The Wimsey Papers Read Free

agitate some white object - it is better than nothing.)
4. If you have a torch, direct the light on the ground, and not into the driver's eyes, to deprive him of such light as he has.
5. Never walk in the roadway, except to cross the street.
6. Cross as the pedestrian crossing, if you can identify it; the driver expects to find you there.

Vous voyes, ce n'est pas sorcier! My manservant, who makes use of the omnibus service, desires me to add that if the London Passenger Transport Board would place the route-number at the side of the vehicle, as well as in front and behind, it might be possible to discover which omnibus has arrived at the stop without darting out before it as before an oncoming juggernaut. He informs me that this all-important number is placed so high from the ground as to be invisible to any passenger but an eagle (he himself is slightly myopic), and that moreover the number varies in position and style of design from one omnibus to another. I have checked his statement by personal observation and find that it is so.

If, my dear Peter, you can bring these matters in any way to the attention of someone with real influence and active imagination, you will be instrumental in saving civilian lives to the number of a small army by the time the war is over.

With every confidence in your ability to assist your country in this perplexity,

Your affectionate Uncle,

PAUL AUSTIN DELAGARDIE

P.S. - I have just seen a placard: "BERLIN SUPPRESSES CHURCHILL." If Berlin can do that, it can do anything, and we might as well lay down our arms at once.

3. Harriet, Lady Peter Wimsey, to Lord Peter Wimsey, somewhere abroad. (Extract.)

TALLBOYS,
PAGGLEHAM,
NR. GREAT PAGFORD, HERTS.
17th November, 1939.

... I've been trying to write an article about war-aims and peace-aims, though I'm not at all sure that all this definition doesn't end by darkening counsel, on the principle of "Mummy, I think I might understand if only you wouldn't explain." We all know pretty well that something we value is threatened, but when we try to say what, we're left with a bunch of big words like justice, freedom, honour, truth, and so on, that embarrass us, because they've been misused so often they sound like platform claptrap. And then there's "Peace." Peter, I'm terrified by this reiterated demand for "enduring peace and lasting settlement" - it's far too like the "war to end war." Do we really still persuade ourselves that there's some final disposition of things - territory, economic adjustment, political machinery - that will stabilist all human relationships by a stroke of the pen? That the story can end in the old-fashioned way with wedding-bells - "so they married and lived happy ever after"? If so, we need an Ibsen to deal with public life.

If one looks back at the last twentry years, one sees at how many points we might have prevented this war, if it hadn't been for our inflexible will to peace. We said "Never again" - as though "never" wasn't the rashest word in the language. "River, of thy water will I never drink" We will never go to war again, we will revise all treaties in conference; we will never revise anything for frar of starting a war; we will never interefere in other people's wars, we will always keep the peace." We wooed peace as a valetudinarian woos health, by brooding over it till we became really ill. No wonder we couldn't stand by the Covenant of the League, which set out to enforce peace by making every local injustice an occasion for total war. That idea was either too brutal or too heroic, I'm not sure which. A mistake, anyway. What I want to say is that there's no hope of getting peace till we stop talking about it. But I don't suppose that view will be very popular!

Oh, well! Meanwhile, Paggleham continues to adapt itself to war conditions. On Wednesday we had a fire-practice, with Mr. Puffett in charge. (His all-round experience in the building and chimney-sweeping way is held to qualify him to take the lead