December 16, 1988
Dear Josef,
Thank you for your letter; I shall be proud if my
marginal contribution has helped ever-so-little to speed the
publication of your volume.
I have good news: we have found the ideal house
sitter (the former economic editor of the Oxford U. Press
who once stayed here before) and have already made
arrangements to spend the first 3 weeks of August in Sils.
Elisabeth, however, is somewhat disturbed and even
feels guilty that you who so often are horrified by what you
consider our overambitious and overenergetic walking plans,
should after our departure happily and successfully
accomplish feats of alpinism (like the one to Fuorcla
Surley) that are above our forces and aspirations. She
believes to have found the explanation in your being an
evening person and we morning persons; and she is working on
a resolution of the conflict.
Incidentally, we have suggested to old friends,
Maurice Scott and his wife, to come to Sils at the same
time; I believe you met them once, years ago, in Sils.
I enclose the paper I told you about last summer,
although I don’t think it is your cup of tea.
With best New Year’s wishes once again,
Yours