Nov 1.st Monday.

Laura lazy in bed & phoning. I went to look up the Hammersmith Road Post Master who calls me 'Robert' still.

Work on Belisarius specimen chapters. Rain.

To Café Royal lunch with Honor Norman Alan.

Alan went to Bruce Richmond about Auden article with (possibly) success.

Laura & I went shopping for her – a suit, stockings, gloves

Got presents for Maisie's birthday – a carved ivory pinchbeck backed brooch 7/67 shillings, sixpence eds.; & a blue & silver French box. 10/-. For Beryl a green paste ring 7/6. For Laura a pair of Georgian garnet hoop-earrings £3 & 12 silver buttons (6 for Honor) 7/6. Joints of Meat picture 3 d three pence eds.. & Hester Bateman spoon 3/-. Supper at Tannies with Honor, Tanny, Laura, Honor pie, chocolate mousse, claret.

Nov 2 Tuesday.

Got Karl his opal ring for Marie , & a green paste ring for Mary Reeves .

Caught train with much difficulty – Laura lost her gloves in the taxi – & to Highcroft by 12 o'clock.

Parece que la mujer del queso ha bebido todo el vino de Xeres, secretamente sin decir nada: y hay otras porquerias tambien. Looks as though the cheese woman [i.e. Alix KG] drank all the sherry, secretly without an explanation: and there are other messes besides KG

Working all day at revision of two specimen chaptersfor Count Belisarius eds. (Karl cross-copying).

Todo muy frio con los de la casa.Estranged with Harry & Alix KG Alan came & walked with me to Cranleigh.

Killed a cold.

Nov 3 Wednesday.

8 pp pages of Belisarius (story of Eugenius) & sent off the two specimen chapters to Random House (additions equivalent to 4 typed pp pages at least)

Consulted with Alan about Year of Damage changed changes .

Todo un poco nervioso con los otros: el no dice nada; ya nunca jugamos a bolitas como antes. Everybody a little nervous with the others: he [Harry? eds.] never says a word; we never play at marbles, as before KG

Short walk in the dark with Alan, beer at the pub Bull's Head.

Nov 4

21 pp pages of Belisarius Ch Chapter XVIII * and also started my book about Laura, half a page.

Broke the bowyew bow KG finally. Still have 10 orphaned arrows.

A walk with Laura & Alan to the Windmill Inn where we had tea & talked about places: i.e. difference in place-sense now & ancient times.

Worked very late; very tired.

Nov 5 Friday.

To Cranleigh in the car with Harry: to order a new collar for SolaceGraves' cat eds., arrange for removal van, get a key cut for Marigoldname of house, where [Karl] lodged KG, buy paper-clips. Walked back.

Going over yesterday's work & wrote 10 more pp pages working all day till until 12 o'clock: nearly 340 typed pp pages now.

Anita is having another baby at Deyá.

La atmosfera esta muy mal con los dos: sienten el frío. There's a bad atmosphere with those two: they feel the coldness KG

Laura writing letter-book, last section.

Nov 6 Saturday

Very cold, very damp: we are now sending change of address notifications.

Went over yesterday's stuff & wrote 18 more pp pages , finishing ch chapter XVIII at 1 o clock in the morning.

El frio consigue: hemos hecho las cuentas y toman mal que tienen de pagar tanto: aunque hemos dado tanto, libre, a ellos. The coldness continues: we did accounts and they're upset at having to pay so much: even though we let them off so much KG

Alan & Beryl came. Alan, Alix Harry & I played an 'American' marble tournament which I won surprisingly by 6 moves to Harry's 2, Alan's 1, Alix's 0, A

Mr. Neale died at Islip.

Nov 7 Sunday.

Going over mss manuscript & typing of Ch Chapter XVIII

Tired: slept in afternoon

L ha dicho todo muy claro a la Señora del queso y no han podido contestar nada. Laura made everything crystal clear to the Cheese Woman [Alix eds.], who was left speechless KG

Beryl & Alan about.

