The Diary of a Provincial Lady

by E M Delafield

  Petrol rationing, which was to have started yesterday, postponed for a week. (Query: Is this an ingenious device for giving the whole country agreeable surprise, thereby improving public morale?) Robin and Vicky immediately point out that it is Vicky’s last day at home, and ask if they couldn’t go to a film and have tea at the café? Agree to this at once and am much moved by their delighted expressions of gratitude.

  Long talk with Aunt Blanche occupies most of the afternoon. She has much to say about Pussy – old Mrs Winter-Gammon. Pussy, declares Aunt Blanche, has behaved neither wisely, considerately nor even with common decency. She may look many years younger than her age, but sixty-six is sixty-six and is not the proper time of life for driving a heavy ambulance. Pussy might easily be a grandmother. She isn’t a grandmother, as it happens, because Providence has – wisely, thinks Aunt Blanche – withheld from her the blessing of children, but so far as age goes, she could very well be a grandmother ten times over.

  Where, I enquire, are Mrs Winter-Gammon and the ambulance in action?

  Nowhere, cries Aunt Blanche. Mrs W.-G. has pranced off in this irresponsible way to an ARP Station in the Adelphi – extraordinary place, all underground, somewhere underneath the Savoy – and so far has done nothing whatever except Stand By with crowds and crowds of others. She is on a twenty-four-hour shift and supposed to sleep on a camp-bed in a Women’s Rest-room without any ventilation whatever in a pandemonium of noise. Suggest that if this goes on long enough old Mrs W.-G. will almost certainly become a nervous wreck before very long and be sent home incapacitated.

  Aunt Blanche answers, rather curtly, that I don’t know Pussy and that in any case the flat has now been given up and she herself has no intention of resuming life with Pussy. She has had more to put up with than people realise and it has now come to the parting of the ways. Opening here afforded leads me to discussion of plans with Aunt Blanche. Can she, and will she, remain on here in charge of household if I go to London and take up a job, preferably in the nature of speaking or writing, so that I can return home for, say, one week in every four? Cook – really pivot on whom the whole thing turns – has already expressed approval of the scheme.

  Aunt Blanche – usually perhaps inclined to err on the side of indecisiveness – rises to the occasion magnificently and declares firmly that Of Course she will. She adds, in apt imitation of D. Fitzgerald, Certainly I shall – and we both laugh. Am startled beyond measure when she adds that it doesn’t seem right that my abilities should be wasted down here, when they might be made use of in wider spheres by the Government. Can only hope that Government will take view similar to Aunt Blanche’s.

  Practical discussion follows, and I explain that dear Rose has asked me on a postcard, days ago, if I know anyone who might take over tiny two-roomed furnished flat in Buckingham Street, Strand, belonging to unknown cousin of her own, gone with RNVR to East Africa. Have informed her, by telephone, that I might consider doing so myself, and will make definite pronouncement shortly.

  Go! says Aunt Blanche dramatically. This is no time for making two bites at a cherry, and she herself will remain at the helm here and regard the welfare of Robert and the evacuated children as her form of national service. It seems to her more suited to the elderly, she adds rather caustically, than jumping into a pair of trousers and muddling about in an ambulance.

  Think better to ignore this reference and content myself with thanking Aunt Blanche warmly. Suggest writing to Rose at once, securing flat, but Aunt Blanche boldly advocates a trunk call and says that this is a case of Vital Importance and in no way contrary to the spirit of national economy or Government’s request to refrain from unnecessary telephoning.

  Hours later, Aunt Blanche startles Marigold, Margery and myself – engaged in peacefully playing game of Happy Families – by emitting a scream and asking: Did I say Buckingham Street?

  Yes, I did.

  Then, I shall be positively next door to Adelphi, underworld, ARP Station, ambulance and Pussy. Within one minute’s walk. But, what is far more important, I shall be able to see there delightful young friend, also standing by, to whom Aunt Blanche is devoted and of whom I must have heard her speak. Serena Thingamy.

