out - 1st molar - top jaw - right section - next Thursday at 5.30pm - think of me! I'm such a beastly coward when it comes to someone else hurting me!
No comments:
Post a Comment