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Aussee, August 5, 1897
Excellenza,1
This summer's storms above all, apart from other side effects, interrupted our contact, left us disoriented with respect to each other, and now necessitate a veritable renewal. So: at a certain time before the floods we received the happy news that you would not forgo visiting us, or just Martha, in Aussee. Then came the elaboration that Your Excellency would travel ahead and your husband would follow later from Heidelberg. Then came le déluge.2
And now when the Dachstein in its fabulous gray whiteness is resplendent in front of our windows and the first train (carrying my sister back to Vienna) again departed from our Aussee station, we take the liberty of telling you and of requesting the following.
Above all, we ask for news about how you, Wilhelm, and the little one have been in the interim. We suppose that you have not been in any danger. Further, when are you planning to come to see us? The connection (via Bruck — St. Michael) will have proved to be entirely safe by the time this letter reaches you. Underneath the “when” a “whether” is concealed, which should be relegated to repression and not referred to any further. The little house with two rooms and two windows (similar to Mozart's in which he composed the Magic Flute), reserved for you, is still standing. It is the same one in which unfortunately I can only write to you but not entice you [to come].
Furthermore, owing to the complications that so easily arise in