Nada. Nothing KG

Made chicken croquets for supper.

Harry won marbles tournament.

Nov 8 Monday

Karl went & found a houseroom KG with Marie in Alma Square.

I wrote change of address letters etc & 4 pp pages of Ch Chapter XIX Belisarius.

Most of the day working with alone & then with Alan & Laura on the Alan's letter about Auden which Bruce Richmond will print in the T.L.S. – getting it in shape.

Worked till until 1 am.

L ha hablado tambien muy claro al rubio referente al asunto. Laura also made things crystal clear to the blond chap [Harry eds.] KG

Amnesty offered to Gordon as a Christmas present to Honor.

Nov 9 Tuesday

Cold & sunny.

7 pp pages Belisarius ch. chapter XIX and a walk to round the fields with Alan, & alone from Cranleigh after having bought up stocks of cigarettes & type-paper specially kept for us.

El rubio ha hablado con L y llorado porque tomaba muy pesamente lo que ha dicho ella: pero daba derecho a ella. Decia que la senora habia dicto contado <<chismes>> del queso. The blond haired chap talked to Laura, and wept because he took it to heart what she had said to him: but said that she was right. he said that she had made fun about the cheese. KG

Estoy muy bien de salud yo. I'm very well KG

Laura very tired: wearing the 1860 cotton dress from Deyá & pearl pendant, working on Letter book & helping Harry.

Watt Cassell's agree to Belisarius being 140,000 – 40,000 words longer than contracted for. They prefer Count Belisarius as a title

Nov 10 Wednesday

Began packing: filled a trunk with pictures, blankets, ornaments, cushions. Stored away china against packing, assembled books. restored old lampshades – Alan helped The house is beginning to return to the sordidness in which we first found it.

6 pp pages Belisarius Ch Chapter XIX

Very cold. Drinks at the Bull (Laura, Harry, Alix, Karl, Alan & I) & played the sentence game alliteratively.

Nov 11 Thursday

More packing. Spent a great part of the afternoon putting back hooks into the awful house – curtains & hanging them up.

Packed nearly all my own stuff.

12 pp pages Belisarius Ch Chapter XIX

Laura writing letters

A letter from John offering to resume correspondence: giving a wrong account of how it had ceased.

In the evening read aloud Walpole's Noble Authors A Catalogue of the Royal and Noble Authors of England by Horace Walpole. London: printed for R. & J. Dodsley..., 1758. eds. to Laura.

Laura:

Public praise pleases poets provided private payment plays prominent partsee last line of November 10 entry KG; i.e. Sentence Game eds..

Nov 12 Friday

Packing.

5 pp pages Belisarius finishing ch chapter XIX ( pp pages 365)

Hockey on lawn with Harry & Alix. (Todo muy bien ahora All's well now KG)

A *monsieur Du GardFrench author Roger Martin du Gard (1881-1958) eds. got the Nobel Prize but someone down our lane won £20,000 also in a football pool.

House now finally restored to awfulness.

Harry lost his heavy platinum & ruby ring.

* Laura: what a waste of good modesty!

Nov 13 Saturday

A little work on Belisarius but packing most of the day: now practically done. In intervals played four in hand marbles, with Harry, Alix, Alan.

Alice & her husband came to say a tedious goodbye.

In car to Shere with Harry Alan Alix Laura & there had tea & bought a pierglass for 37/637 shillings, sixpence eds. & a 6dsixpence eds. mahogany frame for the 'Different Joints' picture. Also Lucullus a Teddy bear for SolaceGraves' cat eds..

To bed early.

Ring Harry's KG found on a turnip leaf in the garden.

Nov 14 Sunday

Packing. Frosty days.

Wrote a draft of a poem about self-praise.

Solace Graves' cat eds. got lost & was brought back once more from a mile & a half away in the fields. I helped H & Alix to pack.

