Letters from Frances Longfellow // 1851년 2월 14일 케임브리지.

[모나리자]

1851년 2월 14일 케임브리지.

사랑하는 엠,
당신이 다시 홀로 있고 당신의 마음은 고통스러운 근심으로 가득 차 있으니, 내가 당신을 여기로 데려갈 수 있다면 얼마나 좋을까요. 우리는 당신을 응원하고, 당신을 쓰다듬고, 아무도 절망할 생각을 하지 않는 증기선에 대한 희망적인 이야기를 다 들려주고 싶습니다. 소식이 도착하기까지는 아직 많은 날이 걸릴 것으로 예상됩니다.

하느님께서 그녀에게 뉴욕만을 휩쓸고 지나가는 아름다운 아침이 와서 그녀만의 좋은 소식을 가져다주길 바랍니다! 불쌍한 제임스 부인은 어떻게 오랜 긴장을 견뎌낼까요? 아이들과 함께 있고, 새로운 시련 속에서 그들을 응원하고 지지하는 것으로 쓸쓸한 시간을 채우는 것이 그녀에게는 위안이 될 것입니다. 하지만 나는 바람이 부는 것을 들을 때마다 그녀의 가슴을 얼마나 슬프게 두드리고 그녀의 정신을 우울하게 만들지 생각하지 않을 수 없습니다.

얼마 전 [p. 2]에 집회에서 샘을 보았고, 우리는 당신에 대해 온갖 이야기를 나누었습니다. 매우 화려한 무도회였고, 숙녀들은 매우 아름답게 차려입었고 저녁 식탁은 매우 우아하게 장식되었습니다. 나는 웨일즈의 거대한 꽃 피라미드 배열만큼 세련된 것을 본 적이 없습니다. 그는 능숙한 [sic] 와이어로 카멜리아 등을 큰 꽃다발로 만들어내는데, 그렇게 큰 꽃다발에서 흔히 볼 수 있는 딱딱함이 전혀 없습니다. 마사 피바디와 미스 쇼는 나에게 가장 매력적인 아가씨였지만, 그렇게 많은 가볍고 펄럭이는 인물들이 모두 매우 사랑스러웠습니다.

부유한 배경을 만들 만큼 기혼 여성이 충분하지 않다는 불평이 있었지만, 그들은 주로 그 용도로 사용되기 때문에 그렇게 많이 오지 않습니다. 그 홀은 훨씬 더 많은 사람을 수용할 수 있을 것입니다. 조 쿨리지 씨는 저를 저녁 식사에 초대했고 (아마도 가족적인 칭찬이었을 겁니다. 그는 전에 저에게 말을 건넨 적이 없었으니까요) 가장 조심스럽고 세련된 방식으로 매우 현명하게 이야기했습니다. 그가 해외에서 사귀었던 찰리 노튼에 대해 매우 따뜻하게 말했습니다.

루이자의 리셉션은 매우 만석이었고 매우 유쾌하게 끝났습니다. 보스턴 전체를 케임브리지에서 보는 것은 충분히 이상하게 보였습니다. 이 동네에 또 다른 [p. 3] 파티가 있었기 때문에 통행료 징수원은 마을 전체가 날아다니는 줄 알았을 것입니다. Louisa는 실크 베르트 아래에 깊은 프린지가 달린 흰색 브레드 실크를 입고 매우 잘생겼고(이 모든 것을 전에 말했었나요?) Jane은 분홍색을 입고 있었고 Mrs Norton은 둘보다 더 잘생겼습니다. Mary Parkman과 Sarah Cleveland를 다시 볼 수 있어서 매우 기뻤습니다. 전자는 마른 체형이고 여전히 강인함과는 거리가 멀다고 말합니다.

신랑은 내가 예상했던 것보다 훨씬 나이가 많았고 대머리였지만(Mr Folsom과 비슷함) 모두 매력적인 사람이며 취향과 교양이 넘치고 사업적 재능이 있다고 말합니다. 그는 이전에 외국에 나간 적이 있으므로 그들을 어디로 데려가야 할지 잘 알 것입니다. 나는 곧 Mrs N을 만나러 가야 합니다. 그녀는 그렇게 떠난 후로 기분이 좋아야 할 테니까요. 지금 미국 증기선에 그들을 태우는 것을 두려워할 것 같아요! 마지막 약혼은 젊은 Prescott과 금발 Mrs Loring의 자매인 Clara Peabody입니다. 그녀는 꽤 섬세한 소녀입니다. Lizzy가 당신에게 그것에 대해 편지를 썼을 겁니다.

우리는 꽤 많은 오락거리를 가지고 있습니다 [p. 4] 폴란드 귀족인 드 구로프스키 백작의 작품으로, 매우 인맥이 두터웠지만 유럽 법원에는 공화주의자였습니다. 그는 유럽의 전형으로, 수년간 유럽의 삶을 살았으며, 매주 토요일 저녁마다 그의 흥겨운 이야기로 우리를 활기차게 합니다. Waleski(Humphey 부인과 결혼하여 살해)는 아버지 가문의 하인이었고, 그 후 악명 높은 도박꾼이자 모험가가 되었습니다.

하인이 "마담이 죽어가고 있어요"라고 말했을 때 극장에 그와 함께 있었고, 사랑하는 배우자는 "7시에 그녀가 죽을 줄 알았어요"라고 대답했고 움직이지 않았습니다. 저는 Gillehand 부인(Mary Ropes)을 봤는데, 그녀는 뚱뚱한 영국인 남편과 함께 있을 때와 똑같은 표정을 하고 있었습니다. 다음 주에 Pavodi를 즐길 수 있기를 기대하고 있습니다.

