[Manchester,] Monday, 8 September [1851] 

Dear Marx, 

My brother? is going away tomorrow and then I shall at last get 
some peace again. All this while I haven’t had a moment to myself, 
and it was quite impossible to get the banknote off to you before 
Saturday, both pieces going by the same post, since there’s only 
one delivery on Sundays. As this involves the risk of its misapprop- 
riation, herewith the particulars of the note—its number was E/X 
01780 and it was dated Leeds, 15 July 1850. So if it hasn’t reached 

4 may the earth lie lightly upon him - » probably Hermann 

you, go at once to.the bank and stop payment; there’s still time 
enough. Jt was a five pound note. 

On Friday evening I suddenly got a letter from my old man in 
which he tells me that I’m spending far too much money and must 
make do with £150. Naturally | shan’t stand for this ludicrous 
imposition, all the less so that it is accompanied by the threat that, 
if necessary, the Ermens will be instructed not to pay me more 
than that amount. I shall, of course, at once write and tell him that 
the moment he attempts to put his scandalous plan into practice, I 
shall turn my back on the office for ever and immediately hie me to 
London again. The man’s completely mad. The whole thing’s all the 
more absurd and preposterous in that this point was agreed verbally 
between us long ago, and I have given him absolutely no pretext for 
it. I think that, with the help of my brother and mater, I shall be able 
to settle the matter, but at first shall have to retrench a little, having 
already spent £230 summa summarum and, from now until 
November when I shall have been here a year, I had better not to go 
too far beyond that sum. Anyhow this fresh piece of knavery is most 
disagreeable and vexes me considerably, the more so because of the 
mean attitude my old man has adopted. Admittedly he is making far 
less money here than he did last year, but that’s due entirely to the 
bad management of his partners over whom I have no control. 

What’s this fresh piece of knavery in Paris*”*? This time it’s the 
hippopotamus * clique that seems to have got into trouble; to judge 
by the names of the Germans arrested, they are all former 
Weitlingians from the 1847 period and earlier.*”” A number of little 
betrayals seem to have been involved. The Swabian saviour appears 
to be one of the lucky ones. Tant mieux pour lui? If you hear 
anything, let me know. 

According to the German papers, the Cologne people‘ will not 
be brought before the next— October —assizes. 

More tomorrow or the day after. 

Your 
F, E.