Raingo

Wednesday, November 10th., Cadogan Square, London.

I finished Part I (including all the political stuff) of "Lord Raingo" on Monday afternoon, to my great relief. While doing this I could not be bothered to write journals or do anything that I was not absolutely compelled to do. 83,000 words of the novel are now done. Beaverbrook has read all but the last four (short) chapters, to vet it for political correctness, and he is enthusiastic about it, thrilled by it. He only found one small slip in it (about the time it would be possible for Raingo to leave the House of Commons after hearing a debate). He found another slip; but it wasn't one. He made two suggestions: one for altering the wording of a telgram; the other in a form of address. It is marvellous to me that I have been able to do all these complicated politics without once getting off the rails. I can scarcely believe it. 

Beaverbrook said he would guarantee the rightness of the politics, though quite what that means in practice I don't know. he has a tendency to over-enthuse. he said it was the finest thing he had read for years. Miss Nerney also describes it as "a very fine book". I rather value her opinion more and so am rather reassured. My misgivings continue to be whether it is of any interest outside that small group of people who have an active interest in political affairs? Will the average reader find it tedious? I don't know.

I have put it to one side now while I write an article and work up the libretto of the "Bandits" which Phillpotts and I are doing for music by Austin.

Today I corrected the typescript of a short story "The Cornet Player" which I think is the most original story I have ever written