The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-21

repent having engaged myself etc. etc. 1t
distreSSes me to repeat these cruel eI.
pressions. I do not believe I have ever
given o cause to think me inconstant.
You say that you cannot hope to restore
me all hat I have lost. Reflect a little,
Adele, and ask yourself II you really think
you are not sure of being everything to
me. 1t is you alone who can give me back
what I lave lost, but you will restore me
all, and more than all. ss
That last expression escaped me. and I
ought perhaps to withdraw It; but it is
you Is greater than all other affections,
and that a wife II more even than a
mother.
Dec. q. 1921.
. It is evident that I must have a
blind confidence in you. dear. thus to I'M
veil before you the most intimate secrets
Of my soul. II I were speaking to an ordi-
nary person. I should fear that my jealousy
would appear only a failing. Whatever con-
stitutes my entire happiness naturally can
not be q trife in my eyes. and 1t will not
surprise you that 1t is impossible for me to
discuss this subject with those who regard
it in a trivial light.
Under ordinary circumstances jealousy Is
a suspicion insulting to the person who ex-
cites 1t, and degrading to the person who
INDUCES 1t. Dear love, I do not do you the
injustice of %supposing that you confound
the delicacy of an imperious love, which
you are born to inspire, with the coarsness
of vulgar minds. My jealousy may be ex-
IRENE, but 1t is respectful. I believe that
it does me honor. because it proves the
purity of my tenderness. II my wife ever
gave me cause for jealousy through light
ness Of conduct I should die Of it. but 1
should never suspect her for a single mo-
ment.
I have spoken at length Of all my ideas on
this subject. because the matter Is of i'm
portance. Such jealousy as mine, dear
Adele. ought to give you pleasure. It IL
frightens you. you do not love me. II you
met me, who am a man, giving my arm to
a young girl. or to any woman. would it be
a matter Of Indifference to you? Reflect
upon this, for II 1t is really something that
you would not care for, I am lost-you do
not love me. These are my unvarying SEN
timents. Love that is not Jealous Is neither
true nor pure. Be very sure that those who
are without a feeling Of jealousy concern
ing one woman are in love with them all.
My dear, my beloved Adele. you have once
told mo that you loved me-. and until you
tell me to the contrary I intend to believe
It.
Friday, Oct. 4, 1872.
When I reflect. my Adele, that our happi-
ness is SO near, and that henceforward
nothing can hinder 1t, my life seems to me
like a dream. During two ~years-during
one year-I was miserable! To-day, what
happiness! Sometimes I can hardly realize
that I have at length escaped from that
long. painful period when my only Joys.
my only pleasures. were a passing glance
from you, a glimpse Of your dress per.
ceived from afar off in the street or on the
promenade. and, a little later, one or two
few brief moments conversation. Even
these for a long time were closely watched.
and rarely to be obtained.
What joy! All this is In the past. and
there is nothing but delight in our future.
Nothing can separate US any longer. Adele:
nothing can now constrain our Interviews.
our caresses, our love! I repeat that I can
hardly believe in this happiness, because IL
seems to me that I have, even yet. done so
little to deserve SO much! The Joy in NV
soul Is In the same condition as my love-
that is to say. expression fails me to-day
for the one as 1t has always failed mo for
the other. All words for passion and deyo-
ton have been 80 e~xtravagantly used that
they are enfeebled by force Of being made
common. and what I myself experience IL
an emotion OF happiness SO pure, so sacred,
SO profound. that 1t resembles nothing that
voice OF pen is adequate to express. Ask
your own soul. Adele. my dearest, and IL It
is true that you love me. then It will tell
Won al that mine II Unable to present. in
material form.