XLVIII.
To Mother Marie Jacqueline Favre, Superior at Montferrand.
Vive ✠ Jésus!
Dijon,
May, 1622.
My dearest Daughter,
Your letter of the 17th of March is the only one I have received; the others will no doubt come to hand later, God willing. You must not put off your departure beyond the date you mention. I do wish you were here, for it certainly does delay me not to have you. Your presence here is needed, and as the affairs of dear Mme. de Dalet are hopeless you had better come away as soon as ever you can. The house of Montferrand ought to finance your journey from the place whence you came to them, and the house of Lyons should do likewise; but your coming here is hardly more than your going to Nessy.[A] I shall write to the Lyons Sisters in reference to this.
We are, thank God, poor here, yet, God be praised, nothing is wanting to us. A widow of good family, discreet and genial, wants to live with us as a benefactress. She proposes giving her furniture and 2,000 crowns, besides defraying all her own expenses.
We have received two good children, and find no lack of aspirants for our life, but the important thing is to be careful in our choice. In my opinion you will be pleased with those you will find here. Yesterday we went with Mgr. de Langres[B] to look for a house. It is not easy to find a suitable one, but Our Lord will help us. We are advised to bide our time and to put up with the house that adjoins this, which is sufficiently commodious for a beginning. Moreover, to the money the good lady (the benefactress) intends giving us she will add sufficient to enable us to be housed here. Then upon our leaving this house, which will be at the end of three or four years, if not sooner, she will give us the 2,000 crowns. Everybody agrees in thinking this a most advantageous offer. The worst of it is that the garden is very small: the courts are quite suitable. Dijon is very much shut in, and it is difficult to find a house to rent that will accommodate us. That in which we now are is small and has no garden or courtyard except one hardly bigger than a table. Even as I write it makes me laugh to think of it; and I must tell you besides that if we want to get a little fresh air we have to climb on the roof. Nevertheless, we are, thank God, as merry and as contented as we can be. Be on your guard, my great daughter,[C] against that dislike which you have of coming here. Overcome it, I beg of you, for everybody who knows that you are coming is delighted at the idea, and as for me, I simply cannot tell you how I am looking forward to it. Oh! what a joy to see you once more for a little while. It will do me a world of good. Who are those timorous people who say that they must not use terms of affection to me? I don't agree with them at all, neither should you. Our hearts could not stand that.
The Archbishop of Lyons is in trouble as to who will take you back. They have made a great fuss about Sister ——. If our Cadette is removed I am afraid that house will fail. She has never been elected: see to this if you can at your deposition, and don't stop longer than just to arrange about it. Let me have news of you again before you start. What will Mme. de Chazeron's plan come to? I most affectionately salute your successor. It has always been a source of regret to me that I have not seen your community: none the less do I love it, and I send my warm greetings to it and to all its good friends.
With all my heart, your affectionate,