To Papon Lomini, Law student, Hôtel d’Anjou, rue Serpente, Paris

June 21, 1818.[1]

Dear Sir,

I had taken pleasure in sending you a letter on the 11th of this month, concerning Mr. Etienne Prieur, your cousin, and in the hope of having a reply from you; but rather than answering me, you thought it was necessary to visit my house. While it was a pleasure to see you, I do not think my needs were met in this conversation, which even two words from your hand would have fulfilled.

You say that your cousin is a man incapable of causing me grief, and that his character as a seminarian puts him above any accusation of having made a pact with the devil, and that my ideas about this young man were outrageous; so much so that these letters could be used as evidence against me in court. 

I replied that I was suffering intensely, and the only source I could see for my suffering was Etienne, who had been my last master, who left me without warning, and who had constantly broken his word to me. Without any explanation from him, I couldn’t point the finger at anyone else, nor could I learn who he had entrusted myself to, when he left this world to devote his days to God. And I do admire this in him, and congratulate him for it. 

You led me to understand that you had assumed responsibility for this matter. If that is the case, why do you always leave me like this without giving me peace? What are your reasons for delaying my recovery for so long? Please, tell me. I am tired, I need to see an end to my suffering.

You also spoke to me of Mr. Arloin, as having powers over me. You told me that those that your cousin had given you were only temporary, and that he could, although a priest, take them away from you whenever he pleased; that he even kept some that were particular to him.

And now, you tell me that your cousin, Baptiste Prieur, also has power over me, so now almost the entire family is persecuting me. 

Dear lord! What have I done to be so unhappy? You come day and night, tormenting me. In your last visit you urge me to kill Coco, knowing how dear he is to me. [1] He’s harmless, he’s been my companion for two years, and you live far away from here, I’m on rue Mazarin, you on Rue Serpente. 

Remember also that you promised me to write to Mr. Etienne concerning me. I ask you to do so soon, if you haven’t already. And if that’s the case, please let me know his response. Otherwise, please write to him as soon as you can, otherwise I’ll be forced to send a third letter myself. I know a sure way to get it to him. 

Your servant,

M.B.

 [1] Berbiguier’s relationship to Coco is ambiguous, and he is an unreliable narrator. Thoughts on Coco here.