Dearest Minnie, I have thought of you a great deal since we have been in the land of the Pharaohs, and was very sorry not to send you a letter from Cairo, where we spent nine days before starting on the dahabeeyeh. One morning, two or three days before we were to leave, while we were at dinner, to my great surprise I saw Tillie Travers walk in. I had no idea that she was anywhere in this part of the world. The night before we started I paid her a visit (and consequently had to sit up very late to finish what I had to do) and heard a good deal that was very interesting about their trip. She told me of your motherGÇÖs illness, and your going home for three days every week. Your letter of Feb. 2nd was in the huge budget that waited for us in Cairo, which we reached on Mch. 4th. I am so sorry to hear of your new trouble about Harry, but hope the Adirondacks may work the wonders in his case that they sometimes do. It is terribly hard both for him and for all of you to be forced to leave at such a time. One thing I was very much relieved to hear, that your motherGÇÖs suffering was not very great. How I hope she and all those she loves may be spared the pain of seeing her in intense suffering. I hope you are not breaking down under the strain; it is a tremendous one. What a contrast our lives are at the moment, certainly in outward seeming none could be greater. It is the most absolutely quiet and peaceful life I have ever known but it is very tantalizing to have only 18 or 20 days of it, when one ought to have it month after month to steel oneself in it and I can only send you a line tonight because it has been a very warm day and I have had a 24 hours headache and want to be in condition to go tomorrow morning at 6:30 to see the temple at Denderah. So far we have seen only Abydos and we can not go beyond Thebes, as the River is so low that ours is the last boat to come up and we can only do it by having a steamer to tow us. You can imagine how often I have wished that I had read all of BessieGÇÖs Egyptologists and how painfully ignorant I feel; nevertheless one cannot fail to get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. I wish you could be enjoying it too and I wish that I could lighten your burden but I can only tell you that you are and will be a great deal in my thoughts. Tell Mamie Miss Travers asked me to send her love. They were bound for Syria, Greece, and Constantinople. We sail on the 4th for Athens, thence to Constantinople and by way of the Danube to BudaPesth [sic], and then to Russia. It is a shame that I should see Greece. Even a glimpse of it before you and Mamie. With love to her, and hoping you will write as often as possible. Lovingly yours, Mary E.G. Please donGÇÖt tear up any more letters you write me, but send all. Please give very kind messages to your mother for me.
