Nov 9 Wednesday

David's birthday: he had gout.
We did not tell him we knew of birthday till [until] lunch – Léonie had made him a cake for it. He got presents.
With Alan Beryl Dorothy cleaned up washing place – put down sand, provided a packing case on which to lay clothes, dug a sump. Leonie & Marie are now doing all the washing.
Polished Laura's bed & bedside table.
Work on Castle
Dictionary.
In evening birthday celebration for David in Salon where a pumpkin ghost was, with a candle inside – made by me. Played a game: asking[RG] answering[RG] a sentence[RG] question[RG], silently asked by someone, with a composite sentence, a word each. I asked: What news of Sally's coming? Answer: 'Ceremonious beginnings generally signify little previous experience of prophecy: but nevertheless this is significant in research on the subject, that findings continue to seem familiar.' Alan asked: What is wrong with Montauban? Answer: 'Rather hesitantly she answered[RG] said: I undertake no responsibility for this wretched circumstance in which we find you placed.'
Laura asked: 'What is lacking here, if anything?' Answer: 'In time it comes about that queries which are also answers relieve anxiety, revealing perhaps everything important as truly as necessary.'

Hands Referenced

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

Places Mentioned

  • Montauban

    Montauban-de-la-Bretagne, Brittany, France

People Mentioned

  • Alan

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

  • David Reeves

    Reeves, David
    Brother of James Reeves [and Ethel Herdman] RPG 292.

  • Laura

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

  • Dorothy

    Simmons, Dorothy
    Sculptor associated with the Graves-Riding inner circle (1938-39). Married to Montague Simmons. eds

  • Marie

    Marie
    servant at La Chevrie eds.

  • Beryl

    Pritchard, Beryl
    daughter of Harry and Amy Pritchard, R.G.'s second wife. Formerly married to Alan Hodge. Robert and Beryl had four children: William, Lucia, Juan and Tomas. eds

  • Leonie

    Léonie
    servant at La Chevrie eds.

  • Sally

    Graves, Sally
    R.G.'s niece. Daughter of his half-brother Philip. KG

Bibliography

    • Title: Dictionary [projected project; unfinished]
    • Author: Riding, Laura
    • Date: 1935
    • Title: Castle-Keeper, The [children's story; unpublished?]
    • Author: Graves, Robert
    • Date: 1938-10-30