490 DOCS.
474,
475
MARCH
1918
I
am compelled
to
live
in the
same
flat
as
Elsa.[12]
Consider
furthermore that
I
am
prepared
to
provide
that
not
the
slightest disadvantage
arise out
of
this
step
for Miza and
the
children.
Is
it then
astonishing
when
I sometimes
feel
bitter and
get
the
impression
that
all
are
united in
making
life
unnecessarily
hard
for
me?
Do
put
in
a
good
word for
me
sometime to Miza and make it clear to
her
how
unkind it
is to
complicate
the
life
of
others
pointlessly!
I
have
already
written
a mollifying
letter
to
Zangger,
in which
I
informed him
of
my changed
attitude.
I
don’t
want to
discuss
your accounting
point
by
point
but
only
want to comment
that
I
did not
use
any
of
the
money
mentioned
in
my compilation
for
myself
and Albert.
I
took
this
exactly
into account in
my
correction;
for
clarification,
let
me
mention
that
I
had
taken
500 M
with
me.
Give Michele and
Zangger my
cordial
regards.
I
must
thank
you once
again
for
this letter of
yours,
which
pleased
and reassured
me
very
much.
I
hope
we’ll
see
each
other
again
in June. Ask
Vero
to
inquire
on
my
behalf about the
offprints
sent to
Weiss.[13]
Amicable
greetings
from
your
old
Albert.
475.
From Anna Besso-Winteler
[Zurich,
after
4
March
1918][1]
Your second
letter[2]
arrived
now as
well.
I
understand the
difficult circum-
stances
in which
you
find
yourself,
but
still,
I cannot
agree.[3]
But
do
as you
think,
I just cannot
sway
Mileva anymore-not after
your
letter-the
responsibility
is
too
great.[4]
Debate it
out
with her.
I
would
only
like
to add:
1.
Under
the
cur-
rent
conditions,
it
is
impossible
to make
anything
absolutely secure.[5]
The
finest
promises
will
make
no
difference.
2.
If Elsa
had
not intended
to
make herself
so
vulnerable,
she
ought
not
to
have
run
after
you
so conspicuously.[6]
A
mother
with
children
ought
to
know
what
she
is
doing.
And
if
she does
so
voluntarily
anyway
out of
some
noble
motivation,
then
she
must
also take
the
consequences
with
dignity
and with
a
sense
of
her
inherent rectitude.
3.
[...]
4.
The fact
that
you are
ill is
dire
fate,
but
I
do
not
understand
how
this
should be
a reason
for
marriage.
So
many
women now care
for unrelated
men,
and
added
to
that,
Elsa
is
your
close relative
and,
after
all,
it
is
only
a
duty
that
she
is
fulfilling.[7]
Besides, you
know
that
you are very
welcome here
anytime. 5.
You
know
that it
is
my
nature to be frank.
Although
I
aired
my opinion
just
as
much
last
summer
as now (possibly even more
so), you
did
say:
“Oh, Annie,
nowhere
is
it
as com-
fortable
as
here
with
you.”[8]
You also said
again
and
again:
“That’s
true-you
are right.”
Then:
“Oh,
as
far
as
Elsa
is concerned-you
know,
I
really
am
not
going
to
marry
again.”-
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