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Hovhannes Toumanyan’s letter to Avetik Isahakyan in Venice:

“I have received your letter. You are saying, if the time is right, - tell me and I will come.

I do not know, what you mean by the ‘right time,’ but let me tell you:

- Come!

- Do come, Avo jan!

There was no right time for us, there cannot be and there won’t be, but still… come.

Once you come back you will see that our land is destroyed, our people are beaten; those who have survived are broken; the ranks of friends and relatives have lessen. You will see just how great our share is of this human ocean of sorrow, but still do come.

I know that over there you have nothing that is right for you – neither a place, nor time, nor environment, nor any means.

After all, you must be missing our land and water, your relatives and friends.

… So do come, my dear Avo.”

Acknowledgements:

Translated by Aleksandr V. Gevorkyan