[No surviving envelope]
IHale, Emilycorrespondence with TSE;w3more constrained by day;f9 am sitting down after lunch, with a cup of coffee beside me, to write you a stearner [sic] letter, or stearner note: and now I feel tonguetied. That is an occasional constriction which I may never wholly overcome; and I suppose there is an element of pure bashfulness in it. I am also more constrained with a pen, and in the middle of the day, than with an oiled typewriter late in the evening when one’s feelings are less suppressed. Buttravels, trips and plansEH's 1934–5 year in Europe;b4a month which TSE reflects happily on;c3 it really was the happiest month I have ever had in my life. I am happy that it was happy – I mean that I found myself able to separate my feelings from each other to the extent of being able to enjoy what I had to the full, without its being spoilt by the cravings for what I can’t have – though the latter are as keen as ever. I should like to think that I was becoming, in your company, more unselfish at any rate. I get a purer pleasure of contemplation. It seems to me each time, after a period of seeing you (I speak as if there had been many instead of only two!) that I am only just beginning to appreciate you.
I have believed, too, that there has been something in it for you, and that you have enjoyed some of the occasions – it has been quite an ecstatic delight even just to think that you were eating food you enjoyed – though your appreciation of anything one tries to do for you is so sensitive that you may be responding only to the intention behind the menu! YouHale, Emilyrelationship with TSE;w9potentially richer for meeting TSE's friends;d8 will not, however, have realised how intoxicatingly proud I have felt when introducing you to my friends and acquaintances, or even merely to be seen in your company.
Itravels, trips and plansEH's 1934–5 year in Europe;b4EH's summer 1935 plans;c4 am grateful for the hope you have thrown out to me that you might be able to come up from Camden [sic], in the summer season, for an occasional meeting or special event – perhaps even a Race Meeting, for the first appearance of a new dress.
And I admire your ability to hold your own in any company and appear the most distinguished and patrician woman in it.
London will be very dull for four months – but never mind – so long as you keep well and no accident prevents your return in the Spring.
With all the blessings I can give