2110-6-9-7

St. Stephen's House, S. W. 1.

14th November, 1934.

My own little darling

This is doleful news for doleful weather! The one good point is that you are cancelling all engagements and being kept in bed. But I don't like this new pain. I think the whole of your ill- health this autumn comes from some original poisoning. I know you will do everything you can to be well before I come back on Friday. Our voyage is getting dangerously near.

I am sorry about Alastair missing a week of school, but there was no point in sending him back. Tell him from me to do some work. He has successfully avoided his "gating".

I have written to various papers about Alice's book, and I wrote a letter to Brian yesterday to cheer him up. We will certainly find the right kind of job for him some time in the next few months.Meantime I am very sorry for them both.

Yesterday we had a Reuter meeting all afternoon. The Middle Temple Grand Night was pleasant, and I saw a lot of old friends. Then I went back to the final debate on the Betting Bill, where Nancy [ST: Astor] described Winston as "half an alien and altogether an undesirable", and said that he was "a man of parts, but still more a man of pasts." I did not get to bed until after one o'clock. Ramsay seems to have got on quite well last night at Southampton.

I go down this afternoon to Brighton, and hope to be back by midnight.

Tomorrow night I will try and see Tin, after dining with

my family. They seem to be flourishing.

Much love.

from John