  Acknowledge Serena Thingamy – have never been told surname but attention distracted by infant Margery who has remained glued to Happy Families throughout and now asks with brassy determination for Master Bones the Butcher’s Son. Produce Master Potts by mistake, am rebuked gravely by Margery and screamed at by Marigold, and at the same time informed by Aunt Blanche that she can never remember the girl’s name but I must know whom she means – dear little Serena Fiddlededee. Agree that I do, promise to go down into the underworld in search of her, and give full attention to collecting remaining unit of Mr Bun the Baker’s family.

  Robin and Vicky come back after dark – I have several times visualised fearful car smash, and even gone so far as to compose inscription on tombstone – and declare that driving without any lights is absolutely marvellous and that film – Beau Geste – was super.

  September 18th. – Departure of Vicky in the company of athletic-looking science mistress who meets her at Exeter station. Robin and I see them off, with customary sense of desolation, and console ourselves with cocoa and buns in the town. Robin then says he will meet me later, as he wishes to make enquiries about being placed on the Reserve of the Devon Regiment.

  Am torn between pride, tenderness, incredulity and horror, but can only acquiesce.

  September 20th. – Robin informed by military authorities that he is to return to school for the present.

  September 21st. – Am struck, not for the first time, by extraordinary way in which final arrangements never are final, but continue to lead on to still further activities until parallel with eternity suggests itself, and brain in danger of reeling.

  Spend much time in consulting lists with which writing-desk is littered and trying to decipher mysterious abbreviations such as Sp. W. about T-cloths and Wind cl. in s. room, and give Aunt Blanche many directions as to care of evacuees and Robert’s taste in breakfast dishes. No cereal on any account, and eggs not to be poached more than twice a week. Evacuees, on the other hand, require cereals every day and are said by Doreen Fitzgerald not to like bacon. Just as well, replies Aunt Blanche, as this is shortly to be rationed. This takes me into conversational byway concerning food shortage in Berlin, and our pity for the German people with whom, Aunt Blanche and I declare, we have no quarrel whatever, and who must on no account be identified with Nazi Party, let alone with Nazi Government. The whole thing, says Aunt Blanche, will be brought to an end by German revolution. I entirely agree, but ask when, to which she replies with a long story about Hitler’s astrologer. Hitler’s astrologer – a woman – has predicted every event in his career with astounding accuracy, and the Führer has consulted her regularly. Recently, however, she has – with some lack of discretion – informed him that his downfall, if not his assassination, is now a matter of months, and as a result, astrology has been forbidden in Germany. The astrologer is said to have disappeared.

  Express suitable sentiments in return, and turn on wireless for the Four O’clock News. Am, I hope, duly appreciative of BBC Home Service, but struck by something a little unnatural in almost total omission of any reference in their bulletins to any reverses presumably suffered by the Allies. Ministry of Information probably responsible for this, and cannot help wondering what its functions really are. Shall perhaps discover this if proffered services, recently placed at Ministry’s disposal by myself, should be accepted.

  Say as much to Aunt Blanche, who replies – a little extravagantly – that she only wishes they would put me in charge of the whole thing. Am quite unable to echo this aspiration and in any case am aware that it will not be realised.

  Pay parting call on Our Vicar’s Wife, and find her very pale but full of determination and not to be daunted by the fact that she has no maids at all. Members of the Women’s Institute have, she says, come to t
he rescue and several of them taking it in turns to come up and Give a Hand in the Mornings, which is, we agree, what is really needed everywhere. They have also formed a Mending Pool – which is, Our Vicar’s Wife says, war-time expression denoting ordinary old-fashioned working-party.

  Doubt has been cast on the possibility of continuing WI Monthly Meetings but this dispersed by announcement, said to have come from the Lord Privy Seal, no less, that they are to be continued. Mrs F. from the mill – our secretary – has undertaken to inform all members that the Lord Privy Seal says that we are to go on with our meetings just the same and so it will be all right.

  Enquire after Rectory evacuees – can see two of them chasing the cat in garden – and Our Vicar’s Wife says Oh, well, there they are, poor little things, and one mother has written to her husband to come and fetch her and the child away but he hasn’t done so, for which Our Vicar’s Wife doesn’t blame him – and the other mother seems to be settling down and has offered to do the washing-up. The child who had fits is very well-behaved and the other two will, suggests Our Vicar’s Wife optimistically, come into line presently. She then tells me how they went out and picked up fir-cones and were unfortunately inspired to throw them down lavatory pan to see if they floated, with subsequent jamming of the drain.

