Decca listened v. carefully to all yr instructions & I’m sure she will do as you say about all the things.4 I can see she only came to England this year to see Muv, otherwise she would have waited till the children could have come too.
Keep in close touch please.
Much love, Debo
Do go to the dr about the migraine.
Dearest Henny,
This is such a perfect place to work, I find. I am up at 5.30 (as we go to bed before 10) and have a thermos of coffee, work till 8, then work most of the day. I really adore it, though I don’t think I should so much were it not for getting on with the book.
Yesterday Lady Congleton1 came to tea with her bro. in law. The latter told me just about everything there is to know about how to import ponies from Iceland and train them to carry dead stags. I suppose one should be grateful to learn something new; I really think that if ever I had to import the ponies and train them, I should know exactly how to do it after yesterday. Lady C. as ever, most reminiscent of similar neighbours at Swinbrook – outstanding characteristic being absolute lack of fear of being boring, so lucky in a way.
Hen, Muv handed over the most fascinating haul of old letters, mine, from all of you in 1937 at time of Running. Yours all start with things like ‘Dear Cecil Beaton, Hotcha!’ Or ‘Dear County Councillor, hot it up!’ They describe the Chinless Horrors at yr deb dances, and how you loathed Bridget Airlie. One from Muv says, ‘Had tea with Hitler, he is really most agreeable and has surprisingly good manners’. Ho hum.
The food here is marvellous, as always. I’m getting awfully fat.
Much love, Yr Hen.
Typical conversation.
Muv: ‘Who’s your letter from, little D?’
Me: ‘Barbara Kahn, my best friend at home.’
Muv: ‘Oh, Carr, must be Scotch. Deaf, is she, poor thing? I didn’t know you had any deaf friends, little D.’
Dereling,
The posts! Your last letter took one day instead of the usual ten, I suppose they think Mosley is after them. I did worship the Man who was taken for Mosley writing a hymn of thanks giving for being still alive to Daily Tel.1
I’ve had to let my hair go grey (allergy to dye, & Dolly knows two people it has killed) so am now that sweet – faced old bore I’ve always dreaded & I see people literally fleeing. Old age – delightful &, as Voltaire used to say, this ruin is inhabited by a young person.
It’s lucky we do like each other because anyhow we should have to pretend on account of Mme Ménégand.2
Jonnycan missed my party, I’m furious, they came one day later on account of Jasper3 having won a prize. How too unlikely! A – M [Cicogna] has asked them to dine here today. The slice of fish etc quite good & the bill exactly (almost) half last year’s, viz. £70 instead of £130. So the old adorable head waiter must have been the king of robbers I suppose. I had six real beauties & the whole thing looked divinely pretty. Twenty people.
Fond love, see you incessantly,4 N
Get on
Back here, only away a week altogether, including both journeys.1 We came back in one of those big Boeing 707. It is extraordinary, only 3½ hours Jamaica – New York & 5½ New York – London, makes you think. It’s so luxurious travelling official, how is one going to get used to being an ordinary human again? We had a private sec of great niceness who did everything from passports & tickets to seeing after the luggage.
It’s nice being back after talking to Govt people of every hue. You try a few protracted dinners between the Canadian minister of Labour & the Jamaican minister of Education & it’s quite a relief to be home, though I wouldn’t have missed it for anything. I love a weekend in the tropics.
The US Vice President2 is astonishing, I’m afraid not too nice, he spent much time & energy trying to steal the thunder of the little lady, with no success at all, partly because all worship the royal family & partly because no one knows him by sight, so his long tours round the town in a great big car were met by curious stares closely followed by disappointment when it was noted it was not P. Margaret. Rather a shame, but then he shouldn’t have tried it.
There was much rain, vast drops & many of them, so the hairstyles first drooped & then became frizzy, I mean mine & Antonia [Fraser]’s, as the local ladies are pretty frizzy whatever they do.
