Published by Blavatsky Study Center. Online Edition copyright 2004.


[Letter from Emma Coulomb
to H.P. Blavatsky]

[Reprinted from Report of the Result of an Investigation into the
Charges against Madame Blavatsky Brought by the Missionaries
of the Scottish Free Church of Madras, and Examined by a Committee
Appointed for That Purpose by the General Council of the Theosophical Society
,
Madras, India, Theosophical Society, 1885, pp. 131-132.]


Letter from Mrs. Coulomb, showing that Madame Blavatsky could not have been indebted to her in June 1879.

Galle, 10th June 1879.

My dear Friend,

Now I will tell you what happened after you left Cairo. You know that you sent me the cloth by Mrs. Sebire, well she left it in a third person’s house took some money on it and I did not get one penny and was obliged to pay the money to the man who had lent me the divers sums you know; besides which Mrs. S. behaved very badly with me who had been so kind to her, she wrote letters against us and used to make mischief when she returned from ---- she came to us and told my husband that she had the secret of a treasure which was buried in the catacombs of Alexandria. We believed this folly and went with her there, she made us spend no end of money and finally had to give it up, losing Frs. 2,000. Madame S. is therefore better dead than alive, so, as you say, peace to her ashes. Now I must ask you the favor of helping me with the loan of Rs. 200 for a short time and I will tell you what I want this sum for. We have taken a nice garden and villa which we are going to open to the public, we are going to have an Hotel there or rather a restaurant and to carry this plan out we are obliged to pay license of Rs. 250. Now we have managed to settle all right, but we cannot afford to pay this license. I consider you as a good friend and therefore take the liberty to ask you this favour. If it is not in your power to do so, try to obtain it for me some how. If not all the sum as much as you possibly can and I’ll return it in two months. You know well what is to be in trouble and in a strange place. I was in Calcutta and there made my way well, but that climate does not suit us; my husband was always suffering with fever, so we cannot go there. I trust you will not deny me the favour I so much need.

Hoping to hear from you soon.

I remain,
Yours very truly,
E. Coulomb.

P.S. - I’ll give a Promissory note.