Page:Tex; a chapter in the life of Alexander Teixeira de Mattos (IA texchapterinlife00mcke).pdf/145



not so much as you did in The Tour''. Neither had the original before him.''

I look forward greatly to my stay with you Eimar O'Duffy [the author of The Wasted Island]'' has been married by another novelist and has gone to live with her in a cottage in Wexford. She spells her name Cathleen; and he has sent me his early poems, in which he spelt his name Eimhar. He tells me that this spelling was abandoned because it didn't look well; this I accept. He adds that it is pronounced Avar: this I do not believe''

On leaving me, Teixeira wrote 24. 9. 20 to tell me that he had reached Ventnor without mishap:

''This is not to acknowledge the receipt of any letter from you that may or may not be awaiting me at the County & Castle Club, an edifice into which I have not yet made my comital and castellated entry. Rather is it to announce my safe arrival, after four hours of wearying travel, and my complete revival, after ten hours of refreshing sleep, and to repeat my thanks for your utterly exceptional and debonnair hospitality.''

The first impression of Ventnor is favourable