FLORIAN - The Most Traveled Man on Earth

Now I must scold you for not terminating your correspondence with Cordon [Corson?].
You have not written a note to Joseph since your departure, nor to Mr. Drouin, nor to Mr.
Wood, and yet you have to write to that wretched scoundrel, whom you know you should
despise, and who has treated you lately in a shameful way. Escape, I beg you, from his
clutches. He has done only harm to you, and his influence has always brought you
misfortune. I re-read with indignation the other day, the letters he wrote me at Rumsey
during your absence and during the absence of your cousin. Good God, how he lied!!
And how with his spurious advice and under the veil of friendship, he could abuse the
ignorance and weakness of a woman! If you wish to please me greatly, you will cease
any relationship or communication with him. He is not worthy of your confidence – just
think, he has not one principle of morality. He is now the victim of the traps he set for
his associates. He has taken you enough into his confidence, so that you should know to
trust him in nothing. You had nothing from him, but he obtained your secrets. Lately he
was able to cheat Joseph out of 80 pounds sterling. He really is the plague of my life. I
regret that you did not take with you some of his letters which I had before you left.
Perusing them would have strengthened your weakness -- pardon the term, but it is too
true for me to erase it – in getting involved with him. Pardon these things I have written
if I am wrong. 73
Let us speak of something else, this pains me. Why do you tell me nothing of
Emmanuel? It seems to me that he must be very sick to be confined to bed for a whole
month. So make him some of those embrocations 74 which do so much good, of equal
parts of camphor, ether and laudanum. When I get there I shall cure him myself, and if I
do not succeed it will not be for lack of trying. Tell him so for me, and assure him at the
same time of my love.
It is not certain that Coussin [Couessin?] will come here, I believe. I think his sisters are
very mysterious. Tell Emanuel that I have had news of Lemo and from Voltaire: all of
them are well, our good aunts and our uncle Beaugeard love us, and love us with all their
hearts.
Adieu my beloved, just a few months and we will not have to wait to prove our
tenderness. Azelia and the others are in the midst of their supper, but Joseph has come to
take my letter. <strong>The</strong> children have given an account of themselves [below]. Adieu, once
more, my good friend. I clasp you very tenderly in my arms for myself and Eliza and
Azelia.
73 It seems likely that this vigorous paragraph refers to the Calonne affair, described in “Flight of a
Suspect” and in one of the Florian letters (4 August 1808). In this convoluted affair, apparently Jean-
Baptiste put some of Calonne’s assets into his name, but never really had possession of them. <strong>The</strong>n the son
of Calonne demanded their value, after Calonne died. <strong>The</strong> firm of V. Corson was apparently a middleman
in this transaction. Charles-Alexandre de Calonne was formerly the minister of finance for Louis XIV, and
was very unpopular and apparently corrupt. One of the reasons that Jean-Baptiste fled to American is
apparently because he feared debtors prison, for the son of Colonne seems to have sent bailiffs after Jean-
Baptiste, for his supposed debts to Calonne’s estate.
74 A lotion or liniment that relieves muscle or joint pain.
97