Sigh Sigh

Madame M:

Shall respond to your déjà vu in a bit, but first:

Juliet talking about camp survivors in France who couldn’t move on with their lives: How often others want you to “get over it,” yet deny you the very means to do so, which is to talk out the experience, to relate the pain, to achieve some understanding (even though if you weren’t part of it or something very similar, you won’t understand it anywhere completely). It’s almost like we make others uncomfortable because we have lived something terrible, and they feel responsible in some way, and can’t handle the guilt.

The mentioning of Wallis Simpson, the woman the Duke of Windsor gave up (for love) the throne of England for in the 30s: How that riled so many of the English! That wasn’t quite keeping with sacrifice and a stiff upper lip and proper behavior! To marry a commoner (well, she was to the British) and an American at that! But to be twice divorced as well, and perhaps having initiated before the second divorce—scandalous! Where was his sense of duty, they cried, as he was effectively forced to abdicate. To us, it is a historical footnote. In their day, quite the scandal.

Juliet’s phrase “like having the Third Army at your back” was puzzling to me. The only famous Third Army on the British side was WWI, not WWII, which would have been the ready reference. Although possible, it’s unlikely a British person would have made a reference like that to the American Third Army.

Such a touching scene where Kit accepts Juliet completely, sharing her most precious treasures, and it became an obvious certainty that they would be together.

“What a blessing that I have no imagination and can see things clearly.” Isola’s “observation” skills were amusing to read about in their deficiency!

“His much-vaunted shyness has evaporated completely—I think it was a ruse to arouse my sympathies.’

Everything worked out, the secret piners got together! Ah, what a great summer read! And now, Madame, I await our next endeavor/choice of subject!