Letter to Maria Alexandrovna Ulyanova, July 19, 1909

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July 19, 1909

Dear Mother,

Today I received your picture postcard of the Crimea (the postcard was enclosed in an envelope with a corner cut off; this greatly surprised us—did you do it or the local post office?).

You ask about money for Manyasha. I answered your last letter, but not immediately (we were moving to a new apartment at the time), so that your postcard and my letter crossed in the post.

I offered Manyasha some money since I have some. She refused absolutely to take it; she said she did not need it and showed me the 70 francs she had.

We are going to Brittany for our holiday, probably next Saturday. Y.V. has already gone there. Manyasha is recovering rapidly; now I can tell you everything that happened —she had appendicitis, that is, inflammation of the gut projecting from the caecum. If the disease is caught in time it is not at all dangerous and can be completely cured by an operation. After consulting Mitya and the best doctors here, we decided on an immediate operation. We put Manyasha into a surgical hospital for a week (it was a very good hospital). The operation was very successful; Manyasha came out of hospital in a week and has been at home for three days. She now walks and eats everything. She is convalescing rapidly. She felt better as soon as the appendix was removed. She will be able to travel by rail at the end of the week and we are thinking of leaving for Brittany together.

And there is nothing to worry about. It is a good thing that Manyasha had her operation here because the surgeons here are excellent. Chronic appendicitis would still be troubling her and would trouble her for a long time if she had not had the operation. Now she is quite well.

I embrace you fondly, my dear, and wish you good health. Do not be angry with me for not having written about Manyasha immediately.

Yours,

V. U.

P.S. Regards from all.

My address: Mr. Wl. Oulianoff. 4. Rue Marie Rose. 4 Paris. XIV.