November 1938 to early 1940, part 8

[continuing from previous page, Mancoba is with Christian Poulsen and someone referred to as Pulzer; it is the days of Christmas] we go out to select & meet Long there [.] Pultzer & Long bad friends [.] I speak to Long & his friend – Very interesting [.] Art today is a confused state – explain the outlook of Africa Art & that I wish to devote myself to it & to work for progression of African art.  Long’s friend is interested & speaks [.] Long telling [illegible] of British drawings & Magic – He believes in Magic & hopes to make more of it.  He is disillusioned in Modern Art [,] lost leaving Bushmen made an image of animal in certain position somewhere and found it afterwards in same position – Long very intelligent & speaks of a possibility of African [African is crossed out] art in Nazi state etc –  I like his friend [friend is underlined] at once – we drink beer and Tony pays for mine – A phone message from his mother & he leaves with his friend – 

I linger around [,] Xtian [sic: Christian Poulsen] in the arms of a fat woman [,] Pultzer talking with the unfortunate Dane [.] I ask to go 

School – I go to Rosers rooms afterwards – radio & talk [,] we have lunch together at Capulade – They ask why I did not team up on Saturday – Afternoon [,] I got work [,] it is very cold – In evening I go to see March of [illegible] – I see Father Divine – very strange & queer – 

Tuesday – School very cold [.] I get [illegible] relief.  Paul very unhappy, he gets nothing for his work – [illegible] afterwards M. Vallette asks me to visit him at Xmas [sic: Christmas] holidays – In afternoon I stay in my hotel and go to Roser in evening – we go to Gare --- . [insert in margin: Snow] I fix up for Bonteau’s journey – take Metro & I arrive. 

A sale of provisions Xmas wines from wine arrears – Radio plays Lambeth Walk [,] they dance a National Costumes [.] we buy a bottle of wine for our feast tonight – get information as to trains – leave – It is snowing and refreshing – 

We buy provisions & more wine – I carry it and Brousse hangs on me by the arm in case I slip & break the bottle [.] At hotel Roser arrives from drawing wet & cold & unhappy – we cut bread & make ready for feast – we eat & drink I sing Deep River & Old Man River – they like it and we sing & sing Langue Dorc songs [.] we go to cafe for more drinks – Sing in Cafe – we play in snow, dragged the hunchback & slide him on the snow – I return to my hotel – The holidays have started – 

Wed [sic: Wednesday] – next morning I visit Paulsen [sic: Christian Poulsen] & stay hotel all day – at 12 I go to Brousse & we eat together Capulade – we go to cafe etc – He is a good fellow – In Afternoon we go Musee Guimet with Poulsen & Pultzer & see Indian Art & Chinese – Some of it is wonderful 

We go to an English tea Restaurant [,] Place Concorde & take tea – I tell Xtian [sic: Christian Poulsen] I hate the atmosphere it is too English for my liking – He blithers something about wholesomeness etc [.] He worships the English – Behind me there is a couple of love birds – The young man trying to be clever & the young woman trying to be adoring [,] it nauseates me [.] They talk of old English families money etc love [,] mother etc – Pultzer arrives & we talk again – He thinks if the English shd [sic: should] disappear from the European scene there would be confusion – Stability etc etc – English may condemn [illegible] not what it came to defence of the Empire all stood as one - talk of Casabianca [.] The Charge of the Light Brigade – Bengal dancers etc – We are agreed the English love their Empire & everybody not English[,]  foreigner – we go downstairs & look at books – I buy “The English are they human by Renier and “England the Island unknown” [G. J. Renier “The English: are they human?” first published 1931 and Paul Cohen-Protheim “England, the Unknown Isle” first published 1931] 

Take the Metro & there is much of Xmas [sic: Christmas] spirit [.] Snow [.] They press me to have supper with them but Xtian worships – Pultzer takes to be alone with him – So I excuse myself & get away – After super [sic: supper] Brousse comes along & we go to take coffee & return to his rooms [.] we take taxi to the station off to Toulouse [.] I am a bit sad to lose him for awhile [,] a good fellow – I get back through the