7405
Jean Hausermann in Buenos Aires, to his sisters in Paris
Buenos Aires, 8 June 1945
My dear sisters, I have received your letter to each of April 30, very affectionate; it is almost recent news since received on June 4, and we were particularly pleased to hear from you all. Here is my Bisonnette, this dear little...... and without the consent of her uncle! but I am ready to shake the hand of this new nephew, who is already very friendly.
This letter will come to you through the compulsion of Mr. Louis Duchesne, commander of the steamer "Groix" who leaves tomorrow. I had the pleasure of receiving him at home, as well as his second, Mr. Raymond Saint. He also takes my mail for Gilbert Hersent and I am very grateful to him. I do not know if he will go himself to you, but occasionally receive the good, he will tell you about us and the boys.
Dear sisters, I take it immediately because the place is numbered, the subject that concerns you, I feel it well, and which brings you now by hand in front of the brother. The "Dear Totoni" as you call me, my dear Simone, is far away. If you knew how old these years were, more than double their number.. and when you see me... well, let's go. First, let's say that I understand your desire with all your dear children and little children to set you up somewhere, and therefore resolve what will become of the old house. Often with my dear mother, we have talked about it at length...the memories come back to me in great numbers and I am still listening with stunnedness – because it was almost a second sight gift – his very dear voice responding to my plans for the future – because I was doing like everyone else – "my little one." (and I was over 30 years old!) I don't know what the future holds for us... who knows what will happen with all this" prophetic voice. I saw the old house die gradually. Your letters tell me our scattered memories, disappeared; everything has been defiled by the Boche. The report of John, his letter of January 29, revived my sorrow with red iron; for you have guessed well, indeed, how much the old house holds in my heart, and how much I wished to pursue the work of Father; but I believe it dead, now, after what you say to me and perhaps I would rather have burned it from bottom to bottom... so that with its stones we could redo another, still ours.
You want me to make a decision? God, you have good ones. The numbers you show me can be very much fluctuating and even not complete. Note for example that the Marcel deposit is only 40,000 boxes and I don't know what rate the notary is taking, is it still Pommier? But for us it is 10.63...We are far from the 700.000. How did you make use of the general power I gave you? What was left in Treviers after the passage of the American invasion? So I don't know anything here; I must go to France, see you, see the property, see the notary, report on the situation. Sharing can only be done with my presence and after I have personally seen what is left of it.
All this is very true, but it is no less true that you need and your husbands too, to be fixed, even about. So I will answer you: with the numbers you give me and if the situation is such and remains such as you portray it to me.. I do not take the old house... if you can do it, be blessed and I congratulate you. I thought we could have taken the undivided business... even perhaps make a company... because it would have to produce and it can do so from an agricultural point of view, at least to cover its costs, like Mom's time, because we cannot admit 30,000F of deficit per year, depending on the figure you indicate. But everyone must be at home and the solution is not viable. So if the situation remains that way and you cannot afford to take over the property, you must consider selling it and you have my agreement now.
All this is very painful; I must go to France, the sooner I will be better. But I swim in the troubles and feel that I cannot move for the moment, unless you come up to me, my dear Jean. And yet I would like to have with us at the time of the settlement. Canonne here cannot be left alone, and in her superb selfishness, the Company counts little.
My dear sisters, the place and time are counted. I leave you therefore; I hope that all the coconuts do not forget; tell me much good about myself to my nieces... their surprise will be bitter.
I am burning you all very affectionately, John.
Write to a Mr. Edmond Morisson – a Comrade TP – tell him that I received his card of January 12, 1945. He wants me to find him a place in Argentina? You realize. Tell him what you want.
His address:
"The Violettes" 3 Belvedere Guinot
Saint Victor-Marseille
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