84 - MERMOZ, Jean

MERMOZ, Jean 8 letters (L.A.S.) “Jean” (2 “Mermoz”), Toulouse, November–December 1924, to his “Beloved Mom”; 34 pages, in-8. First flights for the Latécoère airlines. November 1. “I flew twice this morning. I’m now well-regarded at home, and if this keeps up, I won’t have any reason to complain about being here. It’s true that I’m always on time and ready to fly; most of the others don’t get up until 9 or 10 a.m. […] As for me, it doesn’t take any extra effort; I’ve gotten into the habit of getting up at 6:30 a.m., I have a ¾-hour tram ride, and I’m usually there by 8:00 a.m. That way, I’m always available in case of a flight”… – November 19. “I’m back from Casablanca. A superb trip in every way, but extremely tiring; just imagine, six to seven hours in the air every day! I plan to start the Toulouse-Barcelona leg in a few days while I wait for my assignment, probably in Spain.” He thinks he’ll soon be making 2,000 francs. He’s worried about his mother’s divorce… – November 27. “Of course, my dear Mom, I haven’t given up hope for our future. It’s starting to look a little less bleak. […] I’ve started the Toulouse–Perpignan leg; I’ve already flown it once. […] We’re, so to speak, on standby while we wait for the Dakar route to open in January”… [Early December]. “I’ve successfully completed my first two legs—Toulouse to Perpignan to Barcelona and back—and I’m setting out again tomorrow to do two more, which I hope will continue to go well. If all goes well, I plan to earn at least 1,800 to 2,000 francs this month, but I’m eager to head out on a stopover because here I’m too close to the spotlight and a target of much jealousy and harassment, as is common in any society of men or women toward those who succeed too well. […] All I ask is to stay here and continue this work for as long as possible”… – December 15. “I have a lot of work right now. I’m in the air three out of every four days right now, for about five hours a day. The veterans have taken time off; so right now, I’m keeping quite busy. I’ve already completed 10 legs—100 francs per leg—which already adds up to a nice sum. […] I assure you it’s not money I’ve stolen; the weather is terrible—always fog, rain, or even snow, with very strong winds on landing. But all these are just the minor inconveniences of the job. It’s so rewarding to do my job. I was up in the air for eight straight hours last Saturday. I slept well that night […] Well, yes, I’m twenty-three years old and I have faith in the future. “If we keep fighting, we’ll surely prevail”… – December 20: “These days I’ve been in Spain more often than in France and very busy. Anyway, this is my eleventh letter. Things are already looking up”… – December 22: “Something nasty has happened to me. I’ve brought back gonorrhea from Spain”; he undergoes a rigorous course of treatment. “The main thing is that I recover quickly and don’t have to stop working”… – December 30: “I made the round trip from Toulouse to Barcelona this morning in six and a half hours. I’m happy with my day’s work, which earned me 230 francs. I’d love to have many more days like this”… Enclosed are 3 letters addressed to Mermoz by his friend Henri Fournier, Savigny-sur-Orge, dated September 24 and 29, 1924, and Friday, June 20 (8 pages, in-4 format). Provenance: - Jean Mermoz (1901–1936); - Gabrielle Gillet-Mermoz (1880–1955); - Then passed down within the family