C.G. JUNG & HERMAN HESSE: A Record of Two Friendships
Dear Mr. Serrano, Kusnacht, Zurich June 16, 1961
Thank you so much for your very kind letter which was a great comfort to me.
Now my work-it was a very great privilege indeed to be able to look after ‘C. G.’- is over, I feel very lost and desolate, but the kind letters from his friends help m so much in my loneliness, and the feeling of inability to face life without him.
He died so very peacefully, just went to sleep at the end, and he wanted to go.
He was so very tired and weak.
On May I7th, after a very happy and peaceful day before, he had an embolism, a blood clot in the brain and it affected his speech a little.
You can imagine this was a great shock to me, it happened at breakfast time.
But after a few days he began to pick up again and his speech improved very well, but he could not 1read so well and I spent much time reading to him.
Then on July 30th, again after a very peaceful and happy day, we were sitting in the library window having tea when he had a collapse and that was the last time he was in the library, afterwards he was in his room.
From this time onwards he got weaker and weaker, and for two days before he died he was away in some far country and he saw wonderful and beautiful things, I am sure of that.
He smiled often and was happy.
The last time we sat out on the terrace he told me of the wonderful dream he had had; he said: ‘Now I know the truth but there is still a small piece not filled in and when I know that, I shall be dead.’
Also after that he had a wonderful dream which he told me in the night.
He saw a huge round block of stone sitting on a high plateau and at the foot of the stone was engraved these words: ‘And this shall be a sign unto you of Wholeness and Oneness.’
I should have known from this that his life was complete, all these last days I should have known that he was leaving me.
I think I did know but pushed the knowledge aside, and perhaps that was merciful because I might not have been able to do what I had to do for him.
I could stay with him night and day.
Dear Mr. Serrano, I cannot write much more now but I I hope to see you again and I shall be clearer in my mind then perhaps, to tell you of many strange things.
I am going to England for a few weeks but I am to come back again and keep open the house and there is so much to be done yet, it will take months.
The members of his family are very kind to me.
The family received the message from Mr. Nehru and were deeply touch by it.
‘C. G.’ liked you so much and I feel my friendship with you is a valuable thing to me, I found it easy to talk with you always.
The turquoise box you brought for him he gave to me in these last days. Because of our mutual love and regard for him,
I hope you don’t mind that, or would you like it back again?
Now no more.
Thank you again so much for your kind thoughts of me.
Yours very sincerely,
RUTH BAILEY ~Ruth Bailey, Jung-Hesse A Friendship, Pages 104-105