Letter from Mrs. Martin CF 71
To his brother Isidore Guérin
17th October, 1871
(The day before, October 16, Mr. and Mrs. Guérin had had a son, Paul, who died at birth).
...I am in desolation, my heart is as tight as when I lost my children. I see you all in tears, next to this dear little being, who died in such unfortunate conditions and, however, the good Lord has still granted you a great grace, since he had time to receive Baptism. Finally, my dear friend, it takes courage and I think you do not lack it, you have enough energy and faith to bear the afflictions of life.
I received your letter when I sat down to table in company, because we had company. I assure you that what I ate didn't hurt me, I couldn't take anything, my heart was so swollen that I was choking. If I could only cry when I find myself like this, but no, this relief is denied me, when I have great sorrows, I cannot.
I was to be godmother and I was so happy about it! Well ! it is said that all my parties will turn out like this...
I don't know why, I had a confused presentiment of some misfortune. Saturday evening, when I received the dress I had had prepared for the occasion, I said to myself: "I'm rejoicing too much, something bad could well happen." »
I was not mistaken. If the child had died after a few days, I would have had less grief; but from the way things happened, I figure it's the doctor's fault.
As you see, my dear friend, I give you singular consolations, but I no longer know what I am doing; I cannot console you, for I myself need to be. When I saw our guests, during lunch, having fun as if nothing untoward had happened, I felt a lot of bitterness. However, don't think it's Louis, because he was very sensitive to your pain and talks about it constantly.
We replay in our memory all the suffering and all the troubles that your poor wife has had to undergo for six months and we groan over the sad ending. Yes, it is very hard. However, my dear friend, let's not murmur, the good Lord is the Master, he can leave us, for our good, to suffer so much and more, but his help and his grace will never fail us.
Yesterday, at the same time, I received a letter from our aunt, Mrs Frédéric Guérin, announcing the death of her husband (their father's brother), struck down by a stroke last Tuesday. She invites us to the service which will take place on Thursday; she gives me no details, I don't know if he had time to see a priest. It distressed me, but not nearly as much as the news you brought me.
If you can write once before I go to see you, you will make me happy, and tell me, above all, if the child was alive when he received Baptism. The doctor should have baptized him before he was born. When you see a child in danger, that's always where you start.
While waiting for a letter from you, I embrace you with all my heart.
