Hello there,
It's Mandy here.
Welcome back to Diary of a Provincial Lady by E.
M.
Delafield and thanks very much for joining me tonight.
Tonight's reading is chapter 31 but before that I've got another little snippet which comes from Edmé Delafield's daughter,
Rosamund.
She says,
And she refused to let them pursue him anymore.
Rather ahead of her time,
I think.
Anyway,
Before I go ahead,
Please feel free to make yourself really comfortable.
Settle down into your chair or your bed,
Relax your hands,
Soften your shoulders and loosen your jaw.
That's wonderful.
So if you're ready,
Then I shall begin.
August the 16th.
Robert,
At breakfast,
Suddenly inquires if that nasty looking fellow does anything for a living.
Instinct at once tells me that he means Jasper but I'm unable to give him any information except that Jasper writes,
Which Robert does not appear to think is to his credit.
He goes so far as to say that he hopes yesterday's rain may put an end to him altogether.
But whether this means to his presence in the neighbourhood or to his existence on this planet,
I'm by no means certain and prefer not to inquire.
Ask Robert instead if he didn't think yesterday about Miss Edgeworth,
Rosamund and the party of pleasure.
But this way comes no response and conversation such as it is descends once more to level of slight bitterness about the coffee and utter inability to get really satisfactory bacon locally.
This is only brought to a close by abrupt entrance of Robin,
Who remarks without preliminary,
Isn't Helen Wills going to have kittens almost at once?
Cook thinks so.
Can only hope that Robin does not catch the exact wording of the short phrase with which his father receives this.
August the 18th,
Pouring rain and I agree to let all three children dress up and give them handsome selection from my wardrobe for the purpose.
This ensures me brief half hour uninterrupted at writing table where I deal with the baker,
Brown bread far from satisfactory.
Rose on a picture postcard of backs at Cambridge,
Which mysteriously appears amongst stationery.
Robin's headmaster's wife,
Mostly about stockings,
But boxing may be substituted for dancing in future.
And Lady Frobisher,
Who would be so delighted if Robert and I would come over for tea whilst there is still something to be seen in the garden.
Do not like to write back and say that I would far rather come when there is nothing to be seen in the garden and we might enjoy excellent tea in peace.
So as usual,
Sacrifice truth to the demands of civilization.
Just as I decide to tackle large square envelope of thin blue paper with curious purple lining designed to defeat anyone endeavouring to read letter within,
Which would anyhow be impossible as Barbara Carruthers,
Always most illegible,
Front doorbell rings.
Thoughts immediately fly to Lady B and I rapidly rehearse references that I intend to make to recent stay in south of France,
Shall not specify length of visit and cordial relations there established with distinguished society and Roses Viscountess in particular,
Have also sufficient presence of mind to make use of pocket comb,
Mirror and small powder puff kept for emergencies in draw of writing table.
Discover,
Much later,
That I have overdone powder puff very considerably and reflect,
Not for the first time,
That we are spared much by inability,
So misguidedly deplored by a Scottish poet,
To see ourselves as others see us.
Door opens and Miss Pankerton is shown in,
Followed,
It seems to me reluctantly,
By Jasper.
Miss P has on military looking cape and beret as before,
Which strikes me as odd combination and anyhow cape looks to me as though it might drip raindrops on furniture and I beg her to take it off.
This she does with rather spacious gesture,
Can she have been seeing the three musketeers at the local cinema and unfortunately one end of it apparently heavily weighted hits Jasper in the eye.
Miss P is very breezy and offhand about this but Jasper evidently in severe pain falls into deep dejection and continues to hold large yellow crepe to sheen handkerchief to injured eye for some time.
I'm distracted by wondering whether I ought to ask him if he would like to bathe it,
Which would involve taking him up to the bathroom,
Probably untidy,
And trying to listen intelligently to Miss P who is talking about Proust.
This leads by process that I do not follow to a discussion on Christian names and Miss P says that all flower names are absurd.
I'm horrified to hear myself replying senselessly that I think Rose is a pretty name as one of my greatest friends is called Rose,
To which Miss P rightly answers that that really has nothing to do with it and Jasper still dabbing at injured eye contributes austere statement to the effect that only the Russians really understand beauty in nomenclature.
I'm again horrified at hearing myself interject Ivan Ivanovich in entirely detached and irrelevant manner and really begin to wonder if mental weakness is overtaking me.
Moreover I'm certain that I've given Miss P direct lead in the direction of Dostoyevsky about whom I do not wish to hear and am altogether unable to converse.
