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Aleister Crowley Diary Entry Tuesday, 11 May 1920
Went to two places. The first an old well,[1] all right; the second, I think, had leaks for shrimps.[2] But what do I care? This afternoon it snowed and snowed and snowed.[3] I don't remember such a heavy fall since I first went climbing. I may be able to write that play after all.
Later. Well, I wrote a poem—'Happy Dust!' Further, about these 'places'. Shall I take houses or inmates?[4] I think the latter, perhaps. It suits better, Pietrina or whatever her name is being more 'not well laid'[5] than 'leaky for shrimps' which was very true of No. 2 in the first house. No—I don't think one can treat the Yi so lightly; it seems to agree to Black all right, and to affirm a place in Palermo. (But see P.S. remarks, hatcheted, in loco.)
1—['The first line divided, shows a well so muddy that men will not drink of it' (Legge). Crowley found this 'well', i.e. the woman in the Palermo brothel, all right, but he does not seem to have drunk from it.] 2—[The second line, undivided, shows a well from which by a hole the water escapes and flows away to the shrimps' (Legge): Crowley's metaphor for woman no. 2 (in this brothel) whom he passed over.] 3—[He continuously sniffed cocaine.] 4—[i.e. shall I buy the house or the girl? He was still thinking of acquiring a house in Palermo.] 5—[i.e a virgin, or little-used woman.]
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