[H. P. B. ON THE COULOMB FORGED LETTERS]
[In the September 1884 issue of the Madras Christian College Magazine, which was published on the 11th of the month, there appeared the first of two installments of an article entitled “The Collapse of Koot Hoomi,” written by the Editor, Rev. George Patterson. This installment was based mainly on fifteen letters (or parts thereof), some in French and some in English, alleged by the Coulombs to have been written to them by H. P. B., during her absence from the Headquarters of the Theosophical Society, at Bombay and Adyar, giving them instruction to produce “occult” phenomena fraudulently. Another batch of similar correspondence appeared in the October issue of the same periodical. Parts of this so-called correspondence have also been published in Richard Hodgson’s “Report” concerning the phenomena connected with The Theosophical Society, which appeared in the Proceedings of the Society for Psychical Research (Vol. III, Part IX, December, 1885, pp. 201-400). Hodgson, however, does not give any English translation of the French letters, and has corrected some of the French versions and tampered with others. A substantial analysis of these alleged letters from H. P. B.’ s pen has been made by K. F. Vania in his recently published work, Madame H. P. Blavatsky: Her Occult Phenomena and the Society for Psychical Research, pp. 259-300.
In a very rare pamphlet issued in October 1884 by the Council of the London Lodge under the title of The Latest Attack on The Theosophical Society, there appeared a brief statement by H. P. B. concerning the alleged letters, which is reproduced below.
It has been thought advisable to include also the text of the forged letters, as they appeared in the Madras Christian College Magazine for September 1884, so as to make H. P. B.’s remarks thereon more intelligible. These letters follow immediately after H. P. B.’s remarks, and correspond to the superior numbers in the text below.—Compiler.]
The first letter is supposed to be written in 1880 or 1881.1 It seems to contain in its first portion the original of a note I wrote to the woman Coulomb, from Simla, and which was shown to Colonel Olcott and others. She was asked to go and see whether the cigarette had not fallen in some crevice. She answered there had been a storm, rain and wind that night, and that probably the cigarette was destroyed. As it is so long ago, I could not swear to the words; it is possible that down to the signature the letter is mine. But the flyleaf spoken of in the editor’s note,
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and the words quoted in the footnote, I pronounce to be a forgery.
The second letter may the mine,2 or a reproduction of a portion of one of mine, as far as the first paragraph is concerned. The rest is either greatly altered or an entire fabrication. I vaguely remember the letter; what I said was, that if any fresh slanders should be trumped up at Bombay it would be dreadful. That Damodar should, if possible, see one of the Brothers, and that I was going to write to him. Who “King” is I do not know. I never called Padshah by that name. As Damodar had at the time quarrels with his relatives, I said that I would beg of Master K. H. to write to him.—“Lui tomber sur la tête means simply that the letter ought to stun him; “tomber sur la tête comme une tuile,” a common French expression, which does not mean most certainly that the letter should fall physically on his head! Again, the original letter says, “il doit battre le fer,” etc., and the translation alters this to “We must strike while the iron is hot,” etc. “Il,” if I really wrote this sentence, would have meant Damodar, but “we” means quite another thing. A request to Mr. Coulomb to “save the situation” and do what he was asked, might have referred, if written, to a lawsuit then going on in which Damodar was interested, certainly not to any phenomena. This letter, in fact, is either a forgery altogether or is full of interpolation.
The third letter, supposed to be written from Poona, is an entire fabrication.3 I remember the letter I wrote to her from Poona. It asked her to send me immediately the telegram contained in a note from Ramalinga, if he brought or sent her one. I wrote to Colonel Olcott about the experiment. He thinks he can find my letter at Madras. I hope to either get back Ramalinga’s note to me or obtain a statement of the whole matter from him. How could I make a mistake in writing, however hurriedly, about the name of one of my best friends? The forgers make me address him—“care of H. Khandalawalla”—when there is no such man. The real name is N. D. Khandalawala.
