Item 80 - Letter from Sophie Weisse to Elizabeth Trevelyan

1 item

Northlands, Englefield Green, Surrey. - Asks Bessie to help her 'by preventing even a single word more about the Casals business' [the quarrel between Donald Tovey and Pablo Casals about Guilhermina Suggia]. Insists that Donald is ill; wishes she had known some things sooner; telegraphed for permission to read 'a huge fat letter' from Amsterdam before sending it to him at Hewell but was 'rather snubbingly refused', but if she had known even a little of the 'Münchhausiaden [tall tales]' in it she would have put it on the fire. Feels all their friends, with only two exceptions, have done 'the most injudicious things' and thought they could judge the matter better than she could with the result that she knows almost nothing of what has been happening. Donald has 'poured the whole story out everywhere', even to her old friend Eugenie Schumann at Interlaken and her two sisters [Marie, and Elise?], 'whom he has never much liked', and she has received a long letter from Eugenie today 'greatly excited by Donald's "wrongs" and very disapproving' of her. Everything makes it very difficult to welcome him back and give him 'the love and care he needs if he is to be safe'. Was so anxious about him going to Vendrell, even though she knew nothing of what had happened in Vienna, that she wrote to Lady [Evelyn] de Vesci for details about a hotel in the Pyrenees where she might stay; felt ashamed of her 'anxiety and distrust' and returned to Germany but wishes now she had gone to Spain. Asks Bessie to write to the Röntgens asking them never to mention the quarrel with Casals to Donald again. Must now try and patch up the concerts, though she hates the thought of them.