* Last day at Ewhurst.

After a special supper of last things cooked up from the larder & some 66card game eds. & marbles & tired sitting about, bed.

Nov 15 Monday

To 31 Alma Square N.W. North Way 8, after sending off luggage in van, by car: with Solace in her cat-basket on my knee.

Lunch at Dobrin's in Baker St. Then while Laura went to flat & spoke to W.Comm. Wing Commander Gayford, I went with Alan & bought shoes & a Heal bed £22 in all.

Unpacking all evening & supper at McWhirter's – Alix, Harry, Laura, Alan, Beryl & I.

Karl & Marie's wedding night.

Unpacking till until late.

Nov 16 Tuesday

In bed nearly all morning with a headache.

Alan & Karl did unpacking.

All afternoon Laura & I struggled with Gwendolen Murphy – contributions to her anthology.

In the evening packing up Gayford's things we didn't want.

In evening Alix Harry Laura & I went in the car to Maisie's & Maritza Frishauer's party – L & I wearing evening dress. Among those present were Amabel & Clough Williams Ellis, Ralph Pinker, C. JoadProfessor C.E.M. Joad, philosopher and frequent panellist on BBC's The Brains Trust eds., Otterway & his pal (the schoolmaster from Hampstead) Mrs. Strachey(Henrietta Mary) Amy née Simpson (c.1866-1957) eds., the whole Freeman family, Kitty West, Ward & Dorothy, Honor & Gordon, Alan, S.H.Wood, Hilda Matheson: the biggest joke was one Lady Constance Bonham-Carter who talked art. A dirty feel afterwards.

Nov 17 Wednesday

Putting things away and rearranging furniture.

2 pp pages Belisarius Ch Chapter XX

In all day: Laura went to buy a cupboard at Heal's.

In evening, lateish, David came & told us about Nancy's fainting in bath (pontine haemorrhagea type of brain haemmorhage eds.) & being given up by 2 doctors: five days unconscious. Now better, & contemplating a move to Devon, selling Poulk.

David very responsible & clear-headed. He went back by taxi at 1 o clock.

Jenny: more hard luck stories over phone.

Nov 18 Thursday.

Today we finally settled in.

¼ p page Belisarius. Tea with Harry & Alix in their Victorian Gothic flat. Honor to supper & Alan: talked over the End of World play, each making suggestions.

My bed came.

Completed, finally, my solitaire-marble set with Alan's help: from the dirty old man in East Street.

Dent's may take the dictionary.

Undertook to deliver Belisarius to Random House by end of Jan. January

Nov 19 Friday

2 pp pages Belisarius.

This is by far the best place we have been in since we left Deyá.

To Caledonian Market & bought all sorts of things for Alan's mad flat – a Polish battle picture 1/6d1 shilling, sixpence eds. plate, blue bedspread 4/-, green baize 1/6, set of six blue plates & soup plates 1/9, map of China (17th cent. century ) & of Near East 3/6 each & frames for them 6dsixpence eds. & 3/6d, a china ship 1/6, a lustre cream jug 3/6, a solitaire board 4/- butter-dish 2d – also a Dutch flower mug-jug 3/6 for Marie – and for ourselves a W lustre saucer for a pot of cyclamen 6d, a map of Balearics 16th cent. century 3/6, four H.B. teaspoons for our set 10/- each, a silver sherry label (HB) 15/-, a frame for Sheldonian picture 6d. Harry & Alix took us & Alix in the car and there was some hesitation about a writing table for Alix which someone else bought.

In the house electricians, glazier; the Spanish chest & Laura's wardrobe came.

To Charing + to see Roz: Jim trying to boss her in a brutal way & making a mess of things for her. Saw Betty Cadness, the pathologist there.

A walk with Laura after supper.

To bed at 2 o'clock after work.

Nov 20 Saturday

Bridget is getting married to someone called Paul & retiring to Devonshire.

