The Assassin's Cloak. Группа авторов
too much of fame, posturings, a novel into print. But with no job, no money worries, why, the black lid should lift. Look at life with humor: easy to say: things open up: know people: horizons extend . . .
Sylvia Plath
5 January
1821 [Ravenna]
Rose late – dull and drooping – the weather dripping and dense. Snow on the ground, and sirocco above in the sky, like yesterday. Roads up to the horse’s belly, so that riding (at least for pleasure) is not very feasible. Read the conclusion, for the fiftieth time (I have read all W. Scott’s novels at least fifty times) of the third series of ‘Tales of my Landlord’, – grand work – Scotch Fielding, as well as great English poet – wonderful man! I long to get drunk with him.
Dined versus six o’the clock. Forgot that there was a plum-pudding, (I have added, lately, eating to my ‘family of vices,’) and had dined before I knew it. Drank half a bottle of some sort of spirits – probably spirits of wine; for what they call brandy, rum, &c. &c., here is nothing but spirits of wine, coloured accordingly. Did not eat two apples which were placed by way of dessert. Fed the two cats, the hawk, and the tame, (but not tamed) crow. Read Mitford’s History of Greece – Xenophon’s Retreat of the Ten Thousand. Up to this present moment writing, 6 minutes before eight o’ the clock – French hours, not Italian.
Hear the carriage – order pistols and great coat, as usual – necessary articles. Weather cold – carriage open, and inhabitants somewhat savage – rather treacherous and highly inflamed by politics. Fine fellows, though, – good materials for a nation. Out of chaos God made a world, and out of high passions comes a people.
Clock strikes – going out to make love. Somewhat perilous, but not disagreeable. Memorandum – a new screen put up to-day. It is rather antique, but will do with a little repair.
Lord Byron
1918
We went to Hampton Court. We walked across Bushby park, and along a raised bank beneath trees to the river. It was cold, but still. Then we took a tram to Kingston and had tea at Atkinsons, where one may have no more than a single bun. Everything is skimped now. Most of the butcher’s shops are shut; the only open shop was besieged. You can’t buy chocolates, or toffee; flowers cost so much I have to pick leaves instead. We have cards for most foods. The only abundant shop windows are the drapers. Other shops parade tins, or cardboard boxes, doubtless empty. (This is an attempt at the concise, historic style.) I suppose there must be some undisturbed pockets of luxury somewhere still; but the general table is pretty bare. Papers, however, flourish, and by spending sixpence we are supplied with enough to light a week’s fires.
Virginia Woolf
1940
So far as politics and the war are concerned, everything is quiet as the grave. But Roosevelt has spoken to the House of Representatives. Covert but very malicious jibes against our regime and the Reich. He says he still hopes to keep America out of the war. That sounds anything but hopeful.
. . . The Russians are making absolutely no progress in Finland. The Red Army really does seem to be of very little military worth.
In London there is great outrage about our radio broadcasts in English. Our announcer has been given the nickname ‘Lord Haw-Haw’. He is causing talk, and that is already half the battle. The aim in London is to create an equivalent figure for the German service. This would be the best thing that could happen. We should make mincemeat of him.
Josef Goebbels
1941
Lunch with the Chisholms. Bridget looked beautiful, pale and slim again, and somehow mysterious, like Mother Earth. We went in to see the baby. It was screaming desperately, in spasms, and plucking frantically at its mouth, as if fighting to express something – and it couldn’t, it couldn’t. The effort was almost as painful to watch as a death agony. Such a bitter struggle at the beginning of life. Such a superhuman effort: one can’t believe that this little wrinkled crimson creature will survive it. But it forces its way, on and on, grimly, into time-consciousness – fighting and resting and fighting again. We stood awed and silent at the foot of the bed, unable to help – till the lady nurse bustled in, exclaiming, ‘Isn’t he cute? Isn’t he? And doesn’t he want his milk? I’ll say he does!’
Then Hugh entered, fresh and dapper from his bath. He looked so ridiculous – the absurd little rooster who had graciously donated his valuable semen for this creative act. Bridget said she’d been told that male sperm and female ovaries can now be introduced into the body of another woman, who will then be able to bear the child. Under these circumstances, the child still inherits everything from its parents, not the foster mother. We imagined a society lady introducing ‘Miss Jones – our carrier.’ And Miss Jones would refer casually to her clientele: ‘Last spring, when I was carrying for the Duchess of Devonshire . . .’
Christopher Isherwood
1978
When I got to Halston’s the phone was ringing and it was [Ilie] Nastase, and Bianca [Jagger] told him to come over. He arrived with a boyfriend, just one of his friends, and he was intimidated by the place – Halston was dressing the Disco Queen in a coat he’d made for her that day, and she came down the stairs and Halston was saying, ‘Come on Disco Queen.’ He talks like baby talk. He didn’t put any feathers in her hair this time. I told him he couldn’t, that the newspapers wouldn’t take her picture if she put one more feather in her hair.
And then Nastase’s boyfriend decided not to come to Studio 54 with us, and when we got in the limo Halston was yelling at the driver because he couldn’t find the black radio station, he said, ‘What do you mean you don’t know where the black station is – you’re black, aren’t you?’ And then the driver said he couldn’t see, meaning the radio dial, and Halston said, ‘What do you mean you can’t see, you’re driving, aren’t you?’ and then he told me that you have to yell at the help or they don’t respect you. He has over a hundred people working for him and they’re all so terrified of him, they’re always asking each other what kind of a mood he’s in.
And I notice something – Bianca had two blemishes on her face! She’s never had a blemish! I guess she’s depressed about Mick, discoing the night away. She stays out until 6:00 then gets up for her 8:00 exercise class.
Andy Warhol
6 January
1662
This evening (according to costome) his Majestie opned the Revells of that night, by throwing the Dice himselfe, in the Privy Chamber, where was a table set on purpose, and lost his 100 pounds: the yeare before he won 150 pounds: The Ladys also plaied very deepe: I came away when the Duke of Ormond had won about 1000 pounds and left them still at passage, Cards etc: at other Tables, both there and at the Groome-porters, observing the wicked folly vanity and monstrous excesse of Passion amongst some loosers, and sorry I am that such a wretched Custome as play to that excesse should be countenanc’d in a Court, which ought to be an example of Virtue to the rest of the kingdome.
John Evelyn
1836
A brig called the Agenoria arrived from St. John’s bringing 11 men, from the crew of a timber vessel, whom they had picked up in the most forlorn condition. They were capsized on the night of the 3rd [December] in a tremendous storm. Having cut the lanyards with much difficulty the vessel righted & the crew with the exception of 3 who were drowned, congregated on the quarterdeck. All their provisions were washed overboard & they continued till the 18th enduring the extremity of starvation and misery. On that day they came to the decision of drawing lots for who should die for his comrades & a young man of 19 was the victim. After prayers they cut his throat & drank the blood & devoured a considerable part of the body before it was cold. On the 20th another man being on the point of death, they cut his throat to save the blood & on the 24th another for the same