Milano 30 Aprile 1895
Ricevo la s/. d’ieri. Come Ella sa
Ho pensato ancora jeri e stanotte al caso disgraziato, per quanto mi riflette personalmente, e tutto mi persuade che appunto le conseguenze pesino personalmente su di me. Giudicando così, per quanto sia doloroso, mi pare adempiere ai seguenti doveri = di coscienziosa lealtà, in quanto che la mia buona fede si avvicini alla dabbenaggine = di oculata prudenza, in quanto che impedisca che una qualsiasi proposta di responsabilità personale possa venir mossa da taluno dei soci, proposta offensiva e che mi obbligherebbe a dimettermi dalla gerenza.
Certo è questo per me un disastro, ma alquanto relativo: la mia piccola sostanza, investita nella Ditta, ne ha gravissimo danno è vero, ma appunto perché piccola questa grande mia fortuna, i miei figli ne avranno danno relativo, poiché non possono illudersi di poter campare discretamente senza lavorare, e molto. E poi, devo pensare che la mala fortuna che così ferocemente mi ha perseguitato in questi anni, continuerà su questa via?.... Se subentrasse un po’ di calma, se qualche raggio di luce avesse a far capolino, posso sperare di tappare il buco.
In ogni modo, qualunque considerazione deve sparire, innanzi al bisogno di salvare la mia dignità e con essa la mia influenza.
Non mi dilungo: Ella saprà bene interpretare quanto brevemente ora le esposi, ed in ogni caso ne parleremo domani.
Mi è grato confermarle tutta la mia stima ed amicizia.
D.mo Giulio Ricordi
178.
pp. 361-362
CLET002044
Milan, 30 April 1895
Eg. Avv. Umberto Campanari
(Personal)
City
I have received your letter from yesterday. As you know, Panattoni has agreed to join us tomorrow morning at 11:00, so we can decide tomorrow. But I think some explanation is necessary regarding both the reasons why Panattoni is coming and the context of your aforementioned letter. When I contacted Avv. Panattoni I did not have the slightest idea that you could interpret it as anything even remotely resembling a gesture of mistrust toward you: given the circumstances, you have done all anyone could do, legally and, I must say, humanly as well! – This said, please understand that what I seek tomorrow is not the counsel of two lawyers, but rather the advice of two friends.
I pondered this wretched case again yesterday and last night, for how it reflects upon me personally, and everything convinces me that in fact the consequences weigh upon me personally. Having reached this conclusion, painful as it is, it seems I must fulfill the following obligations: of conscientious loyalty, so much so that my good faith might even seem naïve; and of scrupulous caution, in order to prevent any of the shareholders from holding me personally responsible, which would be offensive and force me to have to resign as general manager.
Certainly this is a disaster for me, but relatively so: it is true that my modest means, which are entirely invested in the Company, will be seriously damaged, but precisely because this “great fortune” of mine is so small, my offspring will suffer only limited damage, since they can in no way imagine being able to get along without working, and working hard at that. Then too, must I presume that the misfortune that has so ferociously persecuted me in these years will continue in this way?... If there were any possibility of a bit of calm, of some glimmer of light, I might hope to remedy things.
In any case, all other concerns are nothing compared to my need to save my dignity, and with it my influence.
I will say no more: you are fully capable of interpreting what I have briefly mentioned here, and in any case we will speak tomorrow.
I am pleased to confirm my complete esteem and friendship.
Most sincerely, Giulio Ricordi