  Still, everything is all right and both she and Our Vicar quite feel that nothing at all matters except total destruction of Hitlerism. Applaud her heartily and offer to try to find maid in London and send her down. Meanwhile, has she tried Labour Exchange? She has, but results not good. Only one candidate available for interview, who said that she had hitherto looked after dogs. Particularly sick dogs, with mange. Further enquiries as to her ability to cook only elicited information that she used to cook for the dogs – and Our Vicar’s Wife compelled to dismiss application as unsuitable.

  Conversation is interrupted by fearful outburst of screams from infant evacuees in garden between whom mysterious feud has suddenly leapt into being, impelling them to fly at one another’s throats. Our Vicar’s Wife taps on window-pane sharply – to no effect what ever – but assures me that It’s Always Happening, and they’ll settle down presently, and the mothers will be sure to come out and separate them in a minute.

  One of them does so, slaps both combatants heartily, and then leads them, bellowing, indoors.

  Can see that Our Vicar’s Wife – usually so ready with enlightened theories on upbringing of children, of whom she has none of her own – is so worn-out as to let anybody do anything, and am heartily sorry for her.

  Tell her so – she smiles wanly, but repeats that she will put up with anything so long as Hitler goes – and we part affectionately.

  Meet several people in the village, and exchange comments on such topics as food-rationing, possible shortage of sugar, and inability ever to go anywhere on proposed petrol allowance. Extraordinary and characteristically English tendency on the part of everybody to go into fits of laughter and say Well, we’re all in the same boat, aren’t we, and we’ve got to show ’Itler he can’t go on like that, haven’t we?

  Agree that we have, and that we will.

  On reaching home Winnie informs me that Mr Humphrey Holloway is in the drawing-room and wishes to speak to me. Tell her to bring in an extra cup for tea and ask Cook for some chocolate biscuits.

  Find H. H. – middle-aged bachelor who has recently bought small bungalow on the Common – exchanging views about Stalin with Aunt Blanche. Neither thinks well of him. Ask Aunt Blanche if she has heard the Four O’clock News – Yes, she has, and there was nothing. Nothing turns out to be that Hitler, speaking yesterday in Danzig, has declared that Great Britain is responsible for the war, and that Mr Chamberlain, speaking to-day in Parliament, has reaffirmed British determination to redeem Europe from perpetual fear of Nazi aggression. Thank Heaven for that, says Aunt Blanche piously, we’ve got to fight it out to a finish now, and would Mr Holloway very kindly pass her the brown bread-and-butter.

  It turns out that H. H. has heard I am going up to London to-morrow and would I care to go up with him in his car, as he wishes to offer his services to the Government, but has been three times rejected for the Army owing to myopia and hay-fever. The roads, he asserts, will very likely be blocked with military transport, especially in Salisbury neighbourhood, but he proposes – if I agree – to start at seven o’clock in the morning.

  Accept gratefully, and enquire in general terms how local evacuees are getting on? Better, returns H. H. guardedly, than in some parts of the country, from all he hears. Recent warning broadcast from BBC regarding probability of London children gathering and eating deadly nightshade from the hedges, though doubtless well intended, has had disastrous effect on numerous London parents, who have hurriedly reclaimed their offspring from this perilous possibility.

  Point out that real deadly nightshade is exceedingly rare in any hedge, but Aunt Blanche says compassionately that probably the BBC doesn’t know this, error on the subject being extremely common. Am rather taken aback at this attitude towards the BBC and can see that H. H. is too, but Aunt Blanche quite unmoved and merely asks whether the blackberry jelly is homemade. Adds that she will willingly help to make more if Marigold, Margery and Doreen Fitzgerald will pick the blackberries.

  Accept this gratefully and hope it is not unpatriotic to couple it with a plea that Aunt Blanche will neither make, nor allow Cook to make, any marrow jam – as can perfectly remember its extreme and universal unpopularity in 1916, ’17 and ’18.

