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Leah Hirsig Diary Entry Saturday, 5 July 1924
July 5
Spend F night and E in Paris. Took 9:44 F, visited Dentist, Counsel, B.C.F., Kennerly Hall, and the Dôme. Shopped in Maine and after a siege with the dentist E A.M. caught the 12:02 back home.
In Paris
1. Dentist—bill to be presented when work is completed. 2. Consulate—H.B.M.C.G. was not in. But one of the men there informed A.C. that his passport was not in order and that the V.C. was "green." 3. Kennerley Hall—Spend 1 hour with him & have promised to send him a report. 4. B.C. Fund
I called there at 11:40 while A.C. was still at the Consulate. The door was opened by Miss Clayton, the woman who called at 5:00 May 1. When I said, "You are the very person I want to see," she said, "You'll have to see Miss Macnaughton" and ushered me into the Divine Presence. I got a chill from which I have not yet recovered. These worms have to have some means of self-protection.
I told her I had called to pay back the 20 francs lent by Miss Clayton, unless it had not yet already been repaid. She said "No." Then, I pulled out the 20 ft., held on to them for dear life, and said I should like to talk to Miss the lady—etc—I don't know her name—what is her name?
She refused to let me talk to Miss C. on the ground that they were finished with the case, it being a consular case and "You're not a British subject? You're an American." I protested: "Oh no, sweety, I'm Swiss."
She referred to the "record" before her and said that there was nothing to report—M. C. & his friend (secretary) had been ejected, order 5000 ft. to the proprietor, and she had telephoned the Consulate on May 2 to say it was a Consular case. "Is that all?" said I, innocently.
"Yes," she said.
"Then what did the man at the Consulate refer to when he told you that throughout it looked to him like a 'professional case'?", flashed I, verbally and with my eyes firmly fixed on her.
No answer. Damn my soul, I became kind-hearted, and helped her out (I wonder whether I did really) by saying "You don't remember those words?"
Said she "No", but hardly audibly.
"Well, I do," remarked Miss Leah H.[irsig], and told her my embarrassment in being forced to listen to a telephone conversation. She dropped the subject and asked quite coolly about the payment. I handed her the 20, and she dipped her pen in a nearly empty ink-pot (red ink) at least 20 times. I wonder if anyone can read what she wrote! I paid up and asked her, as she refused to allow us to do so myself, to thank Miss C. for her kindness and timely help.
20 ft. looked very large to us that day." said I.
The ugly old Macnaughton was back on the job.
"It's very queer," said she, "that such a condition should have arisen." (This with as positive conviction as the rosy cheeked person's "professional case" remark. They should leave the Pooblic Service and give Jung etc. instructions in psychoanalysis.
"Not when you know the circumstances," quoth I, and exited.
Later, we called again and were received by the Furnance Man, so I thought at first sight. Our acquaintance he viewed more like what I imagine the least incapable people in a poor-house to be like. He swelled with importance when he announced that he was in charge!!! A.C. rambled on and the charge gave his views on the duties, priviledges, etc. of a Pooblic Servant.
His final speech, on A.C.'s asking if he saw murder done in the street, would he give evidence or notify the police, was "If you want to keep out of trouble, you'll get away as fast as you can" or something to that effect. So much for Poohblick Survints!
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