To Mr. Prieur, Sr. [Eldest brother and pharmacist]

March 3, 1818

Dear Sir,

I had the honor of appearing at your home February 21, to speak to you of your brother, Etienne Prieur. You promised me that you would see him an hour later, to urge him to cease his persecution of me. It appears that you have not yet reprimanded him on this subject, since I continue to be tormented by him night and day, visited by him and his company. 

I often see your cousin; he came again yesterday to find out if your brother is still harassing me. 

I would like your brother, Baptiste, to be brought into your conversation as well. Having visited his home several times without finding him, I wrote him a letter, which I delivered to his porter on the 28th of last month. We saw each other the next day, and we spoke at length about your brother Etienne, regarding the pain he is causing me. He seems to be very sympathetic to me. Seeing above all that my persecutor continually failed to keep the promise he made to end my suffering, he said he would see him, and finally obtain from him an end to my persecution. 

In my conversations with Etienne, he did not leave me in ignorance of the people, men and women, who are most determined to pursue me. These people exercise the same powers over me, both physical and magical, that Etienne does. 

Let me mention this instance to show you how determined these gentlemen magicians are in their pursuit of me: 

On the 24th of February, I was at the Palais Royal, walking in the Bois galleries, with my snuffbox in the small pocket of my waistcoat, my coat buttoned, my frock-coat wrapped around me entirely. My box was taken from me when there was no-one around. It could only have been taken by magic, money and jewelry have often been taken from me in the same way. You can see how unfortunate it would be for me if your brother were to introduce people invisibly into my home, people who steal from me, or even worse, put harmful drugs in my food. 

You saw, in your visit on the 21st of last month, my squirrel, who had the tip of her tail cut off in her cage. Etienne was not afraid to admit that he was the author of this wickedness, and that he was my master, and had the power of attorney over me. I don’t know what he wants to do with me, or what planet he wishes to put me under.

Sir: You are the brother of a person who abuses my good faith. After being so honest with him, I should never have expected this treatment from him. I have no doubt that you are aware of all that this inconsiderate man has made me suffer. 

Therefore, I ask you, as a family, to obtain from your brother an end to my suffering, so that I may be completely restored to myself. 

I know that you received my letter on February 25, I mailed and stamped it myself. Please do me the honor of replying, and doing me this favor. 

I have the honor to be your servant,

M.B. 

[M.B. notes: “The older Prieur brother made me the following verbal reply: “Mr. Berbiguier is wrong to believe that my brother is tormenting him. He has not been in Paris for six months, he is more than 270 miles away.” That was his reply to my letter sent March 3, which led me to write the following letter…”]