May 8th/67. My dear Master,

I was much disappointed on the arrival of your letters to my two natural superiorsSiehe Marx an J. Marx (Tochter), 5.5.1867. Marx’ Brief an Eleanor Marx vom 5. Mai 1867 (Marx an E. Marx, 5.5.1867) ist nicht überliefert. as I had, somehow, expected some lines directed to myself; which expectation, being altogether unjustifiable, please set down to the natural presumption of Tailors Laura Marx. in general & of a certain tailor in particular. I was also greatly mortified to hear that you supposed my equestrian or any other exercise had kept me from writing to youSiehe Marx an J. Marx (Tochter), 5.5.1867 .:—the truth is that since the departure of Jenny’s letterSiehe J. Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 28.4.1867 .—of which had I known anything I should have sent some lines with her own—we have been daily in expectation of news from you or of your return, & that, whenever I was on the point of writing to you I was dissuaded from my purpose … …

I am delighted to hear that you have some thoughts of coming homeSiehe Marx an J. Marx (Tochter), 5.5.1867. for at one time I really began to think that you had taken French leave & stolen out of our company for good & all: do you know that you have been away full 4 weeks nowSiehe Marx an Engels, 13.4.1867 und die Erl. zum „Kapital“ in Marx an J. Ph. Becker, zw. 9. u. 15.1.1866. & that you have hardly in all that time given a sign of your existence? But I will not be hard upon you: this is a nice time of the year for flitting, & I am sure there must be something delightful in the mere temporary “riddance” of that conventional “rubbish” one’s “family”, “quo-quos” Eleanor Marx. & “tailors” Laura Marx. & all; to say nothing of the relief you must feel since that incubus, your book Karl Marx: Das Kapital. Bd. 1. Siehe Erl. zu Marx an J. Ph. Becker, zw. 9. u. 15.1.1866., weighs no longer on your shoulders or, at all events, only with such a pressure as is pleasant; to say nothing of the society you are in. There is a certain lady Therese Tenge. Siehe Marx an J. Marx (Tochter), 5.5.1867 und Marx an L. Marx, 13.5.1867., I have noticed, occupies a large portion of your letters:—is she young? is she witty? is she pretty? do you flirt with her or suffer her to flirt with you? You seem to admire her very much & it would be “trop bête” to suppose all the admiration was on your side. If I were Möhme I should be jealous.

We are having the delightfullest weather: the day of the Reformers’ last expeditionSiehe J. Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 8.5.1867 und Erl. „the Government & the Reformers ...“. was a lovely one. This last, by-the-bye, was a great success, or as the Times says with a sneer, “a famous victory”“a famous victory” has been achieved … In: The Times. London. Nr. 25 805, 8. Mai 1867. S. 11.. The Tories all along aiming at keeping the people out of the Park charged them with illegality in their proceedings & only at the last moment discovered that the men who insisted on walking Park-wards were all right and they themselves all wrong. So the people were allowed to walk there, after all due precaution, however, on the part of the Tories, for 5000 mounted policemen were drawn up & 15,000 special constables (M. Waldeck included) sworn in for the occasion. So Beales had it all his own way, coming out strong both in his outward man and in that more mysterious Beales within Beales, and Bradlaugh too, as well as all the rest of the Luminaries of the Reform League, shone, it appears, with peculiar brightness, with his own or borrowed light. The mob was as orderly as could be, much to the chagrin of the special constables who with their newly-made truncheons “marched up the Park & then marched back again”,—rather the worse for marching. These particulars I have from hearsay, not from the papers, which Möhme and Joe (who has not it appears given up all ideas of his propagandising “provincial tour”) exclusively monopolise, but I learn enough from the rumours in the air; & from these I gather that the wind sits Bradlaugh-ward:—that the idol-breaker is the god of the hour.

