—58—
Cairo
Dear Tanveer,
[In Urdu]: I hope this letter finds you well. I continue to enjoy Cairo, with all its many discoveries and layers and colors. It is so inspiring to me as an artist, and my work is improving daily.
I’ve read both of the books you mailed, Müller and poetry of the Afghans. I’m particularly interested in the poetry of the Afghans as Kabul is a possible next posting for Peter.
I’m delighted to understand how closely connected Arabic and Urdu and Hindi are, all languages in a single family, as Latin, French, Spanish, and Italian are.
Not that I have learned to speak any of those with any skill, but I did know they were a family of languages, where I did not know about the Indo-Persian family.
That seems an oversight of my education, which has been so terribly Western centered, all of it, even in India.
I remember your complaints as a student about such things.
How, I wonder, were you so clear about things, even as a youth?
I write today with a matter of some delicacy, and I would ask your discretion and honor.
I am concerned about Peter. He suffers greatly from a malaise related to his war experiences, including terrible nightmares from which he acts out and is not himself.
He drinks to subdue them, and that seems to make the trouble worse.
I have also noticed that at times he is fully awake, but a loud noise or a particular scent will send him into a sort of fugue state in which he is no longer living as himself, but again, acting out some kind of memory. He can be violent at such times.
I believe it is connected to his memories, which he will not share. I understand, for you, too, struggled with sharing your war experiences. It seems a common theme among soldiers of this age.
I wonder if you might have suggestions for another man suffering that particular hell. He will not write about his experiences, as I have suggested that. He only drinks.
I do apologize for digging into what are terrible memories for you. Forgive me. If you do not wish to discuss it, I will never mention it again.
[In English]: Give Gurdaya and Channan my love. It is such a joy to read Gurdaya’s stories and see her so happy!
Tell me how you are, what you are pursuing, what insights you’ve uncovered. I’m sending along a book I enjoyed most earnestly by William James, on the ways we experience religion. I would love to discuss if you read it.
Again, please forgive me if I overreach.
Best,
Elsie
January 2, 1926
Talwarpur Palace
[In Urdu]
Dear Elsie,
Happy new year, my dear friend!
You do not overstep. I am honored you would bring this concern to me, and I thank you for trusting me with such a delicate matter.
I do not have any insight into your husband’s particular troubles, but what you describe is not uncommon among survivors of the war.
Despite the disdain with which many in society hold the sufferers, I do not think there has been war of this nature before now, where mechanistic horror made the always burdensome experience of battle a particularly torturous one.
We have seen the lingering effects in India, too.
Men who cannot hold a job, who fall into rages or alcoholic stupors. Men who simply do not function well.
As for how to help drain that boil, I do not hold hope for a man who will not quit drinking. I am sorry to be so frank, but alcohol seems to aggravate and increase the symptoms. Perhaps you might start there.
I ask you to protect yourself as you must. I shall worry if you do not reassure me, and I ask you to forgive my directness in that.
I will write again when I have read the William James.
Please say more about your experience reading Müller, and the poets.
Were there any poems you particularly enjoyed or did not enjoy?
I’ve tried to engage my sister in this discussion, but she is only interested in fiction.
Poetry, she says, is for lovers and mystics, and she is neither.
Be well,
Tanveer