From Sister Marie-Dosithée Guérin to her brother Isidore.
V+J.
From our Le Mans Monastery
the 19 April 1863
Very Dear Brother
I received your letter with great happiness because I was beginning to be worried about your long silence; anyway, I'm happy you wrote to me and, what's better, never letter gave me so much pleasure as this one, I think you've made a lot of progress, that you haven't not lost the religious principles that were taught to you, in a word that you are a good boy, also you see, I was judging you well, because Zélie expressing to me her fears about you that you would come to forget your duties religious, he always reassured her by telling her that I had the conviction that you would do something good; please don't lie to me.
You tell me that my Father was ill, I didn't know anything about it but I don't share*[1v°] your opinion about Mr. Damoiseau I find him a very good doctor and after God it's really his to whom I am indebted for my recovery.
I'll be very happy to see you in 4 months, I think it's a bit long but in the end if the good Lord saves our lives it will pass all the same.
I thank you about the sermons of Father Félix (3. Conferences given at ND de Paris), we have them here, I am happy that they gave you so much pleasure I also think that you are faithful to my recommendations I would like you to go to Notre-Dame des Victoires I would really need it, and you too I think; Recommend Zélie to him so that the good Lord preserves her for his children.
You don't talk to me about your health, I was worried about it; have you had the flu? almost everyone had it here, I spent it like the others but I got through it well, in short I was very well all winter, but here comes summer and I always a lot of trouble *[2 r°] to bear the heat, I don't think it will go as well as winter; moreover, I don't lose sight of death very much, she is careful to send me warnings often, well, what is certain is that she ruins herself in threats because for 7 years she has been rumbling around from me, she doesn't knock, however, she hasn't received the order yet, I'm still waiting. . .
I don't have much news to tell you, locked away in the depths of my beloved cloister, I hardly know what is going on in the world.
I would like you to be able to see the examples of virtues that one of our sisters gave us these last days on the occasion of the death of her daughter, also a nun in our monastery, all that I can tell you to say is that I would not have suspected that one could arrive at such heroism, I am convinced that a saint descended from heaven would not have done better; I'll tell you more about it when you come to see me, if I think about it.
your loving sister
Sr. M. Dosithee Guérin
From the Von Ste Marie
D.S B.
