Saturday Ap 20

Up late. To Ca l'Abat to buy chicken. Bought a hen instead. The white and red paper-like flowers out1.
(Summer flowering carnations out. Exchanged mint with Strenge for sultanas and curry powder.)
The Ca l'Abat Francisco said that when he was young he would sing all day, never repeat himself — all Mallorquin songs. You can always tell a Mallorquin song, "La primera palabra es tambien la ultima2—not like those written by men of letters."
Busy with preparations for tomorrow. Kurtz3 came & borrowed books.
In the evening Gelat came and L [Laura],he and I discussed the financial situation: it appeared certain that after[RG] an investment of not quite £3000 would bring in £1000 a year from electric light in Deyá, Valldemossa, and from water selling in Lluchalcari, the Puig etc. He will know by San Juan4 about the accessibility and quantity of water & we promised to let him know by then how much money would be available this year. He is trying to smother his excitement: says that he wants us to be able to live without constant writing for money. It was only by trying to find water at right height for Canellun roof that this new stream was located.

Editorial Notes

1rock roses. KG. Cistus albidus. WG
2The first word is also the last. KG
3a German refugee. KG
4Village Patron Saint: 24th June. WG; Midsummer Day. KG

Hands Referenced

    • Annotation: ink correction
    • Character: regular
    • Ink: black

Places Mentioned

  • Deyá

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Town located on the northwest coast of Majorca, on the hillside between the Teix Mountains and the sea: this was RG's home with Laura Riding from 1929 to 1936. He returned there with his family after WW II. Eds.

  • Valldemossa

    Valldemossa, Majorca, Sp
    Village on the way to Palma. WG

  • Canellun

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Laura Riding and Robert Graves' house. Also Canellun (private) road. WG, KG

  • Llucalcari

    Llucalcari, Majorca, Sp
    Hamlet with hotel some three kilometres from Deyá on the way to Soller. WG. RG spells it "Lluchalcari" in the Diary.

  • Ca l'Abat

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Beautiful farm with watch-tower on the way to Llucalcari. WG

  • Puig

    Deyá, Majorca, Sp
    Hill in the middle of Deyá. WG Highest point of village KG

People Mentioned

  • Laura

    Riding, Laura
    (1901-91) American poet. Laura Riding (née Reichenthal; then Laura Gottschalk).

  • Strenge

    Strenge, Frau Emmi
    Schwarz's house keeper and ? mistress. WG

  • Gelat

    Más, Juan Marroig
    Juan Marroig Mas, called Gelat: Landowner on Deyá and friend of Robert Graves and Laura Riding (L.R. & R.G.'s factotum. W.G.)

  • Kurtz

    Kurtz
    German with communist ideals. WG