L E T T E R S

461Letter Nr. 107[To L. Królikowski]Paris, November 8, 1837My dearest Louis!Before I proceed to even a general response to your letters, and evenbefore I apologize to you for such a lengthy and shameful delay, I must reportsome very sad news: my affairs are in such bad shape that I am threatened rightnow with shameful bankruptcy .After St. Michael, I was able to find new lodgings. N.B. I am now living,at half the rent, at Boulevard Montparnasse nr 25. I had to move, because theowner, having found an occupant willing to sign a contract for several years,cancelles our lease. This resulted in considerable but inevitable expenses. Inaddition, we were struck with an accumulation of older debts, which hit us sounexpectedly that we could not put them off for any considerable length of time.The combined amount was so great as to exceed all available funds and means ofpayment. Meanwhile, other hoped for funds, e.g. the money from Michael, werenot received. I was at the point where I didn’t know what to do. I wanted to writeto you for help, but I was ashamed to do so.The deadline was drawing near. What could I do? Whatever was possible.I postponed some payments for two or three more months... and for bills that hadto be paind immediately I took out loans 486 , so delicate in nature, so binding myhonor, good name and integrity, requiring the earliest possible repayment, thatfrom one abyss I feel into an even greater abyss. And now, only later, I must cryto you: Help!This is my proposal: You are closer to Warsaw. Could you not squeeze outof him 487 the 1,000 złotys, which, n.b., he took in cash either in 1829 or 1830 tosend to me as an inheritance after the death of my mother, and which he kept for486 For the trip to Rome.487 From Michael Jaroszewski.