Brittain, Vera, Diary, 22 August 1915

00000298-15.jpg
Description: 
Diary of Vera Brittain

Tabs

Case Study: 
From Youth to Experience: Vera Brittain’s Work for Peace in Two World Wars
Creator: 
Brittain, Vera
Source: 
diary
Date: 
22 August 1915
Collection/Fonds: 
Contributer: 
McMaster University Libraries
Rights: 
Vera Brittain estate; McMaster University has a non-exclusive licence to publish this document.

Identifier: 
00000298-15
Language: 
eng
Type: 
image
Format: 
jpg
Transcript: 

"You see, you can't avoid the 'Oh, let us leave them together' attitude, even from your mother," I said.
"Well," said he, "I didn't want them to come with us, did you?"
"Oh! I didn't mind one way or the other," I said indifferently, but he knew as well as I did that it was not true.
Dusk was deepening into night by this time & on the darkening road the couples were barely distinguishable who passed us, clinging ostentatiously together as though ever asking to be remarked upon. He & I walked several yards apart & without the slightest apparent interest in one another. It was strange to me to think that what made them cling to one another, and what made us so shy of being near together were simply different -- though very different -- expressions of the same thing.
When we had gone some way along the road, which was straight, and had the heath-covered cliff on one side & fields on the other, we turned off into a rough path leading through the heather past a thicket to the edge of the cliff. Once when I touched him he discovered that my hands were cold, as I had put no gloves on, & insisted on taking off his own leather gloves & putting them on to me. They slipped on to mine quite easily without having to be undone. I felt queerly thrilled by the warmth inside them which his hands had made. It was like having all the satisfaction of his touch without the shyness of touching him. We reached the edge of the cliff & stood there, looking out at the darkness & the shadowy see. Then he said to me "Let's sit down here for a little while." So we sat down there on a soft dry bed of heather, and were very silent for a few moments. I could not