It is time to sound the retreat; the vessels are ready to depart, and still I have not yet read over nor repunctuated this long Relation, which ought to be enough for three years. Your Reverence will understand, through the necessity that has obliged me to borrow the hand of another to write to you, that I have not all the leisure I could desire. I do not know how it happens that news is always written in haste. Let no one seek herein elegance, so much as truth and simplicity; my heart has spoken more than my lips, and were it not for the feeling I have [341] that, in writing to one person, I speak to many, it would overflow still more.
Encore ce mot, puisque V. R. nous ayme si tendrement, & que ses soins nous viennent si puissamment secourir iusques au bout du mõde, dõnez nous, mon R. P. s'il vous plaist des personnes capables d'apprendre les langues, nous pensions nous y appliquer, cette année, le Pere Lallemant, le Pere Buteux & moy, cette nouuelle habitation nous separe. Qui sçait si le Pere Daniel est encore en vie? & si le Pere Dauost [232] arriuera auec les Hurons: car ses Sauuages ayans commencé à le derober, luy pourront bien iouër vn autre plus mauuais traict. Depuis la mort d'vn pauure miserable François massacré aux Hurons, on a découuert que ces Barbares auoiẽt fait noyer le R. P. Nicolas Recolect, tenu pour vn grand homme de bien; tout cecy nous fait voir qu'il est besoing de tenir icy le plus de Peres qu'on pourra; car si par exemple le Pere Brebœuf & moy venions à mourir, tout le peu que nous sçauons de la langue Huronne [342] & Montagnaise se perdroit, & ainsi ce seroit tousiours à recommencer & à retarder le fruict que l'on desire recueillir de cette Mission, Dieu suscitera des personnes qui auront compassion de tant d'ames, secourãs ceux qui les viennent chercher parmy tant de dangers; c'est en luy que nous remercions tous V. R. de son affection si cordiale, & de son assistance, la suppliant tres-humblement de se souuenir à l'Autel & à l'Oratoire de ses enfans, & de ses subjets, notamment de celuy qui en a plus de besoin; lequel se dira confidemment ce qu'il est de tout son cœur.
Mon R. PERE.
Vostre tres-humble & tres-obeïssant
seruiteur en N. S. Iesvs-Christ.
PAVL LE IEVNE.
De la petite Maison de
N. Dame des Anges,
en la Nouuelle
France, ce 7, d'Aoust
1634.
V. R. Nous permettera, s'il luy plaist, d'implorer prieres de tous nos Peres, & de tous nos freres de sa Prouince. Nostre grand secours doit venir du Ciel.
One word more. Since Your Reverence loves us so tenderly, and your kind care reaches out so effectively to help us, even to the ends of the earth, give us, my Reverend Father, if you please, persons capable of learning these languages. We intended to apply ourselves to this work this year, Father Lallemant, Father Buteux, and I; but this new settlement separates us. Who knows whether Father Daniel is still living, whether Father Davost will reach the Hurons? For, as his Savages have begun to rob him, they may truly play a still worse game upon him. Since the death of a poor unhappy Frenchman, murdered by the Hurons, it has been discovered that these Barbarians caused the drowning of Reverend Father Nicolas, Recolect, considered a very worthy man.[14] All this convinces us that we must retain here as many of our Fathers as we can; because if, for example, Father Brebœuf and I should happen to die, all the little we know of the Huron [342] and Montagnais languages would be lost; and thus they would always be beginning over again, and retarding the fruits that they wish to gather from this Mission. God will raise up persons who will have pity upon so many souls, and who will succor those who come to seek them in the midst of so many dangers. It is he whom we thank for Your Reverence's so cordial affection and assistance, very humbly supplicating you to remember at the Altar and at the Oratory your children and subjects,—especially the one who is most in need of it, who will sign himself confidently and from the depths of his heart, what he is,
My REVEREND FATHER,
Your very humble and very obedient
servant in Our Lord Jesus Christ,