1871.11.17 English

XVII NOVEMBER MDCCCLXXI[1]. MY DEAR BROTHER. HEARTFELT THANKS FOR YOUR LATEST LETTER. I WAS VERY PLEASED WITH WHAT YOU WROTE ABOUT THE VISIT TO THE DEAR COUNTESS AND ALSO THAT YOU LIKED THE NEW WRITING SAMPLES    IN TIME – AND THERE ARE EXCELLENT PROSPECTS FOR THAT – THEY WILL IMPROVE EVEN MORE   I DO WISH OUR DEAR SWEET MOTHER WILL CONTINUE TO RECOVER AND THAT YOU MY DEAR BROTHERS WILL STAY WELL AND BE HAPPY. MY OWN SWEET LITTLE KÄTHE IS AT THE MOMENT NOT VERY WELL. SHE HAS HAD TO STAY IN BED FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS BECAUSE OF A SLIGHT FEVER. HOWEVER THINGS ARE IMPROVING SO THAT SHE CAN BE UP AND ABOUT BY TOMORROW. I MYSELF AND THE SWEET LITTLE TODDLERS ARE DOING JUST FINE. THE KAMMERRAAD[2]AND HIS WIFE AND HIS WIFE WERE KIND ENOUGH TO PAY US A VISIT A COUPLE OF DAYS AGO, BUT UNFORTUNATELY I WAS NOT AT HOME AND KÄTHE WAS BEDRIDDEN. TODAY I WENT TO SEE THEM. THEIR RESIDENCE IS VERY BEAUTIFUL AND CONVENIENT. BOTH OF THEM SEEM SO HEALTHY AND HAPPY, THAT IT WAS A DELIGHT TO SEE. THE OLD MAN WAS VERY HAPPY WITH ALL THE KINDNESS WITH WHICH HE HAD BEEN MET DURING THE LAST DAYS IN LAALAND. AS SOON AS MY SWEET KÄTHE IS FULLY RECOVERED – HOPEFULLY VERY SOON – I WILL ORGANISE A NICE DINNER FOR THEM. BEFORE LONG I HOPE TO BE ABLE TO FINALISE EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR WRITING BALLS. IN THIS RESPECT THERE IS STEADY AND SOLID PROGRESS. KINDEST REGARDS FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU DEAR PEOPLE. YOUR DEEPLY DEVOTED BROTHER. I ASSUME DEAR BROTHER JOHN ALSO LIKES THE RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS WITH THE WRITING BALL.