Had dinner with the teologo Lanteri. Reserved a place in the carriage for Sunday the 30th, to return to France, by way of Loreto, Milan and Turin.
Roman Diary, 22 April 1826, EO XVII
The weather was cold and damp; I do not know whether it is to that or to being somewhat overtired that I should attribute a very strong pain in the muscles of my left thigh and such weakness in that limb that I can hardly walk. I was supposed to leave tomorrow; I postponed it till Thursday.
Roman Diary, 29 April 1826, EO XVII
Instead of getting better, I am getting worse. Nevertheless, I forced myself to go out; but I could walk only with extreme difficulty. When I got to the Marquis of Croza’s place, he wanted to have me take a ride in his carriage with him; that exercise did not do me any good, and when I wanted to come home, I thought I would not make it. If that keeps on, I will have quite a trip, since I have decided to end my stay and leave definitely on Thursday.
Roman Diary, 30 April 1826, EO XVII
The muscles in my leg are more painful and weak than ever. I could not go out today and I was able to say holy mass only with great difficulty. This discomfort seems very much like sciatica to me. If that is the case, I shall indeed have to arm myself with patience.
Roman Diary, 1 May 1826, EO XVII
I do not know if I ought to regard this delay as quite fortunate in one way; but the fact is, I tell you so that someone may not alarm you unduly, that on Saturday, I caught a pain in the thigh similar to the one which struck me in the arm two years ago. I was not able to walk so you can imagine my predicament for God knows how much I use my legs. Happily the wife of a doctor who saw my pitiful state gave me a small phial of the same ointment which Trussy had ordered for my arm; believe me three applications sufficed to remove all pain and give me back the ability to walk. I am quite well now and I am going to leave without the slightest anxiety. I would have wished to dispense with mentioning to you this minor inconvenience but too many people saw me limp and, amongst others, two Frenchmen who leave today for the south of France. I feared that they might speak of me and that they might exaggerate my trouble in a way as to give you a fright, when it was nothing.
I will be at Loreto on Saturday and will not leave until Tuesday; I count on being at Milan on Pentecost Day and will leave on the third day of the Feast if I find a conveyance.
Letter to Henri Tempier, 4 May 1826, EO VII n 238
After all that misery, a final smile: “The trouble with being a hypochondriac these days is that antibiotics have cured all the good diseases.” Caskie Stinnett
This short delay had to have been difficult for Eugene, who at long last was finally being able to return to France. He has missed the others who make up this newly approved congregation. I returned home from vacation very early this morning after having been away for a mere two weeks, but so glad to come home to my own bed. The last two or three days away I had found myself actually waiting to return to my routine, to those I know and love. Although I enjoyed my time away I was ready to be back here. It’s not hard to picture Eugene as he finally sets out from Rome – limping or not.
Through out his long time away from France Eugene has almost demanded that Henri Tempier write letters to him, keeping him apprised of how all of them are doing with the highs and the lows of their lives and mission work. This morning I find myself saying ‘Finally’. Just as I am anxious to get back to my daily living with those I love, I think that Eugene might have been feeling the same way. Today it would take less than two hours to fly from Rome to Marseille but travel was not quite so fast in Eugene’s time.
“I would have wished to dispense with mentioning to you this minor inconvenience but too many people saw me limp and, amongst others, two Frenchmen who leave today for the south of France. I feared that they might speak of me and that they might exaggerate my trouble in a way as to give you a fright, when it was nothing.” I can’t help but smile – for this seems to be the truth of it.