Lettre 8

ongoing corrospondence

Lecco, Lombardy

1 mai 1218

 

Unto Count Ramon of Toulouse I send greetings and fair tidings

Your Excellency

This is to inform you that I leave Lecco within a fortnight and will rejoin the army at Carcassonne before the advent of June.

  As usual you are correct in your assessment of the situation. Our journey was uneventful. Lombardy is beautiful at this time of year, the new spring perfume permeates the air. The sky, I have not seen such a sky in a long while, a cerulean blue with white whips of cloud hanging like lace put out to dry. And the green! Sharp, vibrant at mid-day  pearled emerald in the soft buttered gold of sunset.

 The roads, your excellency, are well traveled and well policed there is little danger of brigands if one travels in daylight. Had we realized this we could have dispensed with hiring three men-at- arms or at least dismissed them at the border.

  Maman is enjoying the visit with her sister very much, as am I. Aunt Jehanne is always the gracious hostess and has proved as loving an aunt as I remember from my childhood.

  The weather has been benifical to my overall health . My leg is completely healed although I will carry, for the rest of my life the puckered scar on either side of my calf, which I regard as a badge of honor. It will serve to remind me of the stories I will tell my grandchildren in my twilight years. It is my fervent prayer that this epistle finds you, your family, our army and our cause in the best of health and may God grant a swift and happy end to our struggle to retain our freedom.

                                   Your Servant

                                    Captain Raphael de Estange

Reviews

[anne p. murray- LadeeAn..]

"a cerulean blue with white whips of cloud hanging like lace put out to dry. And the green! Sharp, vibrant at mid-day pearled emerald in the soft buttered gold of sunset.'
As quinnfinn already said below:
I also love this delicate, visual description you so elegantly penned

[Valentine]

So beautifully written and descriptive on nature that surrounds us..You do these so well Robert..I almost envy your talent..Kathie

[quinfinn]

"pearled emerald in the soft buttered gold of sunset" ...masterful imagery!
this is flavorful and a delight to read and the story remains captivating.
another masterful stroke.