March 22 Friday.

Gelat brought Salamo's1 barrel, prunes, wine, vine supports.
Poem: 3 drafts And Should I Fail? (yesterday's)
Wrote to A.E.S.G. asking her to investigate a deaf-appliance for Sam. 2
Planted seeds as follows:
  • Mignonette
  • Sweet William, edged
  • Sweet William, plain
  • Ageratum
  • Balsimina
  • Salpiglossis
  • African Marigolds
  • Zinnia
  • --------------
  • Wall
  • -------------- A ver.3
and put ashes round. Flowers for house: stocks, freesia and vermouth, marigolds & silver stalk, periwinkles, the English sort, bluer than the ones here. First day Josepha worked with us. Holes dug for vine-arbour supports, and these cemented in, Gelat supervising. Three olive, two almond. He also put in another row, as a surprise, along the torrent.
Took Salamo for a walk to the Mirador: on the way took a cutting of orange ball from Son Bujosa. Put the prickly plants from the Fonda into pots. The wine is from Santa Maria & cost 45cts4 a litre — claret. Roca whom I met on the road had seen bull-fights with mastiffs in his youth, at Palma. Two dogs went in at a time: if the bull was too much for them two more. Went straight for the bull's ears & throat. A young bull: he wasn't killed, but returned to the toril5 when the President decided. The bull was the victor until a dog got hold of his genitals: then this dog was the victor.

Editorial Notes

1RG's dog's. eds
2Sam born with a hearing impairment. eds.
3We shall see... KG
4centimos WG/KG
5bull pens WG

Hands Referenced

Places Mentioned

  • Palma

    Palma, Majorca, Sp
    Capital and largest centre of Majorca.

  • Torrent

    Deyá, Mallorca, Spain
    river that cuts through the valley below Graves' house, Canelluñ eds.

  • Mirador

    Majorca, Spain
    a viewpoint (Sp.) There are a number of these along the coast of Majorca, including in DeyǠ. eds.

  • Son Bujosa

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Farm-house on the way to the Cala. WG

  • Fonda

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Inn next to Margarita's Café. Occasionally ate there. WG

  • Santa Maria

    Santa Maria, Majorca, Sp
    Village near Binissalem, in the wine growing part of the island. WG

People Mentioned

  • Gelat

    Más, Juan Marroig
    Juan Marroig Mas, called Gelat: Landowner on Deyá and friend of Robert Graves and Laura Riding (L.R. & R.G.'s factotum. W.G.)

  • A.G. (A.E.S.G)

    Graves, Amy
    Amy Graves, RG's Mother. WG

  • Josepha

    Josefa
    Maid from mainland. In the text R.G. spells it the English way: Josepha. W.G. She is a daughter of the Murcians Antonio and Carmen; sister of Isabel. eds.

  • Sam

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

  • Roca

    Roca
    ? Villager?

Bibliography

    • Title: And Should I Fail? [poem: became "What Then?"]
    • Author: Graves, Robert