chuleeiente gallerie（第1页）

SANFRANCISCO，CALIFORNIA，U。S。A。

November12，1932

HerrnMartinSchulse

SchlossRantzenburg

Munich，Germany

MyDearMartin:

BackinGermany!HowIenvyyou!AlthoughIhavenotseenitsincemyschooldays，thespellofUnterdenLindenisstillstronguponme—thebreadthofintellectualfreedom，thediscussions，themusic，thelightheartedcomradeship。AndnowtheoldJunkerspirit，thePrussianarroganceandmilitarismaregone。YougotoademocraticGermany，alandwithadeepcultureandthebeginningsofafinepoliticalfreedom。Itwillbeagoodlife。YournewaddressisimpressiveandIrejoicethatthecrossingwassopleasantforElsaandtheyoungsprouts。

Asforme，Iamnotsohappy。Sundaymorningfindsmealonelybachelorwithoutaim。MySundayhomeisnowtransportedoverthewideseas。Thebigoldhouseonthehill—yourwelcomethatsaidthedaywasnotcompleteuntilweweretogetheragain!AndourdearjollyElsa，comingoutbeaming，graspingmyhandandshouting"Max，Max!"andhurryingindoorstoopenmyfavoriteSchnapps。Thefineboys，too，especiallyyourhandsomeyoungHeinrich;hewillbeagrownmanbeforeIseteyesuponhimagain。

Anddinner—shallIevermorehopetoeatasIhaveeaten?NowIgotoarestaurantandovermylonelyroastbeefcomevisionsofgebacknerSchinkensteaminginitsBurgundysauce，ofSpatzle，ah!ofSpatzleandSpargel!No，IshallneveragainbecomereconciledtomyAmericandiet。Andthewines，socarefullyslippedashorefromtheGermanboats，andthepledgeswemadeastheglassesbrimmedforthefourthandfifthandsixthtimes。

Ofcourseyouarerighttogo。YouhaveneverbecomeAmericandespiteyoursuccesshere，andnowthatthebusinessissowellestablishedyoumusttakeyoursturdyGermanboysbacktothehomelandtobeeducated。Elsatoohasmissedherfamilythroughthelongyearsandtheywillbegladtoseeyouaswell。Theimpecuniousyoungartisthasnowbecomethefamilybenefactor，andthattoowillgiveyouaquietlittletriumph。

Thebusinesscontinuestogowell。Mrs。LevinehasboughtthesmallPicassoatourprice，forwhichIcongratulatemyself，andIhaveoldMrs。FleshmanplayingwiththenotionofthehideousMadonna。Nooneeverbotherstotellherthatanyparticularpieceofhersisbad，becausetheyareallsobad。HoweverIlackyourfinetouchinsellingtotheoldJewishmatrons。Icanpersuadethemoftheexcellenceoftheinvestment，butyoualonehadthefinespiritualapproachtoapieceofartthatunarmedthem。BesidestheyprobablyneverentirelytrustanotherJew。

AdelightfullettercameyesterdayfromGriselle。Shewritesthatsheisabouttomakemeproudofmylittlesister。ShehastheleadinanewplayinViennaandthenoticesareexcellent—herdiscouragingyearswiththesmallcompaniesarebeginningtobearfruit。Poorchild，ithasnotbeeneasyforher，butshehasnevercomplained。Shehasafinespirit，aswellasbeauty，andIhopethetalentaswell。Sheaskedaboutyou，Martin，inaveryfriendlyway。Thereisnobitternessleftthere，forthatpassesquicklywhenoneisyoungassheis。Afewyearsandthereisonlyamemoryofthehurt，andofcourseneitherofyouwastobeblamed。Thosethingsarelikequickstorms，foramomentyouaredrenchedandblasted，andyouaresowhollyhelplessbeforethem。Butthenthesuncomes，andalthoughyouhaveneitherquiteforgotten，thereremainsonlygentlenessandnosorrow。Youwouldnothavehaditotherwise，norwouldI。IhavenotwrittenGrisellethatyouareinEuropebutperhapsIshallifyouthinkitwise，forshedoesnotmakefriendseasilyandIknowshewouldbegladtofeelthatfriendsarenotfaraway。

Fourteenyearssincethewar!Didyoumarkthedate?Whatalongwaywehavetraveled，aspeoples，fromthatbitterness!Again，mydearMartin，letmeembraceyouinspirit，andwiththemostaffectionateremembrancestoElsaandtheboys，believeme。

Yourevermostfaithful，

Max