Ngaio Marsh Her Life in Crime (52 page)

217
shapeless, climaxless
Letter from NM to DM, 3 Feb 1961, ibid.

217
I still cannot help thinking
Letter from NM to DM, 6 Aug 1958, ibid.

217
That was
Miss
Marsh
Hooper interview with author.

218
This has not been a holiday
Letter from NM to DM, 7 Nov 1961, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

218
It’s nice to see
Letter from NM to DM, 1 Jun 1961, ibid.

218
The telly has gone
Letter from NM to JE, 28 Nov 1961, JE’s private papers.

218
I have done everything
Letter from NM to DM, 9 Jan 1962, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

219
from 9 am
Letter from NM to DM, 9 Jan 1962, ibid.

219
still hard at his Opera
Letter from NM to DM, 19 March 1962, ibid.

219
terrors of Shakespearian rehearsals [and following quotes]
MS-Papers-1397, ATL.

221
I’ve simply got to get cracking
Letter from NM to DM, 19 Mar 1962, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

221
It’s been a snorter
Letter from NM to JS, 8 Nov 1963, MS-Papers-0280-29, ATL.

223
The Macbeth himself
Letter from NM to DM, 6 Jun 1962, MS-Papers-1946, ATL, Wellington.

223
We open (now!)
Letter from NM to DM, 1 Jul 1962, ibid.

223
If you were nervous
Scott interview with author.

223
if possible 1500 words
Letter from NM to DM, 18 Sep 1962, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

224
[I] would very much like to sit
Letter from NM to David Farquhar, [undated], MS-Group-1635.

224
Things were falling
Munro interview with author.

224
There are unsettled arrangements
Letter from NM to DM, [c. Nov 1962], MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

224
The acting
Letter from NM to JE, 26 Dec 1962, JE’s private papers.

224
Ngaio knew
David Farquhar, interview by Douglas Munro, Wellington, 25 May 2001.

224
Words trip from
Quoted in Dart, ‘A Unicorn for Christmas’, p. 7.

225
David’s music is essentially
Letter from NM to Edmund [Cork], Jill or Pat, undated, private collection.

225
This past year
Letter from NM to JE, 26 Dec 1962, JE’s private papers.

225
One never knows
Letter from NM to DM, 3 Jan 1963, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

225
Fifty people
83-011-19, ATL.

226
fiercely Colonial
Quoted in Dart, p. 8.

226
a hazardous venture
Platt, ‘A Unicorn for Christmas’,
Landfall,
65, Mar 1963, p. 64.

226
I have a strong hunch
Letter from NM to JE, 26 Dec 1962, JE’s private papers.

227
but will no doubt
Letter from NM to DM, 3 Jan 1963, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

227
lavishly attended
Letter from NM to DM, c.5 Apr 1963, ibid.

227
guts, digestion
Ibid.

227
Why,
I wonder
Letter from NM to DM, 9 May 1963, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

227
Dog Show at Addington
Letter from NM to DM, 28 Jun 1963, ibid.

227
with full authority
NM, ‘Achievement in Fine Arts’.

228
Anything objective or critical
Letter from NM to DM, 30 May 1965, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

228
Ten weeks vacillation
Letter from NM to DM, 16 Nov 1963, ibid.

228
country that financially
Letter from NM to DM, 19 Oct 1962, ibid.

228
A) here B) at sea
Letter from NM to DM, 2 Nov 1964, ibid.

229
To show how keen
Letter from William Collins to NM, 30 Aug 1963, Box: UGD 243-1-11-13, Glasgow University Archives.

229
how touched I am
Letter from NM to William Collins, c. 30 Aug 1963, ibid.

229
I have now gone
Letter from NM to DM, 30 Oct 1963, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

229
Still undecided
Letter from NM to DM, 21 Mar 1965, ibid.

229
large scale Caesar
Letter from NM to DM, 30 Oct 1963, ibid.

230
I shall
have
to catch up
Letter from NM to DM, 29 Mar 1964, ibid.

230
carried on nobly
Letter from NM to DM, 31 Jun 1964, ibid.

230
overtone that is caught
Letter from NM to JS, 7 Aug 1964, MS-Papers-0280-29, ATL.

230
little reworking
Bushnell, ‘The most ephemeral of the arts’, p. 87.

