[5 May 1846]. Browning, Elizabeth Barrett to Browning, Robert.

              Tuesday evening.

But, my own only beloved, I surely did not speak too “insistingly” yesterday- I shrank from your question as you put it, because you put it wrong. If you had asked me instead, whether I meant to keep my promise to you, I would have answered ‘yes’ without hesitation: but the form you chose, referred to you more than to me, & was indeed & indeed a foolish form of a question, my own dearest! For the rest .. ah, you do not see my innermost nature, .. you! .. you are happily too high, & cannot see into it .. cannot perceive how the once elastic spring is broken with the long weights! .. you wonder that it should drop, when you, who lifted it up, do not hold it up!-you cannot understand! .. you wonder! And I wonder too .. on the other side! I wonder how I can feel happy & alive .. as I can, through you! how I can turn my face toward life again .. as I can, for you! ..