7 pp pages Belisarius. A walk to St John's Wood. Bought a frame for the Balearic map 7/67 shillings, sixpence eds. & a 1/- set of 'shark's teeth' (some small ivory tusks, 30,) and made a necklace & bracelets from them with amber. Found a table for Alix.

Laura very tired: trying to do letter-book.

Has a story-book sempstress called Miss Story.

Nov 21 Sunday.

Two drafts more on poem about Self-Praise.

8 pp pages Belisarius ( Ch Chapter XX).

Fog all day: walked to Hampstead.

Wrote to Sir Kingsley Wood about demolition of my Harlech cottage.

Jenny on the phone said that I was reported to have written to MacAlpine of Dorchester House accusing Brig Gen Brigadeer General KentishBrigadier-General R.J. Kentish, CMG, DSO (1876-1956) Basil Kentish. Served in South Africa with 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers and in 1914 was awarded one of the first DSOs of the Great War. Famous for his support of games, amateur athletics, and the international Olympic Committee. eds. of acting as a procurer to the Dorchester Girls.

Nov 22 Monday.

Mother to lunch.

To Yankel Adler & saw his pictures & bought one for £20 because he is a good painter & has had a bad time.

Norman came with his troubles.

8 pp pages Belisarius.

Laura wrote 30 letters yesterday & several more today & phoned several more.

I spoke to Nancy on the phone: she sounded much better.

Nov 23 Tuesday.

Caledonian Market, alone.

Silver & dark mother-of-pearl necklace with brooch & cross 22/622 shillings, sixpence eds.. assorted clasps 4/-. Hester Bateman salt-cellars, pair, & pair of spoons £5.5. Curtains 17/- (chintz & one for use as dress material in mauve blue black) Bristol necklace 2/-, brown lustre beads 6d, Worcester plates for Alan 1/-, box of false guineas 2/6, miniature dominoes 7/6, silver chain 7/6, silver thimble & brooch 2/6, coral-&-pinchbeck necklace & pinchbeck bracelet 12/-. Met Ward there.

On return fitted clasps to the ivory tusk & amber necklace & bracelets, to the Bristol beads, to a brown & silver lustre necklace I strung.

Alix & Harry to Bow street with Laura & back to tea. David Reeves came: he thinks of getting a job with Kit Nicholson.

Belisarius 7 pp pages , finishing Ch Chapter XX

Alan's letter turned down by Nowell SmithSimon Harcourt Nowell-Smith (1909-1996), journalist and critic with T.L.S. KG in absence of Sir Bruce as too controversial (¿anything to do with Auden getting the King's Medal?)

He said: 'Now if it had been Edith SitwellDame Edith Sitwell (1887-1964) British poet, critic and biographer eds.!..'

Maisie to supper & talked till until 2.15.

Enclosure – Wedding Announcement from Frank Richards to RG Dear Robert,

Never thought I would come to this

Frank

Enclosure – Wedding Announcement from Frank Richards to RG Mary James

figure – Mary James' name is illustrated by a feathered arrow

With Mr. and Mrs. F. Richard's Compliments.

8 Wain Ebbw, Nantyglo.

November 21st, 1937.

Nov 24. Friday Wednesday

A day entirely filled with people. Margaret Russell all day (she's going to rent a house & take in Croydon police as lodgers), David Reeves, Sally, Alan, Winifred Holmes, Norman.

Marie & Karl had the afternoon off, so lots of work. A walk with Margaret.

Felt tired out. Went over the last four days' work in Belisarius at night.

Laura bought the Adler picture: we have been helping him with introductions.

Lost the cross off the mother of pearl necklace.

Frank Richards was married 3 days ago to one Mary Jamesa shopkeeper's assistant, of Waen Ebbw Nant-y-glo, Abertillery, Monmouthshire [Wales] See enclosure. eds. and sent wedding cake.

