9 September 1921

Chalet des Sapins, Montana-sur-Sierre, Switzerland

The Cezanne book, Miss, you won't get back until you send a policeman or an urgent request for it. It is fascinating, & you can't think how one enjoys such a book on our mountain tops. He is awfully sympathetic to me. I am absolutely uneducated about painting. I can only look at it as a writer, but it seems to me the real thing. Its what one is aiming at. One of his men gave me quite a shock. He is the spit of a man Ive just written about - one Jonathan Trout. To the life. I wish I could cut him out & put him in my book. Ive finished my new book. Finished last night at 10.30. Laid down the pen after writing ‘Thanks be to God'. I wish there was a God. I am longing to (l) praise him (2) thank him. The title is At The Bay. Thats the name of the very long story in it, a continuation of ‘Prelude'. Its about 60 pages. Ive been at it all last night. My precious children have sat in here playing cards. Ive wandered about all sorts of places - in and out. I hope it is good. It is as good as I can do and all my heart and soul is in it - every single bit. Oh God, I hope it gives pleasure to someone . . .   [To Dorothy Brett, Collected Letters, 7 September 1921.]