Chipping Norton
May 10th/77
My Dearest Eugénie,
It was so kind of you, darling, to answer my last letter so promptly that I think I must sit down this morning and write in time to post by the day mail, next to receiving a letter from you, my greatest pleasure is to send one for, believe me, you are constantly in my thoughts my own, own Eugénie.
I was very pleased to hear of the success of your opera – the idea of your breaking down in your accompaniments, as if that were probable! – please congratulate Joe on his successful share in the performance, I only wish I could have been there myself.
And so you had a headache when you wrote, how I wish, my darling, that I could have taken the dear tired one’s head next my heart and kissed the pain away, I often think dearest that I could bear a great deal with you by my side, and I like to think that you too would feel a soothing influence in the near presence of one who loves you with a deep and abiding affection: but enough, or you will again be telling me that I am making you feel romantic, though our love Eugénie will wear none the worse for a little spice of that, and I know you would be unhappy if I seemed cold and indifferent, but you must never think me so, whatever I appear, for with all my faults I don’t believe it’s in my nature to be so, am I conceited, darling, to say as much?
I am glad you have had a cheerful letter from Fred, and I do not wonder you are anxious about them with the present uncertainty of the war however let us hope that Galak may escape with little or no injury.
I hope Fanny will carry out the intention of coming to Paris for a few days with her husband in the summer; how glad you must be to have such nice accounts of Walter and his family, do you ever like to think how you will welcome them next year in your new home, my darling; I am sorry to find I shall miss seeing the Whitneys again but they too will be coming to Europe no doubt in a few years and you must make them promise in that event to come and see how happy we are.
George I expect will stay another week and then go up to town and I may probably leave here on the Saturday and go down from London with him, returning Monday evening, shan’t I be able to have a nice talk with Grandmamma about you?
My tulips are now lovely, the violets are all gone so I send a sprig of forget-me-not as a token of the never ending love of your own affectionate
Julius Sladden
