L E T T E R S

148Letter Nr. 39Paris, January 20, 1835Pardon me, dearest Michael, if, knowing that you are angry with me 119for my behavior and for my long, needless residence in Paris, I still bother youwith my letter.Let seven years of exile from you and from my country excuse myimportunity. After all, it's not my fault that our mothers were sisters, and thatwe are bound together by this close kinship, as well as by a youth spenttogether. Do not be angry, therefore, that lacking any information about mywife and brother, and not knowing even if they can be found, I write to you forhelp. Please, do not reject my request. Secure the information for me...The request is short and simple... To satisfy it will not require too muchtime or trouble on your part. Send this information, as quickly as possible:First, are you well? Are your brothers, your father and your whole family ingood health? Secondly, what has happened to Stephen Jański, and to myunfortunate wife? You have no reason to withhold any details aboutAlexandra's condition. For some time now I have known of conditions that canonly be most distressing to a husband.../Half the page is empty./2. Unfortunately, the information that things were going badly for Alexandra was very vague. Therough draft of the letter leaves half the page empty.119 "If you are looking for an enemy, let someone wrong you".