[No surviving envelope]
Letter 9
YourEliot, Marion Cushing (TSE's sister);e2 letter of February 1 came a few days ago, andEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother)goitre operated on;i7 one from Marion also telling of the satisfactory report of Henry. I do not fear from the consequence of this operation now, if he will take proper care of himself; but I wish that I [could] do something to contribute towards the expense, which I know must be an anxious burden to him. One of the deprivations of this war is my being prevented from coming to the financial assistance of anyone in America. I am also glad to know a little more of your intentions for next year. I should not think you would like to bury yourself in Vermont in the winter, unless you had very close or numerous friends in some vicinity there, in any case; but of course, unless you are actually in a post, you will not want to be very far from Boston. You have those whom you must look after, but no one to look after you. By now your play will be over, and I hope all that you have done will be appreciated.
I have taken a long spell in the country this time, from Thursday night to Wednesday morning; andMirrlees, Emily Lina ('Mappie', née Moncrieff)TSE prefers being alone with;d2 the time was well chosen, as there is no one here but Mrs. Mirrlees, and it is peaceful and pleasant to be alone with her, and I think restful for her also. CockieMoncrieff, Constance ('Cocky');b7 has gone to Weston-super-Mare for six weeks, taking her dog with her; HopeMirrlees, Hoperesearching in Worthing Public Library;c7 andBehrens, Margaret Elizabeth (née Davidson);c4 Margaret have gone to Washington (Sussex) to some boarding-house which Margaret was told of by a small boy: the latter is in bed there with a cold and the former pursues research in the Worthing Public Library archives – they will be back at the end of this week. I have worked steadily, and sat for two hours this afternoon simply basking in the sun. Some day I should like to take a holiday in some part of the world, if there is one, where one does not hear aeroplanes the whole time day and night. I wonder what the noise has done to one. ThereShamley Wood, Surreyits melodramas;b2 has been another domestic crisis: the gardener gave ten days notice. He is not a very good gardener, as he takes no interest in anything but fruit trees, but his wife and daughter worked in the house, and that matters, for otherwise there are only two rather frail old women to look after two still older women. So a great deal of scouring about and planning has gone on. I would go gladly to Margaret’s cottage, except that Mrs. Knight now wants to let it at high prices to the people who, it is supposed, will be willing to pay anything this year for Easter and other holidays. They don’t want me to leave, and indeed I shouldn’t know where to go. But I shall feel rather embarrassed if they do not get more help. IShamley Wood, Surreydramatis personae;a4 was called down the other morning to help interview a gardener: an odd man, who is afraid of mice and writes letters of condolence when any of the Royal Family dies – the acknowledgement from Ladies in Waiting he exhibits with his testimonials. But he seemed to be a very expert gardener. I have been very fortunate to be where I have been so well fed, all these four years; but I hope that by the autumn it will be possible to make plans for permanent habitation in London.
Iftravels, trips and plansTSE's May 1945 trip to Paris;f4;a1 I go to Paris in May, as I may be sent then, I shall be busy through April preparing for it. This is still unsettled; I should not expect to be away more than a week. Meanwhile'Cultural Diversity and European Unity';a1 ICzecho-Slovak Institute, LondonTSE's address to;a1 must think of what I am to say to the Czechs, who have asked me to give them a farewell address, before they return to their country via Moscow. LondonFaber and Faber (F&F)fire-watching duties at;e6 remains the same, except that having to fire-watch now only once in three weeks, I have more free evenings.
Tell me when you get your Easter holidays: Easterflowers and floraprimroses;c4at Shamley;a2 itself is only just over two weeks ahead; and here there is much that is spring-like. This weekend I must go down to see if there are any primroses out.
IPerkins, Edith (EH's aunt);g7 did not write last week, but I wrote to Mrs. Perkins, and I thought she would let you know.
4.MargaretBehrens, Margaret Elizabeth (née Davidson) Elizabeth Behrens, née Davidson (1885–1968), author of novels including In Masquerade (1930); Puck in Petticoats (1931); Miss Mackay (1932); Half a Loaf (1933).
3.HenryEliot, Henry Ware, Jr. (TSE's brother) Ware Eliot (1879–1947), TSE’s older brother: see Biographical Register.
1.Marian/MarionEliot, Marion Cushing (TSE's sister) Cushing Eliot (1877–1964), fourth child of Henry Ware Eliot and Charlotte Eliot: see Biographical Register.
3.HopeMirrlees, Emily Lina ('Mappie', née Moncrieff) Mirrlees’s mother was Emily Lina Mirrlees, née Moncrieff (1862–1948) – known as ‘Mappie’ or ‘Mappy’ – see Biographical Register.
2.HopeMirrlees, Hope Mirrlees (1887–1978), British poet, novelist, translator and biographer, was to become a close friend of TSE: see Biographical Register.