The Hague. - Does not think Bob ought to wait longer than Wednesday night to come, even if the papers are not yet ready; will meet him at the station on Thursday morning and they can have a quiet day to themselves, their 'private marriage day'. On Friday morning she will be busy with people who are moving her belongings; they will have to go to the Town House [Stadhuis] that day to declare their intention to marry so that the 'publication' [ondertrouw] can take place on the next two Sundays. Has her last lesson [with Eldering] at Amsterdam on Saturday, and wants to go to the Röntgens for the last time with Bob and stay the night, if he does not mind staying in a hotel; on Sunday they must take the 'alto violin' to Mrs Asser, who has moved from Leiden to Haarlem, and can show them her Japanese prints on silk. Has been tearing up her old school exercise books, but has kept some. This afternoon, is going to say goodbye at the Children's Hospital where she used to teach. The Salomonsons are staying at the Hotel Cecil; Jeanne would be 'immensely pleased' if Bob could call on them briefly. Asks Bob to give [Charles Percy] Sanger her 'warmest congratulations'; he is a very good friend to follow Bob's example so soon [in getting engaged to Dora Pease].
c/o Mrs Salomonson, 49 Wierdensche Straat, Almelo; addressed to Bob at the Mill House, Westcott, Dorking, Surrey. - Has been a week since Bob last wrote; hopes he is all right, and that he is in the country enjoying the sun. Went for a long drive yesterday to a place with an old castle and 'lovely wood' where they sat outside and had lunch; Jeanne [Salomonson Asser] seems well and happy and is very kind; gave Bessie a 'wonderful piece' of imitation Venice lace which she had worked herself, as well as an antique copper basket for flowers or fruit; Jeanne's husband went away yesterday, and Bessie is not sorry that she will see little of him again since she does not like him much, though he and Jeanne are happy and seem well suited. Jeanne has confided some little worries about her marriage which Bessie will tell Bob about later; does not think Jeanne ought to reproach herself as her husband does not seem to completely understand her. Received a telegram from Alice Jones this morning asking if she could come two weeks later; this will not be possible as they are repainting the rooms then and Bessie will be too busy; hopes Alice will still come. Writes later after receiving Bob's two letters. Discusses the material for Bob's wedding clothes again. Is glad he has written the letters to Sir Henry [Howard] and the consul [Henry Turing]. Would love to go to see Dan Leno with Bob some time. No reason why Bob should not go on sending letters to Irene Locco and writing letters to her, as long as Bessie and Bob love each other 'in the right way'. Tomorrow it is 'Venus day', as well as birthday and death day of Shakespeare. Is reading Turgenieff's "Väter und Söhne" [Fathers and Sons], which she thinks Bob has talked about, having read it in English translation as "Generations"; thinks it wonderful.
19 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso Amalfi, Italia. - Very pleased with Bob's 'beetle letter', which arrived yesterday; unfortunately when she kissed the creature to 'snatch off' his kisses it broke up, but she has put the pieces together and will 'keep him as a beautiful unicorn'. She and her uncle feel that it would be difficult for her to go to England before the middle of February due to her aunt's illness; will write to Bob's mother soon to tell her; seems natural that he should stay longer at Ravello; whenever he comes, she will not be able to spend as much time with him as before. He will have to send her his 'first journalistic work' as the Salomonson's cannot send her old numbers [of the "Manchester Guardian"] and she does not know where to get them. Says the beetle brought her nice dreams in which Bob was kissing her. Must re-read the poem by [Richard] Crashaw which he copied out for her. Pities Straughn Davidson [James Leigh Strachan-Davidson] for having to act as Bob's 'bucket' [see 9/101] and hopes he appreciated his 'rich breakfast' [of poetry]. Very glad Bob thinks her a good letter writer. Wishes she could persuade her family to get a night nurse, as her uncle's night is disturbed and yet he is not as helpful to her aunt as a trained nurse would be. Had a note from George [Macauley Trevelyan] inviting her to come to Cambridge next month; very kind of him to write, and she hopes they will soon go, though expects she will 'feel terrified'. Likes Bob's father's book ["The Life and Letters of Lord Macaulay"] very much, as well as Crashaw's poem; agrees there are some likenesses between the latter and Browning. Quotes from Dante's "Vita Nuova [xiv]'.
