"Dearly beloved Junker, I understand thus much from your letter, that you would gladly come here once again before the marriage. If that were possible, it would certainly be a great joy to me, and would give hearty pleasure to all mine without exception. I will not therefore this time entreat of you, but will have all hope and confidence that it may come to pass, and that the Junker will not fail to pay a visit to me the poor forlorn one, to which I look with great longing. Dearly beloved Junker, know that the packet has not yet arrived. We have already sent after it several times, and the answer has been, it was expected every hour; as soon as it comes, your desire shall be attended to; I believe it will answer well. The wife of Dr. Reiner has already written to my honoured mother concerning it, and given it clearly to be understood that she is not to be forgotten in the bridal presents;[[58]] however she need not have been in anxiety about it, as she had already been thought of.
"Dearly beloved Junker, with respect to the shirts and collars, you must know that we are working zealously thereat, and as many as can be got ready shall be distributed.
"I have received the bracelets; accept, my dearly beloved Junker, my warmest thanks. They are much too pretty for my brown hands, but they please me well.
"As regards dress, undoubtedly my honoured father would like to do for one daughter the same as for the other, but as that cannot be on this occasion, he has consented to do something more. I have three taffety dresses; the flesh colour, one gold colour, and one black. We have the tailor still in the house, who is making a violet-coloured damask, and another dress in which I am to go to church, which is to be either of red satin or of black damask. Now I beg you will let me know which you would prefer.
"Dearly beloved Junker, I cannot venture to make further demands on my father; for this reason, that none of my sisters have had so much done for them, or such splendid things. But as you have so strongly admonished me, I will be so unreasonable as to ask somewhat of the Junker, first begging of you kindly not to take it amiss, as I do it at your own desire; and this is my petition, dearly beloved Junker: I wish you to send me a dress of whatever kind you like, whether flesh coloured or silver, that I may have greater change of dress.
"Dearly beloved and well-trusted Junker, I have another great request to make to you. You know that I have two sisters who love me, and whom I equally love well; I should like to give them some little thing as a present in your name, if it seems good to you. I have written this to you because you have desired me to speak out my wishes, therefore, I beg you, Junker, not to take it amiss of me. I do not write it with the idea that it must be, but that it may be done or left undone by the Junker at his pleasure.
"I send you, according to your desire, the measure of my beautiful stature; we have added nothing to it, but such as the maiden is, so is the measure. I hope that, God willing, they may soon see me tall and beautiful as I am.
"We have partaken with pleasure of the grapes you sent us, and kindly thank you for the same. If we get anything rare we will impart it to you.
"I am delighted that my picture pleases your youngest daughter so well, and that she has shown it so much honour; let her boldly kiss it; God grant that I may see her, and I will return it to her with interest.[[59]]
"The shoes which I must have for the pulling off,[[60]] I will have made as soon as possible of the best kind, as good as they can be made here, although here they are not in fashion. Dearly beloved Junker, I have one more petition to make in conclusion, namely, that you will make the best of my plain, simple, bad letter, for I intend it in all sincerity, and write from my open heart; and kindly favour me with an answer, which, at the same time, I would rather have by word of mouth, than in writing.