1 2 V O L U M E 1 , D O C U M E N T 2 7 a But now, I have already written so much that you hardly recognize me any more or even think that it should be that way, & on top of that, I don’t want to grab all the space from my dear Mama No.1. So, greetings to the professor, the well-traveled little Marie, the professional re- alist Mathias, the artistic Bauli, & the morally strict aunt[8] & to…You whom I al- most forgot. Your Albert, Stepson Vol. 1, 27a. To Marie Winteler Aarau, Saturday [3 October 1896][1] My dear little Marie, That was a joy this morning, when that nice offer for you arrived now my dear child will feel all right again, when she gets some children to teach again.[2] Her dear little black eyes will be cheerful again! When the letter arrived, I was still ly- ing in bed & Mama[3] brought it into my room & we laughed and chatted together a bit. Your d[ear] little letter made me very […] you are again […] and reasonable […], dear child, and […] works out well there […] let us correspond again and sweeten life for each other and not plague ourselves anymore about stupid passion, which has cost you so many dear tears, right, child? It is very bitter that the beloved “doughnut project,” so long yearned for, is now only provisional, and supplemented by a toothache, but I take it as a good omen.[4] Recently I said good-bye to headmaster Tuchschmidt.[5] He personally sketched out my future: 4 years of studies, then assistantship […] hungry […] then […] my […] true, dear little child, that it’s really very enticing? If sometime during those 10 critical years I get too ravenously hungry, you must send me a sausage. He said I certainly had the mettle and the ambition for this prickly career. That naturally means doing without all the comforts & conveniences of this world, but that doesn’t matter. But I should never accept a position in a middle school, or that would be the end of the grand academic goals.[6] Tomorrow I have a big [move][7] […] but my […] yours is [not] so […] we will often […] best wishes [from] your Albert […] Zurich!)