A Dieppoise Easter, 1930/31
The second part of Pigtails and Pernod covers Simona's Easter holidays during her fifteenth year, and continues very much in the same vein as we have come to expect - eccentric characters, Johnny causing chaos, the women of the family very much in charge. There are, however, some significant changes; dresses are longer and Simona has grown out her hated fringe and the pigtails of the title make their first appearance.
We are introduced to new characters at Easter: the Legrands, a family who took in English and Swedish students (the latter much to the delight of Johnny, who would find each more blonde and glamorous than the last) and to whose house Simona and Johnny were regularly invited to lunch, and, most importantly, Madge, Johnny's piano tutor and latest 'passion'.
Madge was 24, nine years older than Johnny, but it was the first time he had fallen in love with anybody less than twice his age. But when we visit her flat in the centre of town, with a comprehensive view of Dieppe's centre, we wonder if Johnny's passion is driven more from envy of her view and position right in the midst of Dieppe life than for the woman herself. An accomplished pianist ("I can play anything...but that is not to say well") Madge's attitude to piano playing would have made my lessons much more pleasant. I'm going to take on her advice from now on: "the most important thing in piano-playing is to hit the wrong notes with as much enthusiasm as the right ones".
“She thundered out wrong notes, swearing under her breath as she did so, but never relaxing her tempo. “What a mess!” she said breathlessly when she came to the end of it.”
We are also introduced to Sir William Orpen, who is visiting Dieppe and makes his appearance as the family as they are having drinks at Charlie's Bar, in the Casino. The sensation of his arrival in a Rolls-Royce was only the start of the impact he had on life at the Chalet Caude Cote and for the English in Dieppe in general. Ginny, whilst delighted to share his company, was driven mad by Jacki Nevill (who was again staying with the family) adopting the position of host whilst Orpen was visiting. Simona and Johnny were indulged and instructed that his gifts were not to be spent on anything useful, or that is should go all on sweets. The English church was always able to fund some small renovation following a generous visit from the painter.
This section of the book gives an evocative description of the routine Easter celebrations in Dieppe, including the silence of the church bells on Good Friday, to be rung again 'with a vengeance' on Easter Day and the Easter procession. This saw the Grand Rue carpeted with petals, the priest walking backwards in front of the choirboys, incense being swung ahead of the Bishop of Rouen, and finishing with the marching band of firemen, 'identically moustached'.
The tale of the family's Easter Day trip to Bailly Bec with Orpen and Jacki, complete with a car broken down in the middle of a ford, stranding half the party en route, selecting then catching the trout for dinner from the water alongside the restaurant, and Ginga imbibing a large number of champagne cocktails whilst believing them to be cider, once again make me picture a TV adaptation of the book. Other than a lack of animals, there is not that much to separate Pigtails from something such as My Family and Other Animals, and its current adaptation as The Durrells. The historic European setting, the cast of eccentrics, the coming of age stories and the way each chapter or two could form a discrete hour-long episode; I just need to get an influential screenwriter interested and to read the book!