Letter from Edward Renouf to Anny Schey von Koromla

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9 September

Dear Baroness Schey!

Hanni has just walked past the window with a basketful of elderberries on her back. Why don’t you come down and cook them with Cilie? The sun’s come out again, and the white and yellow flowers are luxuriating in the light of paradise. One night I walked to Freundsberg and sat on the steps of the chapel. The beauty of the paths and flowers seems so much closer when you’re here with me.

Last night I found that the postman had left two books at the kitchen window: one addressed to you, the other to me. The one is by Dacqué. The other I opened thinking you must have asked a publisher to have it sent here, hence the address. But it’s actually for you, sent ‘at the request of Dr Bleibrunner’, whose book it is: Der Kompass Europas [The compass of Europe], along with a parcel of advertisements, payment cards etc. Should I send it to Munich or keep it here for you until you come?

Question your plans for the future, by all means, but never reproach yourself for things that are in the past! Spencer may help with this too. It’s so hard to know whether fortune might have been more favourable if you’d done things differently. For now you can only know that you have certain opportunities, and these can bring strength and fullness of life even though they were borne of misfortune. That’s the only basis for reproach; you should never reproach yourself.

I was up at seven today. Usual routine. More effort in the kitchen produced better results. Wrote stories and philosophy.

My little sister sent a letter that I’d like to read to you. In return I’d like you to read to me from Goethe and from the diary of Madame de Ma Foi.

Edl

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