Details
HEMINGWAY, Ernest. Typed letter signed ("Ernest" in pencil) to Jane Mason ("Dear old poor old Jane"); Madrid, 16 October [1933]. 2 pages, single-spaced, three sheets of gold-colored paper, 21-word pencilled holograph closing by Hemingway, slight fold creases, a tiny fold hole, with the envelope (torn) with Hemingway's typed name and return address.
"STARTED A LITTLE STORY AND THE BASTARD GOT LONGER AND LONGER AND LONGER"
"...Got here and found my damned proofs [for Winner Take Nothing], did those, found [the American bullfighter] Sidney [Franklin] had done a 422 page translation (typed) of Currito de la Cruz and went over that for him. He did a good job. Mucho trabajo going over anything though. Then I thought I would rinse my mouth out and started a little story and the bastard got longer and longer and longer until just finished it three days ago -- about 15,000 words. All about Habana -- like Hogsheimer [Joseph Hergesheimer], you know. Plenty action. On land and on sea. No you're not it in Madame [this was the first Harry Morgan story, 'One Trip Across,' which later formed part of To Have and Have Not, a novel in which the character Helne Bradley was based on Jane Mason]...Pauline wrote you the other day...She is fine. Made her hair blonde with some noble Spanish mixture and was beautiful as hell and immediately very sorry for every one else who wasn't born a blonde. But plenty of trouble to keep on doing and especially in Africa [the Hemingways would leave for the safari at the end of November]...Wonderful business though. Practically a new wife every day and every one as good as the former...Pauline went to Paris Sat. night...I stayed on to see Sidney Franklin out of the hospital [he had been gored in the bullring] and go to Salamanca 'to train' [with Franklin]. For what for Christ's sake? to side step elephants? It would be my luck to get a cornada from some lousy Salamanca cow and miss the boat..."
"...Did you read G.[ertrude] Stein [her The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas had recently been published]. Even better than [Max] Eastman [who wrote a highly critical review of Death in the Afternoon]. Am weak, brittle, yellow, careerist, etc. Faut avoir des amis. Read two good books of stories. The Child of Queen Victoria by a bird called Plomer, William Plomer...Read a wonderful story called 'The Small Lady' in a book of stories called Midsummer Madness by Saon Ofaleon [Sean O'Faolain]...Damned fine splendid story...Another damned good book called Brazilian Adventure by Peter Fleming. Will send all three if you'll give me an address. Will send four in fact or five or any number you name. Name a number Mrs. M. Hell of it is that only know three good ones. But maybe more by now..."
"STARTED A LITTLE STORY AND THE BASTARD GOT LONGER AND LONGER AND LONGER"
"...Got here and found my damned proofs [for Winner Take Nothing], did those, found [the American bullfighter] Sidney [Franklin] had done a 422 page translation (typed) of Currito de la Cruz and went over that for him. He did a good job. Mucho trabajo going over anything though. Then I thought I would rinse my mouth out and started a little story and the bastard got longer and longer and longer until just finished it three days ago -- about 15,000 words. All about Habana -- like Hogsheimer [Joseph Hergesheimer], you know. Plenty action. On land and on sea. No you're not it in Madame [this was the first Harry Morgan story, 'One Trip Across,' which later formed part of To Have and Have Not, a novel in which the character Helne Bradley was based on Jane Mason]...Pauline wrote you the other day...She is fine. Made her hair blonde with some noble Spanish mixture and was beautiful as hell and immediately very sorry for every one else who wasn't born a blonde. But plenty of trouble to keep on doing and especially in Africa [the Hemingways would leave for the safari at the end of November]...Wonderful business though. Practically a new wife every day and every one as good as the former...Pauline went to Paris Sat. night...I stayed on to see Sidney Franklin out of the hospital [he had been gored in the bullring] and go to Salamanca 'to train' [with Franklin]. For what for Christ's sake? to side step elephants? It would be my luck to get a cornada from some lousy Salamanca cow and miss the boat..."
"...Did you read G.[ertrude] Stein [her The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas had recently been published]. Even better than [Max] Eastman [who wrote a highly critical review of Death in the Afternoon]. Am weak, brittle, yellow, careerist, etc. Faut avoir des amis. Read two good books of stories. The Child of Queen Victoria by a bird called Plomer, William Plomer...Read a wonderful story called 'The Small Lady' in a book of stories called Midsummer Madness by Saon Ofaleon [Sean O'Faolain]...Damned fine splendid story...Another damned good book called Brazilian Adventure by Peter Fleming. Will send all three if you'll give me an address. Will send four in fact or five or any number you name. Name a number Mrs. M. Hell of it is that only know three good ones. But maybe more by now..."