Danse d'une Hirondelle

A letter written by Hugo de la Liberté I whilst in Charenton Lunatic Asylum, a letter directed to Racine de la Liberté discussing Hugo's newly found hobby in the Asylum, and the last letter exchanged between Hugo and Racine.

Translated Version
My dearest sister, Racine,

''I'm writing with thrill to inform you of my hobby - newly discovered. I am glad you have stuck about, as I am growing lonely in here - the guards are little fun as they beat us for the littlest of incidents and the doctors are forgettable. Urgently, I will gladly remind you of our mother - our thieving, disgusting rat of a mother - and her fortunate end. The police counted thirty nine stab wounds - the rush of blood I felt wouldn't let me stop. I enjoyed it far too much. And after I found a discarded fish hook, I rediscovered my love.''

''Fifty six rats found mutilated and stabbed to death throughout the asylum. I can't stop - it's too fun to watch them squirm whilst agonizingly bleed to death, their innards hanging out and clinging like a dewdrop to a blade of grass. Though there is much more that fifty six - they merely cannot count. I estimate over one hundred, two hundred, one fucking thousand. I can't stop. It's too much fun.''

''Dr. Abreo told me I have to stop. Agnes says it okay. Agnes wont let me alone - she's louder everyday in my ear. She's gotten meaner - ruder. Sometimes I see her. She peeks into my cell and holds me comfortingly. I ask her to remove my straps but she tells me I don't deserve it. I don't understand. Her voice sounds much like rat's - mother's. Identical, as a matter of fact, and she looks peculiar. A wrinkly woman with black hair. A lot like one of the nurses here. Agnes wont tell me where she's from or who she is - only that I don't deserve anything or her. I don't understand, still. She's so comforting yet so horrible to me.''

''She asks me to, sometimes, do things which I don't think I should be doing. Such as hitting the guards and nurses. None of the other patients, or doctors, can see her. She tells me I'm special and that I'm important - that's why I can see her.''

''She told me to kill Charlotte in the first place, and now she tells me it's okay to hurt these animals. I trust Agnes. Sometimes she gets me hurt - a lot of the time - but her voice is enchanting and trustworthy. I can't drag myself away from her.''

With much love and desperation,

Hugo.

Aftermath
Following the receival of the letter, Racine refused to send a letter back to Hugo as she was far too disgusted and disturbed to even fathom how to continue a letter.

Racine wouldn't talk to Hugo for years until their final meeting and Hugo's death.