It is only with the deepest regret that I am compelled to recognize that the purest and most harmless feelings can often be misunderstood--as affectionately as you have met me I have never thought of interpreting it otherwise than that you were giving me your friendship. You must deem me very vain and contemptible if you assume that the advances of such excellent persons as yourselves could make me believe that I had at once won your love--moreover, it is one of my first principles never to stand in other than friendly relations with the wife of another man, I do not wish by such relations to fill my soul with distrust against her who may some day share my fate with me--and thus ruin for myself the loveliest and purest life. It is possible that I have jested with Bigot a few times in a way that was not too refined, I told you myself that I am occasionally ill behaved. I am natural in my intercourse with all my friends and hate all restraint. I count Bigot amongst them, if something that I do displeases him, friendship demands that he tell me so--and I will certainly have a care never to offend again--but how can good Marie put so bad a construction on my actions.... With regard to my invitation to go driving with you and Caroline it was but natural that I should believe, Bigot having opposed your going with me alone, that both of you deemed it unbecoming or objectionable--and when I wrote I had no other purpose than to make you understand that I saw no ~harm~ in it, and when I declared that it was a matter of great importance to me that you should not refuse it was only to persuade you to enjoy the gloriously beautiful day, I had your and Caroline’s pleasure in mind more than my own and I thought to compel you to accede to my wishes when I said that ~mistrust on your part or a refusal would really offend me~--you ought really to ponder how you will make amends for having spoilt for me a day that was so bright because of my cheerful mood and the cheerful weather--if I said that you misunderstood me, your present judgment of me shows that I may have been right, not to think about that which you thought about in connection with the matter--when I said that ~something evil~ might come of it if I came to you, that was more than anything else a ~joke~ which had only the one purpose of showing how everything about you attracts me, that I have no greater wish than always to live with you, is also the truth--even in case there was a hidden meaning in it even the most sacred friendship can yet have secrets, but to ~misinterpret~ the secret of a friend--because one cannot at once guess it, that you ought not to do--dear Bigot, dear Marie, ~never, never~ will you find me ignoble, from childhood I learned to love virtue--and all that is beautiful and good--you have hurt