, AT LE PERREUX 

London, 19 December 1891 

My dear Laura, 

Today I have just the time to inform you that the box with the 
usual pudding, cake, etc., has been safely forwarded by the usual in- 
strumentality yesterday and hope will reach you safely and in time. 

20th December. You see I had not ‘just the time’ yesterday, for the 
dinner-bell called me off, it being 5.20 and only ten minutes to spare 
before closing of mail—so I thought it better to wait till today. 

Schorlemmer cannot come this Christmas, and Pumps and family, 
whom I saw at Ryde for a few days last week, are in the same posi- 
tion. So then it struck me; would it not be a bit of a change and rest 
for you and Paul to come over and take possession of the top front 
bedroom for a week or so? Surely you must want some interruption of 
that restless sort of life which Paul’s election °%° and its consequences 
have thrown you both into. And the bright skies of Paris must make 
you long for a good old-fashioned London fog such as is now overhang- 
ing me. So I do hope you will make up your minds, and if Paul should 
have engagements up to Christmas, you might come first, and he fol- 
low next week to spend at least the passage from °91 to ’92 with us. 

In the meantime I must not forget ‘the compliments of the season’ 
and the old-established form in which I ought to present them to you, 
namely the enclosed bit of pink paper which I hope you will do me 
the kindness to accept. 

Schorlemmer is still suffering from deafness but hopes to be cured, 
if he can keep free from colds this winter. So I have not the heart to 
press him, especially as his ear-doctor says he always comes back from 
London worse than he went. 

I am glad Paul has deposed a motion on the separation of Church 
and State. In his first speech, it appears to me as if the violent inter- 
ruptions from all sides had prevented him from developing clearly 
and unmistakably what he intended to say, and that the Dumays and 
Radicals '*’ and even Floquet tried to use that as a peg to hang on 
their-cheap criticisms. This motion will re-establish clearness. 

My dear Laura, the fog is getting so perfect that I must give up 
writing in order not to ruin my eyes — writing by gas-light being still 
strictly prohibited. So in the hope of soon learning that you are get- 
ting ready for the road, and with kind regards from Louise, I remain 

ever yours, 
F. Engels