Item 95 - Letter from R. C. Trevelyan and Elizabeth Trevelyan to Bramine Grandmont Hubrecht

Ramsfold Farm, Haslemere. - Bessie is 'taking a nap upstairs after lunch' so he is taking the chance to write to Bramine and thank her for her 'delightful letter' to them both. Was glad to hear Aunt Maria was no worse, and hopes that now the 'excitement' [of Robert and Elizabeth's wedding] is over she will get stronger quickly and be 'persuaded into the country'. Bessie was 'very tired by the journey', and is only just starting to recover, but has been able to enjoy the countryside and is stronger now; the weather is 'very sultry' so it is no surprise she is 'lazy'; the hills here are also 'difficult for her legs, after her flat-land', but the stiffness she has suffered is now passing as well. They are going to London tomorrow for a night as he has to be in town, then will go to the Lakes for a while; thinks that will be 'even nicer than here'.

The letter continues on 'Wednesday morning' [13 June], as Bessie writes that 'Bobbie is in doubt' whether he should continue it or start a new one; she thinks he should definitely continue this 'near & tidly written epistle' with its 'many interesting details about his wife's laziness & stiff leggies'. Robert continues, asking Bramine to see that his wife 'begins to give me trouble already, by irony this time but in worse ways no doubt in future'. She slept soundly and is 'quite strong again'; she 'endured' a thunderstorm last night 'with great courage' with Robert's assistance.; now she is looking over his shoulder again. Hopes 'A' [Alphonse Grandmont] is not 'too bored by the Hague'; he would like it here, with its cuckoos, nightingales, nightjars, and many other kinds of small song birds. Will not usually call 'cousin Grandmont' A, as he is 'so much older' than him; put it 'without thinking' since Bramine had thus referred to him in her letter; not sure he would like to call him Alphonse even if it were proper. Adds that Bessie says she prefers to 'call him cousin Phonska', which he writes down but does 'not approve'. Bessie now 'snatches the pen' and says she hopes Bramine is 'greatly edified by this wonderful poetic letter' and is 'impressed by the literary powers of [her] "man"!'. Robert writes again, saying that he sees 'letter writing for married people is an impossibility'.