To J–, Advocate

9/5/1818

Dear Sir,

I received your letter, dated August 27th last: it gives me some clarifications which relate to the inheritance, which you say are known to the co-heirs. Having little communication with them, I have not been able to learn anything about it, and Mr. C– has never spoken about it either. 

Unfortunately for Mrs. Berbiguier, she is unable to read or write. I ask you to send her my letter dated August 18, if you have not already done so, based on my last communication, to which you have not replied. In that letter, I expressed all my feelings about my uncle’s death, which you must surely comprehend now. I could no better express it than through my letter to the churchwardens of Saint-Roch, asking them to establish a foundation for two masses, one for the late Mr. Berbiguier, my uncle, and the other for me. Surely the living have no less need of prayers than the dead. This foundation also includes burning a five-pound candle in the chapel of the Virgin every year on her feast day. At the invitation of the churchwardens, I went to Mr. Auvray, business director of the parish of Saint-Roch. I offered the first candle and the first two masses at my own expense, not wanting them to be included in the sum I had agreed upon and paid. 

Unable to write to Mrs. Berbiguier, the widow, I cannot inform her by letter of everything I would like to tell her. If you would, please communicate my observations to her and read them to her, tell her that I offer to God, at the foot of the Holy Cross, all the sacrifices I am obliged to make or endure, and I am convinced that on the day of the last judgment each will be judged according to their good or bad deeds.

I beg you to hasten the conclusion of this matter and take into consideration the interest of all the co-heirs. The complaints this delay is causing on their part are creating talk that it is time to put an end to.

Forgive me, sir, for the troubles I am causing you. I am very pleased to know all your titles and qualifications, I will be careful not to forget them when I have the honor of writing to the gentlemen of the law from now on.

With respect,

M.B.