The brief note which is fourth in the series has no
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significance, except for the words “in a miraculous way,” which assuredly are not mine. I have no recollection of the note at all, which is given without any date.4
The fifth letter I never wrote at all.5 All about a handkerchief is pure nonsense. There is no “Maharajah of Lahore,” hence I could not have spoken of such a person, nor have been attempting mock phenomena for his deception. If such a sentence as “do something for the old man, Damodar’s father,” was ever written by me, it would have referred to a wound in his leg, of which he afterwards died. Madame C. boasted that she could cure him; at any rate, she nursed him, for I asked her to.
The sixth letter is a pure forgery.6 The phrase “the Adyar saucer will become historical like the Simla cup,” is a phrase first pronounced by Madame Coulomb, as Colonel Olcott may remember, and I have used it since. I do not know any “Soobroya”—perhaps “Soubaya” is meant.
The seventh and eighth letters are forgeries again.7 I could never, in writing to her who saw the man every day, use all his names and titles. I should simply have said “Dewan Bahadur,” without adding “Ragoonath Rao, the President of the Society,” as if introducing to her one she did not know. The whole name is evidently put in now, to make it clear who is meant. The ninth letter, if possible, is worse nonsense yet.8 I never called anyone “Christophe.” That was a name given by Madame Coulomb to her husband behind his neck, and “Christopholo” was a name by which she called an absurd little figure, or image, of hers. She gave nicknames to everything.
Letter 10: fabrication again. Letter 11. A letter was written by me from the Nilghiris to introduce the General, but it was not this letter, which appears to be altogether a fabrication.9 Letter 12 is the only clearly genuine letter of the series.10 Letter 13 may have been written by me.11 All depends upon knowing who is “Christopholo”—a little ridiculous figure in rags, about three inches high; she wrote to say it had accidentally been destroyed. She joked over it, and I too.
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TEXT OF FORCED LETTERS AND COMPILER’S NOTES
1In numbering the letters, H. P. B. uses the order in which they appeared in the Christian College Magazine. This first letter reads:
Monday.
My dear Mme. Coulomb,
Last night, Sunday, I wanted to show my friends a phenomenon and sent a cigarette tied up with my hair to be placed opposite Watson’s hotel in the coat-of-arms (under the Prince of Wales’ statue) under the horn of the Unicorn. Captain Maitland had himself chosen the town and named the place. He spent 13 Rs. for a telegram to Police-Commissioner Grant, his brother-in-law. The latter went the moment he received it and—found NOTHING. It is a dead failure but I do not believe it, for I saw it there clearly at 3 in the morning. I am sorry for it for Captain Maitland is a Theosophist and spent money over it. They want to tear the cigarette paper in two and keep one half. And I will choose the same places with the exception of the Prince’s statue for our enemies might watch and see the cigarette fall and destroy it. I enclose an envelope with a cigarette paper in it. I will drop another half of a cigarette behind the Queen’s head where I dropped my hair the same day or Saturday. Is the hair still there? and a cigarette still under the cover? Oh Dio Dio! What a pity . . . .
Your faithfully, H. P. B.
(Note on the flyleaf) Make a half cigarette of this. Take care of the edges.
2This second letter is in French, and its text is as follows:
Mes chers Amis,
Au nom du ciel ne croyez pas que je vous oublie. Je n’ai pas le temps matériel pour respirer—voilà tout! Nous sommes dans la plus grande crise, et je ne dois pas PERDRE LA TÊTE.
Je ne puis ni ose rien vous écrire. Mais vous devez comprendre qu’il est absolument nécessaire que quelque chose arrive à Bombay tant que je suis ici. Le Roi et Dam. doivent voir et recevoir la visite d’un de nos Fréres et—s’il est possible que le premier reçoive une lettre que j’enverrai. Mais les voir il est plus nécessaire encore. Elle devrait lui tomber sur la tête comme la première et je suis en train de supplier «Koothoomi» de la lui envoyer. Il doit battre le fer tant qu’il est chaud. Agissez indépendamment de moi, mais dans les habitudes et customs des Frères. S’il pouvait arriver quelque chose à Bombay qui fasse parler tout le monde—ce serait merveilleux. Mais quoi! Les Frères sont inexorables. Oh cher M. Coulomb, sauvez la situation et faites ce qu’ils vous demandent
CONVENTION GROUP, ADYAR, DECEMBER 27-29, 1884
Standing: M. Krishnamachari (known also as Dharbagiri Nath and Bawaji), and Col. H. S. Olcott.