Jenny Lind의 공연을 보지 못했기 때문에 저에게는 특별한 즐거움이 될 것입니다. Tom은 지난 2주 동안 우리 집에 머물렀고, 우리 집의 변화와 더 상쾌한 분위기를 좋아하는 듯합니다. 아버지는 앤티가를 진지하게 생각하고 있습니다. 그리고 그다음에는 영국으로 가서 멋진 쇼를 열 계획입니다. 저는 22일에 아기의 세례를 생각하고 있지만 아직 이름은 확실하지 않습니다.

최근에 앨리스에 대한 이야기를 너무 많이 들어서 거의 지쳐 버렸습니다. May Ward는 8개월 만에 아들을 낳았습니다. 그녀는 쓰러져서 일을 서둘렀습니다. 저는 그녀가 결혼한 이후로 그녀를 보지 못했고 눈이 와서 결혼을 알리기를 기다리고 있었습니다.

어제 이곳에서 식사를 한 버지니아 청년은 일부 사람들이 크로포드의 리치먼드 기념비를 싫어한다고 말했습니다. 많은 청동 조각상이 흑인과 비슷할 것이라고 생각했기 때문입니다! 이것은 남부 편견의 마지막 극단입니다. 외국 예술가들 사이에서는 얼마나 재밌을까요. 브라우닝 부인은 강력한 노예 시와 강렬한 사랑의 소네트를 썼습니다.

우리의 사랑은 Wm
ever yr loving
Fanny E. L.

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Cambridge Feb 14th 1851.

Dearest Em,
How I wish I could spirit you here now that you are once more alone & your heart full of painful anxieties. We would try to cheer you, & pet you, & tell you all the hopeful things we hear of the absent steamer, which no one hear thinks of despairing about yet, I find. Many days are still expected to pass before news may arrive.

God grant she may some fair morning come sweeping up the bay of New York & bring her own good tidings! How does poor Mrs James bear the protracted suspense? It must be some comfort to her to be with her children, & fill the dreary time with cheering & supporting them under so new a trial – but I never hear the wind blow without thinking how sadly it must knock at her heart & depress her spirit.

I saw Sam at the Assembly the other [p. 2] night, & we talked you all over. was a very brilliant ball, the ladies so beautifully dressed & the supper table so elegantly adorned. I never saw anything so tasteful as Wales’ arrangement of the vast pyramids of flowers. By skilful [sic] wires he makes great sprays of camellias &c with none of the stiffness usual in such large bouquets. Martha Peabody & Miss Shaw were to me the most charming damsels, but so many light flitting figures were all very lovely.

There was a complaint that there were not enough married ladies to make a rich background but as they are chiefly used for that they do not so much come. The hall could well bear many more people. Mr Joe Coolidge took me in to supper (as a family compliment I suppose, for he never spoke to me before) & talked very sensibly in his most carefully exquisite manner, - very warmly of Charley Norton whose friendship he made abroad.

Louisa’s reception was very fully attended & went off very pleasantly – it seeming strange enough to see all Boston in Cambridge. As there was another [p. 3] party in this neighborhood the toll man must have thought the whole town was taking flight. Louisa looked very well in white breade silk with a deep fringe below a silk berthe (have I told you all this before?) & Jane in a pink one & Mrs Norton handsomer than either. I was very glad to have a chance to see Mary Parkman & Sarah Cleveland again, the former looks thin & still speaks of herself as far from strong.

The bridegroom was far older than I expected to see being quite bald (not unlike Mr Folsom) but all say is a delightful person, full of taste & cultivation as well as business talents. He has been abroad before, so will know just where to take them. I must go up soon to see Mrs N. for she must need cheer after such a departure I should think she would be nervous to have them go in an American steamer just now! The last engagement is young Prescott to Clara Peabody the sister of the blonde, Mrs Loring, a pretty delicate girl. I suppose Lizzy has written you of it.

We have a good deal of entertainment [p. 4] out of a Count de Gurowski a Polish nobleman very highly connected, but who was too republican for European courts. He is an epitome of Europe, having lived its life so many years, & enlivens us every Saturday evening by his racy talk. Waleski (who married & murdered Mrs Humphey) was a servant in his father’s family, a notorious gambler & adventurer afterwards.

He was with him at the theatre when the servant said “Madame is dying” & the loving spouse replied “I knew she would at seven” & budged not. I have seen Mrs Gillehand (Mary Ropes that was) & she has the same look as formerly with a portly English husband. We are looking forward to enjoying Pavodi next week.

As I did not hear Jenny Lind it will be an especial pleasure to me. Tom has been staying with us the past fortnight & seems to like the change & the fresher atmosphere of our house. Father is thinking seriously of Antigua - & thence to England for the grand show. I think of christening my baby on the 22d but her name is still uncertain.

I have heard of so many Alices lately I am almost tired of it. May Ward has a boy born after 8 months She fell & hastened matters. I have not seen her [p. 1 cross] since her marriage & have been waiting for snow to make the wedding calls.

A Virginian youth who dined here yesterday said some persons were disinclined to Crawford’s monument for Richmond thinking so many bronze statues would resemble negroes! This is the last extremity of southern prejudice. What fun it would make among foreign artists. Mrs Browning has written a powerful slave poem & some intense love sonnets.

Our love to Wm
ever yr loving
Fanny E. L.