9th Aug/19 DBBearman. Friends War Victims Relief Committee
A.P.O. B.E.F. France
I enclose four PCP
Dear Pere
Thanks for your letter of 5th I have also received letters from Mere (?) J(2) 1 from Tom, & Edith- all unacknowledged so far. I have had rather an active week. William Woods has just returned to Liverpool & naturally passed through Paris stopping here three days. Well to cut a story short, two of the girls we met on the 14th July (Mlles. Germaine & Lucienne) & I met him at the at the Gare de L’est Monday night soon after 9, & we spent an hour or so in a cafe on the Boulevard Sebastopol. Wednesday we met them again soon after 6pm at the same place & took them to dinner at a Restaurant (“Delfluch”–I think) in the Place Palais Royal opposite the Theatre Francaise &at the corner of the Avenue de’l’Opera, & then went to the Tuileries Concert among the trees. They were very pleasant, & very prettily dressed. They still impress me as charmingly grown up children, & I have determined to drop the acquaintance after this somewhat expensive little “recrudessence”. The French people altogether seem to me to be either very childish or very worldly—wise, & often both. It was rather delightful not having mama. It seems she was content so long as they were together & chaperoned one another: but would not allow them to come to Paris alone- that is one only, - as Woods wisked Lucienne to come during the day.
But one learns lessons from such little experiences. I felt keenly the long long hours of study & thinking, & the long deep solitude of moral speculation in prison, opening like a chasm between myself & these soft creatures born & reared for affections & caresses 0 & sewing – for the French women sew, sew & sew & are reputed to be the best seamstresses in the world.
Thursday Mr Edward Farrar – the elderly gent in our office, a bachelor from Manchester or near there 0 had a dinner for four in farewell to young Homan now returned to or towards America. Mr Charlie League & myself completed the party, & we went to the same Restaurant (Delfluch)): but had a dinner embellished with Bordeaux & Champagne & ices. There were one or two “exquisitely” dressed girls there – by themselves,- One, who in England would be taken for looking young at 16, was an entertainment in herself. Removing her hat she disclosed a mass of loose curls like a child, & a face all smiles which she proceeded to “toilette” in the mirror beside her. Catching sight of us smiling at her she turned & gave us smiles & nods. She continued to provide us with such pantomime even in going when she came up to our table & leaned across to say something which I could not quite catch. But there are funny things in Paris. After dinner we went to the theatre “Olympia”. Here again the audience were almost as good pantomime as the actors. But some of the turns were perfect in their way.
Friday Jules came to dinner here at 85, Rue de Devres, & along with Stanyion, and English chap just taking up work in Paris Offices, we talked French all the evening up to eleven, -except for a little music.
This afternoon soon Paul Cope & I are going for a swim.
Mr Pope left again today for one of the equipes. He looked very well, & had a very calm passage out.
If you could get me a few grey or mildly coloured cotton collars (16) – soft collars, preferably with pointed corners in front, but that is not very important,- it would probably be cheaper than buying them here, where they cost 3 francs -2/- each. You noticed I suppose that in my last communiqué I said you could send a parcel via the A.P.O. – easiest perhaps by leaving the parcel at Ethelburga House, 9 Bishopsgate. Thanks for getting the shirts done.
I have already got through just over fr 100-against an income of only about 38 francs* (*some of this is permanent & not recurring). I have as many letters or cards to write)
Love to Mere & all
Don.