188 Boulevard Haussmann
Paris
4th June 1877
My dear Julius
I received your letter early yesterday evening, while I was dressing, the lilies did not retain much scent themselves but they scented the letter, thank you for sending them. So you also had it windy on Friday, here there was a storm in the morning & a regular gale of wind all day, but it seems to have settled the weather & now it is very hot, quite summer, so much so that I hesitated to write until this evening, feeling warm & rather lazy, however it appears you would think it something dreadful to wait another day for your letter so as I rather spoil you, you shall have it tomorrow.
I have been rather worried the last week, I know something was going wrong, & on Saturday Papa told me that there had been some disagreement between Tom & Gus & that the latter has thrown up his situation; it is a great pity. I don’t know the reasons of the dispute, & I don’t wish to, but feel very sorry that any discord should come in our family, which till now has been so united. Also I don’t know at all what Gus will do, it is so hard to get anything now. You must not say anything about this dear. I only mention it because I like you to know all that concerns me in any way. At the same time Papa & I talked about his future plans. I find that his wishes are what I hoped he would do, partly retire from business & live in England, near Polly. I don’t know whether it will be possible for him to do this, there are many things to be considered of course but still I can’t help hoping it may be managed, at any rate it is something to have made Papa speak of it at all , & find out what he would like.
I have the other copies of my photo, they are much lighter & I am keeping one in case you like to change yours when you come over. I am glad to hear you sometimes condescend to read books, so you won’t consider me dreadfully frivolous in saying this. I enjoy a good novel. I read a very nice one lately ‘Rutledge’, it has one peculiarity, the heroine’s name is not once mentioned, it was a written for a wager, I believe. I was very much astonished the other day at receiving a wedding present, fancy anyone giving me one so soon! Do you remember us meeting two ladies in the rue de Nicole, the day you left? The younger one, Miss Lilly & her mother are the givers. Miss Lilly was my first girl friend though having been at different schools, I am not as intimate with her as with many others.
Now my dearest I must go & dress, having two calls to make. Goodbye my darling, with best love, believe me
Your own affectionate
Eugénie N. Mourilyan
