Cunninghame said he had expected Mrs Housman to dinner, but she had been
unable to come.
_Saturday, May_ 22_nd_.
Called on Mrs Housman to inquire. They have gone to the country until
Monday.
_Monday, May_ 24_th._
I had luncheon with A. to-day at his flat. He said he had been staying
with the Housmans at their house on the Thames. He said he had put his
foot in it. On Saturday night at dinner they were talking about Ireland,
and he said he had no wish to go to a country full of priests. Mrs
Housman told him, laughing, she was a Catholic. He asked me if I had
known this. I told him I had always known it. He asked me whether she
was very devout. I said I knew she always went to Mass on Sundays, that
she had never mentioned the subject to me except once when I asked her a
question with reference to a friend of mine. He asked me whether Housman
was a Catholic too. I told him what I knew.
_Tuesday, May_ 25_th._
Went to the opera, in the Housmans' box. Housman and Cunninghame were
there. Mrs Housman did not come. A. looked in during the _entr'acte_.
_Wednesday, May_ 26_th._
A. gave a dinner at his Club. All politicians except myself and
Cunninghame.
_Thursday, May_ 27_th._
Tuke asked me to take a ticket for a concert at Hammersmith at which his
sister is performing on the piano. I have done so.
_Friday, May_ 28_th._
Luncheon with A. at his Club. He is staying with Lady Jarvis on
Saturday. The Housmans, he said, will be there. Cunninghame is going
also. A. told me Mrs Housman has not been well lately. I said I thought
she did too much. He asked me in what sort of way. I said she attended
to a great many charities and that as Housman entertained a great deal I
thought it tired her. Mrs Housman had told him I was very musical. He
asked me if I played any instrument. I said none except the penny
whistle. He asked me if I did not think Mrs Housman a very fine singer.
I said I did. He also said that he supposed she knew a lot of priests. I
said I had never met one in her house.
_Sunday, May_ 30_th. Rosedale, Surrey._
I arrived rather late last night. Besides the guests I knew I was to
meet, was a Frenchman, M. Raphael Luc, and a Mrs Vaughan. After dinner
we had some music. M. Luc sang several French songs, by Lully, and
others that I had heard Mrs Housman sing. His singing was greatly
appreciated and applauded, and it is, I confess, as far as it goes,
perfection itself, as regards quality, taste and art, but I could not
help thinking the whole time that it would be impossible for him to
interpret Schubert.
This morning I sat in the garden and read the newspapers. Mrs Housman
drove to Church which was some distance off.
Mr Winchester Hill, the novelist, arrived for luncheon and brought with
him Miss Ella Dasent, the actress. At the end of the meal she gave us
some vivid impersonations of contemporary actors and actresses.
We sat talking for some time in the verandah. Then Lady Jarvis took
Housman to show him the garden, and Cunninghame walked away with Mrs
Vaughan and M. Luc.
Miss Housman, Mr Hill, Miss Dasent, and myself remained on long chairs
underneath a large tree. Miss Dasent and Mr Hill discussed at great
length a play that he is adapting for her from one of his novels. The
story seemed to me absurd--it was something about an Italian nobleman
strangling his wife's lover with a silk handkerchief.
Towards five we had tea and after tea Mrs Vaughan took me for a stroll
round the garden.
I found her a well-read woman who has lived a great deal in Paris and is
familiar with the Bohemian world in more than one continent.
At dinner I sat between Mrs Housman and Cunninghame. Mrs Housman said
that Luc's singing made one despair, and she felt she could never sing
again after hearing him. I told her I doubted if he could interpret
German music. She was annoyed with me and said I was missing the point,
and that the songs he sang were exquisite.
We sat in the verandah after dinner, while Luc sang to us from the
drawing-room. He sang Fauré's settings to Verlaine's words.
_Letter from Guy Cunninghame to Mrs Caryl_
_Monday, May_ 21_st_.