“My wife went dressed as one of the characters in a novel that I am going to write in the near future! You see that I devise ways and means to advertise both my old novels and my new ones!”
The subject of Rome and Mussolini came up, and when I expressed admiration for “The Resurrection of Rome,” he snapped,
“I think it was a pretty bad book.”
At my disagreement, a look of mild surprise appeared on Chesterton’s face,
“Well,” explained he, “it was written just after a stay in Rome, and I think that I made the fatal mistake of reading the book too soon after it was written. That should never be done by any author. The longer after the writing that I wait to read one of my books, the better it seems.”
When I mentioned that Mussolini had told me how much he had enjoyed reading “The Man Who Was Thursday,” and had found it exceedingly funny, Chesterton answered,
“Does anyone find my books funny? It pleases me to hear that, for at times I fear that my humorous works are taken seriously and my serious ones humorously. I also had an audience with Mussolini. He did not act in a high and mighty manner at all, but showed a genuine interest in England and asked me numerous questions about the country. He was indeed a jolly card.”
“In what language did you carry on your conversation,” I asked.
“We spoke in French,” replied Chesterton, “and when leaving I said, ‘I hope you excused my poor French, Your Excellency.’ To which Mussolini answered, ‘That’s all right; you speak French about as well as I speak English’.”
After a moment’s pause Chesterton reflected, “I don’t suppose that was much of a compliment for my French, because at that time Mussolini knew practically no English.”