BR TO CONSTANCE MALLESON, [26 MAY 1919]
BRACERS 19483. ALS. McMaster
Edited by S. Turcon. Reviewed by K. Blackwell

<Battersea>
Monday.1^, 2^, 3

My Beloved

I found your dear letter4 when I got home this morning. Thank you for it.

But this letter is about Eve.5 I have had a letter from her6 saying the same things as she said to you — a beastly letter. I think you did quite right to write as you did. My impulse is to write in the same way, and tell her I cannot have anything more to do with her. But I don’t want to act on this impulse without your concurrence, first because I am sure she is mad and not responsible, second because one can’t tell what she will do. I don’t think either of these reasons amounts to much, because if she is mad I can’t make her sane, and if she is inclined to try and do harm an interview with me will not soothe her. But of course I could leave her letter altogether unanswered. Perhaps that would be best?

The whole thing is horrible for you, Dearest — Don’t feel it the way you would if she were sane. I am sure she isn’t.

I long to know whether anything has come of your interview with the Film people7 today — Beloved it is a comfort to think you are still in London. Please ring me up as soon as you can — I shall be in till 8.30, and after 11. I want to know what you think about Eve.

All my love is with you, my dear Heart’s Love — I long to fold you in my arms — I long to keep all hurts from you — Try to be happy in Paris,8 my lovely Cherub —

B

• 1

  [document] Document 200471.

• 2

  [envelope] The Lady Constance Malleson | 34 Russell Chambers | Bury Street | Bloomsbury W.C. The letter is torn, removing the postmark.

• 3

  [date] The date has been assigned from the mention of Eve (BRACERS 19477) and the fact that Colette was in London.

• 4

  your dear letter Not extant.

• 5

  Eve Evelyn Walsh Hall, film and stage actress.  For information on her, see BRACERS 19394, n.8.

• 6

  letter from her The only extant letter from this time period from Evelyn Walsh Hall is dated 11 May 1919 (BRACERS 68068). In this letter she “enormously” wants to see BR again and believes that Colette must have confused her with someone else.

• 7

  your interview with the Film people Because Colette’s correspondence is not extant for this period, it is not known what this refers to. She had already made two films, Hindle Wakes and The Admirable Crichton. In a letter of 16 May, BR wrote that it was “a dreadful blow about the film” (BRACERS 19475). And in a letter written on 15 July 1919, he writes again about how loathsome it is that the film people are so treacherous (BRACERS 19508). If all these letters are concerned with the same film and film people, then the first letter may be dated incorrectly.

• 8

  happy in Paris Colette’s mother was taking her on a much-needed holiday.