Pièce 144 - Letter from Hasan Shahid Suhrawardy to R. C. Trevelyan

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61, Ripon Street, Calcutta. - Apologise for not writing sooner: has taken him a long time to settle down, but his books are still packed up as he cannot afford shelves. Has brought back Trevelyan's copy of [Arthur] Waley's book by mistake; will return it soon. Dull in Calcutta, but [Apurba?] Chanda is currently posted here so he has a friend; as he is a widower he does not go like the others do to the zenana [women's quarters] at dusk. Longs for Europe; went to a cinema to watch a film showing Paris, which made him very unhappy. It is very warm, though others find it cold; Bessie must have suffered during the cold, though he knows Trevelyan is 'impervious' to it. Has eight M.A. students, to whom he teaches History of Classical Art and its relations to Indian and Central Asian Art. The only break in his routine has been the visit of the M.C.C.: did not know which side to back. India 'very slow politically'. His friends [Germanova and Kalitinsky] write him distressing letters: they are very worried that they cannot pay Trevelyan off. They have been trying to sell the flat to return the money, but have not succeeded; they must have written to suggest Trevelyan taking it over. He should do what he thinks best; they are very worried that his money is 'tied up & so badly invested' in the depression. Has done no literary work, and is getting to be a 'narrow specialist'. Asks to be remembered to the [Clifford] Allens.