| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 3 October 1893 |
ENGELS TO JULIE BEBEL
IN BERLIN
London, 3 October 1893
Dear Julie,
You and August will have got our postcard of Friday's date. 264 I found a colossal pile of work waiting for me and, with the help of Louise who is still up to her eyes in printed matter, have now toiled and moiled my way through what was the most urgent, and am thus able to drop you a couple of lines.
Well, after our departure on Thursday. 189 we saw Adolf Braun for a moment at the Zoologischer Garten Station and then continued on our way. In our compartment there were two shabby looking johnnies who turned out to be something of a nuisance; luckily one of them, an Englishman, was completely drunk by ten o'clock, after which they spent the rest of the day in the corridor.
In Hanover we had a meal consisting of soup and meat during the course of which we were joined by good old Kugelmann and his daughter[1] , who is far nicer than he is. He again treated me to a whole catalogue of medical precepts for the governance of my life, but also to a little basket containing meat sandwiches, apples and half a bottle of wine. The sight of it sent us into transports—red wine! But alas, it was so-called 'red port', a sweetish concoction which we bestowed upon the ticket collector in return for his kindness.
Soon after this there arose a lively debate between the ticket collector and some of the passengers on the question of whether those bound for the Hook of Holland ought not to change at Löhne and travel via Rheine-Salzbergen. We stuck firmly to Oberhausen, since Louise's ticket did not leave us any other alternative. At Minden, however, the train was already half an hour late and, since we had only 17 minutes at Oberhausen in which to make the connection, there was every prospect that we should miss it. It was here that the time-table August had given me in the morning really came in handy. We took the old Cologne-Minden railway which I knew to be one of the most soundly built in Germany. As we passed these stretches, we could see that we were making up for quite a bit of lost time, and in this way we arrived punctually at Oberhausen.
The mining district between Hamm and Oberhausen is just like a piece of the English black country. The atmosphere and the towns just as smoky and black as in England, and the houses, because mostly painted in light colour, even more unpleasantly blackened than the bare English brick.
In Holland we again heard passengers and ticket collectors drop all kinds of dark hints about missed connections, but nevertheless we arrived at Rotterdam at 8.42 Dutch, i.e. 9.42 German time. That hour's difference had made everything all right (it hadn't been quite clear to us from August's time-table exactly where the change of time became operative and hence we had been in a state of uncertainty).
And though in Rotterdam we had to walk from one station to the other— about 10 minutes away—we still had some time in hand and arrived there before those who had travelled via Löhne-Rheine-Salzbergen.
Aside from a little of Kugelmann's fare, Louise had taken only one bowl of soup at Arnheim and another at Rotterdam, whereas I had subsisted on Kugelmann's fare and beer. It was blowing quite nicely when we left. I soon turned in and was quite pleasantly rocked to sleep, but didn't suspect there was anything amiss until I woke up in broad daylight after 8 hours, when we should long since have been in Harwich! I got up—I had the cabin all to myself—no one on board was stirring. I went up on deck to find it completely empty—everywhere wet decks and signs of its having been a rough night. At last a young German came along and confided to me that we had been through a frightful storm. Soon after, a few damsels appeared, and then Louise; the poor thing had been closeted in a small cabin with five others and had heroically survived the worst, despite her hysterical and sea-sick entourage. Eventually, however, when the big rollers were succeeded by a choppy sea, she too momentarily succumbed to the importunities of old Neptune.
We arrived two hours late in London—the Avelings were at the station— found everything in excellent order and attacked our work with the recklessness customary in those who have heroically weathered a slight storm. Nothing much would seem to have happened here, and it is only by degrees that we shall be able to find out about the little comings and goings of the local movement.
Apropos, Ede Bernstein maintains that Paul Singer has totally misunderstood his article.[2] He never said that one should compromise, according to circumstances, with Conservatives, 202 National Liberals, 203 Ultramontanes, 68 etc.; all he had in mind was the Freethinking People's Party. 223 I told him that I for one could not have deduced that from his article; at all events, the latter possibility is one he has also left open.
But now, dear Julie, I must thank you and August once again for all the kindness and friendship you showed me, not only in Berlin but also in Zurich—and which August showed me throughout our trip; I can but remind you of your promise to pay us a visit here in the spring so that we for our part can show you London. Cordial regards to you both and to all our friends,
Your
F. Engels
[Postscript from Louise Kautsky]
Dearest Julie,
I really am more than up to my eyes in work and as yet can see no way out of it, not even for writing letters. The General[3] who is settling down to his writing, has told you how we fared on the journey, but forgotten to say that he monopolised the sandwiches you gave us. All went very well with him on the trip, he was always cheerful and in good spirits, always worried about missing our connections, and full of beans. On Sunday I myself at once fell back into my former, housekeeping role. But our guests treated me indulgently. Please tell August that I have not yet been able to find out anything definite about the second English edition; 265 I wish to see the book myself and shall get someone to buy it for me, but Reeves certainly wouldn't sell it to me direct.
I add my warmest thanks to those of the General. I have not had time to reflect upon all that I have experienced, and am living as if in a dream, a dream interspersed with work. And you, poor tormented souls, how are you? Love and kisses to you and August from
Your
Louise