1969. RB to EBB
As published in The Brownings’ Correspondence, 10, 296–297.
[London]
Wednesday Mg [Postmark: 9 July 1845]
You are all that is good & kind: I am happy and thankful the beginning (and worst of it) is over and so well. The Park, & Mr Kenyon’s all in good time—and your sister was most prudent—and you mean to try again—God bless you!—all to be said or done—but, as I say it, no vain word.
No doubt it was a mere chance-thought, and à-propos de bottes [1] of Horne—neither he nor any other can know or even fancy how it is: indeed, tho’ on other grounds I should be all so proud of being known for your friend by everybody, yet there’s no denying the deep delight of playing the Eastern Jew’s part here in this London—they go about, you know by travel-books, with the tokens of extreme destitution & misery, and steal by blind ways & bye-paths to some blank dreary house, one obscure door in it—which being well shut behind them, they grope on thro’ a dark corridor or so, and then, a blaze follows the lifting a curtain or the like, for they are in a palace-hall with fountains and lights and marble and gold,—of which the envious are never to dream! And I, too, love to have few friends, and to live alone, and to see you from week to week– Do you not suppose I am grateful?
And you do like the “Duchess,” as much as you have got of it? That delights me, too—for every reason. But I fear I shall not be able to bring you the rest to-morrow—Thursday, my day—because I have been broken in upon more than one morning; nor, tho’ much better in my head, can I do anything at night just now. All will come right eventually, I hope,—and I shall transcribe the other things you are to judge.
To-morrow then: only—(and that is why I would write)—do, do know me for what I am and treat me as I deserve in that one respect, and go out, [2] without a moment’s thought or care, if to-morrow should suit you—leave word to that effect and I shall be as glad as if I saw you or more—reasoned gladness, you know. Or you can write—tho’ that is not necessary at all,—do think of all this! I am yours ever, dear friend,
RB.
Address: Miss Barrett, / 50 Wimpole St
Postmark: 8NT8 JY9 1845 B.
Docket, in EBB’s hand: 30.
Publication: RB-EBB, pp. 118–119.
Manuscript: Wellesley College.
1. “About nothing.”
2. Underscored three times.
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