Page:FM Bailey letters from LA Bethell.pdf/17

Letter 10, 27th December 1935 be an outstandingly interesting job – apart on the kudos of its status. Your namesake and cousin, when he and I were commanding the two halves of the 4th, had a long spell there; he, as you remember, has a way with him when it comes to the wine list, in red or yellow or even plain white

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and he brought back (and, somewhat inventively, retailed to me) some extraordinary confidences which he had gathered from his Jhemadar’s brothers, nephews, etc when slightly elated. I must tell you them, some time, when you're down here.

Naturally, I will not mention your news to anybody, but I expect it will be official before very long. However, till you say the word, I'm dumb.

Queer that you should have come across that letter I wrote to Mrs. Bailey from the Abor country. I remember the fact well on which you reminded me, and the drippy smoky shack in which I sat when I wrote it. Don't destroy it. Some day, someone will want to write your biography, and then all such letters throwing sidelights on your leading achievements will be of value.

Forgive the untidy scrawl – written on my knee sitting up to a fire in my frozen den at the top of the house, too cold to sit up to the writing table only six feet away.


 * My best messages to you both


 * Yours very sincerely


 * L.A. Bethell

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Letter 10, 27th December 1935

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62, Hillfield Court,

Belsize Avenue,

N. W. 3

27 . XII. 35

My dear Bailey,

Many thanks for the card: a very striking epitome of the underlying Buddhism of the Gurkha Hindu worship beliefs. it could hardly have been better epitomised, than the outsize dorje in front of a Hindu temple. And a fine camera you have: I've rarely seen better definition.

When I saw your envelope, I thought it was going to contain your comments on “Barclay” of “Adedoids” (December Maga) and possibly something crisp about my having exceeded what you once suggested as permissible about your Tashkent times. I wrote to you about this, a month or more ago, but our letters probably crossed: and I look forward to your answer. I am still rather nervous about