9 October 1867. Dear Fred,

Borkheim is still expecting a letter from you saying that you are willing to be co-guarantor. Poor Lafargue is today suffering the final agony, the Gallicisation (as far as that is even possible!) of the preface of the book. The latter has christened his opus: “Ma Perle devant le Congrès de Genève.” Curious how the itch for writing and fame can turn an otherwise perfectly sensible *garçon* into a fool! Yesterday, then, Eccarius was supposed to be beheaded by Fox. The latter spoke for over an hour in his accusation. He had very maliciously assembled the worst passages and deployed all the arts of an Old Bailey lawyer, and also constantly attacked me. I parried him in my reply so effectively that in his final reply he lost all composure and self-control. Everyone took part in the discussion. Result: My motion (rather amendment) “to proceed to the order of the day” was carried by an enormous majority. Still, Eccarius got a proper dressing-down during the debate. Read the passage I have underlined in the *Courrier* that comes at the same time: “Le Troisième Larron” (fine that the French already *sans gêne* describe their Bonaparte as one of the *larrons*). As soon as I get the issues back from Lormier, I shall send the interesting communications about the Mexican affair.

Salut D KM

*A propos.* Strohn was here for a day yesterday. He imagines that on his last visit to Manchester you meant to snub him, namely with the phrase: “Yes, in Bradford the commis voyageur still plays a part.” I tried to drive that nonsense out of his head. – He says that Dronke himself procured the English associé for the copper company. He probably asked for an indemnité for it and // certainly made some fishy but legally disputable claims in the appropriation of, or laying hands on, a part of the copper passing through his hands. He does not believe that D., without reserve, directly fell foul of the code pénal. *Tant mieux.*