Imaginary Letter to Victor Hugo

[M.J.]

Dear Monsieur V.H.,

It is to my disadvantage that we have not met in life. How I wish that you would rise from the memorial tombs, that I could speak with you for one full day. Monsieur, what can I say that you have not already said? How can I express to you how touched, how thankful I am, to receive the warmth through these pages, the light of a human soul touching another, across the centuries. How you cared so much, to have spent so many years, studying and reflecting on the human character and what makes us into who we are. The moments of decision, the forces of influence, the pull and tug of good and evil, the workings and outworking’s of human society, the shame, degradation, humiliation, the insolence, the joy, the serenity, the soft mist of new feelings, and the torch ablaze, capable of burning up our feelings to reincarnate, into a new being, for better or worse.

How much you have cared Monsieur. How delicately, how painstakingly, slowly, you have unraveled the character of a man, to allow his motives, and the struggle of his spirit to be manifest. Did you think anyone would care? Surely, you must have, you hoped….did you imagine how powerful a testament it would be? I for one Monsieur, am moved to tears that you…care. I wish you would speak to me, listen to me, for here I have found at last, someone who is not satisfied with mending up a tear with a simple brush. Here I have found someone who understands that greater forces are at work. Forces to be reckoned with; Forces that can alter one for better or worse and bend the course of one’s life. With such tenderness, with whispering and holding the reader’s hand gently, saying “allow me…walk with me down this simple path…and I will show you…I will show you the roots below the ground… I will show you the sap deep within the trunk…you will see and understand more…and hopefully become the wiser…to look with compassion and understanding upon your fellow man.” A question, Monsieur. Did you think that others would listen? Did you hope they would care? Every man hopes….but did you find what you were looking for? Did you do it to unpurge your own soul? Or did you also desire the compassion and sympathy, may we even dare to say…empathy…of another human being? And did you receive it? I hope you did Monsieur. In any case, I, centuries later, can only thank you with tears, and imagine that someday, we will be speaking, I seated by your feet, you will look upon my face, I will hear you tenderly call me ‘child,’ and know that it is not only because you care, but because you truly understand. You have renewed my faith Monsieur. And if there is one like you, there must be others. Thank you.

 Mlle M.J.