Edmund Campion. [With:] When the Going was Good. [And:] A Handful of Dust

WAUGH, (Evelyn).

3 volumes. 8vo., original cloth, "A Handful of Dust" with dust jacket. London, Longmans; Duckworth; Chapman & Hall. 1961, 1947, 1964.

"Edmund Campion" (third edition, 1961) is inscribed by Waugh: "For Maureen Regan, Souvenir of Combe Florey from Evelyn Waugh. 14th. June 1965". "When the Going was Good" (second edition, 1947) is inscribed by Laura: "For Nurse Regan with my profound gratitude from Laura Waugh", and "A Handful of Dust" is inscribed: "Nurse Regan with love & best wishes from Laura Waugh Christmas 1970". For 10th. April, 1966, Father Philip Caraman records: "That Easter morning I was driven over to Wiveliscombe [a nearby village] where E.W. attended my Mass: several others apart from those at C. Florey were also present". Martin Stannard, "Evelyn Waugh, No Abiding City", p. 490, continues the day's events: "Caraman said the Latin Mass in his church. It was a joyous occasion with Waugh radiating good humour. After Mass, Caraman was driven to Combe Florey where he was to have luncheon. The meal was never served. During that morning ... Waugh pottered off somewhere, probably to the library. He was not seen alive again. When he proved difficult to trace, a search was instigated culminating at the downstairs lavatory. Inside, Laura found her husband sprawled face down. There was a gash on his forehead. It seems that he had suffered a coronary thrombosis, tried to rise and staggered forward, dashing his head against the door handle. Meg's nanny [Maureen Regan] attempted the kiss of life but it was obviously too late. Caraman gave conditional absolution and the stunned family withdrew to await Fr. Formosa, a doctor and an undertaker". These copies have come to us from Maureen Regan's niece.