Nov 25th Thursday

15 pp pages Belisarius Ch Chapter XXI

The dressmaker, Miss Story, an old friend of Mr. Fairchild the electrician suggested that he might know of a charwoman: he suggested a Mrs. Rainbow, & she two sewing-women the Misses Air and Pinney.

Alan to lunch. Honor to supper. Went for a walk with her at night round her childhood memories.

Karl has polished the Spanish chest & fixed the knobs with liquid wood.

At Alix's met a Bavarian Baron Tucher a cousin of sorts. 'Germany is going strong' he replied to my question. I said: 'That's the correct answer.'

Enclosure – Clipping about Frank Richards' marriage

No transcription available at this time.

Nov 26 Friday

8 pp pages Belisarius ch chapter XXI, and adding to yesterday's work.

In afternoon met Clarissa (late) at the Albert Memorial & walking through Kensington Gardens, then to Philip's – met Kitty, for the first time since 1916, and RubinIsraeli painter Reuvin Rubin (1893-1974) eds., a Tel-a-Viv Tel Aviv artist (with a rich American wife) who paints successful water-colours; and Sally with whom I went back in a taxi to Hampstead where she gave me the Institutes & Rufin Rutilius's poem. Then to Adler's with Laura & Tanny – who stayed to supper. Laura bought a black velvet evening gown for 12 gns guineas .

To bed at 1.15.

Nov 27 Saturday

21 pp pages Belisarius Ch Chapter XXI

To Mills to fetch topaz ring,(rebacked & much more golden in colour.) & bought marbles in East St.

A silly, patronizing letter from C.S. Evans about Laura's poems. which she says she will frame.

Adler should Gordon, Honor & Julian came, & Julian behaved very well friendlily & played with Solace Graves' cat eds..

My new sofa-cover came, & I now have a bed of proper length, breadth & comfort to sleep on.

A walk with Laura to St John's Wood village to do a little shopping (bought 3 Worcester plates for 1/61 shilling, sixpence eds.).

Work practically all day. Laura's cross found the under the desk.

At night wrote 3 pp pages of the L.R. book.

Nov 28 Sunday.

In morning walked all the way to Beryl's & Alan's at 88 Adelaide Road in the thick fog.

Worked all day going over ch chapter XXI of Belisarius.

In the evening did 3 pp pages of the L.R. book.

Alan & Beryl to cold supper.

In bed at 2.30.

Nov 29 Monday.

Got up late,

Read Year of Damage for Alan.

In afternoon saw Jenny in her rooms at 81 S. South Audley Street & she told me her plans & troubles. Then to Watt with L's poems, & promise of mine & of Int.Letter book.

Tea at Harry & Alix's.

7 pp pages Ch Chapter XXII Belisarius.

A charwoman: Mrs Witty.

Enclosure – Letter from Catherine Nicholson, signed Kate This was sent And was meant To be read Only in bed. With a bottle For your throttle Of some medicine And an aspirin To sustain you If this pain you. My apology For this mudlology. Here's my love. And good wishes From this dove And little fishes.

figure – drawing of nested bird

figure – drawing of a can of sardines

31. Alma Square. North. West 8. It'is not done, not fare to lick your pl8i.e. plate eds..

figure – drawing of man licking a dinner plate

What fonei.e. fun eds., all square. In good st8i.e. state eds..

figure – drawing of man bending over a square block of ice cream

31st picture layer In the T8i.e. Tate Gallery eds..

figure – 3 figures seated, waiting with canes while the 31 layers look at gallery pictures

I'll become a llama farei.e. fair eds. Near Afghan st8i.e. state eds..

figure – drawing of a person in a kaftan handing a llama a 1st prize award

I shouldn't like, to meet a barei.e. bear eds. With his M8i.e. mate eds.

figure – drawing of two bears

Just had a nightmare. In bad st8i.e. state eds..

figure – drawing of a frightened person in bed

Right some, Answer clare.i.e. Write some, answer clear eds. Wipe your sl8i.e. slate eds.!

