My dear old lady Ellen!
I know you’ll be very surprised to receive a letter from me after such a long break. Probably I haven’t written to you in five or six years. I think my last message was only a congratulatory one—when your younger daughter got married. This time, the reason for writing isn’t at all solemn and may seem strange to you. My desire to write is a wonderful one—precisely with you I want to share my impressions of an astonishing meeting...