I shall be passing through Courtrai on Thursday morning next, and as I have half an hour's wait for my train to Tournai,[1] I should so like to see you and have a chat. Would you mind meeting met at the Station? I would not ask you to take that trouble if I had more time at my disposal, but thep2time is so short, and my knowledge of Courtrai so very limited that I am almost afraid to leave the Station, so if you will be so good as to meet me there we can have half an hour's chat. I should very much like to see Florence[2] but that will not be possible this time. I really must run down to Courtrai for a day, before the summer is out
Bernard did not go to Douai. He has been at St Louis since October, and the Principal and professors are very well satisfied with him, andp3so are we. John is as wild as ever, and gave us a great fright on the eve of the Immaculate Conception.[3] He went to slide down the banister of the well-staircase at the College and somehow or other fell right over from a great height down on the pavement below. He was taken up and laid on a table, and the poor Principal was in a sad fright; in fact they all thought that Master John was near his end. Fortunately only his ribs were hurt, and in two weeks he was back again at school, where (being a scamp) he was received with great cheering byp4his class-mates. They all say at the College that it was a miracle that he was not smashed Bernard seemed to feel it more than John. John fell just in front of him, and if Bernie had not started back he would have fallen on him.
Bernie begs so for your portrait, if you have one do give it to him or I shall have no peace.
P.S. My train arrives at Courtrai at a little after ten o'clock