To Mr. C–, Notary

May 30, 1818

Dear Sir,

According to the information I have from Comaiile, she has just learned from Mr. Y–, notary, that Mr. J– no longer has any papers, and that you have them all, and they are only waiting for you to complete the liquidation matters. I don’t know what to say or think of you on this subject. 

You all refuse to communicate with each other. One day it’s Mr. J–, another day it’s the lawyers. It seems, gentlemen , that you simply don’t get along. Could the language of your bickering be the one used at the Tower of Babel? For six years I have been in a furnished lodging, to settle a large inheritance, when the only part that was left was the final arrangements. I must know the reason for these delays that persist in resolving all this. No doubt the fault lies in one of you. I beg you to answer me, and let me know if I will be a Parisian the rest of my life. 

I hope that this matter will not be an eternal one, and that you will please satisfy my extremely reasonable request. It must be now, or never. 

I hope, Sir, that this affair will not go on forever, and that you will please satisfy the justice of my request, and there would be time, or never.

I can imagine that in the hands of anyone other than a lawyer this matter would have been over a long time ago, but you are like wolves, you would never eat each other. 

With all due respect,

M.B.