[The letter of Kandhalavala mentioned by H.P.B. in the previous letter — Ed.]
See my writing on the 3, 4, and 5 lines. [This sentence is in H.P.B.'s handwriting. — Ed.]
Poona,
29th December, 1885.
My dear Madame,
Yours of the 19th October reached me duly. We are all very glad indeed to hear that you have found in Europe "what you vainly searched for in India" — "staunch, fearless friends — whose devotion to Master and yourself has not wavered one hair's breath." [This is apparently a perfect replica of H.P.B.'s own writing. — Ed.] It seems that we poor Indians in the eyes of yourself and the Masters, have lost all the little merit we ever possessed and yet I believe your friends in India are the better gold for all the fault that you may find with them. It is one thing for those to profess implicit belief in you who have not to face a dire scandal, and quite a different thing to live in the midst of daily calumny and unflinchingly do our duty towards those we love without making a fuss or writing about our inner convictions to a prejudiced public, particularly when we cannot muster sufficient facts to give the lie to a scandal which only the Mahatmas could refute.
You are scarcely aware what a difficult task we had when the alleged letters appeared. Poor Sassoon wavering and ready to side with the public. Ezekiel's brother impatient to rush into print with a lot of matter collected haphazard from the conversation they had with you and scarcely knowing whether he was going to do you or Sassoon harm. Ezekiel scarcely remembering all the details and I knowing nothing as to what actually happened during your two visits. In spite of all that, I made the best of the situation and sent two letters signed by Ezekiel to The Times of India which greatly restored the peace of mind of our fellows and sympathisers. It was the Poona Branch that did the most to restore confidence and at best a hundred members if not more have been kept perfectly steady by me. Last year at the convention they were just about to make a mess by rushing into the arms of the law. I had intuitively grasped the real danger that lay before us from the very first day of the publication of those blessed letters and in spite of all difficulties I came to Adyar and helped along with others to avoid a course which would have sealed the fate of the Society and overwhelmed us with eternal ruin and shame. Whatever the truth — it was not in a Court of Justice that you were to have it.
If you want to know the plain truth it is this, that belief in you has not been altogether shaken but the . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [The remainder of the letter is missing. — Ed.]
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