Letter 245. To Mother Jeanne Charlotte de Bréchard

To Mother Jeanne Charlotte de Bréchard, Superior at Moulins. Paris, 28 April, 1620. Vive > Jésus! . My very dear Daughter,—Madame du Tertre’s mother came here yesterday rather early in the morning. She certainly appears fond of her daughter, and thinks she has done what she could for her own husband. This final arrangement will leave her daughter at liberty to make use of the fourteen thousand francs according to her desire: that is to give half on her entrance and the other half at her profession, one thousand francs for her pension during her life, and at her death six hundred livres to the house, redeemable by ten thousand francs. Considering that she has children, I certainly think it is a very good offer, but it is for you to say whether it will be enough to justify your beginning to build a monastery. It seems to me that it is, unless everything is very dear at Nevers. I do not indeed know why they have cut off the two thousand crowns, but what I do know very well is that we are taking a great burden upon ourselves in giving our word to allow this good young lady to have the privileges of a foundress while living with us. However, we must not go back on our arrangement now, and we hope that God may be glorified by the salvation of this poor soul. Try to guide her, and negotiate with those gentlemen her relatives as gently and as cordially as possible. They will, I think, be faithful to the return of gratitude and help in the important matters that they have promised. You know, my darling, how tactfully you will have to manage this good young lady so as to keep her to her word and make her gently submissive. I have seen in a letter she wrote to Mademoiselle d’Asy the great desire she has to come here before, as she says, she is shut up. I certainly do not want her to come and show herself off here. It would, it seems to me, be very desirable if you could divert her from the idea. Still, we must not let her see that we distrust her, as indeed we do not. Mademoiselle d’Asy wrote to her about this, for all those that she desires to see would prefer to go to her [than that she should come to them].

I am very tired of writing and of the great bustle of this house. Alack! we are sending away the richest postulant we have received here; but let us rather die than be disloyal to our dear Institute by keeping characters that are unsuitable to it. Dear friend, pray hard for us, so that in all things and everywhere God’s holy will may be accomplished! Amen. I affectionately salute the dear daughter du Tertre and all the holy little flock. May God shed His benedictions upon it. You know that I am wholly yours in Our Lord. May He be eternally blessed.