By the last post last night I received the proofs of the first instalment in the Delineator of "Mr. Prohack". To my intense disgust I saw at once that they had cut it. Considering that the number of instalments and the precise length had been agreed by me in accordance with the editor's own suggestion, this absolutely disgusted me, and I have written to Pinker that I don't want to correct any more proofs.Last evening I finished re-reading "Hilda Lessways" and made a start on "These Twain". H.L. isn't as good as "Clayhanger". I don't think that Hilda is quite sufficiently 'realised' to stand as the central character. Perhaps it was too bold of me to try to put myself inside the head of a woman. Of course I have my experience from editing Woman, and I have often bragged to friends (both sexes) that I know women well. I do! But too superficially for the purpose of effective fiction I now think. Still it was a good attempt. In many ways the most interesting character in the book is George Cannon. I know that I will enjoy T.T. more.
The other thing that occured to me during the night was that I could have made all the books 'better', and more credible, by a plot change. There is a scene where Edwin and Janet Orgreave are playing tennis together. Edwin has been told that Janet is 'waiting' for him, and is tempted by the idea of marriage to her. Given the way I developed Edwin's character I now think he would not have held out. I think that I should have allowed him to propose. He would have been happy for a while, then simply content but, at the back of his mind, would be the thought of Hilda. Then, when Hilda re-emerged with her son, there would have been tremendous potential for emotional conflict, misgiving and angst. Perhaps resolved eventually by Janet dying?
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