To C. W.
St. Petersburg,
15/27 Jan., 1886.
{15th is Russian old style (Julian) calendar, changed to European
(Gregorian) calendar in February 1918}
Dear Madam,
Forgive me the long delay of my answer. My daughter's illness as well as my proper disease of health and mind — are my only excuses.
I am obliged to tell you, and ask you to kindly forward, or repeat this, my answer to Mr. Sinnett — that I am not able to add anything to what I have already written, about all I know of my sister's doings or movements.
As for her childhood, I remember it but very little, being several years younger and therefore having been bred apart from her and our youngest aunt Miss Nadejda Fadeyeff, who can indeed be a great deal more useful, in this matter, to your researches. Likewise in my sister's lifelong travels about land and sea, her only almost regular — mind the reticence — correspondent was this aunt and best friend of hers.
For my part, I only am aware that all her life was a continual migration between Africa, America and Asia — which certainly is known to her a great deal better than Europe. In the far East, I suppose, were spent most of the ten years, from 1850 till 1860 — that we rarely had any news from her. I, for instance, for several years thought her dead and duly buried.
Now, all that I have seen of phenomena, while Hellen lived with me near Pskoff (from her return to Russia in the winter of '59) in my country house and lately in '84 in Paris I have described minutely, and have nothing more to say: so I pray Mr. Sinnett if he is willing and able "to fill up" as he says "the deficiencies" of my writings, to do it in his name, not in mine.
That would not do, you see, as well for his sake, as for mine and Hellen's. English is well known and much read in Russia. My name and writings are also known well enough. All addition to them shall be obvious and produce a bad impression.
As to her being a spy of the Russian Government — it's such a gross imposture, and nonsense, that not one sensible man in the world will pay attention to it, I am sure. Her opponents must surely well know that this sort of trouble is well paid for. If she had been in the service, she would not be obliged now, in her old age and illness, to labour for bread's sake. It is a monstrous calumny, and Mr. Sinnett may well throw it in the face of her stupid enemies.
I beg you, Madam, to agree my most sincere regard and thanks for the friendship you feel for my poor sister. May God help her in her troubles.
Vera Zelihovsky.
P.S. Give the enclosed note to my sister if you please.
Chronological Order
Next: Blavatsky Letter 180
Previous: Blavatsky Letter 135