[4 February 1846]. Browning, Elizabeth Barrett to Browning, Robert.

              But I did not .. dear dearest .. no indeed, I did not mean any harm about the letter. I wanted to show you how you had given me pleasure-& so, .. did I give you pain? was that my ingenuity? Forgive my unhappiness in it, & let it be as if it had not been. Only I will just say that what made me take [sic, for talk] about ‘the thorn in the flesh’ from that letter so long, was a sort of conviction of your having put into it as much of the truth, your truth, as admitted of the ultimate purpose of it, .. & not the least, slightest doubt of the key you gave me to the purpose in question. And so forgive me. Why did you set about explaining, as if I were doubting you?- When you said once that it “did not come & go”, .. was it not enough? enough to make me feel happy as I told you? Did I require you to write a letter like this?-- Now think for a moment, & know once for all, how from the beginning to these latter days & through all possible degrees of crisis, you have been