BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, [7 DEC. 1911]
BRACERS 17368. ALS. Morrell papers #280, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.

<Cambridge>
Thursday aftn.1^, 2

My Darling Love

It was a joy to get your letter this morning. I won’t be unhappy about you, but I will imagine Burnley is a rest cure. How I wish I could hear your speeches. Yes, Persia was more alive in my remarks, because I am bored to extinction by Women’s Suffrage — there is nothing new about it and the old weary round has lost its power to move me — but I still think it just as important as I did. Your poor young man going to a lantern lecture on Switzerland wrings my heart — I can hardly bear to think of any one so good. I love to think of Mr Kay’s old-fashioned water-colours and to imagine your remarks on them to him.

Have you realized the solemn fact that you will never see my moustache again? Unless indeed we meet tomorrow evening I shall shave it off Saturday morning. I am afraid you didn’t bid it a long farewell with the sentiment which the occasion demanded.

If Mr Barbone can’t change the sofa I don’t think it will matter. It won’t look nearly so fat when it has been sat on. Yes it will be heavenly to be settled in London. The train makes such a rush — and one can never forget time when trains have to be caught. And I hope we shall sometimes get longer times, because we really get much better talks when it is not only a moment. — I am lunching with the Whiteheads Sunday — otherwise I have no engagements. Probably I can make my stay with them elastic and come to you if you are free any time. Tomorrow I lunch with Sanger; I may go to tea with the George Trevys but that is uncertain. Otherwise I have no engagements in view.

I hope your finger is not serious. Sometimes those things are a frightful nuisance. — You were not the least unsympathetic the other day — how can you think so?

Yes these last days are an awful rush. I got to bed at two and woke before seven — I had a long morning of proofs and paying Bills, which I finished soon after 2. Now I have a blessed interval till my German comes to argue at 4.15. Then I have my last lecture3 — but it will be only a conversation class which is less trouble. Then a concert, then my evening if I live till then.

It will be a comfort to have leisure to take in instead of giving out — one gets dry inside after a certain amount of spiritual expenditure.

If there is ever a fine day when you are free, we ought to go to Putney — have an early lunch there, so as to get the daylight. I long to be among trees and country things with you again.

Now this must be posted. Dearest Dearest I love you. All my heart is with you.

Your
B

• 1

  [document] Document 000280. Proofread against a colour scan of the original.

• 2

  [envelope] A circled “280”. The Lady Ottoline Morrell | Towneley Villa | Burnley | Lancashire. Pmk: CAMBRIDGE | 3.15 PM | DE 7 | 11 | 3

• 3

  last lecture Of the Michaelmas term.