Un Peu Loufoque and the disgruntled husband

Chief Patissier is at present ,not a happy man, what with being woken yesterday by the dogs and then having to be taken to the biscuiterie by Henri in the governess cart when he had planned to drive himself in the motorcar. he has been unpleasantly disagreeable to all and sundry all day and most unfair to boot.

I appreciate fully that he would have preferred to travel by motorcar however, this was utterly impossible since Loic was frozen to the spot in the front of the doors to the garage as a result of Madame Grognonne accidentally letting off a volley of shots whilst cleaning her gun after breakfast. A perfectly understandable incident which could have occurred in any well run household where the one legged one armed gardener suffers from shell shock. It would seem though as in all things he has decided it is entirely my fault that such things are allowed to happen and that in normally regulated establishments they would not!

He is, I fear, becoming a trifle unsupportive of my forays into the artist world and blames my painting for his bad temper. He even went so far as to suggest over diner last night that I might consider needlepoint as a pastime being as it is , he insists, more appropriate and less disruptive to the general running of the household. I found this attestation most unfair since it was he who had insisted I take it up in the first place having decided that chairman of the public health committee for the commune (with special responsibilities for fosse septique ) was not a suitable diversion for a lady such as myself.

I pointed out that, despite my being an artist for only a very short time, I was well underway to completing my first portfolio of portraits of domestic staff going abut their duties and he rejoined that perhaps I might like to contemplate taking my brushes elsewhere to capture servants in oils, so that at least our own household would remain undisturbed and he might get his routine back to some order. I felt this to be a rather uncalled for and unkind remark and therefore retired early to bed with a headache.

I am certain his bad humour can in reality be no way laid wholly at my door, and is partly due to Antoine who has, since their return from Paris , spent not an inconsiderable length of time with the new young curé in the village which the Chief patissier finds tremendously aggravating as he has never been a great supporter of the church.

I dare declare I find it impossible for me to even attempt to understand the machinations of a husbands psyche as it would seem to be so deep and fathomless as to appear positively murky at times. I imagine all of his sex are the same in that matter except of course those of the serving classes, which goes without saying.

As Pentecost and the anniversary of our marriage is fast approaching I would suggest a vaccances by way of marking the occasion in some way but feel it may be unwise to suggest the idea since it may be seen as rather an erroneous expense at present. I am hopeful that he may honour the event in some small way by perhaps a gift of some sort, I am of the opinion that a ring or a necklace would be most appropriate. In anticipation of the event I have ordered him an exquisite silver cigarette case engraved with the image of two doves entwined with a single rose between their beaks and the words “Sempir fidelis” inscribed on a ribbon beneath their feet. I intend as well to paint a portrait of him as a captain of Industry with which I am certain he will be so impressed it wil undoubtedly change his present attitude towards my art .

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The picture is of a young woman sewing and was painted by an American Artist in 1916 , a gentleman called Gari Melchers, a strange name I concede but then aren’t all colonial names? I am certain in his present mood Chief Patissier is of the opinion that this is how I should gainfully fill my time. One supposes that I should be grateful that he allows me to venture out of the house at all he is so excruciatingly bourgeoisie at times. Goodness only knows what he would do if he ever discovered I had taken the children camping in a Bedouin tent in the woods, I would very possibly find my self committed to an asylum with our dear friend the king of Spain!