FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

<strong>The</strong>y should not all fear being tongue-tied [stammering with shyness?], since they were
not that way the other day when they had only their uncle with all four of them. Miss P.
was with us, and she also danced all evening. I believe that “she has struck” [the latter in
English] as concerns the best of the adventure, since the man is the former gallant of Miss
Glepoy. 63
My brother did not come to pick up my letter in time, so if it doesn’t reach you, it will be
a day fresher than Joss’s [Joseph’s? yours?].
I have finally found a woman harp teacher , Mrs. Macnamara, whom you should
remember hearing speak at Mugnie and at Chez Marin [?]. Madame Bart recommended
her to me as a very fine [teacher]. I expect her this morning.
May good God protect you and grant you health, the best of all blessings! I think only of
you, everything I plan for focuses on what we will do and see in New Orleans. <strong>The</strong> idea
of my arriving there makes me shiver with pleasure. Five or six months more at the
most, and I shall have the happiness of pressing you to my heart. 64
Your Marguerite and
my Gr. g [?]
[P.S.] Laura is taking lessons on the harp and her sisters were being silly enough not to
want to start.
63 This sentence is unclear and not well translated. It may refer to the naval term “striking (lowering) the
colors” – in other words, Miss P has surrendered to the advances of the former gallant of Miss Glepoy.
64 If indeed Marguerite and her children were able to arrive in New Orleans six months after this letter, then
that would be about November 1809.
93