BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, [4 DEC. 1911]
BRACERS 17365. ALS. Morrell papers #278, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.

<London>
Monday night.1^, 2

My Dearest Dearest

I must write you a line to keep you company on the journey up. It is hateful your going up there to wear yourself out when you are already so ill. But it is no use thinking about that. Darling the wings really were not stuck on with postage stamps. It is almost as easy to be saintly as it is to be merely not a black scoundrel. Both require a good deal of effort, but the one not much more than the other. The situation requires that I should keep a hold on myself, or I should worry the life out of you, and not be happy even then. — My Darling you know I am full of sympathy when you are ill, only it seems so useless to say anything about it. I do hope either this Dr. or Combes will really do you good.

I was very sorry P. came back so dissatisfied with his speech. I am sure it is a very good thing to have made it, whether well or ill. I suppose you will have stayed up a good while consoling him. I really ought to have gone sooner.

How hateful the winter is — one gets to long for daylight. Nerves get all on edge in this darkness — I always feel this time of year a great nervous strain.

I am tired too and the burden of the world’s sorrow is very present to me. Now this must be posted. Dearest I love you and my whole being yearns after you. My love is strongly deep — and in spite of all I say about it it really remains dumb — I can’t utter it ever, however hard I try — Goodnight my Life — please don’t bother yourself with writing to me more than is perfectly easy while you are at Burnley. Goodbye.

Your loving
B

• 1

  [document] Document 000278. Proofread against a colour scan of the original.

• 2

  [envelope] A circled “278”. The Lady Ottoline Morrell | Bedford Square. | W.C. Pmk: LONDON.W.C. | 2. AM | DEC 5 11A