May 3, 1944: “These are our best years and they are flying by…”
May 3, 1944
My beloved little darling wife,
I am happy tonight because I have mail like a notary clerk—nine letters in two days, not all from you, of course, but still, I have four—from March 23, March 26, April 2 and April 13.
I see that your health is good and I hope that it will still be the same when my card arrives as when I send it. Today it rained all day long. Fortunately, I work under shelter, otherwise I would have looked a sight. Certainly, where you are, it probably rained at the same time, to help all the young plants grow. I also received a letter from Léon, and it pleased me a lot to see that he had time to write to me himself, and since you are busy working in the fields now and I’m still not there to help you. If only we could return to bring in the harvest, it could be better. Listen well, my darling, in talking about the plants, the young beets, that reminds me of the year when my time off came at the end of March or the beginning of April, when we planted them with C[name unclear] and Léon. Pauline really worked hard then, since they weren’t yet married, and now here they are with three children. How time flies! These are our best years and they are flying by, but I have good memories of past years and hopes of good ones with you and our dear children.
I kiss you all tenderly,
Marc
To see another letter written by Marc to his wife, click here.
Notes from the translator, Janet:
1. I was struck by the beautiful capital letters, especially for Madame/Ma, Duvalder, Roquetoire and the very fancy K of Kraussen at the start.