Seated, from left to right:
Back row: Major-General Henry Rodes Morgan; William Tournay Brown; T. Subba Row (with turban); H. P. Blavatsky; Dr. Franz Hartmann; Rudolf Gebhard.
Middle row: Norendro Nath Sen; Damodar K. Mavalankar; S. Ramaswamier; Judge P. Sreenivasa Row.
Front row: Bhavani Shankar; T. Vijayaraghavacharlu; Tukaram Tatya; V. Coopooswami Iyer.
PORTRAIT IN OIL OF H. P. BLAVATSKY
BY HERMANN SCHMIECHEN
This is the second portrait painted by H. Schmiechen. It bears the date of 1885. His first portrait was made at Eberfeld in September, 1884, and was later presented by Mrs. Toni Schmiechen to the Esoteric School; for some years past it has been in C. Jinarajadasa’s home, 33 Ovington Square, London. The second portrait, reproduced herewith, was for many years at the London Headquarters, 19 Avenue Road. It is now in the Hall of the Indian Section, at Benares.
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J’ai la fièvre toujours un peu. On l’aurait à moins! Ne voilà-t-il pas que Mr. Hume veut voir Koothoomi astralement de loin, s’il veut, pour pouvoir dire au monde qu’il sait qu’il existe et l’écrire dans tous les journaux car jusqu’à présent il ne peut dire qu’une chose c’est qu’il croit fermement et positivement mais non qu’il le sait parcequ’il a vu de ses yeux comme Damodar, Padshah, etc. Enfin en voilà d’un problème!
Comprenez donc que je deviens folle, et prenez pitié d’une pauvre veuve. Si quelque chose d’inoui arrivait à Bombay il n’y a rien que Mr. Hume ne fasse pour Koothoomi sur sa demande. Mais K. H. ne peut pas venir ici, car les lois occultes ne le lui permettent pas. Enfin, au revoir. Écrivez moi.
A vous de coeur
H. P. B.
Demain je vous enverrai les deux lettres. Allez les chercher à la poste à votre nom, E. Cutting=Coulomb.
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P.S. Je voudrais que K. H. ou quelqu’un d’autre se fasse voir avant le reçu des lettres!
The Christian College Magazine published an English translation of this letter which is somewhat faulty and inadequate. We publish our own translation thereof:
My dear Friends,
In heaven’s name do not think I am forgetting you. I have not even time to breathe––that’s all! We are in the greatest crisis and I must not LOSE MY HEAD.
I cannot and dare not write anything to you. But you must understand that it is absolutely necessary that something should happen at Bombay while I am here. The King and Dam. must see one of the Brothers and receive a visit from him, and, if possible, the first must receive a letter which I will send. But to see them, is more necessary yet. It must fall on his head [vide H. P. B.’s explanation of this expression] like the first, and I am just now begging “Koothoomi” to send it to him. We [thus in the Christ. Coll. Mag. translation] must strike while the iron is hot. Act independently of me, but according to the habits and customs of the Brothers. If something could happen at Bombay that would make everybody talk, it would be marvellous. But then! The Brothers are inexorable. Oh dear M. Coulomb, save the situation and do what they ask you to
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I am always somewhat feverish. One would be so for less. And here is Mr. Hume who wants to see Koothoomi in his astral form at a distance, if he consents, so that he may be able to say to the
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world that he knows he exists, and to write it in all the papers; for at present he can say but one thing, namely, that he believes firmly and positively, but not that he knows it, because of having seen him with his own eyes, like Damodar, Padshah, etc. Well, there is a problem!
Understand then that I am going mad, and take pity on a poor widow. If something unheard of should take place at Bombay, there is nothing that Mr. Hume would not do for Koothoomi on his demand. But K. H. cannot come here, for the occult laws do not permit him to do so. Good bye. Write to me.
Heartily yours,
H. P. B.
I will send you the two letters tomorrow. Go and ask for them at the post office in your name, E. Cutting=Coulomo.