Who of heros is the last?Vielleicht eines der Gedichte von Laura Marx. Zum Heft mit weiteren Gedichten Lauras siehe Laura Marx: Notizbuch 1862–1863 (RGASPI, Sign. f. 10, d. 5/1). – Charles Bradlaugh, der die Vorlesungen unter dem Pseudonym „Iconoclast“ hielt und sich bis 1868 in seinen Schriften dieses Pseudonyms bediente. Siehe auch Marx an Engels, 18. November (im Ms.: Oktober) 1868. ’Tis the famed Iconoclast! In whose favour blows the blast? His—the bold Iconoclast! Beales within Beales dwindling fast Who remains? Iconoclast!

News you will not expect from me for what I have is old news. For my own Part, having since your departure nothing to do in “my own peculiar line” & Tailordom being on strike, my attention has of late been turned to CookeryMit „my own peculiar line“ meinte Laura die Pflichten eines Sekretärs von Marx, die sie ununterbrochen seit 1864 bis sie aus London im Oktober 1868 fortzog, erfüllte. Zu „Tailordom“ siehe J. Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 8.5.1867 und Erl.. Mit der geschickten Zubereitung von Speisen verdiente sich Laura auch den Spitznamen „Kuchenfee“. (Siehe Olga Worobjowa, Irma Sinelnikowa: Die Töchter von Marx. [Übers. von Waldemer Dölle.] 5. Aufl. Berlin 1988. S. 40–42, 106.) at which I assure you I am now a very respectable hand—being able to turn out a pudding to the public satisfaction—a pudding very palateable & not very indigestible.

What with walking and riding this is about all that I have been idling away time with.

Old Morality Alfred Lormier. favoured us last night: as usual he put in his appearance at ½ past ten: as usual “il venait de souper” but as he was more than usually sombre I conclude his better spirits were with his heart & that was—with Sarah Sarah Jung? (siehe Jenny Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 18.4.1867 )..

Madame Lormier Éléonore Lormier. has 8 cigarettes in keeping for you. We had a gymnastic lesson shortly ago in which the fair AzeliaDie Person konnte nicht identifiziert werden. took part, distinguishing herself by feats of great daring & of great dexterity in the lower limbs, although as ever a perfect anarchy reigns among the different members of her body. These it seems are unable to come to any kind of understanding: for ever unable to adapt themselves each to the other & yet for ever bound to keep together.

Your photograph Siehe J. Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 8.5.1867 und Erl. pleased us immensely: I admire especially the eyes & forehead & expression: the first have the true “roguish twinkle” I am so fond of in the original & this is the only one of your shadows which unites the two expressions of a sarcasm & good nature of the substance: a stranger, I think, would consider only the last but I, who look upon it with a peculiar “bird’s-eye” of my own, spy a little maliciousness in the likeness, very pleasant no doubt to your friends but calculated to play the deuce with your enemies. Paul Paul Lafargue. & I fell out on the subject of your picture for he declared he had never seen you so well arranged & got up—but always (only with one exception) in your torn coat & with ruffled hair, while I told him that I had seen You often in precisely such trim, & that I know you better than he does.

I have said nothing of the Chinese tyrants—the Quo-quos Eleanor Marx. & the Que-ques Jenny Marx (Tochter)., for they have spoken for themselvesSiehe J. Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 8.5.1867. Eleanors Brief an Marx vom 8. Mai 1867 (E. Marx an Marx, 8.5.1867) ist nicht überliefert.: I have simply wished to recall a certain Tailor to your recollection whom in your absence there may be some chance of your forgetting.

I hope you will not quarrel with me on the score of the length of this scrawl, but if you are so disposed I am content to forfeit a week’s wages to propitiate you.

Good bye my dearest Master, I am always your affectionate Cacadou.

I invite you to a “Hampstead tea” on your return—tea & sugar you will of course bring with you, but everything else you shall have in plenty & of the best. If this will not tempt you to come back soon—what will?—

Wheeler sent back the “I owe you” some days ago thanking for the note received from Engels.Siehe Marx an Engels, 24.4.1867 „Ich habe eine Ehrenschuld an Mr. Wheeler ...“, Engels an Marx, 27.4.1867, J. Marx (Tochter) an Marx, 28.4.1867 „a letter from Engels (enclosed 10 £)“ und Marx an Engels, 7.5.1867.