I fell in love again, as per, this time with an ex – Governor called Sir Donald MacGillivray. I longed to ask him if he was a relation of MacGillivray3 but didn’t dare. Much & many floods over the lowering & raising of Union Jacks & Jamaican flags. Bands etc finish me. Twas very terrible.
Antonia Fraser won a prize of £10 given by Andrew for who would dance with the Vice Pres of US first. Sorry to say she won hands down & I never effected an introduction. Anno domini taking effect.
I do like Ld Snowdon,4 he does a marvellous imitation of John Betj talking to Deacon.5
Interesting fact. There is a snap in this week’s Field of one David Smith, keeper at Batsford for over 50 yrs. He is Farve. To prove all I put my hand over the caption, showed it to Emma, said ‘who is this exactly like’ & without hesitating she said ‘Farve’. Aunt Weenie has always said there is a keeper there who was one of Grandfather’s blessings. Must ask Andrew same question & see what he says.
Cecil Beaton spent a night here on his way to M. Duff’s,6 I showed him the orange border, upon which he shivered & said it was a retina irritant. Pathos, for me I mean, when you think what a lot of work etc etc. Thought it might appeal to you.
We might have to go to Uganda for the same purpose in early Oct, I rather hope so as I remember it being the most beautiful country ever. Also Sir D MacGillivray lives in Kenya so one might mince over. All this before America which I trust you are coming to.
Oh the Frogs in Jamaica. The head of the mission was an old gent who had been ambassador in Brazil, a dear old soul whom I danced with. He knew Colonel (my gambit – never failing – with frog diplomats) and said things like ‘Your drress is a very beautiful collor’ to which I replied ‘so is your sash’ (pale blue watered silk, don’t know what it denotes). These sort of exchanges were rife for five days & now we’re down to earth & deciding who is to go in which car to Bolton tomorrow. WRITE there.
I DIE for Clarys7 at Lismore. We may have to come here for first weekend in May as Princess Margaret is going round the curse rag factory in Chesterfield8 so we will have to put her up. That’s it I think – for now I mean. WRITE.
Much love, 9
Darling Debo
Pam is here complete with Giuditta. As she arrived at three hours’ notice it so chanced that we were dining out so they went to Nancy & saw Decca, & went to the best film I’ve ever seen (Divorce Italian Style) which I so worshipped I’ve seen it twice & will go a third time with you & a fourth with Kitty [Mersey]—just to show you how much one loves it. Well when we all met again at midnight to come down here, I could see they’d loathed their evening. Oh Debo what can have gone wrong.
Rather dreadful, apparently Nancy sent Muv a proof of her thing about Blor1 Muv has written really cross. I can’t understand why she wasn’t shown the typescript when changes could have been made. It is SUCH a shame to upset her & doesn’t bear thinking of. When she wrote to Nancy she was alone I think, but now Desmond & his family are up there. When she is alone everything seems enormous. I think the article is rather horrid BUT Muv didn’t seem to mind Decca’s vile book so one felt she’d never mind anything. O Lancaster2 has done a cover for the book taken from that wonderful photograph of Muv & Farve & Nancy. It draws unwilling screams from one but Muv is hideous in it. SO untrue to life, & Farve a little dark Arab after Ramadan.
All love, Honks
Dear Miss
Muv still fairly shirty about ‘Blor’ but Honks thinks she’ll calm down. Fact is, I gather she had the usual slight bust up with Decca about education & very likely it (the article) seems another reminder of that vexed subject. I’ve written & grovelled. The fact is I can’t help seeing my childhood (& the whole
of my life) as a hilarious joke, whereas I think Muv feels a tiny bit sentimental about early days.
Much love, N
Darling Debo:
Before Woman went I discovered what happened at the evening they spent with Nancy & Decca, apparently at dinner Wid & her illness were spoken of & something said about Monica1 & that she had such an unhappy miserable childhood not being liked or noticed by selfish Wid, whereupon Nancy & Decca both said, ‘well, it’s just exactly like our miserable childhoods’. In telling this Woman became scarlet & huge tears appeared in her huge eyes & she said, ‘It’s not TRUE’. And of course it simply isn’t. Added to the above, not one of them threw a single word to Giuditta who, in saying so, suddenly came out with ‘they were damned rude’. We smoothed them down & they went off to the Continent fairly happy I think.
