Dietfeldhof, Berchtesgaden
August 4, 1908

Dear Colleague

I have just taken a room for you in the Hotel Bellevue, not too far from us; it is not possible to get anything nearer on account of the isolated position of our house. I may say that we are looking forward to your arrival, although the pleasure I anticipated has been thwarted by a change of plans. For on September 1 I have to go straight to England, where my brother's family is expecting me, and as a result I cannot claim your company as I had intended for a tour of the Dutch towns during the preceding week.

I am inundated with things to be written, find everything more difficult and slower than I had expected, and hope that you will occasionally pull me out of this condition. I haven't benefited much from the vacation so far. My boys will be pleased if you are a mountaineer and would feel like joining them on a tour they are planning