BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [16 JULY 1920]
BRACERS 19669. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
70, Overstrand Mansions,
Prince of Wales Road,
Battersea, S.W.1^, 2
Friday3

Beloved

C.A.4 is back, better in health and spirits than I had dared to hope. Some flowers for him came, which I thought were ordered by you — He has half forgotten what he thought5 of Russia, and will soon think the Bolshies almost wholly admirable. It is dreadful that I feel him quite a stranger to me and have no wish to be with him. I can’t make out quite what has happened to me — something fundamental and queer — some death of hope and ambition. I suppose I shall get over it. I don’t want to make people agree with me about the Bolshies — I merely want to avoid those who disagree.

I hope last night was a great success6 and that you are happy about it. My loved one, I love you with all my heart and soul — It was inconceivably wonderful meeting you after all that time of horror,7 and finding you so divine. Bless you my Cherub.

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200673.

• 2

  [envelope] Miss Colette O’Niel | “Milestones” Co. | Theatre Royal | Nottingham. Pmk: BATTERSEA S.W.11 | 1.15 PM | 17 JUL 20

• 3

  [date] The date is taken from the envelope’s postmark plus “Friday”, which fell on 16 July.

• 4

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

• 5

  half forgotten what he thought Allen had hated the Bolsheviks according to an interview he gave to the Morning Post when he was in Stockholm (BRACERS 19668).

• 6

  last night was a great success Colette was playing the role of “Emily” in Milestones, by Arnold Bennett and Edward Knoblock, which opened in Nottingham.

• 7

  wonderful meeting you after all that time of horror After BR returned from Russia, they spent a week in the country, staying at the Mermaid Inn in Rye, Sussex for part of the time. In response to this letter Colette wrote on 17 July: “I’ve added that straight white road, past Stone-in-Oxney, to my imperishable store. I feel you still beside me, I see your hair glinting against the Winchelsea sky” (BRACERS 113208).