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P.S. I wish K. H. or someone else would make his appearance before the receipt of the letters!
3 The text of this third letter is as follows:
Poona, Wednesday.
Ma chère Marquise,
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Now dear, let us change the program. Whether something succeeds or not I must try. Jacob Sassoon, the happy proprietor of a crore of rupees, with whose family I dined last night, is anxious to become a Theosophist. He is ready to give 10,000 rupees to buy and repair the headquarters, he said to Colonel (Ezekiel his cousin arranged all this) if only he saw a little phenomenon, got the assurance that the Mahatmas could hear what was said, or give him some other sign of their existence (?!!). Well, this letter will reach you the 26th, Friday, will you go to the shrine and ask K. H. (or Christofolo) to send me a telegram that would reach me about 4 or 5 in the afternoon, same day, worded thus:—
“Your conversation with Mr. Jacob Sassoon reached Master just now. Were the latter even to satisfy him still the doubter would hardly find the moral courage to connect himself with the Society.
“RAMALINGA DEB.”
If this reaches me on the 26th even in the evening, it will still produce a tremendous impression; Address care of N. Khandalawalla, Judge, Poona. JE FERAI LE RESTE. Cela coûtera quatre ou cinq roupies. Cela ne fait rien.
Yours truly,
H. P. B.
The few words in French at the close of the letter mean: “I will do the rest. It will cost four or five rupees. Never mind that.”
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4 The French text of this note is as follows:
Ma chère Amie,
Je n’ai pas une minute pour répondre. Je vous supplie faites parvenir cette lettre (here enclosed) à Damodar in a miraculous way. It is very very important. Oh ma chère que je suis donc malheureuse! De tous côtés des désagréments et des horreurs.
Toute à vous,
H. P. B.
The English rendering of this would be:
My dear Friend,
I have not a minute to reply. I beg of you to send this letter (here enclosed) to Damodar in a miraculous way. It is very very important. Oh my dear how unhappy I am! Disagreements and horrors on every side.
Yours entirely,
H. P. B.
5Below is the French text of this letter:
Je crois que le mouchoir est un coup manqué. Laissons cela. Mais toutes les instructions qu’elles restent status quo pour les Maharajas de Lahore ou de Bénarès. Tous sont fous pour voir quelque chose. Je vous écrirai d’Amritsar ou Lahore. Mes cheveux feraient bien sur la vieille tour de Sion, mais vous les mettrez dans une enveloppe, un sachet curieux et le pendrez en le cachant ou bien à Bombay—choisissez bon endroit et écrivez moi à Amritsar poste restante, puis vers le premier du mois à Lahore. Adressez votre lettre à mon nom. Rien de plus pour S.—il en a vu assez. Peur de manquer la poste, au revoir. Avez-vous mis la cigarette sur la petite armoire de Wimb—? Faites donc quelque chose pour le vieux, il padre di Damodar.
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H. P. B.
The English rendering of this is as follows:
I believe the handkerchief is a failure. Let it go. But let all the instructions remain in status quo for the Maharajas of Lahore or of Benares. Everybody is madly anxious to see something. I shall write you from Amritsar or Lahore. My hair would do well on the old tower of Sion (but you should put it in an envelope, a sachet of some peculiar kind, and hang it where you hide it) or even at Bombay. Select a good spot and write me at Amritsar poste restante, and then around the first of the month at Lahore. Address your letter in my name. Nothing more for S.—he has seen enough. I am afraid of missing the mail, so au revoir. Have you placed the cigarette on the little cupboard of Wimb—? Do something for the old man, Damodar’s father . . .
H. P. B.
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6The French text and translation are as follows:
Cher Monsieur Coulomb,
C’est je crois cela que vous devez avoir. Tâchez donc si vous croyez que cela va reussir, d’avoir plus d’audience que nos imbéciles domestiques seulement. Cela mérite la peine—car la soucoupe d’Adyar pourrait devenir historique comme la tasse de Simla. Soubroya ici et je n’ai guère le temps d’écrire à mon aise, à vous mes honneurs et remerciments.
