| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 14 May 1895 |
ENGELS TO LAURA LAFARGUE
IN LE PERREUX
London, 14 May 1895
41 Regent's Park Road, N. W.
My dear Löhr
I was extremely glad, and indeed so were Louise and Ludwig to learn that both you and Paul were ready and willing to come over here for a bit, and I should have written at once in reply, had it not been for those confounded pains which for a week nearly drove me mad and even now have not left me, anything but painless, but extremely stupid and unfit for anything. The fact is this. Some time ago I got a swelling on the right side of the neck, which after some time resolved itself into a bunch of deep-seated glands infiltrated by some cause or other. The pains arose from direct pressure of that lump on the nerve and will of course only give way when that pressure disappears. At present a process of resorption is going on very satisfactorily, but a couple of these glands are suppurating and will have to be cut; and as they are so deep- seated and slow in coming to the surface, and we old people being such slow coaches, the time for the operation cannot be exactly fixed, but it is hoped will come off this week. That once performed I am ordered to the sea-side; but the uncertainty is still about the time.
Now as things are situated, would it not be the best thing for you to come over say in the course of next week, and then as soon as possible you and I could bundle off to Eastbourne 596 and settle down in comfortable quarters and prepare for visitors from London. I say you and I, because I intend to keep you here a good bit longer than very likely Paul would care to separate himself from his studies and your animals and the garden work; so he perhaps would prefer to do as you say and come tumbling after.
When I shall have cleared out from here, Louise intends giving my two rooms a good cleaning down and after that she might come and join us with her baby for a week or so; after that Tussy and Edward might come, and then Paul who by that time is sure to be tired of his solitude, and then
we might bethink ourselves of returning all of us to London and show Paul our new establishment too.
This is such a sort of rough prospectus as a man with neuralgic pains in the head after a series of sleepless nights has been able to excogitate under the present indefinite conditions, and therefore subject to alterations as novel circumstances and novel ideas may command. It is humbly submitted to you for approval or improvement as may be.
The heat is insupportable, 22°C in the room all day long—no wind, clouds and impending thunder which unfortunately keeps impending. And that 2 months after that hard frost!
Kind regards from the Freybergers to both of you. Amitiés à Paul et au revoir.
I enclose cheque £10—for your journey hither and any little additions you may like to make to your outfit.
So please say when we may expect you.
Ever yours,
F. Engels