V. I.

Lenin

362

To:   INESSA ARMAND

Huysmans and Vandervelde have unleashed all threats. Wretched
diplomats! They thought they could frighten us (or you). Of course, they
have failed.

Grigory and I agreed it would have been wiser not to go at all. But the
Russian workers would not have under stood this; now they have a living
example to teach them .

You handled the thing better than I could have done. Language apart, I
would probably have gone up in the air . I would not have been able
to stand the hypocrisy and would have called them scoundrels. And that’s what they were waiting for—that’s what they were trying to
provoke.

But you and the others carried it off calmly and firmly. Extremely thankful & greeting you . [1]

I am surprised that today (Sunday) I have no wire concerning the
closing of the conference. It must have closed at 4 o’clock on
Saturday. Did you (the three delegates—you, the Letts+the Polish
opposition) submit a written statement?

Awaiting your impressions, Yours,

V.U.

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Notes:
[1]
This sentence is in English in the original.— Ed .