H. P. B.
Dear Monsieur Coulomb,
This is what I think you ought to have. Try then, if you think that it is going to be a success, to have a larger audience than merely our domestic imbeciles. It is well worth the trouble, for the Adyar saucer might become historical like the Simla cup. Soubroya is here, and I have hardly time to write at my ease. My respects and thanks to you.
H. P. B.
7The French and English texts of these two letters are as follows:
La poste part ma chère. Je n’ai qu’un instant. Votre lettre arrivée trop tard. Oui, laissez Srinavasa Rao se prosterner devant le shrine et s’il demande ou non, je vous supplie lui faire passer cette réponse par K. H. Car il s’y attend, je sais ce qu’il veut. Demain vous aurez une grande lettre! Grandes nouvelles. Merci.
H. P. B.
The mail is about to leave, my dear. I have only a moment. Your letter arrived too late. Yes, let Srinavasa Rao prostrate himself before the shrine, and whether he asks anything or not, I beg of you to let him have this reply from K. H., for he is expecting it. I know what he wants. Tomorrow you shall have a long letter! Grand news. Thanks.
H. P. B.
Ma chère Amie,
On me dit (Damodar) que Dewan Bahadoor Ragoonath Rao le Président de la Société veut mettre quelque chose dans le temple. Dans le cas qu’il le fasse voici la réponse de Christofolo. Pour Dieu arrangez cela et nous sommes à cheval. Je vous embrasse et vi saluto. Mes amours au Marquis.
Your sincerely,
LUNA MELANCONICA.
Écrivez donc.
My dear Friend,
I am told (by Damodar) that Dewan Bahadoor Ragoonath Rao, the President of the Society, wishes to place something in the temple.
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In case he should do so, here is Christofolo’s answer. For God’s sake arrange this, and we are in the saddle. I embrace and salute you. My love to the Marquis.
Yours sincerely,
LUNA MELANCONICA.
Write to me.
8The French text and the English translation of this rather lengthy communication are as follows:
Tropo tardi! Cher Marquis, si ce que “Christophe” a en main eut été donné sur l’heure en réponse cela serait beau et c’est pour-quoi je l’ai envoyé. Maintenant cela n’a plus de sens commun. Votre lettre m’est arrivée à 61/2 h. du soir presque 7 heures et je savais que le petit Punch venait à cinq! Quand pouvais-je donc envoyer la dépèche? Elle serait arrivée le lendemain ou après son départ. Ah! quelle occasion de perdue!
Enfin. II faut que je vous prie d’une chose. Je puis revenir avec le Colonel et c’est très probable que je reviendrai, mais il se peut que je reste ici jusq’au mois d’octobre. Dans ce cas pour le jour ou deux que le Colonel sera à la maison il faut me renvoyer la clef da shrine. Envoyez-la moi par le chemin souterrain. Je la verrai reposer et cela suffit. Mais je ne veux pas qu’en mon absence on examine la luna melanconica du cupboard, et cela sera examiné si je ne suis pas là. J’ai le trac. II faut que je revienne! Mais Dieu que cela m’embête donc que maintenant tout le monde d’ici viendra me voir là. Tout le monde voudra voir et—J’EN AI ASSEZ.
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Mais que le diable emporte je me sens malheureuse du coup manqué.
Too late! Dear Marquis, if what “Christophe” has in his hands had been given in answer at the time, it would have been fine, and this is why I sent it. Now it has no meaning any longer. Your letter reached me at 61/2 in the evening, almost at 7, and I knew that the little Punch was coming at five! When could I send the telegram then? It would have arrived the next day or after his departure. Ah! What a lost opportunity!
Well, that’s that. I must beg a favor of you. I may return with the Colonel, and it is very probable that I shall, but it is possible that I may remain here till October. In this case, for the day or two that the Colonel will be at home, you must send the key of the Shrine to me. Send it to me by the underground way. I shall see it rest, and that will be enough. But I do not wish that the luna melanconica of the cupboard be examined in my absence, and examined it will be, if I am not there. I am in a funk. I must come back. But Heavens! How it annoys me, now that everybody here
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will come and see me there! Everyone will want to see something and—I HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF IT.
