Last letter from Mara before her death
4711
(written to her half-sister, my grandmother Nany)
My little one
You have to ask yourself if I've gone abroad, that I haven't answered your good letters and your big gift at the end of the month??? We could believe it but it's not, I'm still nailed, my foot deflates, reinflates, so that my stiff legs still, my intercostal pain tormenting me, I'm like an old unglossy demolish. It seems that our butter merchant who is in the hospital, after his bites, is worse than me with a terrible swelling, we don't even see the elbow anymore! Who is what invented these bites. I am much more demolished than before. I'm waiting for the doctor this afternoon, will he come?
Well, thank you for the 200 Fs. You're so sweet to us. AG (Adolphe Gervais's brother-in-law) We've been sent 100F. (Robert Gervais her husband, or Uncle Robert) He was waiting at his man's house at 450F, but he saw it was not that, he told Ro I can't drag you on the truck, I would certainly need a chic lining like you, with a boy for the races, but unfortunately the trade doesn't allow me. I have to give up this. And he leaves Ro alone all the time, only works with treats that are done as sales progress, I don't see him with a worker and that's what he's going to have next week. His wife doesn't know anything about the business is stupid to eat of hay, the guy he's going to have very honest can't count!!!! But all this gives Ro nothing! He claims he will find better when he has his hands free. It is really the guinea that all this falls just at the moment when I am sick! Ah! I bless B.........h (Benezeth from Hersent House?) who missed Cherbourg's work and shut down the Homet! (The Homet's form of refit can be assumed that Rob. Gervais would have had work by Hersent on this occasion??) Every day Ro regrets it more than the day before this Homet, yet there were hard days.
Received a good letter from John(Jean Hausermann), of ??? of Tantine (Adeline Collard, first cousin of Jeanne and my grandmother)Who's got to come in the car to this place.
I hope you've had a good journey, not too hot, and your asthma has left you a little rest. My God, what we have trouble getting back, and it seems that there's not just us. There's a lot of patients who are recovering with difficulty this summer. It's a terrible heat that's been awry to you, we don't know how to get started anymore; in Paris it must be even more killing, also what you're going to be happy to be fresh at Vierville; and your microbes released with their mother will be at the party. I'm sure everyone is already trotting and Bison is going to be at the party. (Brigitte Chedal, 2 years old) I mean, she's been there for a month. (Philippe and Jean-Pierre Chedal, 10 and 8 years old)They've found all their corners and nooks, stuffing to do. Suzon will have to do the cerber so you always get better.
You're gonna be happy to let go of your painters, and you have to bless this last time in Paris.
I'll take care of the shirt.
Poor Simone(Mom in Argentina in the Southern Winter)who's been moaning while you're in Vierville!(Jean Hausermann, who I believe in Bizerte in Tunisia) that cooks povre.
It's a shame that the Martins are leaving for Lausanne and they didn't have a holiday in Vierville for a month or two, so you would have been happy to have them with you.
I thank you a thousand times for the brooch, I'm doing my beauty at your expense; it really feels good, very nice.
I'm waiting for you for the panties, because with the Suzon template I don't understand anything that has ever done with it. I wait for the crochet camisole pattern to get started.
Miss D. sends you her friendships, she's not skinny she's hot. Thank you and good kisses you five of Tonton and your old mara who loves you very much.
Jane