1Wednesday Night
2
3Yes, it is true that I want you most when other people are about me.
4This afternoon my sister-in-law was here, & while she was here a Mrs
5Liddiard called I was glad Mrs Liddiard called it made it easier for
6me. But while ^when^ they were gone, oh such a turning of my heart to
7you. I have so much to say to you.^, my comfort.^
8
9I have got your letter. It has helped me. ?Iges Yes, come soon, the
10week after next. We will arrange the time exactly bye & bye. By that
11time I shall be much needing you. It will have been so long since I
12saw you.
13
14Have you got “Remembr^ances.”^ I have had my heart in such agony
15today. The old madness that I thought I had conquered came over me
16again. No Henry, you do help me. More than you know, more than I know
17^fully^ except when at times I see it.
18
19I love I know H R Haggard can’t be Lady F D – because John
20Pursglove says when he was working one day ^at the Fields^ she came to
21look at his machine But from the first letter & book I made sure it
22must be a woman. I can’t make out what type of man would have
23written such a book. ^Would you like to read it?^
24
25That sentence was not the only thing I wanted to write about to Miss
26Haddon. Why at the end does she put the matter in such a onesided form.
27 In countries like the Cape where there are two men almost to one
28woman how would a man having two wives make life happier. At In
29Griqualand West, (the Diamond Fields) there has for the last fifteen
30years been a population in which there were about 10. men ol to 1.
31woman . How would ^each^ man having two women have made ^make^ things
32happier for the others? Of the few women living in all those ^Diamond Field^
33towns more than half, or quite one half, are prostitutes. What makes
34them prostitutes? The fact that the men have money & that they have
35none. If you could reverse the position of men & women & give to women
36the power, the wealth, & the work in life that men have; tomorrow you
37would have the selfish & cruel among them hiring men for f money, and
38there would be men prostitutes. as to-day there are women. Nothing but
39a perfect, absolute, & complete equality, can ever make the
40relationship between man and woman pure.
41
42What I think so valuable in Miss Haddon’s article is that it raises
43the question fearlessly. But it is only a side she shows. I am going
44to write an article on prostitution as soon as my book has got on a
45bit. I can’t wait to say what I must say. Can you tell me whether
46venereal disease is known among any savage races. I know it was not
47among Kaffirs till white men came among them. Am I right in supposing
48it first became common in Europe in the 14th or 15th centuries. Or am
49I confusing it with other diseases? That is a side of the question I
50must yet fully study.
51
52W I learn from the C. D. acts ^Blue Book^ that it is a common thing for
53a woman to have union with from 15 20 ^20 to 30^ men in a night, had you
54any idea that such a thing was possible. I had not. Ach God, I must
55write on the question.
56
57I am going to bed now. Henry, are you writing at that little
58Australian story? Do. I want you so to.
59
60Your otherself
61
62^puts her arms round you!^
63
64Henry, you mustn’t feel miserable. I put my arms round you. I get
65your old face against mine.
66
67I will send Miss Jones book. I was so muddled when I went away but I
68thought you said she said I was to keep it till I saw her or something
69like that. I'm sure I didn't want it, I glanced through it in an hour
70the first night & have not looked at it since. Henry
71
72^you mustn’t be miserable!^
73
74Hasn’t your heart ever been like iron? Mine was for five years. Then
75for the three years long years since I first spent in England I cried
76every night for hours.
77
78I must go & lie down now till I am driven up. Good night.
79
80I wanted you this evening again. I am beginning to want you so ?now. [end
81of sheet torn away]
82