Learning a lot

Tuesday, December 1st., Rue de Calais, Paris.

 

I have completed my last Tillotson short story, 2000 words. This year I have completed twelve short stories and am glad to have them behind me. I have learnt a lot about the technique of construction while writing them and on the whole have not been bored. But once or twice I have been terribly bored.

 

So this morning, by way of reward, I walked out three miles in the snow to make purchases; among other things the Mercure de France where I found three pages concerning myself by Davray - all that was most amiable and appreciative, and yet sober too. I have spent a good part of the day in staring at my new stove, and dreaming of things to come. Perhaps I will be able to go south for the winter when I am rich and famous, like the birds?

 

 The other evening, after dinner with C. at Antoine's I saw for the first time Henri Becque's famous "La Parisienne". A play perfectly simple, but exquisitely constructed. Only one important character, played really with genius by Mme. Devoyod. Yes, genius. The play is well entitled. This is the Parisienne, even the Woman. And it is human nature with all its sins presented without the slightest ethical or didactic tendency - with an absoloute detachment from morals. It is certainly one of the great plays of the period. I learnt a lot from it, not only in technique, but in the matter of fundamental attitude towards life.