Letter from Madeleine Blaess to her parents about her friends, 19 April 1940
Scope and Contents
Blaess tells her parents that she went to Villeparisis on Sunday, and went on walks with the dog, her godfather, and Yolande. She briefly saw Norah at the National Library. Her boyfriend is enlisted. Blaess wishes to fall in love someday. Dilys is pregnant, she is jealous. Dilys is craving scones and ginger biscuits but doesn't know how to make them so Blaess asks for her father to send the recipe. Dilys and her husband aren't rich so she has to sew all the baby clothes by herself. She doesn't like the names Dilys chose (Eliane for a girl, Marc for a boy). She asks her mother how many clothes a baby needs. She went to see Cohen, describes a painting of him in military clothes (First World War), and says she is frustrated because she works so much for so little results. He is satisfied with her but gives her some advice on things to improve. Cohen says the lessons might end at the end of June so she shouldn't go home at the end of May. When she reveals to him there are only two students in her Gaelic class he says he will be attending them next year. Blaess is fearful she won't be able to finish her thesis on time. She thought she would be able to defend her thesis the following year but found out she needs to submit the thesis by the 1st of March, and the printers delays are quite long. She would also need to have a job because it is expensive, and she is scared of having her own place because she doesn't know when she will be able to fit in housework. Cohen says next year, she will be taking four extra hours of classes, in two different schools, about palaeography. That found a way for her to attend the classes for free without having to take the exam. She says she is very frugal and careful with money. The commander is sick, he only eats potatoes, he is having trouble with his liver. The commander is annoying her, keeps talking about Balzac and making her angry, so she did the same in return. She says the ladies at her boarding house are horribly jealous of her - they accuse her of lying as to whom she goes to the theatre with etc. She is going to stay home on Sunday instead of visiting. She says she is very tired and has a lot of spots and acne. She mentions that some works need to be done around the garden and fence at Villeparisis. She asks her parents what presents they would like her to bring back with her when she returns to England.
Dates
- Creation: 19 April 1940
Creator
- From the Fonds: Blaess, Madeleine, 1918 - 2003 (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Available to all researchers, by appointment
Extent
1 Item(s)
Language of Materials
French
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and Archives Repository
Western Bank Library
University of Sheffield
Western Bank
Sheffield South Yorkshire S10 2TN United Kingdom
+44 (0) 114 222 7299
lib-special@sheffield.ac.uk