L E T T E R S

36Letter Nr. 5Paris, July 20, 1829Dearest Alexandra,From the time when you last heard from me in May, I have alreadyreceived two letters from you; the latest arrived yesterday. Instead of makingexcuses, it is more proper for me to offer you my most sincere apologies. Youwrite that I may have done this to punish you because you waited 8 days toanswer my previous letter. No, dear Alexandra! I would never wish purposelywish to reciprocate the pain inflicted by another. It is true that I did experienceconsiderable distress because I received your letter later than I had expected;but I never had any intention of reciprocating. On the contrary, when Ireceived the first letter after your confinement, I was actually so thrilled that Iforgot about my own duty to respond quickly.Further, I have been meaning to write a few words to you for severaldays now. Actually I had practically nothing newsworthy to write to you. Inmy present circumstances nothing out of the ordinary has happened. Moreover,I was so occupied with the enormous amount of work to be done each day thatI kept postponing my reply until today. In fact, for the last several days I fearedvery much being embarrassed, as I eventually was, by a second letter from youbefore I got around to answering your first. Well, it happened. I received thesecond letter. However, my conscience is clear as regards my obligation toyou. I trust your goodness and your understanding too much not to sit downimmediately to write a few words, and to ask your pardon for having delayeduntil now.Dear Alexandra, from what you have read thus far you may concludethat I am still in Paris, and that to this time I have not left this city. Theinformation you had, presumably from a letter written to Tony Jański - whichletter I did indeed write - is pure fiction. I don't know how that rumor started.