Pièce 156 - Letter from Janet Trevelyan to Elizabeth Trevelyan

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Stocks, Tring. - Writes before going home to London, in 'an atmosphere of gloom & sleet & snow'; imagines that this letter will 'rejoice when it suddenly finds itself on the sunny side of the St Gotthard [Pass]'; however, a fortnight ago George had 'glorious days of frost and sunshine' for his walk from Edinburgh to Wallington. Janet was at Stocks then, alone with her mother, having been 'turned out' of her own home when her 'slavey' got the flu; therefore could not even look at her just-decorated nursery; can hardly wait till she gets back tomorrow afternoon and 'can go up there and gloat'. Has had a 'delightful time' at Stocks, especially since George got back last Tuesday; the house has been 'swarming with aunts & cousins', in some ways 'just the same as ever, & yet...all so very funny and different'; they could not take her 'seriously at all' [in her pregnancy] so she had to laugh at herself. Does sometimes feel 'a very ridiculous person', though also sad when she thinks 'how soon [her and George's] dear little alone-time will be over'. Has not had any news of Bessie, even through Caroline; longs to know if the weather is behaving itself at Ravello, and whether Meg Booth plans to join them there. George is writing a 'quasi-historical article for the "Independent [Review?]"]; she herself is in good health; has only "half done Mrs Goethe [her article on Goethe's mother for the "Quarterly Review"] which is very lazy'.

Dated '2 Jan 1904', obviously a mistake for '1905' due to the reference to Janet's nursery.