[London,] 11 December 1876
Dear Fred,

Kovalevsky came to see me yesterday, asked for the Hanssen ””’; 
told him he should have it tomorrow evening; at the same time 
agreed that he and I should call on you that same evening 
(Tuesday). 

I am sending you the Hanssen which, as I did, you will polish 
off with ease in a couple of hours. 

Written about book-binding. 

Salut. Your 

K. M. 

After the conference (St. James) 225 Mr Gladstone entered the 
gallery where Madame Novikov was sitting, offered her his 
arm— pour montrer* (or so he said according to Novikov’s account) 
que alliance entre l’Angleterre et la Russie existe déja*—and, with her 
on his arm, strutted through the vast throng which made way on 
both sides; he a relatively small, skinny chap, she a veritable 
dragoon. She remarked to Kovalevsky: que ces Anglais sont 
gauches!* 

Generalissimus Chernyayev had twice asked Novikov by tele- 
graph whether he should also appear at the conference; she had 
to tell him that Mr Gladstone would be pleased to see him 
personally but thought a public appearance inexpedient. 

At the conference (admission by ticket) Harrison (who, in his
article ‘Cross and Crescent’ in the Fortnightly,’ makes great play 
with a few hints recently picked up from Kovalevsky) told Howell
to his face that all the workers present without exception belonged 
to a paid band well known to him (Harrison). 

Unfortunately Charles Darwin also lent his name to the rotten 
demonstration; Lewes refused to do so.