| London 11 April 1868.

My dear Cacadou,

You know I am a slow hand at writing, but this time the shortcomings of my left hand arm are responsible for the sins of my right hand. Under those circumstances I missed the more my secretary who might have addressed to himself, on my behalf, the most charming letters.

 Siehe L. u. P. Lafargue an Marx und Jenny Marx (Tochter), 3.4.1868.
Schließen I am happy to see from your scribblings (you excuse the “term”,  Siehe S. L. Borkheim an Marx, 31.3. und 1.4.1868.
Schließen Borkheim with his “scribaille” is still dinning my ears) and those  Paul Lafargue.
Schließen of your helpmate that you are thoroughly enjoying your Brautfahrt, and that all the outer circumstances, spring and sun and air and Paris jollities, conjure in your favour. As to that said helpmate,  Siehe Marx an Engels, 11.4.1868 („Lafargue hat mir Horn’s u. noch ein andres Pamphlet über die französ. Finanz geschickt.“)
Schließen his sending books to me, at such a critical juncture, speaks volumes for the innate kindness of the  Paul Lafargue.
Schließen “young man”. This simple fact would go far to prove that he must belong to a better than the European race.

By the by, as we have just touched the chapter of books, you might pay a visit to  Guillaumin et Cie – Bücherverlag in Paris, gab ökonomische Literatur heraus.
Schließen Guillaumin (14, rue Richelieu) and get his (economical) bulletins de librairie for 1866–1868. You might also wend your steps to the Librairie Internationale (15, Boulevard Montmartre) and ask for their catalogues (1865–68). Of course, if you get these desiderata, you will not send them, but bring them back on your return to this dreary place.

I am expecting, from Meissner, 3 copies of  Karl Marx: Das Kapital. Bd. 1. Buch 1. Hamburg 1867. Siehe Erl. zu „1200 Seiten Manuscript“ in Marx an J. Ph. Becker, zw. 9. u. 15.1.1866. (MEGA2 II/5).
Schließen my book. On their arrival, I shall send two to Caesar de Paepe, one for himself, the other for  Jean-Jacques Altmeyer.
Schließen Altmayer. Meanwhile, if you should find the time to see Schily (that is to say if you write to him 4, rue St. Quentin to come and see you) be so kind to ask him what has become of the 3 copies, 1 sent for  Charles Victor Jaclard.
Schließen Jacquelard, 1 for Taine, 1 for Reclus? If Jacquelard was not to be found, you might give his copy to Altmayer, since Meissner is very slow in forwarding the copies. In that case, however, I ought to be informed.

| You’ll certainly fancy, my dear child, that I am very fond of books, because I trouble you with them at so unseasonable a time. But you would be quite mistaken. I am a machine, condemned to devour them and, then, throw them, in a changed form, on the dunghill of history. A rather dreary task, too, but still better than that of Gladstone’s who is obliged, at a day’s notice, to work himself into “states of mind”, yclepted “earnestness”.

We feel here rather somewhat lonely. First you disappeared together with the meridional “silent man”,  Engels besuchte London vom 1. bis 5. April 1888 anlässlich der Hochzeit von Laura Marx und Paul Lafargue am 2. April 1868.
Schließen and then Engels went left us. In lieu of an “excitement” we had the  Eleonore und Alfred Lormier.
Schließen Lormiers yesterday evening. I played with Louis two parties of chess and allowed him to win one. What do you think the strange  Eine Gestalt aus William Shakespeares Theaterstück „Der Sturm“; halbmenschliches Ungeheuer.
Schließen Caliban boy told me, in the most solemn manner of the world, on taking leave? “Sans rancune, j’espère!”

And now, my dear Cacadou, Adio.

Old Nick.

Lieber Lafarque

Finden Sie nicht, daß der Aufenthalt in Paris with a young laughable wife viel angenehmer ist als mit Politik?
Bei der Ankunft Ihres  François Lafargue.
Schließen Vaters in Paris empfehlen Sie mich ihm aufs Beste u. namentlich vergessen Sie u. Laura nicht ihm den Aufenthalt so pleasant als möglich zu machen. Bei seinem Augenzustand bedarf er der Zerstreuung u. nichts wird ihn mehr zerstreuen als wenn das junge Paar die kurze Zeit, die es mit dem alten Herrn zusammen bleibt, ihm ganz widmet. Ich schreibe Ihnen deutsch, damit Sie je nach Belieben den Inhalt dieser Zeilen dem  Laura Lafargue.
Schließen Geheimsekretair mittheilen oder vorenthalten können. Und nun mit herzlichsten Grüssen

Ihr ergebner
K. M.