adventures and letters-第67章
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les throughout the dungeons。 If Dukes lived no more comfortably than those who owned Cliveden； I am glad I was not a Duke。 What was most amusing was the servant's room which was quite as smart as any library or study； with fine paintings； arm chairs and writing material。 Nannie and Astor were exceedingly friendly and we walked all over the place。 It was good to get one's feet on turf again。 They sent us back by motor； so we arrived most comfortably。 I gave a dinner to the Hopes； Wyndham； Miss Mary Moore； Ashmead…Bartlett and Margaret。 Websters could not come。 Later； came on here； and had a chat； the Websters coming too。 I read Thaw trial。
Early in May Richard and his wife returned to Mount Kisco and my brother at once started in to change his farce 〃The Galloper〃 into a musical comedy。 It was produced on August 12； at the Astor Theatre； under the title of the 〃Yankee Tourist；〃 with Raymond Hitchcock as the star。 The following I quote from Richard's diary of that date：
Monday； August 12th； 1907。
Was to have lunched with Ned Stone but he was in court。 Met Whigham in street。 Impulsively asked him to lunch。 Ethel and Jack turned up at Martin's； asked them to lunch。 Ethel and I drove around town doing errands； mine being the purchase of tickets for numerous friends。 Called on Miss Trusdale to inquire about Harden…Hickey。 She wants her to go to the country。 Cecil arrived at six。 We had a suite of eighty…nine rooms。 We dined at Sherry's with Ethel and Jack； Ethel being host。 Taft was there。 Hottest night ever。 I sat with Jack。 In spite of weather； play went well。 Bonsals； Ethel； Arthur Brisbane were in Cecil's box。 Booth Tarkington in Irwin's。 Surprise of performance was 〃Hello； Bill〃 which Raymond had learned only that morning。 Helen Hale helped him greatly with dance。 People came to supper at Waldorf； and things went all wrong。 Next time I have a first Night I want no friends during or after。 Missed the executive ability of Charles Belmont greatly。
CHAPTER XVII A LONDON WINTER
From the fall of 1907 to that of 1908 Richard divided his time between Mount Kisco； Marion； and Cuba。 In December of 1908 he sailed for London where he took Turner the artist's old house in Chelsea for the winter。
Cheyne Walk； Chelsea。 December 25。 Christmas Day。 DEAR MOTHER：
We are settled here in Darkest Chelsea as though we had been born here。 I am thinking of putting in my time of exile by running for Mayor。 Meanwhile； it is a wonderful place in which to write the last chapters of 〃Once Upon a Time。〃 The house is quite wonderful。 In Spring and Summer it must be rarely beautiful。 It has trees in front and a yard and a garden and a squash court： a sort of tennis you play against the angles of walls covered smooth with cement。 Also a studio as large as a theatre。 Outside the trees beat on the windows and birds chirp there。 The river flows only forty feet away； with great brown barges on it； and gulls whimper and cry； and aeroplane all day。 I have a fine room； and about the only one you can keep as warm as toast SHOULD be； and in England never is。
Cecil has engaged a teacher； and a model and he is coming here to work。 He is twenty years old； and called the 〃boy Sargent。〃 So； as soon as the British public gets sober； we will begin life in earnest； and both work hard。 I need not tell you how glad I am to be at it。 I was with you all in heart last night and recited as much as I could remember of 〃Twas the Night Before Christmas；〃 which always means Dad to me； as he used to read it to us。 How much he made the day mean to us。 I wish I could just slip in for a kiss； and a hug。 But tonight we will all drink to you； and a few hours later you will drink to us。 God bless you all。
DICK。
December 29th。 DEAR MOTHER：
A blizzard has swept over London。 The last one cost the City Corporation 25；000！！ The last man who contracted to clean New York of snow was cleaned out by two days of it； to the tune of 200；000。 Still； in spite of our alleged superiority in all things； one inch of snow in Chelsea can do more to drive one to drink and suicide than a foot of it 〃on the farm。〃 At the farm we threw a ton of coal against it； and lit log fires and oil lamps； and were warm。 Here； they try to fight it with two buckets of soft chocolate cake called Welch coal； and the result is you freeze。 Cecil's studio is like one vast summer hotel at Portland Maine in January。 You cannot go near it except in rubber boots； fur coats and woolen gloves。 My room still is the only one that is livable。 It is four feet square； heavily panelled in oak and the coal fire makes it as warm as a stoke hole。 So； I am all right and can work nicely。 Janet Sothern came to lunch today and Cecil and she in furs went picture gazing。 Tomorrow we have Capt。 Chule to dinner。 He came up the West coast with us and is accustomed to a temperature of 120 degrees。
New Year's eve we spend with Lady Lewis where we dine and keep it up until four in the morning。 We will easily be able to get back here but how we can get a hansom from here to the great city； I can't imagine。 I have seen none in five days。 It is fine to be surrounded by busts of Carlyle； Whistler； Rosetti and Turner's own； but occasionally you wish for a taxicab。 Tomorrow I am going on a spree to the great city of London。 The novel goes on smoothly； and all is well。 I am still running for Mayor of Chelsea。
Love to you all。
DICK。
LONDONJanuary 1； 1909。 DEAR MOTHER：
I drank your health and Noll's and Charley's last night and so we all came into the New Year together。 I hope it will be as good for me as the last。 Certainly Chas。 is coming on well with another book。 It is splendid。 I am so very； very glad。 Some of the very best stories anybody has written will be in his next book。
We dined at the Lewis's。 There were 150 at dinner and as we live in Chelsea nowone might as well be in Brooklynwe were a half hour late。 Fancy feeling you were keeping 150 people hungry。 I sat at Lady Lewis's table with some interesting men and one beautiful woman all dressed in glass over pink silk； and pearls； and pearls and then； pearls。 She said 〃Who am I〃 and I said 〃You look like a girl in America； who used to stand under a green paper lamp shade up in a farm house in New Hampshire and play a violin。〃 Whereat there was much applause； because it seemed she was that girl； the daughter of a Mrs。 Van S； who wrote short stories。 Her daughter was L Van S now the wife of a baronet and worth five million dollars。 The board we paid then was eight dollars a week。 Now； we are dining with her next Monday and as I insisted on gold plate she said 〃Very well； I'll get out the gold plate。〃 But wasn't it dramatic of me to remember her after twenty two years？
DICK。
LONDON…February 23； 1909。 DEAR MOTHER：
George Washington's health was celebrated by drinking it at dinner。 I had been asked to speak at a banquet but for some strange reason could not see myself in the part。 The great Frohman arrived last night and we are all agitated until he speaks。 If he would only like my plays as some of the actors do； I would be passing rich。 Barrie asked himself to lunch yesterday and was very entertaining。 He told us of a letter he received from Guy DuMaurier who wrote 〃An Englishman's Home〃 which has made a sensation second to nothing in ten years。 He is an officer stationed at a small post in South Africa。 He wrote Barrie he was at home； very blue and homesick； and outside it was raining。 Then came Barrie's long cable； at 75 cents a word； saying his play was the success of the year。 He did not know even it had been ACCEPTED。 He shouted to his wife； and they tried to dance but the hut was too small； so they ran out into the compound and danced in the rain。 Then he sent the Kaffir boys to the mess to bring all the officers and all the champagne and they did not go to bed at all。 The next day cables； still at three shillings a word came from papers and magazines and publishers； managers； syndicates。 And； in his letter he says； still not appreciating what a fuss it has made； 〃I suppose all it needs now is to be made a question in the House；〃 when already
