Letter from Mrs. Martin to her brother Isidore CF 6
March 11, 1864.
If we hadn't had your letter yesterday, you would have received one from me the next morning, for I was about to write to you to find out if you were alive or dead; we were beginning to believe that you had thrown yourself into the Seine!
You tell me to write you a long letter, unfortunately I have a shipment of lace to make this evening and it is difficult for me to satisfy you.
The little girls are doing quite well. It is Pauline who is the smartest and most robust. She amuses my father very much with her curious reflections, but no longer speaks of her "uncle"; she forgot!
Marie is a little unwell; she hasn't been to class for six weeks. She took an invincible dislike of it; it's unfortunate, because she learned very easily, but I'm afraid to make her quite ill by forcing her in this way.
Little Léonie is nine months old and does not stand very close on her legs, as Marie did at three months. This poor child is very weak; she has a kind of chronic whooping cough, luckily less severe than the one from which Pauline was afflicted, for she wouldn't overcome it and the good Lord only gives what we can bear.
Do you want to please me? When you go to Madame D., enter Notre-Dame des Victoires and put a candle for me; you will do me a favor. Don't be ashamed of that. Besides, no one knows you in this church.
Above all, don't be so long without writing, it worries us.
