188 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris
3rd May 1877
My dear Julius
As I cannot go out this afternoon, being my reception day, I will sit down and answer your last letter. I am glad that you have George staying with you as I am sure you must enjoy his society very much, though you do not require comforting. I am glad to hear that you had a better account of your Mother, I wrote to Charlotte on Sunday. I expect the latter is looking forward to teasing you when you go home at Whitsuntide. Fancy dear, it is a month today since you left Paris. When you come over again I must take you into the Parc Morceau, it is such a lovely little parc, very small, scarcely more than a large garden, but so pretty & so well kept & the flowers are beautiful, I passed through it the other day & was delighted with a bed of pansies, such varieties of them! & so tastefully laid out, I wished you had been with me to admire them also. I suppose Polly will be going to Ramsgate on Saturday, I hope they will not have too cold weather, & that the change will do them good; I had a very kind letter from Fred yesterday, at the same time as I received yours. We have a delivery on Sunday morning, but no English letters on Saturday evening or Monday morning as the mail does not leave London. What time do you get my letters? I should like to know, then I can think of you when you are receiving them.
I lunched with May yesterday, they wanted me to go with them to the circus in the evening but I had to refuse, having a rehearsal, indeed this week we have nothing else, but I hope we shall be rewarded by performing creditably on Saturday. You must think of us about ten o’clock. I daresay by that time, I shall be beginning my overture, we are supposed to commence at nine, but then it is always later.
We are very comfortable in our new apartment now. I am so anxious for you to see it, my darling, but that will not be yet a while. One thing I particularly like here, we so often have soldiers going by with their bands playing, & I am so fond of military music, it is my favourite after an organ. Do you remember the organ in Notre Dame? How quickly those days passed when we were together, my darling.
I am glad you like my postcard, it was a very good likeness, but it was taken three years ago & I daresay I have altered a little in that time, certainly I have inwardly if not outwardly. I particularly want to know where that photograph of yours at Magall [?] was taken, don’t forget to tell me when you write. Perhaps I don’t object to early answers to my letters, but it is very conceited of you to say so; however I generally find that men are very conceited.
I am glad you succeeded in beating the “narrow minded” individuals of Chipping Norton & will have the church restored. I suppose the fact is many people object to opening their purse strings.
I really have no news to give you, and were my letters not read by such an indulgent reader, they would be found very stupid; one thing if you did find them so, wouldn’t dare to tell me for fear of having no more.
Give my love to George, when does he have to sail again? Goodbye my own dear Julius,
Believe me your ever loving
Eugénie Narcisse Mourilyan
