Your Birthday
April 9, 1857,
MY BELOVED HEART,
To be sure, I have nothing to add to my sheet of yesterday, but I think you will receive these lines day after to-morrow, or at earliest to-morrow before going to bed, and so, in case the latter is true I will wish you a good-night, with angels to guard you, but, besides that, God's richest blessing on your birthday, for next year and beyond; may He keep sorrow and sickness from you, let the children be well, and let me be very seldom grumpy or absent, and reward you richly for all the love and truth you have shown me. I cannot procure the blue breast here, it is true, but a heart full of thanks arid love for God our Lord, and for you, my love, I shall bring back to you as a birthday present. I can only pray that things may continue a long, long time to go with us as hitherto.
Yesterday I had lots of Hatzfeld, a very long call with Walewsky, and with a remarkable old lady—remarkable in loveliness—the old Grand Duchess Stephanie, who is very gracious to me… Last evening I was at the opera, ballet very fine, many pretty people, but ballets always bore me. To-morrow I shall hear a German sermon.
We will celebrate your birthday next week, the day after my return. God be with you, my heart. Love to the children. What shall I bring with me for Pauline?
Your most faithful
MY BELOVED HEART,
To be sure, I have nothing to add to my sheet of yesterday, but I think you will receive these lines day after to-morrow, or at earliest to-morrow before going to bed, and so, in case the latter is true I will wish you a good-night, with angels to guard you, but, besides that, God's richest blessing on your birthday, for next year and beyond; may He keep sorrow and sickness from you, let the children be well, and let me be very seldom grumpy or absent, and reward you richly for all the love and truth you have shown me. I cannot procure the blue breast here, it is true, but a heart full of thanks arid love for God our Lord, and for you, my love, I shall bring back to you as a birthday present. I can only pray that things may continue a long, long time to go with us as hitherto.
Yesterday I had lots of Hatzfeld, a very long call with Walewsky, and with a remarkable old lady—remarkable in loveliness—the old Grand Duchess Stephanie, who is very gracious to me… Last evening I was at the opera, ballet very fine, many pretty people, but ballets always bore me. To-morrow I shall hear a German sermon.
We will celebrate your birthday next week, the day after my return. God be with you, my heart. Love to the children. What shall I bring with me for Pauline?
Your most faithful
