L E T T E R S

162easier in the future. It would be what I most wanted to hear, if only it weretrue!If Alexandra has confessed her faults sincerely before God, and Godhas forgiven her... if she has shown herself worthy of that forgiveness by theimprovement of her life, then I too forgive her, with all my heart. I even wantto forget completely about everything that happened. Therefore, I ask my dearsister to tell her about this letter, and urge her to append at least a few words tothe letter of my kind benefactress. Give her a great big kiss for me.Why, to my misfortune, does this additional sad news come to me: thenew evil way which, it appears, Alexandra has entered lately!... 145However, I will withhold judgment until I receive your letter, dearsister, in which you will write in detail about her past behaviour and herpresent situation. Besides sending me this information as soon as you can, Iwould ask you to pray for both of us, and also include your own judgment,counseling me about what it is best for me to do in order to correct the wrongsof the past in our marriage. I shall be ready to make any sacrifice that mypresent circumstances will allow.I should add one detail here: The person 146 whom I had commissionedmore than a year ago to gather information about Alexandra, not in accordwith my request, asked her whether she agrees to a divorce. Poor Alexandra issaid to have replied: "Very well, if this makes him happy."It was my desire that, since our union encounters almost insuperabledifficulties, I might reach an agreement with Alexandra on a voluntary144 A. Kropiwnicki, writing to L. Królikowski, mentioned her intention to make a pilgrimage toCzęstochowa.145 Some new rumor devised by the malice and foolishness of men.146 He refers here to A. Kropiwnicki.I.e. to August and Isabella Zawadzki.Probably Augustine Theodore Bogdan, Alexandra' s son, born on April 15, 1828 at Pękowo, andadopted by the Grabowskis; hence the child saved together with his mother by marriage toBogdan.