18 (?) March 1888
My dear little Pauline,
I would have liked to write to you right away to thank you for your letter but that was impossible for me, I had to wait until today.
O Pauline, it's quite true that the drop of gall must be mixed with all the chalices, but I find that trials help a lot to detach oneself from the earth, they make us look higher than this world. Down here, nothing can satisfy us, we can only enjoy a little rest by being ready to do the will of God.
My little basket is having a hard time getting to the port, I have been seeing the shore for a long time and I always find myself far from it; but it is Jesus who guides my little ship, and I am sure that the day when he wills he will be able to land it happily in port. O Pauline, when Jesus has deposited me on the blessed shore of Carmel, I want to give myself entirely to him, I no longer want to live except for him. Oh no, I will not fear his blows, for, even in the most bitter sufferings, one always feels that it is his gentle hand that strikes, I felt it in Rome at the very moment when I would have thought that the earth could have failed under my feet.
I only want one thing when I will be in Carmel, and that is to always suffer for Jesus. Life passes so quickly that really it is better to have a very beautiful crown and a little harm than to have an ordinary one without harm. And then, for a suffering endured with joy, when I think that throughout all eternity we will love God better! Then by suffering we can save souls. Ah! Pauline, if at the time of my death I could have a soul to offer to Jesus, how happy I would be! There would be a soul that would be snatched from the fires of hell and would bless God for all eternity.
My darling little sister, I see that I have not yet spoken to you about your letter, which nevertheless gave me great pleasure. O Pauline, I am very happy that the Good Lord has given me a sister like you, I hope that you will pray for your poor little girl so that she will correspond to the graces that Jesus wants to give her; she really needs your help because she is NOT what she would like to be.
Tell my dear Godmother that I often think of her, we would like to know when she will make her profession inside...
Céline kisses you well, this poor little sister has a sore foot, I don't think she's going to be able to go to Vespers. Almost everyone is sick at my uncle's; life really isn't cheerful, it's very difficult to get attached to it.
Goodbye my darling Pauline, my Confident. On Easter Monday but especially on April 9... Kiss for me my Mother CHERIE.
