Casals misses Metcalfe terribly and is becoming depressed without her; he has "new troubles" in addition to those about which she knows already "of which you know the biggest, and most of all the biggest of all that I confided to you, the secret..." In addition, he is experiencing problems with his health, which he blames on the winter in America and on "what Wolfsohn made me endure." He is having neck and back pains, and needs to rest but cannot, because "All my concerts, here and in Argentina, have been announced and I could not cancel them without a great loss of money - which is impossible for me after that of North America."