_Brook Farm_, 18th Aug. 1841. ½ 12 P.M.
Belovedest, Mrs. Ripley met me at the door, as I came home from work,
and told me that Mary was at Mrs. Park's, and that I might have an
opportunity to send a message to thee. Whether thou hast written I do
not know. At all events, Mrs. Ripley has not yet given me the letter;
nor have I had a chance to ask her what she has heard about thee; such
a number of troublesome and intrusive people are there in this
thronged household of ours. Dearest, if thou hast not written, thou
art very sick--one or the other is certain. That wretched and foolish
woman! Why could not she have put the letter on my table, so that I
might have been greeted by it immediately on entering my room? She is
not fit to live.
Dearest, I am very well; only somewhat tired with walking half a dozen
miles immediately after breakfast, and raking hay ever since. We shall
quite finish haying this week; and then there will be no more very
hard or constant labor, during the one other week that I shall remain
a slave. Most beloved, I received thy Lynn letter on Saturday, and thy
Boston letter yesterday. Then thou didst aver that thou wast very
well--but thou didst not call thyself magnificent. Why art thou not
magnificent? In thy former letter, thou sayest that thou hast not been
so well for two months past. Naughtiest wife, hast thou been unwell
for two months?
Ownest, since writing the above, I have been to dinner; and still Mrs.
Ripley has given no sign of having a letter for me; nor was it
possible for me to ask her--nor do I know when I can see her alone, to
inquire about thee. Surely thou canst not have let Mary come without a
letter. And if thou art sick, why did she come at all? Belovedest, the
best way is always to send thy letters by the mail; and then I shall
know where to find them.
Aug. 17th--After breakfast.--Dearest, thou didst not write--that seems
very evident. I have not, even yet, had an opportunity to ask Mrs.
Ripley about thee; for she was gone out last evening; and when she
came back, Miss Ripley and another lady were with her. She mentioned,
however, that thy sister Mary looked very bright and happy; so I
suppose thou couldst not be very intensely and dangerously sick. I
might have asked Mrs. Ripley how thou didst, even in the presence of
those two women; but I have an inexpressible and unconquerable
reluctance to speak of thee to almost anybody. It seems a sin. Well; I
do not feel so apprehensive about thy health as I did yesterday; but,
sweetest, if thou hadst sent some distinct message, even though not a
letter, it would have saved thy husband some disquietude. Now farewell
for the present. I do long to see thee, but know not how to get to
thee. Dost thou love me at all? It is a great while since thou hast
told me so.
Ownest wife, I meant to have finished this letter this afternoon, and
to have sent it by William Allen in the morning; but I have just
learnt that Mr. Ripley is about to start for Boston; so I conclude
suddenly. God bless thee, and make thee magnificent, and keep thee so
forever and ever. I love thee. I love thee.
Thine Ownest.
Do not write to me, if thou art not well.
Miss Sophia A. Peabody,
Boston, Mass.
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