BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [9 OCT. 1916]
BRACERS 19056. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
57 Gordon Square1
W.C.2
<Abinger Common, near Dorking>
Monday aftn.3

My Darling Colette —

Your wonderful letter4 has just come. I have read every word with joy — Only don’t let Maurice5 “stomp on” you and “sweat” you — but I dare say you can avoid that. Your letter is divine. Yes, I would very very much rather be with you for a day in the country than late after we have both had a day’s work.  Oh how I wish you were here!6   It is a delicious place, but Miss M’s7 admiration puts me off. I think she is getting rested and realizing the need of method — I am getting rested too — I was more tired than I knew. I don’t think they will shut me up. I have to go tomorrow to the Trevelyans’ evening party8 — I must remind M.P’s that I exist, or they won’t make a fuss about me — and I have got to get a fuss made9 if possible.

Dear one it is not I that made you grow — it is all your own self. The only useful thing other people can ever do for one is to make one trust oneself — and I don’t know any one with more reason to trust themselves than you have.

You cannot imagine the thousandth part of the joy you are to me — just your existence — I feel I shall give you all I have to give and then you will travel on to new wisdoms and I shall learn from you.

So long as you go on growing and living happily I shall be happy in the thought of you whether outwardly we are much or little together. My dearest Darling, my shining hope, I love you, I love you.

B.

• 1

  [document] Document 200021. There is also typed transcript, document 201113, numbered “12”, which has been crossed out with “13” written above.

• 2

  57 Gordon Square W.C. BR did not cross out the address even though he was not there. Colette wrote his actual address on the letter: Abinger Common, near Dorking.

• 3

  [date] Colette wrote “9 Oct. 1916” on the letter.

• 4

  wonderful letter Her letter of 8 October 1916, BRACERS 112944.

• 5

  Maurice Maurice Elvey (1887–1967) was a prolific film director (of silent pictures especially) and enjoyed a very successful career in that industry lasting many decades. Born William Seward Folkard into a working-class family, Elvey changed his name around 1910, when he was acting. He directed his first film, The Fallen Idol, in 1913. By 1917, when he directed Constance Malleson in Hindle Wakes, he had married for a second time—to a sculptor, Florence Hill Clarke—his first marriage having ended in divorce. Elvey and Colette had an affair during the filming of Hindle Wakes, beginning in September 1917, which caused BR great anguish. In addition to his feeling of jealousy during his imprisonment, BR was worried over the rumour that Elvey was carrying a dangerous sexually transmitted disease. (See Russell, “My First Fifty Years”, RA1 210.007050–fos. 127b, 128; Auto. 2: 37; and Ray Monk, Bertrand Russell 2: 507.) Colette later maintained that Elvey cleared himself (“Letters to Bertrand Russell from Constance Malleson, 1916–1969”, p. 154). In the typescript he is given the pseudonym of “Paul”. BR removed the allegation from the Autobiography as published (see 2: 37), but in 1918 he remained fearful. After Elvey’s long-lost wartime film about the life of Lloyd George was rediscovered and restored in the 1990s, it premiered to considerable acclaim. See Christine Gledhill, “Elvey, Maurice”, Oxford DNB.

• 6

  here See n. 2.

• 7

  Miss M’s Catherine Marshall (1880–1961). For information on her, see BRACERS 19043.

• 8

  Trevelyans’ evening party At Sir Charles Trevelyan’s home in London. Trevelyan (1870–1958) was then out of Parliament but a founder of the Union of Democratic Control and in touch with many MPs.

• 9

  get a fuss made It was. On 18 October 1916 C.P. Trevelyan raised questions about the partial ban on BR’s lectures. See BR’s letter to The Times, 20 Oct. 1916 (74 in Papers 13). The fuss was continued on 25 October over permission for BR to lecture in America, and again on 28 November.