I suppose today Nancy’s dread article will be in Sunday Times & I shall have to hide it from Kit. His doings probably embarrass N just as much as her writings embarrass him, but they’ve been getting on quite well these hols thank goodness.
All love darling, Honks
Get on
I think, in fact I know, Muv was put out by your piece. I do think it seems a shame to harp on the vague shortcomings & never to mention the good things. Diddy said ‘well I should have thought people would try to cover up any little faults they think their parents have’. You will say I am not one to speak as my childhood was very happy and when the dreaded moment came of going to that foul boarding school – which made me ill with misery – Muv immediately took me away, against the advice of Bridget [Airlie] etc.
I hope Decca didn’t go on at her now she is old & too tired to argue the rights & wrongs of what happened forty years ago. The visit seems to have been a success so presumably she didn’t. I know Woman agrees with me & I think Honks does, & Bobo got her wish of going to school & getting sacked pretty soon from all of them, so I suppose you & Decca were the unlucky ones.
Andrew is battling with the arrangements of the Commonwealth Prime Ministers’ visit. He wangled an invitation to B Palace (with great difficulty, as P.M.s only are meant to go) for Nkrumah’s1 foreign sec only to see N. has bunged him into prison. That’s life I guess.
I thought Uncle Harold pretty pathetic the last two weeks. Aunt Dot was lovely, she is a smasher & very indiscreet about one & all.
Sorry about the Counter Hons having a go at your President.2 Hope no one gets mine before I mince over there.
I think that’s all.
Much love, 9
Dear Miss
1.You saw the typescript & I altered everything you told me to.
2.The only tiny criticism is in the words ‘of course I ought to have gone to school’—all the rest is obviously a joke.
3.She was delighted by Decca’s book which is far more outspoken & far less light.
4.There is a most sympathetic real (I mean obviously not fictional) picture of her in my novels.
5.A woman said to me yesterday ‘How delightful your mother sounds’. I said I wish you’d tell her that.
No, Decca didn’t tease her but she said that Muv kept saying ‘why do you work so hard at your book, it would be much better if you wrote it just as it came, out of your head’. If you’d ever done any work you would know how annoying this sort of line is. In the end she did slightly speak out. But the visit was a huge success except that the Ts having noted the weather have realized one could never live up there.
I see that autobiography is not on. Osbert Lancaster published his first in the States upon which his aunts made such a fuss that he can’t do it over here. He says it was completely harmless.
Thanks for Uncle isn’t he amazing!1 The clothes, the attitude – to the life. Naughty grandfather must have been as old as the hills (about my age).
I go to Woman’s 22nd of this month to be for a week with Muv, to keep her amused Woman says, while Wondairful cooks. Then if you’re there I could go to Chatsworth, if not I’ll come back here.
Decca thought she was pregnant on the Island. ‘How could I have a rabbit test, there’s only one rabbit & that has got myxomatosis.’ All is well however. I did love having them here – I got awfully fond of Bob – they are both much more human aren’t they?
A Mrs Aykim has written to say Blor was with her & her brothers before us & they called her Nantus. I feel exactly like a husband who finds out his wife used to be married to somebody else.
Hope you’re having this lovely weather.
Love, N
Get on
Have been regretting the sharpness of the tone of my letter ever since I posted it and now, trembling, await your sharp reply.
If I was going to say all that I should have said it in the spring when you showed it to me. And I thought, since she didn’t mind Decca’s vile tales in her book, she wouldn’t mind anything. So I have been wrong, as usual ALL ROUND. Sorry.
Now to lighter vein. There’s a play on in New York called Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf.1 So you see why I love them.
Uncle Harold mentions the Loved One2 in his bread & butter letter, he is coming on.
