Pièce 40 - Letter from Félix Gicquel to R. C. Trevelyan

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St Cloud. - Thanks to the workers, who have brought them this holiday [the first May Day], he can write to Trevelyan. Has just looked out of the window: all the shops, cafés and businesses are shut; there are a few walkers despite the rain, who seem 'astonished... by this extraordinary rest'. Does not know what is happening in Paris: everything is calm here, but perhaps things are more disturbed in Place de la Concorde; will know tomorrow, as there are no newspapers today, [in an article appearing] between two related stories: one about the financiers in London, the other about the dinner of Count Brockdorff-Rantzau the [German] ambassador.

Feels as if he is talking to Trevelyan, despite the time and distance between them: has continued to think often and sympathetically about him, and is very glad to have met him in Paris due to a 'romantic idea of Geoffrey' [Hardern]: is also grateful for the friendship of that young man, who made a surprise visit to them last Sunday, He is at Dole, with his fiancée, and promised to visit when he returns. Gicquel's sister, with whom he often talks about Trevelyan, greatly appreciated Geoffrey's 'beautiful nature', and was also pleased to see him again. She and their parents send warm regards to Trevelyan. Madame [Magdeleine] Greslé is in Lisbon: her journey to Spain and Portugal was 'very rudimentary' in terms of comfort, and she wrote to Marguerite Gicquel that she found herself very far away and almost lost: hopes she does not flee [?] into a 'new revolution'.

Trevelyan is back as head of the family after his long months away: Gicquel greatly appreciates the work he has accomplished and the role he has played during the war, and his services as well as those his friends are still rendering are invaluable. Trevelyan can now live happily, proud of the labour he has accomplished, with his wife and child among all his books in his beautiful countryside. Sends all his best wishes to Madame Trevelyan. Counts on seeing the likeable [Francis] Birrell soon; he must be about to return [to France]. If Trevelyan sees him before his departure, asks him to let him know how pleased Gicquel will be to see him again in Paris; also asks Trevelyan to write when he has a moment.

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