V. I.

Lenin

206

To:   HIS MOTHER

February 13, 1910

Mother dearest, A few days ago I received letters from you and Anyuta.
A big, big merci for them. I have now completed the affairs
that obliged me to answer Manyasha too briefly and hurriedly
(I shall soon be writing to her).

I received the chessmen [1] a long time ago—I simply forgot to mention them. I have so few opportunities to
play here that I have probably forgotten everything.

I was very pleased to learn that you are satisfied with
your flat and with the landlady, and that you are better
and have begun to go out. It would be good if you could
get out of Moscow earlier in spring and go to somewhere
on the Volga or to the country. It is sure to be unpleasant
in Moscow in spring.

We are having wonderful weather. The water in the Seine
is still high but the floods are rapidly subsiding; they have
caused tremendous damage (our part of the city was not touched at all).

I had a short letter from Mitya with the news that he is recovering. I am angry with myself for not having found
time to answer him. It seems, indeed, that the Paris streets
with their devilish traffic are not the only places where it
is dangerous to ride....

I sometimes see Avgusta Pavlovna here. Her relatives are in Moscow—do you ever see them? She is very nice.

I embrace you fondly, my dear, and hope you keep well.

Yours,

V. U.

Best regards from all.

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Notes:
[1]
The chessmen mentioned here were turned on a lathe by Lenin’s
father, Ilya Ulyanov. Lenin’s mother sent him the chessmen in
memory of his father. When Lenin moved from Galicia to
Switzerland at the beginning of the First World War the set was lost.