Full swing

Thursday, January 18th., Hotel Californie, Cannes.

Yesterday I finished the fifth article of the Harper's series. And today I turned towards the construction of the sequel to "The Card" for the American Magazine. It is only between two spells of work that I can find time for unimportant correspondence, notes etc. My days are always absolutely full; without counting that I have had three abscesses, two together, as a result of a chill in December. The last one is not yet gone, quite.

I am now in the full swing of my ordinary day; writing, reading a lot of newspapers and several books at once. I bought Whymper's "Scrambles among the Alps", and Stendhal's "Vie de Napoleon", and began reading them together, and immediately felt that I had got hold of two rattling good things. These, with a daily instalment of Sorel's "L'Europe et la Revolution Francais", keep me busy.

Marguerite seems continually surprised that I have more than one book on the go at any one time. Claims that she would be confused and mix them up. Well I don't. I have a sort of system whereby I have a serious book which I read after my nap, when I am rested, a general daytime book of the pick up - put down sort, and a book for reading in bed which is usually a novel, but not necessarily. Of course I don't read non-fiction books word for word. No point. The idea is to get a general impression which stays in the mind. So I do get through more books than the average reader.

I have received an invitation to be Guest of Honour at a dinner of the Writers' Club. Very flattering, but I have declined. That sort of thing is entirely out of my line. I told them that I am merely a writer, not at all a speaker. When I was in America I refused nearly a hundred invitations to lecture or read at a minimum of £100 a time. That shows how serious is my objection to exposing myself. 

I must say that Marguerite has blossomed here. Very stylish and desirable at present. I have noticed that she is attracting admiring looks when we walk out, which is gratifying I find. In consequence I have found my own ardour to be greater than it has been of late. Very pleasurable! I intend to buy her some new clothes, especially flimsy undergarments!