| 1, The Terrace.
York Town, Farnboro.
20 Septembre 1870.

My dear Sir,

I am rather ashamed to write to you from here, and no one can feel more bitterly than I do what a diminutio capitis I politically and morally undergo by not being in France at the present moment. Yet, though my situation is not quite so bad as that of our poor friend Dupont, it is such that I cannot disregard the will of my “Masters” who are the Commandant, the Governor of the Staff College on, on, | up to the Secretary for War. Three times since the Republic has been proclaimed I have asked for leave and even offered to put some one in my place to give my lessons, leave has been refused. Now, to go without leave, irrespective of the breaking of an engagement I freely entered into, would be to have my wife and three children cast pennyless upon the street: I dared not do it.

I am more unhappy than I can say; but this is not a reason why I should not do anything | I may be able to do here for our cause. You stated in your letter that the French Translation of the Internationale’s manifestoes were not always happy. I cannot translate from the German; but if I can be of any use to you to translate from the English, I shall feel it a favour to be called upon to render some service to the Internationale.

Yours fraternally
A. Talandier.

I shall be very glad to hear of your health and hope the sciatica has now left you.