From Sister Marie‑Dosithée Guérin to Mme Martin. January 10, 1869.
V. + J.
Dear sister, don't worry about your children; they came home very cheerful, but being very hungry, they were given dinner and then they were brought to me in the infirmary. Pauline seemed to have lost her tongue, she opened her mouth and said nothing; perhaps the singular get-up in which she saw me forbade it; I was wrapped in a blanket because of a blister on my shoulder that prevents me from getting dressed. For your consolation I will tell you that I am better and on the way to recovery; it was an inflammation on the lung that I had, the good Lord allowed the doctor to find the seat of the disease; Last Sunday I had a very strong pain in my chest, I thought that a blister would take away this pain, but the doctor had it put behind [2r°] the shoulder. Two days later he came back again and found the breathing was better, but he ordered the blister to be maintained, which makes it very painful, and since that time I've been wrapped in a blanket for until I don't know when, but today especially I'm much better, I slept very well last night, no perspiration, only a little wetness; I hope that in a few days I will be completely recovered. If you only knew how well cared for I am. Our good and dear Mother comes every day, although ill herself, to see me and to make a little novena at N‑D‑de-la-Salette which will end on Wednesday. Our good nursing sisters take great care of me. They don't let me leave the room I'm in, not even to go to the refectory which is right next door. Well, it's quite extraordinary charity. I often think that I would much rather it be me who was sick than you, because with your children and your house you would have taken such poor care of yourself that you certainly would not have got out of trouble, but I I'll soon be out of it.
I thought that for the books that you wanted to offer to NTH Mother, it would be better for us to have them come ourselves than to embarrass you with them: they are the letters of St Francis de Sales to nuns: we have them immediately requested I believe that there are none in Le Mans we will bring them from elsewhere.
Farewell, dear sister, calm down, as well as my brother-in-law, whom I thank for the part he takes in my little illness. I beg you to kiss him for me and to offer him my wishes to God him. Kiss the two little ones well for me.
Your loving sister
Sr. M. Dosithee Guérin
From the Von Ste Marie
DSB
[2r°tv] I no longer have pain in my chest or elsewhere.
