Hong Kong
How are you and your family in Calamba? — His father, Paciano, and Bestre are well — If they send him his books and the letters in the possession of Brother Isidoro — To establish an agricultural colony in Borneo — Would like to operate on his mother’s eyes — “Be patient, our day will come.”
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Hong Kong, 9 December 1891
MRS. MARIA RIZAL MERCADO
Philippines
MY DEAR SISTER,
I have not written you for such a long time that I no longer know whether you are still alive or if you still remember me.
Father, Mr. Paciano, and Bestre are already here, thank God. Father has put on weight and his cheeks have become pinkish, he is always cheerful, he is always walking around, and he is very much pleased with Hong Kong. They are very grateful for having been able to come here.
If Mother is there, please kiss her for me, also Pangoy and Trinidad, and tell them that they are very dear to me. I hope that we may all foregather here.
Please find out very well where all the letters that I entrusted to Brother Isidoro have landed. When you have got them, send them to me together with my books or else you send them to Manila so that they can be forwarded to me. I have heard that they are with Cabesang Salló. We are well off here. We have hopes of moving to Borneo to live there and engage in farming.
Take care of our nephews and other sisters there. They must be patient and our day will come.
Tell Mother that I have a very great desire to see her and to operate on her eyes, if this letter should find her there still.
Don’t forget those letters I left with Brother Isidoro. Look for them secretly so that the priests may not know about them. Give my greetings to all our relatives and friends who still remember me.
This is all. Regards to Daniel.
How are my nephews getting along?
A fond embrace for you from your affectionate brother
JOSÉ RIZAL
02-676 [Blumentritt V.2]