| Author(s) | Friedrich Engels |
|---|---|
| Written | 9 January 1891 |
ENGELS TO PASQUALE MARTIGNETTI
IN BENEVENTO
London, 9 January 1891
Dear Friend,
Your sister's misfortune has aroused my heartfelt sympathy. And I can imagine what an indescribable state of agitation it has put you into. But don't lose your head. What good would it do your sister if you were to kill the dirty dog? He would bear with him to the grave the satisfaction of having ruined not one family but two. I know that in societies such as those of southern Italy, where a good many memories from the time of the gens still live on, a brother is regarded as the natural protector and avenger of his sister. But this brother is also married, he has a wife and children, he has obligations towards them, and in today's society those obligations take precedence over everything else. In my view, therefore, you owe it to your family to refrain from any action that would inevitably condemn you to lifelong separation from them.
So far as I am concerned, your sister is still as pure and as deserving of respect as she always was.
But if you believe you must take your revenge, there is, after all, yet another way in which you can brand the seducer in the eyes of the public with the mark of disgrace.
Over here the brother would give the scoundrel a public thrashing. In France or Germany a publicly administered box on the ears would suffice.
In Austrian Poland (Leopol[1] ) a journalist had sold himself to the Russians. Some young Poles laid hold of him on the public promenade, placed him over a bench and gave him 25 of the best.
You in Italy will also have ways of publicly branding a scoundrel like this and of exposing him to universal scorn without taking his life or causing him permanent physical damage.
As I have said, far be it from me to advise you about this matter. But if you are firmly convinced that some sort of vengeance must be done, then it had best be vengeance affecting the seducer's honour rather than any other kind.
With warm regards,
Yours,
F. Engels
Very many thanks for your good wishes on my 70th birthday.