Enclosure – Letter to RG and LR from Karl Goldschmidt

11a. Cosway Street
Marylebone Rd.
N. W. 1.
Oct. 15. 1938
Dearest Laura & Robert,
We were so glad to hear from you: we needed your letter very much. This passport withdrawal about which you write: I have had no idea that this was on the programme again: your mentioning it is the first I heard about it. We had something of a self-denial week last week: due to the purchase of two deck-chairs as the floor was getting too cold to sit on when we have ×××× [crossed out] friends[KG]; so I haven't had a paper every day & I ×××× [crossed out] must have missed it. I don't think it is anything too[KG] worry much about: unless it is one little item in Mr Chamberlain's game of understanding Hitlers racial policy: which I do & cannot believe. In that case, of course, it would be only too legal to get rid of all the refugees, lock, stock & barrel, with the excuse of their not possessing legal papers. Otherwise it simply means my not being able to travel, which for financial & other reasons I never have considered. I shall soon know what is going to happen. Harold will have to apply for extension of my permission to the Home-Office on Monday. My time is up on the 8th of November. I am hoping for the best & not worrying & I hope you won't either. I shall not fail to tell you of any developments that might arise. Schwarz's position is definitely something to worry about: do let me know of whatever you hear.
So glad to hear that Dorothy is starting work so quickly & under such good auspices. Please give her our love
& tell her that we think often of her & that we hope work will be good & satisfying.
The Deyá letter upset me very much but I would not have missed it for anything in the world. Poor, poor Solomon1 & poor poor Can Torrent & everything & everybody. Some people will have to suffer for causing so much suffering. I have no words to express my feelings, but I have never felt so near to you, Laura and Robert, than when I read these letters. May God bless you: meaning what it doesn't mean. This is one further step toward the ultimate rightness of things: I believe we are very near it now. Nearer than ever.
(By the way, I read George Bernamo's book: it is not only an apologia for Catholicism ×××× but a queer apologia for French royalism of such an exclusive kind that G.B. denies everybody the right to call himself a royalist except himself. Though he does not give any reason for this extraordinary attitude. I read the book mainly because from the photo on the wrapper I remembered him very well, & due to a nostalgic feeling that produced. You know him: he is the thick-set Frenchman of pallid complexion, startling blue eyes, untidy grey-black hair & moustache with a game leg, who used to sit scribbling & holding court at any time of day in the Alhambra & Borne. There is little good in his book.)
I feel strongly the Germany jokes were something more than only bad taste. I apologize. I would not have sent them now. Thanks for making me feel easier about them. I cannot tell you how thinking of you helped us to get over those dark days. I was surprised at myself & felt almost ashamed for having faith where other people were so poor
×××× [smudge] cursed my inarticulateness which prevented me from spreading it & helping. No, I have no fear of any ultimate consequences.
I first heard of Margaret's leaving Norman from Harry & Alix whom we ×××× [indecipherable] invited[KG] for coffee one evening last week. I had not seen Margaret for over a month though Marie saw her frequently until she found a room. A day or so later she looked Marie up. According to Marie she does not think that the Himpem's job is suitable as she is looking for a job where she has maids under her. I fear Margaret avoids me very carefully. ×××× [indecipherable] I beg you not to mention this to her as it might in the end prevent her from seeing Marie as well & then she Margaret [KG] would have nobody here at all. It all comes from my saying that you had written to me, telling me to[KG] try to help her work out the problem of going to France. She felt that she had been 'discussed'. ×××× [illegible] I am very sorry it happened, though I cannot see that my doing so was very wrong. Margaret is very difficult to help. She suffers from spasms of self-poisoning as I used to: so I think that for the moment I cannot do anything except try to help her through Marie. I am sorry if it messed everything up. Besides there may be nothing in this theory of mine. Only she does never come when she would find me at home. I suppose she will have written to you by now. I am very sorry for both Norman & Margaret.
About Harold: I don't know: I wish to think there was hope. But he ×××× so hopelessly entangled in this Buddhist tomfoolery. Maybe it will pass.
I read the Times Lit. Sup. Review & by God, I was angry! On the other hand I don't see what else they could have done: as every any[KG] attempt at decency would be out of keeping with this paper's present ×××× [illegible] policy. It is disgusting. Harold told me about Humbert Wolfe2.
Dear Eric: I thought of him & Ldenka often during these days. How splendid of them to carry on the good work.
Thanks for the cat names: yes, we did find one, though time must show whether it is a good one as it has not yet sunk in. We called her SOETKIN: after Till ULENSPIEGEL'S mother in Cosher's Flemish opera. She was a good woman: that's all. And we just hope our Soetkin will be a good cat. She has made for much smoothness of life: as cats will have it so & we love her very much and are grateful to her. She sends greetings & puts her soft little pads against your face & says: "Who are you?"
Marie has something of a job since about two weeks ago. She takes Sally, Olive's daughter to school every morning & collects her in the afternoons. And there is another person who has her place cleaned by her once a week. A very Alma-Squarish place, Marie says & likes doing it the better for it.
When is THE WORLD & OURSELVES coming out: Marshall Simpkin, the retailers, asked the other day:
Marie says will I answer her letter & give her love & say thank you & to understand that pens are difficult things to give love with but saying so less so. And that she likes Sally & taking her but is still looking for something less ×××× & more substantial.
We had dinner at Ethel's on Thursday & Nancy3 was there too. We had some very wholesome talk till very late. We are looking forward to having them here soon.
To Robert's letter: Yes, everything shall be done on Monday & I shall let you know as soon as things happen. (I often have the feeling that I have known T.E. intimately. Not that I care for the feeling. Do you think he is dead enough, or not yet?)
I suppose it is a good thing my being here: though not good enough: missing you so often. I am looking forward to the proof copy. And best wishes on publication.
And, dear Laura & Robert, how sorry we are about David. It is horrifyingly, shockingly wicked of the boy. We do sympathize [sic: symphatize] so much. I think we saw this smouldering in him ever since he returned from Italy. And sorry for David too. It is so difficult to be young & still more difficult to bear it gracefully. Luckily he can't escape getting older &, I am sure, more graceful.
Nice that Jenny is getting on. The son of Jenny's director in Liverpool is a good customer of ours. Harold told him about Jenny & he is going to ask his father to keep an
eye on her in the way of interest.
I had supper with a Daily Herald man whom you know: Roger Pippit. I rather liked him as he was so sweet to his wife & because he is so fed up with Fleet Street4. He lives in a basement on top of which lives Louis McNeice. He said that the neighbouringness made him lose his respect for him as a manas well[KG] after he lost it for him as a poet.
This all for today. Special love for Alan, Beryl, Dorothy & David & the lovingest love from the both of us to the each of you & all
Karl & Marie
Kincaid's book5 to follow as soon as possible. Is D.K. the chap who sent you poetry from India? I hope not as D.K. died recently. The book is supposed to be good. It was almost my job to choose the illustrations but house-hunting after having not found anything after a strenuous fortnight made me refuse. I found our new place exactly the time when I should have been in the British Museum.

Editorial Notes

1RG's bulldog. eds
2English poet who reviewed LR's Collected Poems for the Observer, see Friedmann 319. eds.
3Nicholson? eds.
4London eds.
5 British Social Life in India by Dennis Kincaid. London: George Routledge & Sons, Ltd., 1938. see 1 December, 1938 eds.