figure – drawing of a student showing slate to a teacher

A fish one tone, I caught hyareA one-tonne fish, I caught here eds. With live b8i.e. bait eds..

figure – drawing of two figures, one fishing, the other showing the size of the one-tonne fish

With a gonei.e. gun eds., I shot a hare on what d8i.e. date eds.?

figure – drawing of a Diary that says DIARY ?:11:37 I shot a hare today

The flirty one is not farei.e. fair eds. Such is f8i.e. fate eds..

figure – drawing of a dark-haired person's face

This action done, all men fyarei.e. fear eds. The open g8i.e. gate eds..

figure – drawing of a man planting a sign that says BEWARE MAD DOG! in front of gateposts marked with THE ELMS and 146 BELL

I must rone, up the starei.e. I must run, up the stair eds. For I'm l8i.e. late eds.. Move it one, to that square, Now checkm8i.e. checkmate eds.

figure – drawing of two figures playing chess

'In the sone', – we must be farei.e. 'In the sun', – we must be fair eds. Is Germany's st8i.e. state eds.

figure – drawing of a face saying We Germans must have a place in the Colonial sun!

Boy thic? eds. sonei.e. sun eds., Thic? eds. yer charei.e. chair eds., Be moighty nate.i.e. Be mighty ? eds.

figure – drawing of figure gesturing at a chair under a blazing sun

See you soon, at Alma Square Best love KateXXXXXX.

Nov 30 Tuesday

Mary Lucy came from Ireland at 6.30. I got her breakfast & went to sleep again.

To Caledonian market. Bought 2 pair long golden curtains with pelmets for Maisie £2.15/-2 pounds, 15 shillings eds.. Set of Woodstock/steel large buttons for Laura's black evening velvet 30/-30 shillings eds.. Ribbons (28 yards) 3/4d3 shillings, fourpence eds.. pair of frames (for Alice & Nicholas[a portrait of] the Deyá cats KG) 3d the pair. 2 savory plates (Casaubon) 1/-. Staffordshire mug 2/6. A mug with 'John' on, 9d. 2 amber beads, 2d. Pair nail scissors 4d. 2 large pearl coat buttons 2d. 6 blue tea-plates 1/9d. For Alan; Spode blue & white tea service 6/- and large platter, 9d.

Went with Mary Lucy and chose frames for Adler's painting & a better one for John's watercolour than the one we got in Lugano.

Put up chandlerie chandelier in Laura's room, framed the pictures, cut baize (left over from Alan's) to go under Spanish chest.

Phoned Morley about Lawrence book. And Nancy about Catherine & a poodle puppy.

9 pp pages Belisarius ch chapter XXII.

Log Entries of Letters for November, 1937 Letters

Nov 2

Jenny £5. A.G.

Nov 3

Pinker about Herald. Ministry of Health Sir Kingsley Wood eds.. Random House (specimen chapters).

Nov 5

Sam, Catherine, David. A.G. Draft to bank.

Nov 6

Watt, N.N., Post-Office-Mrs-Neale.

Nov 8

Change of address notifications: Barker; Faber; L.H.; Durrants; Korda; Pinker; Cape; Kegal Paul; Jenny.

Nov 10.

£50 to Deyá: note to Jaegar about dressing gown.

Nov 11.

Bl Bank with cheques, John Graves.

Nov 13

Watt. Nancy. Jenny (£5)

Nov 17

Pryke with glass: Eliot, cable to Haas. Heal.

Nov 18

John Graves: A.G.

Nov 19.

G. Murphy with biographical details & poem: Watt.

Nov 20

Louisa Heim with copy of Antigua in German.

Nov 21

Ministry of Health: Sir Kingsley Wood.

Nov 22

Jenny £4.9/- Nancy. Catherine.

Nov 23

Durrant's

Nov 25

Congratulations to Richards.

Nov 28.

Random House with contracts.