June 11 (or 16th?), 1913
No envelope extant
[Assumption is that Aron is in Kishinev and Polya is with her father and siblings in Paris.)
To Polya, my very well-respected Polya!
I greet you. I received your letter today, and I am in a hurry to respond. That letter impressed me in a very difficult way. As soon as I started reading this letter, I felt weakness in my legs and arms and my face color changed to different colors. When I finished reading this letter, I was burning like a crazy man not knowing what’s going on around me. I had to feel that craziness until I left home. Tsillie was all the time sitting in the opposite side of me and probably realized what I was reading. Then I gave her this letter to read. Since we don’t have the opportunity to talk freely even two words, we decided to go to my place to discuss your difficult situation. It’s raining the whole day today, and I had to steal her to take to my apartment. After we finished talking, I walked her home and now I’m writing an answer. Now to the essence of the issue. Yes, Polya, the situation and the condition is really very difficult and sad, but it could be more than it is. Why do you have those difficult and sad thoughts? It sounds like an end of life for you. You are afraid of this foreign country, and it seems the end of life to you. Please, it’s understandable that you have to bear those bad conditions, but things are going to be better. Everybody has to spend some time over there and learn more about this life, meet some people, and then it is going to be better and easier. You spent only a few days there and came to that conclusion already. I think it is a mistake on your side. I know and I understand that you miss yours, but it creates more suffering. Let the time pass and you will get along and everything will be easier. It is always like that. The first time in a foreign country seems to be unbearable even if you have good living conditions. I think it was really nice of you when you said that you would agree to the worst conditions but be able to serve as a mother to those miserable kids. As the oldest member of the family you should and must give them all the mother’s love they miss. You should be staying with them because you are their mother. You need to know that while leaving them only God knows what will happen to them and their destiny. That’s why I’m asking you to live to stay with the children and be their mother. With respect to your personal life, I’m sure that it is going to be good in Paris. You know how miserable conditions are that our young ladies have. The young ladies as soon as they have the opportunity, they are leaving this damnable Russia. You are saying that it’s better to go back to Russia, that I would talk to my aunt and uncle, but I must tell you that you are a naïve person, and you don’t know what’s going on around you. My aunt is not willing to take you and Tsillie cannot help with it. It seems to me that there is no sense to come back, Polya. It seems I am rude to you, but I am trying to understand you. You are mistaken in this case, and I just have more experience in this life and cannot deceive myself or you. It is too late now, and I have to finish this letter and you try to describe everything and write to me more often.
All the best. Be happy. Your friend, Aron.
My greetings from Tsillie.
