BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [26 AUG. 1919]
BRACERS 19540. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<West Lulworth>
<letterhead>
70, Overstrand Mansions,
Prince of Wales Road,
Battersea, S.W.1^, 2
Tuesday mg.3

My Heart’s Comrade4

I found your telegram waiting5 when I arrived, and your most dear letter6 this morning was a heavenly surprise — I had thought of you as too busy rehearsing7 to be able to write — All you say is infinitely precious to me, my Beloved — I have ordered Donne8 to be sent to you —

When we arrived we found that Dr. Streatfeild9 had swooped down and carried off his wife and the boy,10 because she was ill. It solves the housing problem, which was acute if she stayed. We spent the evening arguing about Tchehov as the result of an article on him11 by Murry12 in the Athenaeum — we read “The Lady with the Dog” as an illustration — it is admirable.

The wind howls and the rain comes down in sheets — Bob13 is great fun — C.A.14 had a very happy week-end, but is not falling deeply in love — his lady15 is too stupid and Tory. He likes her very much, but that is all. He comes home on Monday, and says he would love to see you when he returns.

My heart’s Joy, all our time together lives in my thoughts like a holy thing — it was wonderful beyond all words. Goodbye my precious treasure — I am yours wholly and for ever.

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200527.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 6 Mecklenburgh Square | London W.C.1. Pmk: WEST LULWORTH | 26 AU | 19

• 3

  [date] Colette wrote “26 Aug 1919” on the envelope.

• 4

  Heart’s Comrade For information on the use of this term, see BRACERS 19145, n.12.

• 5

  your telegram waiting The telegram reads: “To welcome you back” to Newlands Farm (BRACERS 107490).

• 6

  most dear letter Not extant.

• 7

  too busy rehearsing Presumably for The Trojan Women.

• 8

  Donne John Donne (1572–1631), poet. Russell’s library contains Poems of John Donne, edited by E.K. Chambers 2 vols. (London: Routledge, 1915) (Russ Lib 1396).

• 9

  Dr. Streatfeild Dr. Raymond Streatfeild, physician.

• 10

  the boy Presumably Philip, J.E. Littlewood’s son with Mrs. Stretfeild. They also had a daughter Ann.

• 11

  Tchehov ... an article on him Anton Chekhov (1860–1904), Russian author and playwright. The article “Thoughts on Tchehov”, The Athenaeum, no. 4660 (22 Aug. 1919): 777–8, was a review of The Bishop; and Other Stories. The volume contains seven stories — “The Lady with the Dog” is not one of them; it was collected in an earlier volume.

• 12

  Murry John Middleton Murry (1889–1957), writer and editor. He was the editor of The Athenaeum in 1919.

• 13

  Bob Robert Calverley Trevelyan (1872–1951), poet and translator, a friend of BR’s from Trinity College.

• 14

  C.A. (Reginald) Clifford Allen (1889–1939). For information on him, see BRACERS 19046, n.7.

• 15

  his lady Presumably the German physician whom he met in a Chinese restaurant in mid-May (BRACERS 19476); she is mentioned again in BR’s letter of 1 June 1919 (BRACERS 19487), and she was at Newlands Farm, Lulworth, in the summer of 1919.  Nothing lasting came of this relationship.