Joseph Roth - Joseph Roth - A Life in Letters

warmly your St. Z.

1. a slow rending: spoken with feeling, in view of Zweig’s — on the face of it, mostly “amicable”—breakup with Friderike.

403. To Stefan Zweig

Saturday [July 1936]

My dear good friend,

I have to tell you in the manner of teenage girls1 or schoolboys how nice you were to me today, with the hotel and everything, and so I’ll say it to you the way I would have said it if I’d tried at age 18 to look you up in your apartment in Vienna. Thank you for a slice of youth and the sweet folly of saying it in writing, instead of speech,

your J.R.

1. JR’s note seems to be strangely colored by Zweig’s novella Letter from an Unknown Woman , which was often taken as being “about” Friderike, whose first approach took the form of an unsigned letter.

404. To Blanche Gidon

Hotel Siru

Brussels

8 July 1936

My dear kind friend,

forgive me for writing to you so late. Sorry too that I telephoned you on Sunday, and bothered you. I didn’t know what else I could do, after the alarming telegram from Mrs. Manga Bell’s daughter. It was signed by her, and she wrote: prière venir immédiatement . What else was I to think, other than that the very worst had befallen Mrs. M.B.? I spent the last 8 days lying down, unable to write. I had to have Zweig summoned on the telephone. He’s coming here, and will whisk me away to Ostend for a fortnight. I’m going tomorrow, as soon as he gets here. I won’t write any more now, but all my post will be forwarded to Ostend, from the Eden Hotel, Amsterdam ; please write to me there. I’m very upset about Mrs. Manga Bell. Once I’ve said goodbye to Zweig — who’s going to South America, and will leave me money for 2 months — I can take her with me to Brussels , because it’s so cheap. I suggested it to her once. I’ll write to her again. If you want to do me another kind turn, please help her morally . The woman is in pieces. I have the feeling the children are trampling all over her. Their trying to frighten me is senseless. I can’t come. I spent half the travel money on telephone, telegram, and replies. The children still seem to think I can get by, even though I’ve been living off charity for the past 4 months. All I can do is work, and hope I’m offered a new contract in October. Hope! — And stay alive till then! — I’m feeling better, I’ve just arrived. — I’ll talk to St. Z. about alcohol withdrawal. Excuse the bluntness. — I am so tired, and so fizzing. Give my best to Mr. Gidon. — Thank you for your grand kind friendship. — I have no other way to thank you but saying so. It hurts me really.

Sincerely your

Joseph Roth

405. To Blanche Gidon

Ostend

Hotel de la Couronne

15 July 1936

Dear friend,

thank you so much for everything! The story is unfortunately sold, along with the English rights. But if you are able to sell it, and send the royalty to Querido Verlag, Landshoff, then 60 % of it will make its way back to me. Any interested party should apply to: Querido Verlag, Amsterdam, 333 Keizersgracht.

I sent Mrs. Manga Bell 200 francs. At the beginning of August, Stefan Zweig is going to South America. I could spend August in Brussels with Mrs. Manga Bell on the money he’s leaving me. I put it to her, but she hasn’t replied. The money’s not enough for Paris. I have to work in peace and quiet, otherwise my life will be completely wrecked. I have endured a superhuman portion of work, of turbulence, of humiliation. Mrs. Manga Bell has steadily refused to adapt to the rules of my life. Her children were and are much more important to her than I am. I will not sacrifice myself to her children. The boy is old enough, and the girl could have the money that M.B.’s Swiss girlfriend unnecessarily sends the boy. They aren’t children any more at all, but two adults who call me boche , and poison Mrs. Manga Bell against me. I myself am the lost, sick child. I can keep Mrs. Manga Bell on her own, but I’ve had it with the children. I’m standing on the brink of the abyss. I can no longer bear the least psychological pressure, it would kill me. And I don’t want to die. And I don’t want anything more to do with people who call me boche . That sort of thanks is unbearable.

I’m having my feet treated. I’m not drinking any alcohol, and for the last week I’ve eaten once a day. Zweig is so sweet to me, he’s like a brother. Only I don’t know how I’m going to finish in October, when I have money only through August. Zweig won’t be back till November.

I haven’t heard anything from Mr. Wasserbaeck. If you should happen to speak to him, please give him my address.

I hope you and Mr. Gidon have a good summer. Please drop me another line from Paris. No politics, afterward, from Austria! I’ll be at this hotel— vide supra —till 1 August. I’m going to Steenockerzeel1 for a couple of days. Keep quiet about this, but don’t spend longer than 4 weeks in Austria. End of August is the deadline, it now appears. The friendship with Germany isn’t real. Little Red Riding Hood is back to life as well.

I kiss your hand, and thank you for your friendship,

Your loyal

Joseph Roth

1. Steenockerzeel: where Archduke Otto von Habsburg and the loyalist court were based. See no. 454.

406. To Stefan Zweig

[Ostend] 8 August 1936

Dear friend,

thank you very much for the writing paper. I cadged a loan of this paper here,1 I hope you like it. I wanted to write you something cheerful, but unfortunately it’s going to be sad. Huebsch has dropped me. At a time when my reputation with the Amsterdam publisher could have been rescued only by interest from America. My book2 wasn’t that bad either. I’m sure Huebsch has been unjust to me, humanly, literarily, and in publishing terms.

I dog you with these things, you’re already in a different world, but whom else am I to tell it to? Can you think of any consolation? It’s set me back at least a fortnight in my writing. Landauer has written to tell me that even if I hand in the manuscript, I’m not getting any more money.

In sincere friendship,

All the best,

your Joseph Roth

1. this paper here: the letter paper is marked, “Bond Street Birch. A paper that is inexpensive but subdued in character. Smython of Bond Street.” The noted collector Zweig liked his paper, and JR — see no. 403—when not antagonizing his patron, went to considerable lengths to try and please him.

2. my book: presumably Confession of a Murderer (1936).

407. To Blanche Gidon (written in French)

[Ostend] 4 September 1936

Dear friend,

I was invited to Calais by my friend Wagner, who has left for London, which is why I didn’t get your last letter. I am awaiting the return of Mr. Zweig to see it. I am hard at work, my novel1 will be good, better than my life. I don’t want to list any of the sorry details.

But it’s important that you know I love you. Unhappy people have the right to remain silent. I am writing this in the tram. Excuse the shaky hand. My best wishes to Mr. Gidon.

Please continue to write to the Eden Hotel Amsterdam.

Your very true and old

Joseph Roth

1. my novel: Weights and Measures .

408. To Stefan Zweig

1 November 1936

Dear friend,

forgive me for not writing. I am in indescribable trouble. My health is shot. Please, if you would give me two weeks’ time.

Thanks for the book.1 Great delight to see again what in the “old,” early years gave me such pleasure. It’s still fresh. Your older things as much as the new ones.