26 Avenue Wagram
Paris
10th April 1877
My dearest Julius,
I was very pleased to receive your nice long letter this afternoon for it was very late, & I was feeling a little disappointed at the post having past or so I thought without bringing me one. I am so pleased to think all your family are pleased at our engagement. I would not like to go into a family where I was only tolerated. Your mother wrote me a very kind note enclosed in Charlotte’s letter. I have also heard from Polly & Fanny who were very pleased at the news, & I had a most charming letter from Fred Robinson. I must keep them all to show you when you come over again. I expect you will hear from Richmond in a day or two, as they talked of writing to you. I have been very busy for the last two days packing up. I shall be very glad when we are in the other apartment now, as I shall feel then we are getting settled, instead of being in a worse muddle every day. It is fearfully tiring each evening. I don’t know what I should do if you hadn’t managed to help me.
And now I must confess. I have broken my promise to keep on my ring, although quite unintentionally; on Saturday evening after dinner I went to wash my hands & in taking off my other rings I pulled off yours. I felt so stupid when I saw what I had done. I think for a little while I was superstitious enough to think it was a bad omen but that soon faded & now that I have told you, I shall feel all right about it again.
On Friday, the day I wrote, we spent the evening at the Berridges, cousins of the Paremlys[?] & met May & her husband there. I have not seen her since, having been too busy to go round. We were out on Saturday also ,at our Swedish friends, the Dübens, so you see, I do not appear to be moping during your absence. Nevertheless I often wish you were here, but it cannot be so I must be content, indeed I have so much to make me happy that I should be very ungrateful if I were not. I felt a particular pleasure using your prayer book on Sunday having it in my hand made me think of you more than usual. I was rather amused after service Papa & I strolled down the Avenue towards the Wood & met a lady we know, she stopped & chatted, asked us where we had been & took possession of my prayerbook.
I saw her open it at the fly leaf & wondered whether she felt any curiosity at seeing a gentlemen’s name there. If she did she did not dare say so. I hope your dinner party on Thursday shall be a success. I expect your bachelor friends will tease you a little about your visit to Paris. Has anyone enquired yet how much sight seeing you got through? If so I hope you managed not to sound too ignorant. We have had some lovely days since you left & some very rainy, yesterday was like summer so sunny & bright & warm. I do hope it will be fine on Thursday for once more.
I am afraid this letter is very stupid. I really am very tired & only wrote this evening because I felt pretty sure of having no time tomorrow.
Accept very best love, my dearest, &
believe me ever
your own loving
Eugénie N. Mourilyan