Entire situation is however revolutionized by totally unexpected entrance of Robin staggering beneath my fur coat and last summer's red crinoline straw hat,
Henry draped in blue kimono,
Several scarves belonging to mademoiselle,
Old pair of fur gloves with scarlet school cap inappropriately crowning all,
And Vicky wearing nothing whatever but small pair of green silk knickerbockers and large and unfamiliar black felt hat put on at rakish angle.
Completely stunned silence overtakes us all until Vicky advancing with perfect aplomb graciously says how do you do and shakes hands with Jasper and Miss P in turn and I succeed in surpassing already well-established record for utter futility by remarking that they have been dressing up.
Atmosphere becomes very very strained indeed only Vicky embarking on sprightly reminiscences of recent picnic which meet with no response.
Final depths of unsuccess are plumbed when it transpires that Vicky's black sombrero picked up in the hall is in reality the property of Jasper.
I apologize profusely the children giggle Miss P raises her eyebrows to quite unnatural heights and gets up and looks at the bookshelves in a remote and superior way and Jasper says oh never mind it really is of no consequence at the same time receiving hat with profound solicitude and dusting it with two fingers.
Greatest possible relief when Miss P declares they must go otherwise they will miss the Brahms concerto on the wireless.
I hastily agree that this would never do and tell Robin to open the door just as we all cross the hall Gladys is inspired to sound the gong for tea and I am compelled to say won't they stay and have some but Miss P says she never takes anything at all between lunch and dinner thanks and Jasper pretends he hasn't heard me and makes no reply whatsoever they march out into pouring rain Miss P once more giving martial fling to military cape at which Jasper flinches and removes himself some yards away from her and entirely disdaining small and elegant umbrella beneath which Jasper and his black felt take refuge Robin inquires in terms of marked distaste if I like those people but I feel it better to ignore this and recommend getting washed for tea customary discussion follows as to whether washing is or is not necessary Memorandum have sometimes considered though idly writing letter to the times to find out if any recorded instances exist of parents and children whose views on this subject coincide topic of far wider appeal than many of those so exhaustively dealt with August the 25th I'm displeased by messes our pseudonym who have besought me in urgently worded little book to order bulbs early and when I do so at no little inconvenience owing to customary pressure of holidays reply on a postcard that order will be forwarded when ready have serious thoughts of cancelling the whole thing six selected 12 paper whites a dozen earlier sorted and a half bushel of fiber moss and charcoal cannot very well do this however owing to quite recent purchase of colored bowls from Woolworths as being desirable additions to existing collection of odd pots dented enamel basins large red glass jam dish and dear grandmama's disused willow pattern foot bath departure of the boy Henry who says he has enjoyed himself which I hope is true accompanied by Robin who is to be met and extracted from train at Salisbury by uncle of boy with whom he is to stay query how is it that others are so frequently able to obtain services of this nature from their relations feel no conviction that either William or Angela would react favorably if called upon to meet unknown children at Salisbury or anywhere else Vicky mademoiselle and I wave goodbye from hall door rain pouring down as usual and Vicky seems a tad depressed at remaining behind second post brings letter from Barbara in the Himalayas which gives me severe shock of realizing that I haven't yet read her last one owing to lack of time and general impression that it is illegibly scrawled remorsefully open this one perceive with relief that it is quite short but very interesting piece of information rather circuitously worded by dear Barbara but still quite beyond misunderstanding I tell mademoiselle who says oh that's touching and at once wipes her eyes display which I think excessive Robert to whom I also impart the news goes to the other extreme and makes no comment except I dare say on the other hand our vicar's wife calls for the express purpose of asking whether I think it will be a boy or a girl and of suggesting that we should at once go together and congratulate old mrs Blankensop I remind her that Barbara stipulates in letter for secrecy and our vicar's wife says of course of course it had slipped her memory for the moment but surely old mrs b must know all about it however she concedes that dear Barbara may perhaps not wish her mother to know that we know just yet and concludes with an involved quotation from Thomas Akempi about exercise of discretion we then discuss educational facilities in the Himalayas the Carothers knows which neither of us cares about and the desirability or otherwise of having twins our vicar's wife refuses tea talks about books she likes to have something solid in hand always is reminded of miss Pankerton about whom she is doubtful but admits it is early days to judge again refuses tea and assures me that she must go she eventually stays to tea and walks up and down the lawn with me afterwards telling me of lady b's outrageous behavior in connection with purchase of proposed site for the village hall this as usual serves to unite us in warm friendship and we part cordially to be continued
