1 2 LorettoVillas
Bray Wednesday Aoife, I must thank you for
the letters you sent me on Satur-
day; the reason I have not
done so sooner is that I thought
to be in town and meant to go
and see you. Desmond spoke often of
you during the nine days he
spent here at home with me
after the Rebellion before his
arrest; he thought a great
deal of you & urged me to
get to know you & since he 2 was arrested he asked me on
several occasions if I had come
across you yet. I grieve for you, Aoife,
in your loss; it must leave
a terrible aching blank. I know
how it feels for I thought all
those long days from Tuesday
to Saturday that Desmond was
dead. And life didn't seem to
hold much for me. You fool
dear with all before you,
it is dreadfully sad to have
lost your friend so. But I
know you don't grudge him
to Ireland and must have great
pride in his willing sacrifice.
For their names shall be
remembered forever. I did indeed say a
prayer for your friends' soul 3 none the less fervent for any
being a Protestant and I will
tell Desmond about him and ask
him to pray for him when I
get an opportunity. But they
all went straight to Heaven
I am sure - I have heard
priests say so too. I am not supposed to
see Desmond now for four
whole months or hear if he is
alive or dead. Unless
gets them
better treatment before then.
He is in - went
quite gaily and cheerfully of
course. I was very glad to have
his farewell letter and I was
much touched by O'Reilly's 4 thoughtfulness to sending me
a line to say how woeful
Desmond was; I suppose he
thought Desmond would never
get out alive and wanted to
leave me something to help
to make it seem worthwhile. Forgive this scribble;
I am in great haste. I
would like to meet you and
should be very glad if you
could come and see me. If
not we will meet in town
at some informal event
I am sure. I am at home on
Sundays [Questonable reading.]