[41 Brimmer St., Boston]
I am dished again to-day. ThatNoyeses, the;a1 is partly my own fault – in fact entirely; I shouldn’t have slept so late; butEliots, the T. S.;d4 dinner parties always exhaust me nowadays (weThorps, the;b8 had the Thorps and the Noyeses). And I was counting upon having the afternoon here; but at lunch time I suddenly remembered that Miss Katherine Spencer had rung up a week ago and arranged to come to tea this afternoon; and I had forgotten to tell V. and forgotten all about it. So it’s quarter past three now and I must be home at four.
It was a delightful surprise, after your little hurried note which came on Tuesday, to get the large legal looking envelope of May 16th with news. I am disappointed that I cannot read the play, after your making such a success of the part – perhaps if you ever have time you will describe it in a little more detail. AsScott, WalterThe Lady of the Lake;a3 for ‘The Lady of the Lake’1 Ireading (TSE's)The Lady of the Lake;b8 really believe that I have never read the poem! I must do so now, to find out what Margaret is like. (IScott, WalterThe Lay of the Last Minstrel;a4 have read TheScott, WalterMarmion;a5 Lay of the Last Minstrel and Marmion2 I think).
It’s not worth while writing more at present – as I have only five minutes. So forgive me my muddle, please, my dear, and I will write on Monday–Tuesday.
1.Sir Walter Scott, The Lady of the Lake (1810).
2.Scott, The Lay of the Last Minstrel (1805); Marmion: A Tale of Flodden Field (1808).