We get letters.

 We get letters . . .* 

This one, an email actually (for who gets letters these days?), comes from Pompeijo, Kristovia. Nemet** writes:

We read what you and your heavenly friend write about Thomas Hardy because he is very important in Kristovia. This is because of he influenced Lazar Todor, our national novelist, who translated Hardy though there have been many translations since then, most recent by Zayna’s father and mother. Did you know her father was engineer? because Todor’s father was also engineer, and Todor was architect like Hardy before he began to write.

Only English translation, I think, of szaahtlari tdayantdirin [Stop the Clocks] is a very bad one. It is much abridged, and wrong parts left out. The translator did not understand the story which is not about how time tick-tocks forward but how the chimes ring the wrong hour. But maybe a new one will be made soon. I hope.

Todor’s favorite Hardy novel – it is the favorite of this country – is Tess D’Urbervilles. So, I am – we are – waiting eagerly for what you and your angel-friend will have to say about that.

I am sending my greetings to you, as Zayna does, too. She helps me with my English but not so much, she says, I don’t sound like me.

Your friend, Nemet

I attach a picture of my mother’s copy of szaahtlari tdayantdirin because you like pictures in your blog, I know.

11.18.20

_______________
* See here, the first thirty seconds.
** Our Kristovia adventure – mine and Roz’s – begins here. We meet Nemet and Zayna, here; and we attend his photography exhibit, here.