Tuesday 2nd July 1935
Posted my note in Egham on the way to the works. Regret: no beautiful partings – just a scrawled note.
Discussing business with Maddison at lunchtime, said how fed up and impatient I felt.
At five 0’clock, as I was changing, Mr Randall came across and said I was to move into the Stores on Saturday. So no more filth! That is, in comparison! (Incidentally, I now know that I’m destined for the office.)
During dinner, Mr New brought me a letter which had been lying on the bar-room floor. Arrived by the evening mail; from Diana. Our letters had crossed! She wanted me to meet her just inside the “clanking gate” beside the “stinking canal”.
After a swim at Penton Hook I dashed into Staines – met her on the way.
A short talk. We’re going to meet as arranged but later – at 10.30. It is now about 9.45.
I waited for her at 10.30. She came.
There are things that might, in the future, remind me of those five short hours.
Freshly mown hay; isolation and quietness; a clock chiming in the stillness; lovers in each others arms; trains seen from a field at night; cool dawn breezes; “Night must fall.”
Sometimes as I light a pipe, I’ll think of the old, broken one, which Lucy would not allow me to use, because it was foul.
We parted just inside her garden gate; I had the impression of a long passage with rustling, dead leaves. “I mustn’t write any more?” “No… Just silence…” We clung close. I opened the gate. Kissed her gently. Came out of the gate. It closed...
Got back to Thorpe just before four. Weird, unreal half light of early morning. A cigarette. Bed. Deep sleep.
Discussing business with Maddison at lunchtime, said how fed up and impatient I felt.
At five 0’clock, as I was changing, Mr Randall came across and said I was to move into the Stores on Saturday. So no more filth! That is, in comparison! (Incidentally, I now know that I’m destined for the office.)
During dinner, Mr New brought me a letter which had been lying on the bar-room floor. Arrived by the evening mail; from Diana. Our letters had crossed! She wanted me to meet her just inside the “clanking gate” beside the “stinking canal”.
After a swim at Penton Hook I dashed into Staines – met her on the way.
A short talk. We’re going to meet as arranged but later – at 10.30. It is now about 9.45.
I waited for her at 10.30. She came.
There are things that might, in the future, remind me of those five short hours.
Freshly mown hay; isolation and quietness; a clock chiming in the stillness; lovers in each others arms; trains seen from a field at night; cool dawn breezes; “Night must fall.”
Sometimes as I light a pipe, I’ll think of the old, broken one, which Lucy would not allow me to use, because it was foul.
We parted just inside her garden gate; I had the impression of a long passage with rustling, dead leaves. “I mustn’t write any more?” “No… Just silence…” We clung close. I opened the gate. Kissed her gently. Came out of the gate. It closed...
Got back to Thorpe just before four. Weird, unreal half light of early morning. A cigarette. Bed. Deep sleep.
posted by Paul Wilson at 9:34 pm
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