Marie Jacinthe de Botidoux to Martha Jefferson (Randolph)

enfin chere jeffers[o]n il est decidé que tu ne reviendras plus ici, je ne voulois pas Le Croire mais Malheureusement il n’y a plus Lieu d’en douter, tu ne te fais pas d’idée Combien je suis triste j’ai pleuré hier au soir malgré tout Le soin que je prenois de me distraire de Ces pensées, et je Le fais encore dans Ce Moment Ci, Si je pouvois au Moins t’aller voir mais il fait un tems abominable, si j’avois Su hier matin que tu restois chez ton papa j’eusse été te prendre pour venir Ch Dejeuner Chez Lady Caroline avec Daswod et Daudinctun Ces Deux Ladys ont été bien fachée de ne t’avoir pas faite avertir mais elles te Croyoient avec nous—

tu auras ton Chapeau noir Lundi je L’ai fait faire Sur un Modelle qui M’a paru joli Car on m’a dit qu’on n’echancroit plus Les Chapeaux de devant, et alors Celui de rosette n’etoit bon a rien puisque La guirlande qui est dessus est passée de mode il y a deja Longtems—adieu Chere petite jefferson Si tu m’aimois autant que je t’aime tu pourrois te faire une idée du Chagrin que ton depart me Cause, mais tu ne Le peux pas—d’ailleurs tu as Le meilleur pere du Monde qui ne desire et ne cherche que ton bonheur, tu vas rejoindre ta famille qui surement t’adorera sitot qu elle te Connoitra et qui mettra tous ses soins à te divertir au Lieu que moi je reste dans un Couvent ou je me trouverai seule Cet été puisque d’havrincourt et d’audincthun Vont à La Campagne et qu Lady Caroline ny elizabeth ne rentreront plus

j’espere que tu viendras nous voir La semaine prochaine, si ton papa Va mardi à Versaille

donnes moi L’adresse de Mrs Curson il me La faut pour dimanche matin ainsi ecris moi tout de suite.

editors’ translation

At last, dear Jeffers[o]n, it has been decided that you will not return here. I did not want to believe it but, unfortunately, there is no reason to doubt it. You have no idea how sad I am. I cried last night despite all my attempts to divert my mind from such thoughts, and I am crying again right now. If only I could visit you, but the weather is horrible. Had I known yesterday morning that you were staying with your father, I would have fetched you to have lunch at Lady Caroline’s with Dashwood and d’Audincthun. These two ladies were quite upset that you had not been notified, but they thought that you were still with us—

You will have your black hat Monday. I had it made in a style that seemed pretty to me because I was told that hats are not indented in front anymore. And the one with the rosette is good for nothing, because its garland has long been out of fashion—Farewell, dear little Jefferson. If you loved me as much as I love you, you could have some sense of the sorrow I feel in seeing you go, but you cannot—Besides, you have the best father in the world, who wants and seeks nothing but your happiness. You are going to be reunited with your family who, surely, will adore you as soon as they know you and will take great care to entertain you. I, on the other hand, stay in a convent, where I will be alone this summer, since d’Havrincourt and d’Audincthun are going to the countryside and neither Lady Caroline nor Elizabeth will be coming back

I hope that you will visit us next week, if your father goes to Versaille on Tuesday

Give me the address of Mrs Curson. Since I need it for Sunday morning, write to me at once.

RC (privately owned, 2015); partially dated; damaged at seal; addressed: “A Mademoiselle Mademoiselle jefferson Chez Mr son pere rue neuve de Berry près L’ancienne grille de Chaillot”; stamped; postmarked “Panthemont”; with notation in quotation marks in the hand of Martha Jefferson Randolph at foot of last page: “de Botidoux”; with later note in an unknown hand: “Marie Jacinthe Botidoux.” Translation by Dr. Roland H. Simon.