eemeIwillputnoobstacleinyourwayIwillnotdenythatIalsoshouldliketoseeyou.Iamfartherawaynow,butifyoucareformeatallyouwillnothesitatetomaketheshortjourney.
Wehavehereaveryniceapartment,intheLatinQuarter,awayfromtherichpeopleandthetourists.Idonotknowwhichismorevulgar,theaveragetripperorthepartofPariswhichheinfests:Imustsaytheybecomeoneanothertoanicety.Iloathetheshoddinessoftheboulevards,withtheirgaudycafésover-giltandover-sumptuous,andtheircrowdsofill-dressedforeigners.ButifyoucomeIcanshowyouadifferentParis—arestfulandold-fashionedParis,theatrestowhichtouristsdonotgogardensfullofprettychildrenandnursemaidswithlongribbonstotheircaps.Icantakeyoudowninnumerablegraystreetswithfunnyshops,inoldchurcheswhereyouseepeopleactuallyprayinganditisallveryquietandcalmingtothenerves.AndIcantakeyoutotheLouvreathourswhentherearefewvisitors,andshowyoubeautifulpicturesandstatuesthathavecomefromItalyandGreece,wherethegodshavetheirhometothisday.Come,Eddie.—Youreverlovingwife,
BERTHA.
41RuedesEcoliers,Paris,
May25.
MydearestEddie,—Iamdisappointedthatyouwillnotcome.Ishouldhavethought,ifyouwantedtoseeme,youcouldhavefoundtimetoleavethefarmsforafewdays.Butperhapsitisreallybetterthatweshouldnotmeet.IcannotconcealfromyouthatsometimesIlongforyoudreadfully.Iforgetallthathashappened,anddesirewithallmyhearttobewithyouoncemore.WhatafoolIam!Iknowthatwecannevermeetagain,andyouareneverabsentfrommythoughts.Ilookforwardtoyourlettersalmostmadly,andyourhandwritingmakesmyheartbeatasifIwereaschoolgirl.Oh,youdon’tknowhowyourlettersdisappointme,theyaresocoldyouneversaywhatIwantyoutosay.Itwouldbemadnessifwecametogether—Icanonlypreservemylovetoyoubynotseeingyou.Doesthatsoundhorrible?AndyetIwouldgiveanythingtoseeyouoncemore.Icann