Anna de NOAILLES (1876-1933). L.A.S. "Anna", Tuesday evening [1924?], to Princess Marthe Bibesco; 8pages oblong small in-4 (mourning), envelope. Long, beautiful letter of explanation to her cousin. "Dear Marthe, - I too am suffering. My dreadful bereavements are inner voices within me that never cease to occupy me, even when you see me chatting at Madame de Pierrebourg's and looking as if I were of this world"... She would like to clear up misunderstandings, and recalls that their cousin Antoine [Bibesco] once "reproached me with a harsh but sincere friendship (in those days!) for always having confidence in beings, for always being certain of declared sympathy"; he has since been obliged to send her bushes of roses to apologize for some of his remarks against her... "You, you are a musician, a true artist, and I know that the song of the soul and of the word move in you [...] the side of the heart that has turned towards beauty"... She warns her against the Tharaud brothers: if only she knew the truth! Dear Barrès knew her, but he wanted to serve them for the Académie. Returning from Charmes, "their cruel conversation brought tears to the eyes of heartbroken men. - You are not responsible for these things, and you could not have said or thought anything of the kind, but these friends whom you allow to judge harshly in conversation [...] are not true friends, the best friends"... She always thought that "beneath your literary intelligence and sensibility there was a kind of sickness of character, which strives to exert itself on all, but persuades only a few weak, blind and flattered - but does not take hold of lucid, upright, powerful beings. [...] Why do you love, without just reservations, this too-loved cousin who, even killed by grief, gives birth to poetic love under her pain-filled footsteps?"... Etc.