2 April 1922

Victoria Palace Hotel, Paris

My dear Ida
   Your full house may be amusing but where are you sleeping? I hope the de Perrot girls do not stay. Five is too many for comfort. I cannot see where they all are. Besides feeding five and so on must be a bore in that little house. Dont forget stuffed nouilles and plats like that, they go farthest and are easy to make.
   The weather is still devilish here. Friday was fine but now it pours again. However one cant get over the fact that its April. Once it is fine it will be very very fine. And all early spring plants and so on are extremely hardy. It is not they who come to harm. Bitterest cold, east wind, and storm won't hurt violets or hawthorn buds or daffodils or primroses. They seem to have some special resisting power in these months. Even half open leaves can stand snow. Or so Beach Thomas tells me - and he's a very fine honest naturalist, Tomlinson's great friend. Its a relief to know this.
   If you want to know how I am my grande reaction will go on for another week. Then Manoukhin says peu et peu I shall begin to get better.
   My book is in a 3rd large edition which is more important, & the reviews still roll in - still the same - and letters. Do you remember Mrs Belloc Lowndes? Wrote me at Baugy? Shes coming over in May for "ten days talk". So are Chaddie & Jeanne, so is Brett, Anne, Drey, Richard. The Schiffs are here. But I wrote saying I couldn't see them. I shan't see the others either if I can escape in time. I have a horror of people at present. As it is one never has enough time to oneself. [To Ida Baker, 2 April 1922.]