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But the devil take it, I feel quite unhappy at having missed the opportunity.
9The text of Letter 10 is as follows:
Ma bien chère Amie,
Vous n’avez pas besoin d’attendre l’homme “Punch.” Pourvu que cela soit fait en présence de personnes qui sont respectables besides our own familiar muffs je vous supplie de le faire à la première occasion.
Tell Damodar please, the “Holy” whistle breeches, and St. Poultice that they do not perfume enough with incense the inner shrine. It is very damp and it ought to be well incensed . . .
H. P. BLAVATSKY.
The French part of the above letter reads as follows in its English rendering:
My very dear Friend,
You need not wait for the man “Punch.” Just so that the thing takes place in the presence of respectable persons, besides our own familiar muffs. I beg you to do it at the first opportunity . . .
Letter 11 is considerably longer. It is the only one that Gen. H. R. Morgan and three others had an opportunity to examine and which they publicly declared to be a forgery. Its French text and English translation are as follows:
Vendredi.
Ma chère Madame Coulomb et Marquis,
Voici le moment de nous montrer—ne nous cachons pas. Le Général part pour affaires à Madras et y sera lundi et y passera deux jours. II est Président de la Société ici et veut voir le shrine. C’est probable qu’il fera une question quelconque et peut-être se bornera-t-il à regarder. Mais il est sur qu’il s’attend à un phénomène car il me l’a dit. Dans le premier cas suppliez K. H. que vous voyez tous les jours ou Christopholo de soutenir l’honneur de famille. Dites lui donc qu’une fleur suffirait, et que si le pot de chambre cassait sous le poids de la curiosité il serait bon de le remplacer en ce moment. Damn les autres. Celui-là vaut son pesant d’or. Per l’amor del Dio ou de qui vous voudrez ne manquez pas cette occasion car elle ne se répétera plus. Je ne suis pas là, et c’est cela qui est beau. Je me fis à vous et je vous supplie de ne pas me désappointer car tous mes projects et mon avenir avec vous tous—(car je vais avoir une maison ici pour passer les six mois de l’année et elle sera à moi à la Société et vous ne souffrirez plus de la chaleur comme vous le faites, si j’y réussis).
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Voici le moment de faire quelque chose. Tournez lui la tête au Général et il fera tout pour vous surtout si vous êtes avec lui au moment du Christophe. Je vous envoie un en cas—e vi saluto.
Le Colonel vient ici du 20 au 25. Je reviendrai vers le milieu de Septembre.
À vous de coeur,
LUNA MELANCONICA.
J’ai diné chez le Gouverneur et son ler Aide-de-Camp. Je dine ce soir chez les Carmichaels. Elle est folle pour moi. Que le ciel m’aide!
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Friday,
My dear Madame Coulomb and Marquis,
This is the moment for us to come out––let us not hide ourselves. The General is leaving here for Madras on business; he will be there on Monday and will remain there two days. He is President of the Society here, and wishes to see the Shrine. It is probable that he will put some question, or perhaps he will be contented with merely looking. But it is certain that he expects a phenomenon, for he told me so. In the first case, beg K. H. whom you see every day, or Christopholo, to sustain the honour of the family. Tell him that a flower would be sufficient, and that if the pot breaks under its load of curiosity, it would be well to replace it at once. The others be damned, this is worth its weight in gold. For the love of God—or of anyone you please—do not miss this opportunity, for it will not be repeated. I am not there myself, and that’s precisely what is so good. I rely on you, and beg you not to disappoint me, for all my projects and my future with all of you—(for I am going to have a house here where I can spend six months of the year, and it will be mine for the Society, and you shall no longer suffer from the heat, as you do now, if I succeed).
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This is the proper time to do something. Turn the General’s head, and he will do anything for you, especially if you are with him at the same time as Christophe. I am sending you “un en cas” and greet you.
The Colonel will be here between the 20th and the 25th. I shall return about the middle of September.
Heartily your,
LUNA MELANCONICA.
