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#2463: Willa Cather to Meta Schaper Cather, July 22, 1946

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⬩W⬩S⬩C⬩ My dear Meta1:

I was so glad that you wrote me after your visit to Colusa5. I am relieved to know that all the details in connection with Roscoe6's estate have been adjusted, and that the estate is now "closed". I can understand that it was painful for you to go back there, but it must have been a satisfaction to you to know that the bank7 is growing and prospering and coming into its own.

You speak of torrid temperatures at Sacramento4. I don't believe they can be comparable to the temperatures we have been enduring here (ninety to ninety–five, with dripping humidity). I have been held here by Miss Lewis'8 very serious illness. She first became ill early in March, and much of the time has been in great pain and distress. We hope to start9 for Maine10 sometime during the coming week, but so far have not been able to get reservations.

All through the spring and summer I have been terribly absorbed and annoyed by the matter of translations. All the European publishing houses which were inactive during the war, are now tuning up and driving right and left for English and American books. It is very difficult to head them off. Very poor translations of A Lost Lady11 and Neighbour Rosicky12 were made in France13. There are no strict laws governing publishing there. The publisher who put out the two books I have mentioned was really a printer, not a publisher, and when my lawyer went after him, he simply vanished into Switzerland14 and his address is unknown. The Italian translations have, so far, been excellent, and I think the Spanish translations will be fairly good. The translations in Swedish, Norwegian and Danish (all good Norwegian translations are published in Denmark15 by the famous house of Gyldendal16) are all excellent. They have come out year by year, about twelve months after the first American editions. Sigrid Undset17 has been kind enough to select the translators, and they have done their work well. As I do not read the Scandinavian languages at all, it was fortunate for me that I had a loyal friend like Undset to keep a discerning eye on the Scandinavian editions. This translation coil has taken practically all my winter and spring. This, with Edith's long illness, has left me rather limp, and I'm afraid I shan't be able to do much work in Maine this summer, though I have a book18 well begun.

My dear love to little Margaret19 when you see her again.

With love and good wishes Willie

The "Archbishop"20 and "Antonia"21 have been published in eight languages22.

Mrs. R. C. Cather1 Hotel Senator Sacramento California 1490–South Knox Court South Denver (10)3 Col. SACRAMENTO CALIF.4 JUL 26 1946 [illegible] NEW YORK, N.Y.2 [illegible] Please forward