[22 Paradise Rd., Northampton, Mass.]
I marked last week’s letter for the Normandie, and then came the French seamen’s strike, so I do not know whether you received it; but I should suppose that the Post Office would have sent it by the Aquitania instead. It was a dull letter, so it doesn’t matter when you get it. Your letter of the 1st arrived this morning. I do not remember which was the letter that you had just received, but I am sorry that it was ‘full of fatigue and problems’. WellHale, Emily Jose Milliken (EH's mother)business relating to;c3, Itravels, trips and planspossible EH England Christmas 1938 visit;d3;a1 had not cherished any lively hope of your coming over here for Christmas, or after – and of course, if there is business of your mother’s to attend to, that has priority over everything – but the best thing you can do for me for Christmas, in the circumstances, is to try to make it just as much of a holiday as you can, at home, and make me feel that if we cannot be together you will at least be trying to get some rest, and not merely frittering away the short period in Boston. I know that this is not easy, because it will depend upon friends; but if you will choose among the possible ways of spending the vacation, whichever is most restful, that will be a gift to me. IHale, Emilybirthdays, presents and love-tokens;w2TSE receives diary for Christmas;d9 have kept the diary on my desk, unopened, and shall open it on Christmas morning.
I console myself by reflecting, that I had rather the period of the year during which I can see you was longer, than have a tiny bit now, which would be disturbing and exciting, as well as soothing. I have got accustomed, during these last years, to a part of myself hibernating during the winter, and only coming out in June until October: a strange way of living, but a possible one. Sotravels, trips and planspossible TSE 1939 visit to America;d4mooted for spring;a1 that if I could come over to America in May or June, see something of you then, amongst the family duties, and feel that we were coming back here at about the same time, if not on the same vessel, that would do more for me than a short week after Christmas, wonderful and strange as that would be.
ButHale, Emilyrelationship with TSE;w9as perpetual progress and revelation;c1 when I say hibernating, I hope that I do not simply stop still in the winter, for we can only be of use to each other if we go on developing, separately when we must be, and together when we can. It has, I think, been so heretofore – last summer brought much that was new, or the same thing at a different stage, and was therefore in retrospect the best of all; and so it should be in the future.
The next two weeks must be very busy, with the cards to despatch (I have just ordered a lot from your shop in Cork Street, De la More) and children’s presents to buy; and then a more restful and private week after Christmas. You will think of me at church on Christmas Eve, and perhaps you will go to some Christmas Eve service also; and please send me (I hope you will, for it is now too late for you to do so in reply) your Christmas address in Boston.
ButFlat 3, 11 Emperor's Gateredecorated with EH's presents;b2 the Cows have been hanging up opposite me as I write, since a few days after you sailed: I think I told you so. And I do use your rosary: it hangs at the head of my bed.
YourCocteau, JeanLa Machine infernale;a6 reviewHale, Emilywritings;x4review of La Machine infernale;a5 of The Infernal Machine read extremely well and to the point.1 IHale, Emilyencouraged to write drama criticism;l4 wish you might do more dramatic criticism. The London reviewers often irritate me, for example when reviewing a Shakespeare performance, by airing their opinions about the play itself at unnecessary length.
1.Not located: possibly not published.
2.JeanCocteau, Jean Cocteau (1889–1963), playwright, poet, librettist, novelist, film-maker, artist and designer, was born near Paris and established an early reputation with two volumes of verse, La Lampe d’Aladin (Aladdin’s Lamp) and Prince Frivole (The Frivolous Prince). Becoming associated with many of the foremost practitioners of experimental modernism, such as Gide, Picasso, Stravinsky, Satie and Modigliani, he turned his energies to modes of artistic activity ranging from ballet-scenarios to opera-scenarios, as well as fiction and drama. ‘Astonish me!’ urged Sergei Diaghilev. A quick collaborator in all fields, his works embrace stage productions such as Parade (1917, prod. by Diaghilev, with music by Satie and designs by Picasso); Oedipus Rex (1927, with music by Stravinsky); and La Machine Infernale (produced at the Comédie des Champs-Elysées, 1934); novels including Les Enfants terribles (1929); and the screenplay Le Sang d’un poète (1930; The Blood of a Poet, 1949).