Dec 22 Wednesday.

Marie back. Karl very dead with his cough.
Sam got off with great difficulty by Alan: bike, bike ticket, ear apparatus. I went to bed after lunch and forgot to wire Nancy when Sam would arrive.
Went over rest of Ch [Chapter] II; Chap [Chapter] III; and Chapter IV (again).
Also reading The Menace of Japan.1
Jenny goodbye: on the way to spend Christmas with the Allsop's, beer at Ingatestone , brought me candied fruit.
Chocolates from Marie & Karl.
Norman gave Laura a swell nightgown.
Bed in dining room. Very bad cough, handk. [handkerchief] expenditure, sweats. Listened to Laura's telephone talks from the extension at my bedside.
Reassuring letter from Mary.

Editorial Notes

1see Dec. 14th entry eds.

Hands Referenced

Places Mentioned

  • Ingatestone

    Ingatestone, England
    town north-east of London and location of a hospital[?] where Jenny Nicholson spent Christmas 1937 eds.

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Mary Lucy

    Lucy, Mary
    Visited R.G. and L.R. at Ewhurst. An admirer of both Graves and Riding, but her marital problems brought tensions to their household. See diary entry January 2, 1938 (and K.G. note).

  • Jenny

    Nicholson, Jenny
    Jenny Nicholson: oldest daughter of Robert by Nancy Nicholson.

  • Norman Cameron

    Cameron, Norman
    Poet. Built Can Torrent in 1932-1933. W.G.; m. to Elfriede, then to Catherine Vandervelde; friend and contributor to LR and RG's work eds.

  • Nancy

    Nicholson, Nancy
    (1899-1977) First wife of Robert Graves; married 1918, separated 1927, divorced 1949. eds.

  • Karl/Carl

    Goldschmidt, Karl
    Karl Goldschmidt, later Kenneth Gay: Graphic artist, friend and secretary of Robert Graves and Laura Riding since 1934. R. G. spells both as Carl and Karl.

  • Alan

    Hodge, Alan
    Oxford history graduate. Became close friends with LR & RG. First husband of Beryl Graves. CP & WG

  • Marie

    Goldschmidt, Marie
    Karl Goldschmidt's first wife. RPG 280-81. The couple met when Marie was employed as domestic help at Ewhurst (summer 1937). eds.

  • Sam

    Graves, Samuel
    R.G.'s youngest child by Nancy Nicholson. C.P.& WG