Honoré-Gabriel de Riquetti, comte de MIRABEAU (1749-1791). L - Lot 238

Honoré-Gabriel de Riquetti, comte de MIRABEAU (1749-1791). L.A., Tuesday [early 1784], to a friend; 2 pages in-8. He is preparing to leave for England. He forwards to his friend a letter from Henriette (his mistress Henriette-Amélie de Nehra): "she suggests the only reasonable course left for me to take; and M. de Meulan writes me at the same time in the name of a power, that's his word, that I can come to Paris in safety; so that I show up there only for my business and don't stay. My mind is made up, therefore, unless you give me better advice; find some way of putting the civil case to rest or finishing it so that my sureties can rest; [...] give me eight or ten louis for my journey and I will set sail, without saying a word to London for fear of good advice and that a plot will be hatched before I get there. I'll leave my effects and books here until further notice. As soon as I arrive in Paris, the rest of my arrears, except for 25 louis to get me to Provence, will be religiously sent to you [...] The little girl is right, this is the only noble, honest and safe thing to do. You are well aware, my friend, that when making a decision, it must be made as soon as possible, lest the little one cross paths with me on the way, and we incur the false expense of a double journey. [...] It's true that I'm without land, but you see that no scruples of this kind can stop my departure". He adds: "To understand Henriette's letter properly, you also need to know that the Château de Mirabeau and its furnishings are mine by marriage contract, and that I alone have the right to establish a domicile there.