Letter from Mrs. Martin to Mrs. Guérin CF 56
10 1870 June.
Little Céline seems very intelligent, but I have to take care of her three-quarters of my days. She is doing wonderfully and walks very well on her own. It's so funny to see this tiny little girl walking so easily that, in the street, passers-by stop to look at her. She is no bigger than a six month old and hardly speaks. Her father loves her very much because she always wants to go to him, so he often walks her.
I am frightened at the thought of bringing up the little one who is about to come at home; sometimes I waver in my resolution, I am capable of falling ill because I already have more work than I can do. If I found a good nurse, I think I would decide to entrust it to her.
In this connection, I have to inform you that I have for him a godfather and a godmother. The godfather is a cousin of my husband, M. de Lacauve, Battalion Commander, and the godmother, Miss X. She's the one who arranged all this. She wanted to be godmother, she'd been letting me know that for a long time, but since I didn't have a godfather distinguished enough to please her, I didn't want to say anything. Finally, I thought of the handsome cousin who had already refused to be, and this time, he accepted wholeheartedly.
From what I told him about the young lady, he dreams of a marriage, despite his 43 years; it is true that he does not wear them. Miss X. asked me her age. She thought for a moment and said to me, “It's a bit old. I wouldn't be surprised if that happened; he is noble, decorated—a decoration he has won at the point of the sword—he has also, or must have, a fine fortune from his parents, unless he has lost it. He has been heir for nearly 30 years. If he put the pensions aside, that would make him a hundred thousand francs, but I doubt it. I am very happy to have Miss X. as godmother, however, I would have preferred to do things more simply.
Good-bye, my dear sister, I don't have time to write you more, this letter started two days ago, I have to take care of my Céline, I'm the one who feeds her, she takes everything, but little at a time. She really has a special fondness for her father; when he is there, no one can hold her, she cries with all her might to go to him and when you want to take her back, you have to pull her away by force.
From what I see, little Jeanne will become very learned; she already writes quite well; kiss her for me and tell her that her aunt loves her with all her heart.
