BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, 5 FEB. 1919
BRACERS 19430. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<letterhead>
Garsington Manor
Oxford1 ^, 2
5.2.19

My Beloved

I was glad of your little line3 this morning — I quite realize how busy you are.

I have arranged to dine with Eliot4 at the Ship5 on Wed. He says he has a lot of things he wants to talk about. I shall sleep at Gordon Sq.6 unless you have anything else to suggest. Perhaps I could see you after dinner — I could get done with Eliot by 9.30. If so, where? How awkward it must be having no tubes,7 with this snow too. Brett8 is gone. No news — must get to work.

All my love, Darling. I am very happy and longing to be with you.

B.

Marlow9 let doesn’t end till March 25, nevertheless I will wait till then for a table.

Burn enclosed.10

Notes

• 1

  [document] Document 200420.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 34 Russell Chambers | Bury Street | London W.C.1. Pmk. | GARSINGTON | OXFORD

• 3

  your little line Colette’s brief letter of 3 February (BRACERS 113173).

• 4

  Eliot T.S. Eliot (1888–1965), the poet. For information on him, see BRACERS 19062, n.5.

• 5

  the Ship Possibly The Ship restaurant in Soho.

• 6

  Gordon Sq. His brother’s home was at 57 Gordon Square.

• 7

  having no tubes The strike of London Underground Railways workers began on 3 February 1919. The dispute concerned the reduced work-day (from 9 to 8 hours) with the sticking-point being that the usual 30-minute meal break was not being allowed. The dispute was settled on 7 February. Some above-ground railways around London were also affected.

• 8

  Brett Dorothy Eugenie Brett (1883–1977), painter, known as Brett.

• 9

  Marlow The Eliots leased a cottage at 31 West Street, in Marlow, Bucks., from 5 December 1917 to 15 November 1920. BR both had a financial interest in the cottage and contributed furniture. The furniture was returned to him in installments.

• 10

  Burn enclosed. Colette did not follow these instructions. A letter (BRACERS 19341) from Frank Swinnerton, the tenant at the Studio, survives. A letter from Eliot was enclosed as well, according to a note by Colette on the envelope. Eliot’s letter (BRACERS 60373) is dated 3 February 1919; the original is at the New York Public Library.