I have dined with the Governor and his First Aide de-Camp. This evening I shall dine with the Carmichaels. She is crazy about me. Heaven help me!
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The “en cas” spoken of is supposed to have been a fake letter from K. H. addressed to the General, to be used “in case” he had expected an answer to his questions. This is explained by Mad. Coulomb in her own pamphlet.
10 The text and translation of this letter are as follows:
My Dear Friend,
H. P. B.
Postscript.
J’ai diné deux fois chez les Carmichaels et aujourd’hui voilà qu’elle m’envoit chercher encore! J’ai trouvé une place à Subbroya dans le Secrétariat. Mr. Webster et Mr. Carmichael me l’ont promis, et dites à Damodar que j’ai la promesse de Mr. Webster, Chief Secretary, to transfer Ramaswamy to Madras.
Postscript.
I have dined twice with the Carmichaels, and today she actually sends to fetch me again! I have found a place for Subbroya in the Secretariat. Mr. Webster and Mr. Carmichael have promised it to me, and tell Damodar that I have the promise of Mr. Webster, Chief Secretary, to transfer Ramaswamy to Madras.
It is probable that “Subbroya” is really Subaya, and “Ramaswamy” is most likely S. Ramaswamier.
11 The text and translation of this 13th Letter are as follows:
My dear Mme. Coulomb,
Oh mon pauvre Christofolo! Il est donc mort et vous l’ avez tué? Oh ma chère amie si vous saviez comme je voudrais le voir revivre!
...................................
Ma bénédiction à mon pauvre Christopholo.
À vous, toujours,
H. P. B.
My dear Mme. Coulomb,
Oh my poor Christofolo! He is dead then, and you have killed him? Oh, my dear friend, if you only knew how I would like to see him revive!
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My blessing on my poor Christopholo. Ever yours,
H. P. B.
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For the sake of completeness, we append below the text and translation of the 14th and 15th forged letters, as they appeared in the Christian College Magazine, though H. P. B. does not specifically mention them. They are as follows:
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Darjeeling.
Ma chère amie,
....................................
Veuillez oh sorcière à mille ressources demander à Christofolo quand vous le verrez de transmettre la lettre ci incluse par voie aérienne astrale ou n’importe comment. C’est très important. À vous ma chère, je vous embrasse bien.
Yours faithfully,
LUNA MELANCONICA.
Je vous supplie FAITES LE BIEN.
Darjeeling.
My dear Friend,
Be good enough, Oh sorceress of a thousand resources, to ask Christofolo, when you see him, to transmit the letter enclosed herewith, by an aerial or astral way, or it makes no matter how. It is very important. I embrace you, my dear.
Yours faithfully,
LUNA MELANCONICA.
I beg you, DO IT WELL.
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13 juillet
Cher Marquis,
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Montrez ou envoyez-lui le papier ou le slip (le petit sacristi pas le grand, car ce dernier doit aller se coucher près de son auteur dans le temple mural) avec l’ordre de vous les fournir. J’ai reçu une lettre qui a forcé notre maître chéri K. H. d’écrire ses ordres aussi à Mr. Damodar et autres. Que la Marquise les lise. Cela suffira je vous l’assure. Ah si je pouvais avoir ici mon Christofolo chéri!
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Cher Marquis—je vous livre le destin de mes enfants. Prenez-en soin et faites leur faire des miracles. Peut-être il serait mieux de faire tomber celui-ci sur la tête?
H. P. B.
Cachetez l’enfant après l’avoir lu. Enregistrez vos lettres s’il s’y trouve quelque chose—autrement, non.
13th July
Dear Marquis,
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Show or send him the paper or the slip (the small sacristy, not the large one, for the latter must go and lie near its author in the mural temple) with the order to supply them to you. I have
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received a letter which has obliged our dear master K. H. to write his orders also to Mr. Damodar. Let the Marquise read them. That will be enough, I assure you. Ah, if I could only have my darling Christofolo here!
Dear Marquis—I leave the fate of my children in your hands. Take care of them and make them work miracles. Perhaps it would be better to make this one fall on his head?
H. P. B.
Seal the child after reading it. Register your letters if there is anything in them—otherwise not.
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