  Robin, due to return to school to-morrow, comes in late and embarks on discussion with H. H. concerning probability or otherwise of repeal of the arms embargo in the USA. This becomes so absorbing that when H. H. takes his leave, Robin offers to accompany him in order to continue it, and does so.

  Aunt Blanche says that Robin is a very dear boy and it seems only yesterday that he was running about in his little yellow smock and look at him now! My own thoughts have been following very similar lines, but quite realise that morale – so important to us all at present juncture – will be impaired if I dwell upon them for even two minutes. Suggest instead that Children’s Hour now considerably overdue, and we might play Ludo with little evacuees, to which Aunt Blanche at once assents, but adds that she can play just as well while going on with her knitting.

  Towards seven o’clock Robert returns from ARP office – large, ice-cold room kindly lent by Guild of Congregational Ladies – is informed of suggestion that H. H should motor me to London, to which he replies with a reminder that I must take my gas-mask, and, after a long silence, tells me that he has a new helper in the office who is driving him mad. She is, he tells me in reply to urgent questioning, a Mrs Wimbush, and she has a swivel eye.

  As Robert adds nothing to this, feel constrained to ask What Else?

  Elicit by degrees that Mrs Wimbush is giving her services voluntarily, that she types quickly and accurately, is thoroughly efficient, never makes a mistake, arrives with the utmost punctuality, and always knows where to find everything.

  Nevertheless, Robert finds her intolerable.

  Am very sorry for him and say that I can quite understand it – which I can – and refer to Dr Fell. Evening spent in remembering quantities of things that I meant to tell Cook, Winnie, Aunt Blanche and the gardener about proper conduct of the house in my absence.

  Also write long letter to mother of Marigold and Margery, begging her to come down and see them when she can, and assuring her of the well-being of both. (Just as I finish this, Robin informs me that Marigold was sick in the bathroom after her supper, but decide not to reopen letter on that account.) Make all farewells overnight and assert that I shall leave the house noiselessly without disturbing anyone at dawn.

  September 22nd. – Ideal of noiseless departure not wholly realised (never really thought it would be); as Robert appears in dressing-gown and pyjamas to carry my suit-case downstairs for me, Cook, from behind partially closed kitchen-passage door, thrusts a cup of tea into my hand, and dog
Benjy, evidently under impression that I am about to take him for an early walk, capers joyfully round and round, barking.

  Moreover, Humphrey Holloway, on stroke of seven precisely, drives up to hall door by no means inaudibly.

  Say good-bye to Robert – promise to let him hear the minute I know about my job – snatch up gas-mask in horrible little cardboard container, and go. Have extraordinarily strong premonition that I shall never see home again. (Have often had this before.) Humphrey H. and I exchange good-mornings, he asks, in reference to my luggage, if that is All, and we drive away.

  Incredibly lovely September morning, with white mists curling above the meadows and cobwebs glittering in the hedges, and am reminded of Pip’s departure from the village early in the morning in Great Expectations. Ask H. H. if he knows it and he says Yes, quite well – but adds that he doesn’t remember a word of it. Subject is allowed to drop. Roads are empty, car flies along and we reach Mere at hour which admits of breakfast and purchase of newspapers. Am, as usual, unable to resist remarkable little column entitled Inside Information in Daily Sketch, which has hitherto proved uncannily correct in every forecast made. Should much like to know how this is achieved.

  Likewise buy and read The Times, excellent in its own way but, as H. H. and I agree, quite a different cup of tea. Resume car again and drive off with equal speed. H. H. makes no idle conversation, which is all to the good, and am forced to the conclusion that men, in this respect, far better than women. When he eventually breaks silence, it is to suggest that we should drive round by Stonehenge and have a look at it. The sight of Stonehenge, thinks H. H., will help us to realise the insignificance of our own troubles.

  Am delighted to look at Stonehenge and theoretically believe H. H. to be right, but am practically certain, from past experience, that neither Stonehenge nor any other monument, however large and ancient, will really cause actual present difficulties to vanish into instant nothingness. (Note: Theory one thing, real life quite another. Do not say anything of this aloud.)