Letter to Maria Garland -- Lili Ilse Elvenes
Transcription
Mein Brief -@Translator: KJ MB
Tirsdag
Dresden. 16 Juni 1931
Kære Veninde.(d02)
Jeg har skrevet til Deres Mand og bedt ham, som vi allerede
havde aftalt, at sende de færdige Kapitler til Prof. Warnekros; men hvis de ikke allerede er afsendt,
vilde jeg meget gerne have dem til min Adresse.
(d03)
Det er saadan et udmærket Anledning til at tale med den strænge
Herre.
(d04)
Jeg er nemlig straks blevet saa lille -@Translator: som sidste Aar. De aner ikke, hvilken Evne
han har til at lokke alt det mest kvindelige frem i mig.
(d05)
Man mener, jeg bliver opereret i morgen – jeg troede, det
allerede var for idag, men jeg tør ikke spørge ham derom. Sligt taler
han ikke med Piger om – og nu hengaar min Tid med at vente paa ham og
drømme om hans Mandighed og Skønhed. I min Beundring forstaar jeg nu, at
Gud skabte Manden i sit Billede.
(d06)
Jeg ønsker intet mere end blot at have Lov til at være i hans
Nærhed, og jeg er slet ikke bange for alle de slemme Smærter, der venter
mig; thi saa ser jeg ham mere – og et Smil fra ham er alle de grusomste
Smærter værd.
(d07)
De kan tro, det er en Overraskelse for mig, at jeg nu er her i
Stedet for i Paris. Men jeg forstaar
Professoren har grebet dette gunstige Øjeblik til den sidste store
Operation, uden hvilken jeg aldrig bliver helt rask, hverken fysisk
eller moralsk.
(d08)
Jeg sidder ude i Haven; men af og til kniber det lidt med Modet
og saa maa jeg kile rundt -@Translator: i
Gangene mellem de lyse Birke; jeg ved nemlig kun altfor godt, hvad der
venter mig – og store underlivsopera tioner er gyselige, men jeg tænker
slet ikke paa at dø; det har jeg ikke Lov -@Translator: til. Det vilde være et Forræderi.
(d09)
Skriv til mig. Det vil trøste mig. Det er mig ogsaa en stor
Beroligelse at vide, at deres Mand sidder og arbejder med vort fælles
Værk. Bogen eller rettere Romanen begynder maaske allerede at udkomme,
medens jeg endnu ligger her.
(d10)
Jeg sender en Del Fotografier herfra og faar Bekendte til at
samle en Del i Paris.
(d11 d12)
Mine allerhjærtligste Hilsner til Dem
og Deres Mand
(d13)
Deres
Lili Elvenes
Translation
My Letter -@Editor: KJ MB
Tuesday
Dresden. 16 June 1931
Dear Friend.(#d02)
I have written to your husband and asked him, as we had
already agreed, to send the completed chapters to Prof. Warnekros; but if they have not
already been shipped, I would like to have them to my address.
(#d03)
It is such an excellent occasion to talk with the strict
gentleman.
(#d04)
I have immediately become just as little -@Translator: as last year. You
wouldn’t guess the power he has to entice the utmost feminine side of
me.
(#d05)
They think I’ll undergo surgery tomorrow – I thought it was
already due today but I don’t dare to ask him about it. He doesn’t
discuss such things with girls – and now I spend my time waiting for him
and dreaming about his masculinity and beauty. In my admiration I now
understand that God created man in his image.
(#d06)
I wish for no more than just to be allowed to be in his
proximity, and I am not at all afraid of all the horrible pain that
awaits me, for then I will see him more – and a smile from him is worth
all the most gruesome pain.
(#d07)
You can believe it is a surprise to me, that I am now here
instead of in Paris. But I understand
the professor has grabbed this favorable moment for the last big
operation, without which I will never become fully healthy, neither
physically nor morally.
(#d08)
I am sitting out in the garden; but courage is a little scarce
and so I must dash around -@Translator: among
the bright birch trees; I know only too well what waits for me – and big
abdominal operations are horrible, but I really do not think about dying
at all; I do not have the permission -@Translator: to do that. It would be a betrayal.
(#d09)
Write to me. It will comfort me. It is also a big reassurance
to me to know that your husband works with -@Editor: our common work. The book, or rather the novel, might
be released while I am still here.
(#d10)
I am sending a handful of photographs from here and will have
friends collect some in Paris.
(#d11 #d12)
My heartiest greetings to you
and Your Husband
(#d13)
Your
Lili Elvenes