I am interested in your dream. It occurs to me that you have never told me of such visions before. I am, it must be told, intrigued and afraid; intrigued because, in response to you understated "no?," I must say "yes, very strange, indeed," and afraid because it seems to me some one of us must be the deer.
Let us consider; the deer is afraid, scared to death, and trapped in its corporeal cell. It stands on thin (like mine?) legs, unable to budge from its spot. And "deer" is like "dear," no? Our cloven hoof is like our letters, like the polite marginalia which dresses their top border. But the "deer" isn't "dear" at all, but rather quite the dog. Should this disturb?
But, I am sorry, my dear; when one spends so much "idle" time idling, a single word, particularly a word in a letter, can mean so much in so many ways.
As for me all goes well. I write both in and out, if you understand, and keep my brain fresh. I saw Mario not so long ago. I was very happy to have a visitor (not so frequent a thing you know) though--again--I was disturbed by his visit. I don't know whether he's changed or I, but his nervousness and anxiety seemed thick. After our conversation, he wrote--from what I gather--an extremely alarmed letter to my brother Carlo at home. Then Carlo wrote to me as if I already had one foot in the grave; he spoke of coming to Milan and even of bringing mother with him, a woman seventy years old who has never left her native town and who has never traveled on a train for more than forty kilometers. He must be out of his mind. I must say that I was distressed and somewhat irritated with Mario, when he could be more frank with me and refrain from terrorizing our aged mother. Enough.
I've been gossiping like a housewife. Know that for the moment I'm well and lack nothing, and tranquilly wait for news of you and the children. Does Delio ever think about me? Send a photo of Giuliano.
I send all of you a tender hug.
Antonio
Giulia lived in Moscow with the children. Most of her letters from Antonio came through her sister, Tania.
