[Barmen, about the beginning of May 1841] 

Dear Marie, 

I started a letter to you last night but got no further than three 
lines when Anna? came and cut it off to use the rest of the paper 
herself. I got both your letters, including the one sent to Bremen, 
which made quite a journey before it reached me. Well, it’s pretty 
dry in these parts except for an occasional dinner with some May 
wine or a student drinking bout, or carousal or rainy weather. The 
best thing about the whole business is that I smoke the whole day 
long and this is undoubtedly a great and priceless pleasure. I 
received some very nice things in my trunk which arrived here 
from Bremen—a little cigar basket, ash-tray, tassel for my pipe, 
etc. Father has gone to Engelskirchen and I am sitting in his 
dressing-gown on his stool with his long pipe, puffing out smoke 
like anything. We'll be off to Milan *? in eight or ten days and all 
we wish for is good weather. It’s raining cats and dogs here today. 
I am curious to know how you have developed in Mannheim — 
whether you are still the same silly, skinny chick you used to be, 
or whether you have picked up any new crazy ideas. Anna also 
gets up to daft tricks now and again and indulges in all kinds of 
silliness — with every third word she exclaims ‘“‘Og, Drikes!” > Her- 
mann‘ is developing a real talent as a hypochondriac and can 
often sit all day with a face utterly indifferent to the world, his 

mouth drooping, not uttering a word. If he suddenly gets into a 
tantrum, he can’t snap out of it. Emil? is still great at misunder- 
standing things. Hedwig? is not developing much character apart 
from a touch of obstinacy. Rudolf< is just like Hermann was, he 
wanders about dreaming half the day and gets up to silly tricks the 
rest of the time. What he likes best is when I give him a rapier 
and then knock it out of his hand. Little Elise¢ will become 
important but for the time being she’s still unimportant. She shows 
signs of amiability and will put you all in the shade in the end. 
And what about me? I might look interesting if, instead of my 
present young moustache, I still had the one I had in Bremen and 
my long hair. 

You've had enough for today. I'll write to you from Milan — if 
it’s raining there. 

Yours, 
Friedrich