Much love COME, 9
Darling Soo
You asked for a typical saying of Voltaire’s. Qui plume a guerre a1 is rather applying to me at present. Debo (who read the typescript of my essay) has joined the fray, accusing me of teasing Muv now that she is old & too tired to argue. As a matter of fact she loves arguing but let that pass. So I am tortured with guilt though reason tells me that this is not reasonable. I looked up the early chapters of P of Love & see that everything I said in the article is there. No complaints at the time. She positively enjoyed your book. So I think it’s all rather unfair & exaggerated.
The marvellous weather goes on.
I dined last night with the Colonel in his ministry Place de la Concorde & we sat out on the colonnade, a new moon over the obelisk, it was really too lovely.
Come & live here oh do
Much love, N
There was a lily waver2 on the train to Honks the other day. When I saw I couldn’t help laughing upon which he furiously did them up.
Dereling
Re enclosed – I’ve never had this experience, have you?1 So humiliating, I had to write & say so. What can it mean? I haven’t told her I passed on her letter but no doubt if you have an observation to make she would be grateful. Her enclosures were quite lucid – I’ve returned them.
Oi mees you.
The French wireless said Sir Oswald’s programme is to send all Jews & Niggers out of England – not a word about making Europe. Is it worth his while to contradict this? It was pretty strong, saying he ought to be in a maison d’aliénés2 however you spell that. It was only the 3.15 or perhaps 4.15 news which I happened to turn on. Perhaps he should send them a copy of his speech for future reference or something like that. (It also said he is the only remaining adherent of the croix gammée [swastika] in Europe.) I wouldn’t annoy you with this except that as you live here you might as well know it.
I gulped down Curzon in a day – what an awful man he was. The love letters!!3 If anybody wrote to me like that I’d be sick. Oh goodness how greatly I prefer the Colonel’s respectueusement which I used to find a little chilly! I’d no idea the marriage with Grace had been such a flop.4 Wish you were here to ask a thousand questions. Did his daughters really hate him? Half, I suppose. Then nobody was nearly as rich as I’d imagined. Two million dollars – penury! As Derek [Jackson] would say you don’t have to be very rich to know how little that is!
Marie & I wandered into the Boulevard to give the General a champagne welcome & were quickly sent packing by a copper. You never saw so many policemen. He took exactly ¼ hour from Orly to Elysée & must have whizzed by five minutes after we’d been there. He must feel terribly like getting back to Swinbrook after being made much of elsewhere!5
Much love, N
Hen! Your book finished! HOW wonderful, it was a long gestation, you must feel excited that it’s literally born. Send one
, Hen, when ready, because although we all know the trouble I have re reading I’ll have a real try. I really am dying for it.
Muv is much better, herself really, though she has still got a black eye. It was awful, she was a real mess.1 I’ll see her tomorrow when I go to London.
Hen we went to Uganda to free it you’ll be glad to hear. It was perfectly fascinating like Africa always is once one gets there. Kenyatta2 was in our hotel, he is a full time ghoul in a hideous bead hat, but Mboya3 is v. fascinating. I know someone who had a romance with him & called him Mboya Friend. The Kabaka is a marvel, so odd, & his palace v. pretty. The language is a bit of a teaser, viz. would you guess that ‘Muwabutwa’ means ‘A well fed sorcerer easily finds a victim’? Well it does. Or that ‘Mabaagira Nsega’ means ‘When the Kabaka kills the bodies can always feed the vultures’. It’s worse than French.
Hen I’m going to Washington on Sunday because an exhibition of 120 drawings from here is going to begin on 27th & they are having a dinner to set it off to which we are going. I’ll ring you up if I can get somewhere not on my own phone Hen. Don’t know yet how long I’m staying, probably a pretty short time as things seem to be piling up here & in London.
Deborah and President Kennedy at the opening of the Washington National Gallery exhibition of drawings from Chatsworth. The President’s first visit to the Gallery coincided with the Cuban missile crisis and it was extraordinary that he was able to devote so much time to the evening. Washington, 27 October 1962.
The Mitfords Page 37