| Author(s) | Karl Marx |
|---|---|
| Written | 21 May 1869 |
MARX TO ENGELS
IN MANCHESTER
[London,] 21 MAY 1869
DEAR FRED,
Tussy and my wife returned from Paris on Wednesday,[1] and I intended to come to Manchester with Tussy tomorrow. In the meantime, this has been made impossible by an economic obstacle.
The various Paris journeys by Jenny, Tussy and Madame, and the purchases connected therewith, have naturally entailed extra expenditure for me. Second, there were borrowings to a sum of £14, which I absolutely could not avoid, BY AN UNHAPPY coincidence of circumstances. Dupont, the soundest of the people here, has not only chômage[2] but his wife is hopelessly ill. He is such a discreet man that he borrows from nobody, except in extreme need, and he is so conscientious that he always pays back. So I loaned him £6. Then along came Lessner, put into difficult circumstances by his wife's long and finally fatal illness. I could deny him all the less since I was myself his debtor for a long time. Thus £5. Finally the worthy Liebknecht (after writing to me in vain on the subject) writes to Eccarius himself, asking him to approach me for an advance. I told Eccarius that I had already turned Wilhelm down. But Eccarius wailed—and this is a fact—that he would be turned out of the house if I did not advance him at least £2 for rent owing. I thus did this, but at the same time wrote to Wilhelm that he should return it to me. So £14 OUT OF POCKET. All this left me with £15 lying in petto. But then, yesterday, A CERTAIN Drengler (nomen omen[3] ) arrived from the City with a letter from Mr Zitschke in New York, who 13 years ago loaned me £15, and then suddenly disappeared from London because of embezzlement (he dispatched emigrants to New York). TURNS NOW UP AGAIN with the old loan, which I had thought settled by his defection with the cash. I had to deal with the matter all the more because, in the meantime, he has become friendly with Mr Heinzen; in the event of a refusal to pay, he would have been able to 'Pioneer me out'.[4] Thus cleaned out.
Fox has died in Vienna after a 5-day pulmonary disease. His family left in poverty. Letters on this have reached me from Vienna. Fox's mother (Peter Fox nom de plume,[5] real name Peter Fox André) is a rich woman, who, however, left him completely in the lurch, partly because he married her abigail (now old), and partly because of his atheism. I have now approached her, threatening that if she does not give something, public collections will be held for her son in London.
Meissner sent me, 1 week ago, the 1st sheet of the 18th Brumaire, and wrote that things should now go 'quickly'. But sheet 2 is not here yet. He appears to be dragging the matter out as long as possible.
Salut
Your
K. M.