[London,] 2 September 1864 

Dear Jenny, 

Yesterday I got a letter from Freiligrath—copy below—from 
which you will see that Lassalle has been gravely wounded in a 
duel in Geneva. We were genuinely dismayed by the news since, 
whatever one may say, L. is too good to go under in this way. 
After receiving the letter, I went to see Freiligrath, i.e. at his 
private address, knowing that Ida* was away. He seemed very 
‘agreeably’ surprised by my visit. His daughter Louise was with 
him. The rest of the crew are coming back at the end of this week. 
Louise had been staying in Brighton for a fortnight with Franziska 
Ruge. Bearing in mind the Freilig.-Ruge, etc., connection, you 
should take care with your baroness’s cards.” Ruge would be just 
the fellow to turn something like that to account. 

Freilig. was by no means as ‘moved’ as he made out in his letter, 
but cracked his little jokes as always, even on the subject of L. He 
told me that his bank was in a state of crisis and that the Geneva 
affair in particular and the role played therein by Fazy were doing 
it a great deal of harm.*°° Finally, here is Tussy’s tasr. It being plain 
from F.’s letter that L. had fought a duel on account of a lady‘ he 
wished to marry, Laura recalled how he told every woman he 
could ‘only love her for 6 weeks’. So, says Tussy, ‘HE 1S WARRANTED FOR 
6 weeks’. 

a ¥da Freiligrath - > Jenny Marx had visiting cards which read, ‘Mme Jenny Marx, 
née Baronesse von Westphalen’. - © Helene von Dénniges 

Little Jenny is working like mad in her creennovuse. All are well 
and send their love. , 

Tue Orv One 

F.’s letter 4 

‘I have just had a letter from Klapka in Geneva. He writes: : 

‘“Lassalle had been conducting a love-affair here, though with perfectly 
honourable intentions as he wished to marry the girl, the daughter of the Bavarian 
envoy, Mr von Dénniges. The father objected to the marriage, the girl deceived poor 
Lassalle; a man to whom she had been previously engaged, the above-mentioned 
pseudo-prince,> arrived from Berlin; then came explanations, an upleasant exchange 
of letters, and a challenge ensued. Lassalle’s seconds were Colonel Riistow and my 
fellow countryman, General Count Bethlen. Lassalle, as befitted a man of his 
reputation and political position, behaved with no less courage than dignity. He was 
shot in the stomach and is now laid up at the Hotel Victoria with his life hanging in the 
balance. Unfortunately for him, the bullet is lodged deep in the body, so the wound 
might well become gangrenous. I went to see him at once upon my arrival and found 
him dictating his will, but otherwise calm and resigned to death. I am exceedingly 
sorry for him; often one does not get to know a person until his end is near at hand. 
Let us hope that, despite the doctors’ unfavourable prognoses, he will come safely 
through the crisis.” 

‘So much for Klapka. I cannot but confess’ (what an affected way of putting it—as 
though he was on the rack!) ‘that I was deeply affected by the news and immediately 
telegraphed Klapka, asking him to convey my sympathy and grief to Lassalle, if he 
should still be alive. Klapka will reply by telegraph and J shall immediately pass on to 
you anything I learn.’