I have nothing new to tell you from hence, except that I am still satisfied with Bellin—the thermometer now at 10 P.M. marks +10° (50° Fahr.). Odin still continues lame of his right fore paw, and enjoys the society of his Rebecca with touching affection all day, and I was obliged to chain her up for domestic misbehavior. Good-night, m’amie, je t’embrasse. Thine, etc., etc.,
Bismarck.
Kniephof, 9th April, 1845.
VI.
Most dear Creusa,—I have not taken the smallest key with me, and can assure you from experience that it never leads to the slightest result to look for keys; for which reason, in such circumstances—very rare with me, with my love of order—I at once turn to the locksmith to have a new one made. With important ones, such as safes, one has the choice of altering the wards and all the keys in use. I can see that I shall soon end my letter; not from malice, because you only wrote a page to me—it would be terrible to think that you would consider me so wretchedly revengeful; but from sleepiness. I have been riding and walking all day in the sun—saw a dance in Plathe yesterday, and drank a good deal of Montebello; the one gives me bile, the other the cramp. Add to this, in swallowing, a painful swelling of the uvula, a slight headache, cramped legs, and sun-burn, and you can understand that neither my thoughts of you, my angel, nor the melancholy howling of a shepherd dog, locked up for too great a passion for hunting, can keep me longer awake. I will only tell you that the Kränzchen (club) is not very much visited; a very pretty little Miss ——, sister of ——, was there, and that most of the young and old ladies are lying in childbed, except Frau von ——, the little one who wore the light blue satin; and that I go to-morrow to an æsthetic tea in ——. Sleep well, my idolized one—it is eleven o’clock.
Bismarck.
K., 27th April, 1845.
VII.