I fear you will think I am becoming a confirmed sinner,[1] for I am always asking leave now to eat meat. The fact is I have been very poorly ever since Tuesday with bad sore throat, cold, & feverish attack. I have tried to brave it out, but suffered so much all yesterday by leaving my bed for Mary’s birthday that today I am obliged top2take to it again. As the Doctors told my husband that these attacks all come from weakness & that he must support me with beef broth for I cannot drink wine or beer, & have no appetite of course he insists on my taking it - As Mary is similarly ill I have made her follow the same régime as myself - We were sorry you did not come last night, we were too ill to ask any one but yourself, & Crissy Bird who is only a year or two older than Mary, we did ourp3utmost to be amusing but gradually one by one felt too ill to remain up any longer, so that at last Angela & I remained alone with Miss Bird playing steal the bundle![2] It was too rediculous[3] our attempt to be cheerful under our sufferings - I intend to step in bed now in the hope that we shall be well enough to join in the Procession of the Blessed Sacrament on Sunday.[4] I am glad to see Baroness Van Caloen has carried out my suggestion & is inviting ladies to joinp4& securing their being unmolested while they do so, so that we can follow with devotion heedless of the crowd - I hope we shall all be well -
p1
Dear Abbé
Yours sincerely
MC. Kavanagh
Noten
[1] Mary noemt zich een 'hardnekkige zondaar' omdat ze op een vrijdag - dan is het immers visdag - dispensatie vraagt om vlees te eten.
[2] Steal the bundle: een kaartspel, een soort visspel. Als de kaart die je speelt overeenkomt met de waarde van een van de open kaarten in het midden, mag je die op je eigen stapel leggen. De speler die op die manier de meeste kaarten binnenrijft, heeft gewonnen.
[3] Foutief voor ‘ridiculous’.
[4] Aangezien Mary op 12 augustus verjaarde, waarbij deze verjaardag in 1869 op een donderdag viel, moet de processie op zondag 15 augustus hebben plaatsgevonden. De processie waarvan sprake zou dan de Brugse Belofte geweest zijn.