| Author(s) | Karl Marx |
|---|---|
| Written | 17 February 1882 |
MARX TO ENGELS
IN LONDON
Marseilles, 17 February 1882
Hôtel au petit Louvre,
Rue de Cannebière
DEAR FRED,
I presume that Tussy dropped you a line yesterday. I had not originally intended to leave Paris until next Monday[1] ; since my state of health was rather not improving, I took at once the resolution of removing to Marseilles, and thence at once, on Saturday, to sail for Algiers.
In Paris, accompanied by my Johnny,[2] I called upon but one mortal, namely Mesa. (In fact he, Mesa, sollicitierte[3] me to chatter too much, in addition to which I returned to Argenteuil somewhat too late, ABOUT 7 O'CLOCK IN THE EVENING. I didn't sleep a wink all night.) I tried to persuade Mesa to ask his friends, notably Guesde, if they would be kind enough to postpone a meeting with me until my return from Algiers. But all that in vain. In fact, Guesde is so much on all parts assailed just now, that it was important for him to have an 'official' meeting on my side. After all, one was bound to concede that much to the party. Hence I arranged a meeting at the Hôtel de Lyon et de Mulhouse, 8 boulevard Beaumarchais, to which Guesde and Deville came with Mesa at ABOUT 5 in the afternoon. I first received them downstairs in the restaurant, having been accompanied there from Argenteuil (on Wednesday[4] afternoon) by Tussy and Jennychen. Guesde was rather embarrassed on Jennychen's account BECAUSE HE HAD JUST [brought out] an acrimonious article against Longuet, ALTHOUGH SHE (Jennychen) DID NOT TAKE NO REGARD WHATEVER TO THAT INCIDENT. As soon as the young ladies had left, I d'abord[5] went up to ma chambre[6] with them, chatted there for ABOUT 1 HOUR, then DOWN — it being now time for Mesa to be off—to the restaurant where they still had leisure ENOUGH to empty a BOTTLE of Beauve with me. By 7 o'clock they'd 'all' gone. WITH ALL THAT, although I was in bed by 9 o'clock, a fiendish din of traffic without intermission until 1 o'clock, at which time (ABOUT 1 O'CLOCK) I had a vomissement[7] having again got too much engrossed in conversation.
A fine day for the journey to Marseilles, and ALL RIGHT until just beyond the STATION at Lyons. First, 1½ hours d'arrêt[8] AT Cassis on account of the locomotive's DISTEMPER; then again the same mishap with the engine AT Valence, although this time the arrêt wasn't so long. Meanwhile it had turned bitter cold with a nasty BITING WIND. Instead of arriving some time before midnight, we did not reach [Marseilles] until after 2 o'clock in the morning; to some extent I was MORE OR LESS FREEZING, despite all my wrappings, the only antidote I found being 'alcohol' and I AGAIN AND AGAIN RESORTED TO IT. During the last quarter of an hour (if not more) in the exposed, cold and windswept gare de Marseille,[9] there was one last épreuve[10] in the shape of prolonged formalities before obtaining possession of one's LUGGAGE.
Today it's sunny in Marseilles, but the wind itself not yet warm. Dr Dourlen advised me to stay at the above-named hotel, whence I shall leave for Algiers tomorrow (Saturday) at 5 in the afternoon. The office of the Paquebots à vapeur des Postes françaises[11] is located here, in the very hotel at which I am staying, so that I was able to take a ticket (at 80 frs FIRST CLASS) for the paquebot[12] Said straight away; one's BAGGAGE is likewise ENREGISTERED here, so that everything is as convenient as can be.
Apropos. I [got] hold of a Prolétaire (L'Egalité is also SOLD here). Lafargue seems to me to be constantly fomenting further USELESS INCIDENTS — though maybe the DETAILS are far from exact. As to his characterising Fourier a 'Communist', he is now that they[13] make fun of him obliged to explain in what sense he might have called Fourier as a 'Communist'. Such 'audacities' may be ignored, 'interpreted' or 'differently interpreted'; what is worse is that SUCH small FACTS BE SAVED at all. To my mind, he is far too long-winded.
My best compliments to Laura; I shall write her from Algiers. There is one single man sufficient as patron; it is a long letter written by Longuet to his friend Fermé, who has successfully made his way from being an erstwhile deportee to Algeria (under Napoleon III) to the post of juge d'appel[14] of Algiers. No question of passports and such like. Nothing is entered on the passengers' tickets save Christian and surnames.
My compliments also to Lenchen[15] AND THE OTHER FRIENDS. Addio.
OLD Moor