RENEETOLOUISE
Mylittlegirlistwomonthsold。SheiscalledJeanne-Athenais，andhasforgodmotherandgodfathermymother，andanoldgrand-uncleofLouis’。
AssoonasIpossiblycan，IshallstartformyvisittoChantepleurs，sinceyouarenotafraidofanursingmother。Yourgodsoncansayyournamenow；hecallsit/Matoumer/，forhecan’tsay/c/properly。Youwillbequitedelightedwithhim。Hehasgotallhisteeth，andeatsmeatnowlikeabigboy；heisallovertheplace，trottingaboutlikealittlemouse；butIwatchhimallthetimewithanxiouseyes，anditmakesmemiserablethatIcannotkeephimbymewhenIamlaidup。Thetimeismorethanusuallylongwithme，asthedoctorsconsidersomespecialprecautionsnecessary。Alas!mychild，habitdoesnotinureonetochild-bearing。Therearethesameolddiscomfortsandmisgivings。Howeverdon’tshowthistoFelipe，thislittlegirltakesafterme，andshemayyetcutoutyourArmand。
MyfatherthoughtFelipelookingverythin，andmydearpetalsonotquitesoblooming。YettheDucandDuchessedeSoriahavegone；notaloopholeforjealousyisleft!Isthereanytroublewhichyouarehidingfromme？Yourletterisneithersolongnorsofulloflovingthoughtsasusual。Isthisonlyawhimofmydearwhimsicalfriend？
Iamrunningontoolong。Mynurseisangrywithmeforwriting，andMlle。Athenaisdel’Estoradewantsherdinner。Farewell，then；writemesomenicelongletters。