|
Correspondence from Aleister Crowley to Wilfred Talbot Smith
55 Avenue de Suffren
18 Feb 29
Care Frater
Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law.
Your letter of January 30th. I now believe that Kasimira [Kasimira Bass] was deceived by this thief and blackmailed Hunt [Carl de Vidal Hunt] who is going to get it where the camel got his. I may appear that Kasimira is no longer in France, but I was informed, more or less credibly, by an octoroon whom I esteem, that she was in Paris on Saturday afternoon, and indeed sustained a conversation more fatiguing to the listener than the speaker of——you know what.
I think that you should point out to Mrs R. [Rosa Reynolds] that the devil will certainly get her by the short hair unless she acts honestly. She has done the most dreadful mischief to Kasimira by acting as she has, Sooner or later we shall get Kasimira; and when we do it will be a very unpleasant awakening for Kasimira and Joan [Kasimira's daughter]. I have been trying all along to save Kasimira from the consequences of her stupidity. If she had merely been stealing my money, I should not have turned a hair, but she was stealing the money of my friends, who cannot afford to lose it, and I am going after her tooth and nail.
At the same time I note your manuscript last paragraph. I will not make any move to make your chances with her (you do not say whether you mean Mrs R[eynolds] of Mrs B.) more difficult. I have always believed in K[asimira]'s essential integrity. It is entirely her own fault that she has been suspected of swindling. But she will certainly be convicted of swindling if we can lay our hands on her, unless she starts a totally different line of conduct.
Of course I have the conviction that as soon as she understands we are serious, and that we will hound her to earth if it takes us fifty years, she will decide that honesty is the best policy after all.
Love is the law, love under will.
Yours fraternally
666
P.S. Please don't misunderstand this—I personally want to clear K[asimira Bass].
|