L E T T E R S

451on me, and free me from this horrible uncertainty, (which does not allow me tomake any permanent decision about my person) x .Dear Louis, I am sure you are aware that I am not an emigrant; and so youare free to correspond with me. That is also why I asked Kropiwnicki to send mesome news about how things stand as soon as possible. He is a sensible and levelheadedperson, who is well situated. Even, if permission to correspond werenecessary, he would surely have no trouble obtaining such.I ask and entreat you, Louis, to remind him by letter, and recommend thathe be willing and earnest in pursuing this matter for me; for a decision in thisregard is very important to me, even urgently necessary 470 . If, in response to yourletter, he mentions anything about my wife, I ask you to share your opinion withhim and offer him your advice, in order that you might ―regler ma position‖ 471 inthis matter as soon, and as well, as possible.Moreover, between the two of you, try to find the address to my brother,Stephen. Tell him that you had a letter from me, and that I am begging him towrite at least a few words to me.In reference to my material interests: things are better today, thanks be toGod. Either I, or a member of our group, serves as tutor for practically every oneof the families in the area. Two of the children with me for instruction come fromfairly wealthy parents 472 . I also write a column for some of the French papers,short items concerned, with history, geography etc. In a word, my situation isgood. And, if my spiritual responsibilities did not occupy a lot of my time, I couldbe earning more, over and above what I need for upkeep. But, for the first threeyears after my subsidy from Warsaw was cut off, that is after the end of 1831, mycircumstances were so miserable that I could earn either very little or nothing atall. Nevertheless, because of my connections, it was easy for me to obtain credit;as a result, I amassed debts of several thousand francs. These debts continue toworry, oppress and disturb me. True, some of these debts are owed to people who470 He intended to became a priest.471 ―Put my affairs in order.‖472 Victor Ogiński and Napoleon Thaddeus Giedroyć.