Letter from Edward Thomas to his wife, Helen Thomas. Archival reference: 424/1/1/1/1/127
My dearest friend

It was very inconsiderate of me not to write, and I only hope that you really felt sure the whole time that nothing had happened. As a matter of fact I have been distinctly better the last few days, in spite of waiting up last night and the night before for Leonids which never came. Each College was invited to send a representative to spend the night at the observatory, and when the shower began, to hurry off and rouse this college for the show. Davies represented , but nothing was to be seen except by astronomers.
In a sense, something has happened since I wrote last. I developed a strange

to pay for the whole by turns and that means about 4/- or 5/-. it was a very fine day and did me good, but it would have been pleasanter had Mervyn been there for Davies is not stimulating.

Your view of Le Galliennes letter is right but you are wrong when you say he is a clever fool - a clever man would never have aroused the suspicion of you Helen, at the first letter.

I wrote to Ambrose, but his brother I have not yet seen again.

You surely did not think me serious the when I wrote about the" quite heroism" of Mr Rees!

I have received a nice letter from Irene, which does not allude to Le Galliene,

longing but unsexual passion for the youth Brook which I spoke of. What made this passion something was the first that it was thwarted very much. He himself seems to have been scared by me and to have wondered why I asked him to breakfast. Then he enquired about me, and people told him many extraordinary things true and untrue. The result was I thought he avoided me : when I asked him to tea, he said he was engaged for tea and coffee the whole week. As a matter of fact, he was, but I thought it was an invention. For some time that put me in a painful state. I quite felt some of the pangs of disappointed love. I kept hearing his voice through the wall. Whenever I crossed the quad I saw him , but dared not speak. Since, however , I have met him in other peoples rooms, and the first shyness is gone.

Still I have so little flexibility or power of interesting others but I fear he will drift away forever. And all this about a boy - with abundant black hair, pale clear face, piercing and frank grey eyes, red lips and a boyish voice. Some people made indecent suggestions to explain my liking, suggestions which I trust he will never hear.

I was out a great deal on Sunday with Davies , but you see such an expedition costs a lot. You can't go alone and one has
an odd piece of feminine modesty. She wants back her " Scenes de la vie de Boheme by Mervyn, which is among the French books on the bottom shelf over the writing table --- Does she not count me as well as "Dick" and you, one of her surviving friends?

By the way don't go to that Sunday discussion if you cannot help it. The atmosphere, the artificiality, the possible excitement, the late train, will not do you any good.

As to money, I can scarcely send mother any more, considering that I had to pay £1.1.0 fee for the Divinity course on December 2 You see,
I often have to but books, to buy lunch, provisions , and have my railway fare ahead.

I should much like to see the photograph from Ammanford.

I return about the 8th of December

I have an invitation to the Principal, Tutors , Students of Somerville - at Home , but dread it, I shall get off it if I can.

My work jogs along. I do no writing.

And now Goodbye; Give my love to father and mother , tell them I mean to write soon but am now very busy .

My own sweet little one. Goodbye I am ever and wholly yours Edw

Adieu