Tolkien & Simonne d'Ardenne (Oxford-Liège-Oxford)

[Cédric]

Suite à la découverte récente d'une lettre de Tolkien jusqu'alors inconnue évoquant Simonne d'Ardenne (voir ici pour le lien vers l'image), je me suis essayé à une transcription du texte.
L'écriture est relativement lisible mais deux mots m'échappent encore (cf mention < mot ? > en gras plus bas) avant de penser à une traduction. Vous avez une idée sur l'un et/ou l'autre de ces mots ?

Note : This letter (extract) is part of an exchange with the British Council about funding for his research into early English languages

[séparation]

24 August 1945

Dear Sir,


I have heard from Professor Simonne d'Ardenne of Liège that her name has been selected as one to be recommanded to the British Council. She has, I believe, expressed a wish to come to Oxford for a year, and to resume her unfinisehed work with me ; so, possibly, I should have heard in due course from the Council. But I hope I may be in order in speaking for her at once.

Mlle d'Ardenne is a very considerable scholar, and in a field (early English) that's otherwise < mot ? > represented in countries of Latin' Language, to which Belgium largely belongs. She was once my pupil ; but latterly we were working in collaboration. The war cut our communications and left us with much unfinished work on hand. It would be impossible for Mlle d'Ardenne to resume this without residence in Oxford. And, if I may speak of myself, it would be of the greatest assistance to me, if it could be made possible for her to < mot ? > here for a time. I find it very difficult to pick up the thread without her help. It is not possible for me to go to Belgium ; and in any case our main sources and materials are in England.

Mlle d'Ardennes's work (Sainte Julienne), published in Liège in 1936, was recognized as one the most important works in the field of Middle English for a generation, and is probably the best extent edition of a Middle English text. The work we had plannd was in continuation of the resarch we begun.