OCTOBER 1936
Riding reads over Graves' new poem "Parent to Children" for the next issue of Epilogue. Notes Graves: "not much change needed." Riding is also going over Alan's and Norman's poems, and the poems of Robin Hale, whom Graves describes as a "big handsome girl."
Correspondence with Liddell-Hart is tense after Riding's quarrel with the writer in September. Graves suggests a separation
of their work. He is still in heated discussion with the T. E. Lawrence Trustees.
Antigua, Penny, Puce is published, and the reviews are generally very good. Paramount and 20th Century Fox both express interest in film rights. Korda sends along the I, Claudius film script, which Graves denounces as "absolutely cheap nonsense strung on historical absurdities." Upon finishing his read-through, he "wrote angrily to Korda." At dinner with the filmmaker later in the month Graves gives his opinion in person,
and "persuades
Korda to recast the scenario entirely." Graves himself feverishly rewrites the script - more than 100 pages in two days -
and is pleased when "the typist came & said how much they all (in the scenario typing bureau) liked the
stuff." Korda reads it over and pronounces it a "good second stage." Later he tells Graves the scenario won't be finished until sometime in November.
Kyllmann informs Riding and Graves that he will definitely publish A Trojan Ending. Riding begins to compose an address for Oxford, and overtaxes herself doing so.
With some reluctance, Graves finds himself working on Schools again.
This month Graves is plagued by illness and the recurrence of a painful boil, which
hampers his movement and hinders his social plans. At one point he is in such pain
that he "manages to get up as usual and get breakfast ... but is then no good for anything." But he and Riding continue to entertain friends at home, even though Graves clearly
lacks energy. By the end of the month, his enforced inactivity leads to weight gain
- or at least his perception of weight gain.
The news that Franco has been proclaimed dictator of Spain is disturbing but not unexpected. Knowing that
they will be in England for an extended time, Graves and Riding sign a three-month
lease on a flat at 10 Dorset Street.
Towards the end of the month, Graves records an amusing anecdote in the diary: At
a housewarming party for Norman Cameron, "The chief trouble was Molly1 who was dull: & Tom
Matthews who had drunk too much said to Gordon: 'I wish I knew some way of getting Julie
Matthews away from that awful Canadian woman.'"
Editorial Notes
1
Gordon Glover's mistress eds.