230
80,000 words
Letter from NM to DM, 2 Nov 1964, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

231
I’ve been lumbering
Letter from NM to DM, 7 Dec 1964, ibid.

231
I find myself
Letter from NM to DM, 17 Dec 1964, ibid.

231
We spent 10 days
Letter from Anita Muling to Olivia Spencer Bower, 1 Mar 1963, Olivia Spencer Bower Papers, Archives, CAG Te Puna o Waiwhetu.

231
[Anita Muling and Marjorie Chambers]
Marian Minson, in conversations with author, Wellington 2007-2008.

231
He doesn’t change
Letter from NM to DM, 25 Jan 1965, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

231
some constructive observations
Letter from NM to DM, 1 Feb 1965, ibid.

232
She & her brothers
Ibid.

232
a supremely sensitive
Letter from NM to DM, 4 Mar 1965, ibid.

232
I am engaged
Letter from NM to DM, 4 Mar 1965, ibid.

232
dived in boots & all
Letter from NM to DM, 22 Apr 1965, ibid.

232
This just about cleans
Letter from NM to DM, 22 Apr 1965, ibid.

233
I’ve been having a gruelling time
Letter from NM to JS, 29 Sep 1965, MS-Papers-0280-29, ATL.

233
Just theatre
Letter from NM to DM, 8 Nov 1965, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

233
Our relationship
Letter from NM to DM, 23 Sep 1965, ibid.

233
I had just been told
Letter from NM to JS, 17 Nov 1965, ibid.

234
instead of waiting
Letter from NM to DM, 24 Sep 1965, ibid.

234
I’ve got T.V. chaps
Letter from NM to DM, Feb 1966, ibid.

234
I’m going pretty crazy
Letter from NM to DM, 10 Mar 1966, ibid.

234
The Sydney T.V. gentleman
Letter from NM to GL, 23 Mar 1966, GL’s private papers.

234
There we were
Letter from NM to JS, 27 Feb 1966, MS-Papers-0280-29, ATL.

234-35
hectic days & nights
Letter from NM to DM, 23 May 1966, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

235
I quite like the earlier bits
Letter from NM to JS, 27 Feb 1966, MS-Papers-0280-29, ATL.

235
Jonathan and Elric
Letter from NM to AF, 10 May 1966, AF’s private papers.

235
thorny thicket
Letter from NM to DM, 23 May 1966, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

235
I shall have my nose
Letter from NM to DM, 23 May 1966, ibid.

235
YOU NEVER CAN TELL
Letter from NM to GL, 29 May 1966, GL’s private papers.

236
except indirectly
Dennis McEldowney,
‘Black Beech and Honeydew’.

238
with a fairly useful pension [and following quotes]
Ginx and Richard Fox interview with author.

239
Sylvia has got her house
Letter from Anita Muling to Olivia Spencer Bower, 17 Jul 1963, Olivia Spencer Papers, Archives, CAG Te Puna o Waiwhetu.

239
Both houses had
Fox interview.

239
[operation]
Dacres-Mannings interview.

239
revising,
extending NM File, HC, Glasgow.

239
I have just been out
Letter from NM to DM, 1 Jul 1966, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

240
In a country
The Dominion,
12 Jun 1966, AF’s private papers.

240
The Damery
Letter from NM to DM, 7 Jan 1967, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

240
How much money
Scott interview.

242
I swear that
Letter from NM to DM, 1 July 1966, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

243
[Bear Mannings]
Roy [Bear] Mannings interview with author.

243
I
hated
leaving
Letter from NM to DM, 7 Jan 1967, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

243
I’m about to direct
Letter from NM to DM, 6 Mar 1967, ibid.

243
lovely, delicate & haunting
Letter from NM to DM, 3 May 1967, ibid.

244
I’m keeping my fingers
Letter from NM to GL, undated, GL’s private papers.

244
sometimes delicate
‘Full-bodied Shakespeare’,
The Press,
[details unknown], AF’s private papers.

244 [criticisms re over-using stable]
Minson conversation.

