15 Sept. 1911
Cousin--
You must pay close attention to what I write in this letter for these may well be the last words I write.
Last week, while walking through Montmartre, I stopped in at a small cafe I frequent. There I met a man by the name of Pickford Waller. After passing a few moments in the company of this gentleman (or this fiend of hell who seemed a gentleman, though they say coz that the devil is most charming) he suggested a bottle of absinthe to which I readily agreed, as Rowena (who I spoke of in my letter of 9 Sept.) had just thrown me out of her bed in a most infamous manner. Why, you ask? Whoremongering! When I suggested that she should hardly be complaining as my whoremongering kept her in quite fine finish she threw me out.
But I stray from the important issue. After our shared bottle was near half gone, M. Waller began questioning me intently about my American cousin, which I finally detirmined to be you, dear coz.
Editor's Note: Hear the letter breaks off. The letter is also rather distressed and smudged throughout. It may be assumed that Ned Divine (of Paris) is the author, though whether or not the recipient was intended to be Conrad is uncertain. Any information about this would be much appreciated, especially the aforementioned letter of Sept. 9.
You must pay close attention to what I write in this letter for these may well be the last words I write.
Last week, while walking through Montmartre, I stopped in at a small cafe I frequent. There I met a man by the name of Pickford Waller. After passing a few moments in the company of this gentleman (or this fiend of hell who seemed a gentleman, though they say coz that the devil is most charming) he suggested a bottle of absinthe to which I readily agreed, as Rowena (who I spoke of in my letter of 9 Sept.) had just thrown me out of her bed in a most infamous manner. Why, you ask? Whoremongering! When I suggested that she should hardly be complaining as my whoremongering kept her in quite fine finish she threw me out.
But I stray from the important issue. After our shared bottle was near half gone, M. Waller began questioning me intently about my American cousin, which I finally detirmined to be you, dear coz.
Editor's Note: Hear the letter breaks off. The letter is also rather distressed and smudged throughout. It may be assumed that Ned Divine (of Paris) is the author, though whether or not the recipient was intended to be Conrad is uncertain. Any information about this would be much appreciated, especially the aforementioned letter of Sept. 9.
posted by BeckyF | 11:47 AM
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