Domestic discontent

Friday, June 17th., George Street, London.

I finished "Mr. Prohack" at 3.57 yesterday afternoon.

Last night Cochran dined with me, and at 10 p.m. we went to see Petrouchka. The dinner was to discuss the idea of me writing a revue with Lucas for him.

It is remarkable that I am able to concentrate on any work at all as Marguerite continues to make my domestic life a misery. At the moment the focus of her discontent is the arrangements for the summer's yachting. It seems to me that she is deliberately misunderstanding what I say so as to be disagreeable. This may be some sort of perverse response to feelings of guilt following the Legros 'affair'. For example, I have told her again and again that I am quite prepared to go to Ostende or Dinard in the yacht to meet her in September; she asserts that I have said I would not go to Ostende. Why this has assumed such significance I do not know. She persists in desiring me to buy a new motor car though I have told her I cannot at the moment and pointed out that the present one is in perfect working order. And she still seems to think there is no impropriety in Legros visiting Comarques when I am away. Surely this must be a species of calculated challenge to my tolerance.

Additionally for June 17th., see 'Youthful visitors'

Elsa Lanchester and Harold Scott came to lunch yesterday. She had a most charming dress, home-made. She said she had made it out of dusters, and I believe she had. Very young. A lovely complexion, wonderful shock of copper hair; a rather queerly blunted nose. Harold staggered her and Dorothy by arriving in a hat. He never wears hats, but had apparently decided to learn to dress. Both deeply interested in their cabaret schemes. Discussing it among themselves and with Dorothy. Largely ignoring me, though no conscious rudeness. Youthful severity on other, older, people. I offered to pay for some chairs and tables for their cabaret, but they were not at all keen on them, apparently preferring the audience to sit on the floor (so, I am unlikely to be in one of their audiences!). However, they took them. I should say that these people are bound to do something good. They are full of original inventiveness and of distinction.