PARIS, _Wednesday night_, _August 5, 1869_.
... I spent a month at Saint Cloud, in a passable condition of health. I
was never perfectly well mornings and nights, but the days were not bad.
The open-air life did me good, I think, and gave me a little strength.
On my return, Sunday, I had a most distressing attack of exhaustion,
which continued two days. Then my physician at Cannes arrived, with a
new remedy of his own invention, which cured me. They are eucalyptus
tablets, and the eucalyptus is a tree native to Australia, which has
been naturalized in Cannes. I am doing well, provided it lasts, as the
man said while he was falling from a fourth-story window.
At Saint Cloud I read _The Bear_ before a very select audience, among
whom were several young ladies who understood nothing, it seemed to me;
and, since it caused no offence, I have a desire to present the story to
the _Revue_. Tell me your way of thinking thereon, and try to point out
very clearly the pros and cons. You must not overlook the progress in
hypocrisy which the age has made in late years. What will your friends
say about it? Besides, one may as well write his stories for himself,
for those that are written by others are not exactly interesting.... Are
you not grieved for your holy mother, the Church, by the accident at
Cracow? If one were to observe attentively, I am sure one would find
that such things are occurring elsewhere. You must read the account of
the affair in the _Times_....
I dined, a few days ago, with the guileless Isabelle. I found her
better than I had expected. The husband, who is quite small, is a very
polite gentleman, who made me many compliments, nor were they badly
turned either. The prince of the Asturias is most affable, and has an
intelligent expression.... He resembles ----, and also the children of
Velasquez’ time.
I am dreadfully bored. It is excessively hot at the Luxembourg, and all
this matter of the Senate Council is anything but agreeable. They are
going to open the establishment to the public, of which I disapprove
strongly.[43]
Good-bye, dear friend. Write me something cheerful, for I am full of
sadness. I have great need of your mirthsomeness and of your real
presence.