L E T T E R S

434Letter Nr. 98[To A. Celiński and L. Przecławski]Paris, December 27, 1835Misericordia omni peccato! 436How gravely I must have grieved you! I am much at fault, since for such along time I have neglected to. respond to your letters! And although he himselfhas written several letters in the course of his travels, good Adam does not evencomplain about my silence. I thank him from the bottom of my heart for notdoubting my friendship and brotherly love. I also thank him for the words ofadmonition by which he seeks to arouse my zeal.I might complain a little about Leo, for he ascribes my silence to coldnessand lack of affection. It was never-been that bad. It isn’t that bad now! ApparentlyI should thank God for permitting me to be humbled in this fashion, by suchneglect of my sacred fraternal duty. This may save me in the future from receivingthe kind of compliments which Leo used to shower upon me, in my absence or tomy face, to the point where I was forced to regard his words as sheer fantasy, ajoke, and to doubt about his true friendship for me.However, this hope does not justify me in the least. I feel this deeply, andtherefore I acknowledge my guilt. I have no desire to excuse myself before you bylisting the many real exertions, works, problems, and the constant occupation ofmy mind with thoughts that so oppress me as to leave me powerless to fulfill evena slight responsibility if it requires that I perform some external action. With asincere promise of amendment, I turn to you in simplicity and plead:―Misericordia omni peccato!‖ And, since I am beginning this letter with my―Confiteor‖, I need to acknowledge and condemn another fault, which will putfriendship for me to yet another test.Would you believe that when I received your letter - after I opened it andsaw that it was from the both of you - I was so deeply moved, I felt so guilty in436 ―Mercy for every sin‖!