188 Boulevard Haussman
Paris
20th May 1877
My dearest Julius,
I have to thank you not only for your dear letter but also for the lovely book which arrived last night, how kind of you, my darling, to send it, I am certain I shall like it & all the more that it contains some of my pet hymns and poems, surely it was not accidental that the marker was at some time entitled ‘love’ & expressing exactly what our idea of love is? Whether accidental or not I was so pleased with them that I set to work and learnt them by on at once. This has been a very happy day. I felt so near you in church today & though I did not get your letter I returned from service my heart almost told that you must be attending the same holy service. You were much in my thoughts & in my own prayers, my own darling, then in the afternoon I imagined you having a long walk with Grandmama & in the evening perhaps at church again with Charlotte or chatting with your Mother at home. I hear from Fanny & Polly that they rather hope to see you at Ramsgate tomorrow. I wonder if you will have time to go. I hope so as then you will give me an account of them all. It is May’s twenty-second birthday today, I went round to see her this afternoon & to take her a trifling souvenir. Our little dinner-party on Thursday was very pleasant, we were all lively, & talked away to our hearts content.
The Whitneys leave decidedly tomorrow week. Of course I must feel saying goodbye to May very much but it will not be the same as when she married, then though I knew I should see her again soon, it was the breaking up of our old friendship as girls together, to begin again certainly, but different, a married friend though she may be as good a one cannot be quite the same as an unmarried one, she must have different interests & feelings. Then I also did not know how I might get on with her husband, but he is such a good fellow & we all get on so well that doubt is at rest, and above all my dearest I have now your love to depend on, & that so fills my thoughts that it leaves but little space for regretting other. So long as you love me I must be happy, whatever sorrow must come.
I had a numerous class at Sunday school this morning, all but three of my little pupils. One of them set me off into a most undignified fit of laughter, by an absurd answer to something I asked her; she is the daughter of one of the clowns at the circus & must take after her father, so it is not the first time she has made me laugh. You ought to receive this letter soon after you get home on Tuesday, you will be rather tired after your scrambling trip. Pray, how many hours do you plan to indulge us with, when you next come over, about twenty four, I suppose? as that seems the usual length of your visits? I hope the weather will have the kindness to clear up long before you arrive, as I am very tired of the rain, & have had so many wettings, that I wonder I have not spoilt every thing I possess. I never can stop in for bad weather, as I get sick of the house, & omnibuses & cabs are difficult to get when it is raining. Professor Williams dined with us on Friday,, he is very fond of music, & I played him several things, very much to his satisfaction, Gus tells me. He is a very interesting man, & his conversation is really instructive as well as amusing. I rather hope on Wednesday to meet at Martha’s a splendid violinist, Monsieur Gaillant. I have heard him once before, & his playing is perfection; I may even have to accompany him, but that I am rather nervous about, as playing at sight is not my forte, & it would be a shame to spoil such lovely music by my mistakes.
Dr. Parmby told me in the worst knowing way this afternoon to remember him to all friends in England when I wrote, of course he means you, dear. I think this is the longest letter I have ever accomplished to you but then it is evening & my pen always flows quickest after ten o’clock. However I must draw to a close now it is getting late. Papa sends his love to you.
Goodnight, my darling Julius, believe me ever
Your ever loving
Eugénie Narcisse Mourilyan