244
It’s all in flashback
Letter from NM to DM, 2 Dec 1967, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

245
Of the several excellent [and following reviews]
Memo from George Hardinge to NM, 1 Mar 1967, MS-Papers-1397, ATL.

245
I long to come
Letter from NM to DM, 30 Oct 1967, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

245
It’s been caught
Letter from NM to DM, 2 Dec 1967, ibid.

245
[1964 scare]
Letter from NM to DM, 2 Nov 1964, ibid.

245
I do wish to heavens
Letter from NM to DM, 23 Mar 1959, ibid.

246
I put my name down
Letter from NM to DM, 5 Jan 1968, ibid.

246
being wonderful about
Letter from NM to DM, 23 Jan 1968, ibid.

246
It’s a body-blow
Letter from NM to DM, 11 Mar 1968, ibid.

249
It will be clear enough
Letter from NM to DM, 14 Oct 1969, ibid.

249
I’ve had no prompting
Letter from NM to DM, 24 Nov 1969, ibid.

249
[I] would be profoundly grateful
Letter from NM to DM, 18 Sep 1969, ibid.

249
What an angel-child
Letter from NM to DM, 14 Oct 1969, ibid.

250
I note that DEPUTI
Letter from NM to DM, 1 Dec 1969, ibid.

250
I don’t want Alleyn
Letter from NM to DM, 24 Nov 1969, ibid.

250
achieving structural
Letter from NM to DM, 10 Feb 1969, ibid.

250
of all filthy complaints
Letter from NM to DM, 11 Mar 1968, ibid.

250
the experience of a lifetime
Letter from NM to GL, 14 Jul [1968], GL’s private papers.

250
I am sitting on a balcony
Letter from NM to AF, 20 May 1968, AF’s private papers.

251
& the multitude
Letter from NM to GL, 14 Jul [1968], GL’s private papers.

251
Have you any idea
Letter from NM to DM, 10 Feb 1969, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

251
I came away
Letter from NM to GL, 14 Jul [1968], GL’s private papers.

251
Pammy is now
Letter from NM to DM, [Jun 1968], MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

251
my greatest delight
Letter from NM to DM, [Jul 1968], ibid.

252
my dear, dear, family
Letter from NM to DM, 7 Aug 1968, ibid.

252
It’s absolutely maddening
Letter from NM to DM, 8 Aug 1968, ibid.

253
I have no Roman [film]
Letter from NM to DM, 8 Aug 1968, ibid.

253
The meat tastes
Letter from NM to DM, 5 Sep 1968, ibid.

254
It’s time to compare Christie
Lewis,
Ngaio Marsh,
p. 201.

254
I’m dug into a new one
Letter from NM to DM, 3 Jan 1969, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

254
if we can stage
Letter from NM to DM, 10 Feb 1969, ibid.

254
Sorry this is blotched [and Governor-General quote]
Letter from NM to DM, 28 Feb 1969, ibid.

254
a huge dirty
Letter from NM to DM, 14 Mar 1969, ibid.

255
Whether I get the cash
Letters from NM to DM, 9 Apr, 12 May 1969, ibid.

256
to bring about hideous
Letter from NM to DM, 23 Jun 1969, ibid.

256
It too was a howling
Letter from NM to DM, 17 Jul 1969, ibid.

256
As always I destroyed
Letter from NM to DM, 18 Sep 1969, ibid.

256
the best yet
Letter from NM to DM, 15 Jan 1970, ibid.

257
I had the usual tree
Ibid.

257-58
Do you remember
Letter from NM to JS, 27 Dec 1967, MS-Papers-0280-29, ATL.

258
up to 22,000 words
Letter from NM to DM, 9 Jun 1970, MS-Papers-1946, ATL.

259
Mine will be Doubting T.
Letter from NM to DM, 10 Feb 1969, ibid.

259
was a great success
Letter from NM to DM, 28 Dec 1970, ibid.

260
so don’t get yourself
Letter from NM to GL, 22 Jan 1970, GL’s private papers.

261
3,000 words
Letter from NM to DM, 2 Feb 1971, M-S-Papers 1946, ATL, Wellington.

261
I do wish that you
Letter from DO to NM, 3 Apr 1970, MS-Group-1635, ATL.

261
I’m sorry you can’t find
Letter from DO to NM, 20 Jul [1970], ibid.

261
I most certainly will
Letter from DO to NM, [c. 16 Feb 1971], ibid.