19 Prinsegracht, the Hague; addressed to Bob at Pension Palumbo, Ravello, presso Amalfi, Italia. - Very relieved to get Bob's letter of the 31st December last night; amused that Mrs Cacciola [Florence Trevelyan] wrote three enthusiastic letters on Christmas Day, to Bob, Bessie, and Bramine [Hubrecht] and that they have all ended up in her hands; 'the dog's story' in Bob's letter very good. Would like Bob to call her 'Florence' as she asks, though she herself will never be able to think of her by that name; the letters show how kind she is 'though she comes it up so queenly in ordinary life'. Has had nice letter from Bramine, who was amused by Bob addressing her formally as 'Mrs Grandmont'; Bramine says Grandmont has not yet promised they will be in the Hague for June [the wedding] but she is sure everything will come right; Grandmont never will commit to future plans. Returns to the letter in the evening saying how tired she is, by nursing her aunt and running the household, but also because her uncle is 'so nervous these last days' and it is 'utterly exhausting to be in the house with him'. He is worried about her aunt's illness, and they have just had a letter dictated by Tuttie [Maria Hubrecht], in bed with influenza in Florence, to a nurse; Bramine is now with her.
Writes the next morning that things seem more cheerful; her aunt had a 'coughing night' but is slightly better. Had a nice letter from Bob's aunt [Anna Maria] Philips yesterday, thanking her for sending her photographs. Will look forward to seeing Bob's letter in the "Manchester Guardian"; the Salomonsons take it so she will ask her [friend Jeanne Salomonson Asser] to look out for it]. Has done hardly any reading, and no practising, for a week. At a concert on Wednesday night, heard some music by Rameau 'like delicate lace-work', then Ysaÿe playing a Bach concerto. His 'rendering was very modernised', which would have disgusted the Frys; she too much preferred a modern piece by Lalo, 'quite perfect in its way'. Hopes to go tonight to another chamber music recital, and tomorrow Lamond is performing a Beethoven sonata she would also like to hear. Her cousin Louise Hubrecht has sent her an "Inquirer" with a review of George [Macauley Trevelyan]'s book ["England in the Age of Wycliffe"] which she looks forward to reading, since she will not have time to finish the book itself before February. Is very glad that Bob is pleased with his work so far and feels 'her nine rivals' [the Muses] have him 'in their blessed power'.
10 Prinsegracht, The Hague. - Is very sorry she did not know in time to tell Bob the concert last Monday was cancelled; it was not [Julius Engelbert] Röntgen but [Johannes] Messchaert who was ill; he still cannot sing so the second concert will also be put off. Very sad as they would have had a good audience, and he will have to pay the costs. Has received Bob's poems and enjoyed reading them on the way to Almelo last Monday; likes part of 'the Indian poem' very much, though it is rather vague; the 'fairy poem' is charming and she wishes she had the power to set it to music; questions his choice of interpretation in the line of his Ronsard translation.
Is very glad Bob will come to The Hague; he is right that she would not like him to come without her family knowing; she is not under such 'romantically difficult' circumstances to make that necessary and what she said about their 'suspicions' probably made a stronger impression than she intended. Bramine [Hubrecht] even encouraged her to tell them about it; it would not be 'so unwise', since she is 'in reality quite free and independent', and if she could tell her aunt and be sure she would discuss it with her uncle, she might; however, thinks she would not feel real freedom when Bob was here if they knew what had happened. She will therefore tell her aunt that Bob intends to come over and do some translation work with her, asking her aunt to trust her and help 'conquer any objections' her uncle may have though she thinks he will agree at once. Marie [Hubrecht] and her American friend Maud [Howard] leave either next Monday or Tuesday, Marie for Florence and Maud for America via Paris; all three servants are then leaving in the first week of November so the household will be unsettled, and her aunt is suffering from a bad cold, so she will write as soon as all is well. Asks if he would prefer a first-rate hotel or a moderate one.
On the whole, had a good time at Almelo though it was strange to spend so much time with her friend [Adriana Salomonson Asser] after so long but they struck up quite a friendship again; she and her husband, a Jewish manufacturer [Henrik Salomonson] are very musical; it seems they hear little violin music so she was 'the talk of the town' after playing at their soirée. Is about to read Rostand's "Cyrano de Bergerac" and "La Samaritaine"; asks whether Bob knows and likes them.