35 Nevern Place
S.W. 5
12th November 1935
My Own Darling,
I expect my pen to run out of ink at any moment.
Tonight is an early night for me, the only one this week. Yesterday my Jewish theatrical agent had to call off going round with me so I went round by myself by bus & tube. First I visited Collins' Music Hall, Islington, one of the few real old music halls left. I sat between a tiny old man who was munching something between a nose and a chin that were only kept from knocking together at each munch by his moustache, and an enormously fat woman who, every time she turned in my direction, directed at me a blast of beery breath that nearly scorched the side of my face. The show was very vulgar and not a bit funny. AS soon as I had seen the Armour Boys, the turn I had come to see, I left and took a bus to the Empire, Hackney where I arrived just in time for the second house only to find that every seat was taken. I could have stood but the photographs outside didn't look worth it, so I came home. I could have come on a 30 bus practically from door to door, but I had left my weekend suitcase at the garage next to the Poly so had to go back for it.
Tonight I was going to the Windmill Theatre but I had some difficulty in getting free seats so I had a good look at the photographs outside. If the dancers "Michel & Hero" had been at all likely I should have been justified in taking in that for the last house, after my Short Story class, but they were very undressed so I didn't bother.
Andy wasn't at the class. I walked part of the way back with a rather nice girl who sits next to me. She is acting the heroine in an amateur cine film. Tomorrow I have got to visit more music halls. On Thursday Rutland and I go to the Albert Hall; on Friday we are both going to Grosvenor House. As he is coming I shan't be able to take you, dear, but we shall most probably only be just able to go in for the cabaret and come out afterwards as it is a private show and it would be rather forward to stay on.
On Saturday I am going to see a concert party at a Reunion Dinner given by Waterlow's the printers to their staff.
I am going to try and get an afternoon off in exchange for giving up all these evenings.
This afternoon at quarter-to-five I had a very amusing visit to a queer barrister in Lincoln's In . I think he was mad. it is too long a story to tell in a letter so I'll describe it all to you when I see you - when?
Did you go to the B.D.L. yesterday?
After leaving the sinister barrister I went to Hotel-Plan, a new Swiss touring agency of a new kind. I could not get an interview but was asked to write in. I can't find Raymond & Whitcomb's address in the telephone book. No stone, my dear, shall be left unturned.
I am writing this sitting up in bed in my dressing-gown.
This morning I phoned Renny to ask what prices the letters had fetched and whether they had been low enough for him to bid. The stupid boy hadn't even got a catalogue so that he didn't know which letters were in which lot. The first lot had fetched £4.10s0d and Renny hadn't bid at all though we agreed to go up to £5 between us! And there were not enough bids for the second lot so it was withdrawn. So the silly little fool has let half of them go at a price we could, at the worst, have beaten up higher.
And as for my father who put no reserve on them, he ranks with Esau who sold his birth-right for a mess of pottage. Four pounds, ten shillings!
I told Renny that he was a lunatic, that I was very angry, and rang off.
I haven't been so disgusted at anything for years.
Wednesday
I've got your letter. I like the book-shop idea and shall call on Mrs Hiscoke directly I can get down to Richmond.
I'm afraid the Poly don't give people rises because they get married. June 1937 is only a "latest date"; if we can get married before then all the better.
I am writing this in Selfridges Help-Yourself Restaurant so it can't be very nice the atmosphere is all wrong.
I have just heard that a band I particularly want to hear is performing at the Hippodrome, Chesterfield, Derbyshire, this week, so as tonight's engagements are the ones I can cut easiest I am catching the 3.20 train and getting back to London at midday tomorrow.
I love you with all my heart and soul. Every thought of mine is towards bringing our Wedding-day to the earliest possible date.
Terrick
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