Aug 3rd Saturday.

The day that the Mesquida table was moved, end up to the Mesquida picture: L [Laura] & I sitting opposite each other. Other changes, which sent a plate over to Can Torrent & fixed the inlaid table in the screen corner.
Richards1.
No sea today. Paid Amador for cigarettes2. Sala tiled now, except for dado affair3
Planted dahlias with Sebastian.
Made blackberry & apple jelly: in the middle Laura wanted to read out her contingent will instructions to executors. ×××× [crossed out] We worked on these until 2 a.m. In the middle I tried to squeeze the juice through a cloth but it went wrong & I made a lot of mess, & waste.
I got supper, made ice, cleared away. Laura kept Karl employed for several hours.
×××× [crossed out] Josefa told me that it was the 9th of the month — from Laura's the Señora's[RG] calendar. Laura's diary nearly a month out of reckoning.

Editorial Notes

2smuggled goods, according to KG. eds
3"dado" refers to a decorative wall feature, a lower interior wall that is specially decorated or faced. eds

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Mesquida

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    The dining room in Canellun was called the Mesquida after a painting hanging in it. WG

  • Can Torrent

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    House next to Canellun also belonging to LR & RG. Built by Norman Cameron. WG

  • Concordia

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Salón Concordia. Gelat's café. Variously refered to as the Sala or the Salón. The village youths had shares in it. It was later called the Salón Deportivo. WG

People Mentioned

  • Richards

    Richards, Frank
    Author of Old Soldiers Never Die and Old Soldier Sahib which R.G. rewrote for him. Was in The Royal Welch Fusiliers, R.G.'s regiment. eds.; Birth name is Francis Phillip Woodruff eds. see Diary September 27, 1936

  • Laura

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

  • Amador

    Amador
    Gelat's right hand man. Drove the bus. WG; also Gelat's chauffeur KG

  • Sebastian

    Sebastian
    Gardener getting on for 80. KG

  • 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.

  • 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.

Bibliography

    • Title: Old Soldier Sahib
    • Author: Richards, Frank
    • Editor: Graves, Robert
    • PubPlace: London, New York
    • Publisher: Faber & Faber; Harrison Smith & Robert Haas
    • Idno: A44
    • Date: 1936