"Nous ne serons pas en état de faire le voyage en mai..."

Autograph letter dated and signed by Raymond Queneau, 17 lines in black ink, addressed to Monsieur Lauwaert.
Raymond Queneau and his wife Janine are sorry they cannot spend a few days with their friends: " Ma femme doit entrer en clinique ces jours-ci pour un traitement de radiothérapie, souffrant d'une sciatique aiguë" ["My wife must enter the clinic these days for radiotherapy treatment, suffering from acute sciatica"], hoping this is only a postponement: "... nous espérons bien venir en septembre et pouvoir récupérer longuement une meilleure santé, car la meilleure non plus n'a pas été brillante cet hiver." ["... we very much hope to come in September and be able to recover better health for a long time, as mine hasn't been brilliant this winter either."]
A touching letter from Raymond Queneau about his wife's fragile health, she being destined to pass away a few months later, on July 18, 1972.