Olga Rudge & Ezra Pound: "What Thou Lovest Well..."

190 What Thou Lovest Well Remains
Beinecke Library ‘‘at Pound’s request, to give Paige a little money to
operate on.’’ But Paige’s transgressions continued to be a sore point
between Olga and Ezra.
She wrote Eliot a perceptive critique after the publication of The Letters
of Ezra Pound: ‘‘I am still not convinced about the omissions. Are not
‘omissions’ just what always show up most glaringly? Won’t people . . .
think the book one-sided and imagine what has been left out worse than
the truth . . . an attempt at whitewash? If some of Ezra’s outrageous letters
were included (many of them date long before his mis-called Fascist
period), people . . . would see that E’s radio speeches continued a line of
talk definitely his own over a long period of years, in no sense ‘Fascist
propaganda.’ ’’
That autumn Mary announced that another grandchild was on the way,
expected in late February or early March 1950. ‘‘I like a simple and quiet
home,’’ she wrote her mother, ‘‘and hope I’ll be able to go through life
without a separation or divorce. . . . I hope Walter and the rest will do all
the things . . . I should have done, and that they’ll inherit not only [their]
grandfather’s tendencies, but also his genius. I could wish for nothing
better in the way of a child and husband and home.’’
Boris had obtained two decrees from the Corte d’Apello—the first to
legalize the Order of Canossa and Corona di Ferro and title of Principe de
Rachewiltz in October 1948, the second to secure diplomatic rights and
immunity in August 1949. Ezra approved of the change of surname from
Baratti to the titled ‘‘de Rachewiltz.’’ In his view, it was ‘‘a show of spirit,
and last line of defense against rising tide of imbecility, demi-Xtens
[Christians], etc.’’ But Olga never could reconcile herself to Boris’s
pretensions.
At the end of October, she had almost given up the battle to visit St.
Elizabeth’s. In bitter frustration, she posted this letter: ‘‘She doesn’t want
to let His birthday pass without a word, [but] if He wants to see her, He can
arrange to do so. Only the greatest possible sincerity can a√ect any
change.’’ (There was no closing message of endearment.)
Once again, Ezra firmly vetoed her plans: ‘‘arrange indeed—az if
tickets were free—deep sympathy . . . she now Herkules & the Trachinae.’’
The depressing year ended with the death of Sem Benilli, one of the