er our arrival
will be off your shoulders--but till then, for God's sake, be
obliging--besides all this, I say, I forgot to ask you to
order for me a hat from my Duport in your street, Chaussee
d'Antin. He has my measure, and knows how light I want it and
of what kind. Let him give the hat of this year's shape, not
too much exaggerated, for I do not know how you are dressing
yourself just now. Again, besides this, call in passing at
Dautremont's, my tailor's, on the Boulevards, and order him to
make me at once a pair of grey trousers. You will yourself
select a dark-grey colour for winter trousers; something
respectable, not striped, but plain and elastic. You are an
Englishman, so you know what I require. Dautremont will be
glad to hear that I am coming. Also a quiet black velvet
waistcoat, but with very little and no loud pattern, something
very quiet but very elegant. Should he not have the best
velvet of this kind, let him make a quiet, fine silk
waistcoat, but not too much open. If the servant could be got
for less than 80 francs, I should prefer it; but as you have
already found one, let the matter rest.

My very dear friend, pardon me once more for troubling you,
but I must. In a few days we shall see each other, and embrace
for all this.

I beg of you, for God's sake, do not say to any Poles that I
am coming so soon, nor to any Jewess either, as I should like
to reserve myself during the first few days only for you,
Grzymala, and Johnnie. Give them my love; to the latter I
shall write once more.

I expect that the rooms will be ready. Write constantly to me,
three times a day if you like, whether you have anything to
say or not. Before leaving here I shall once more write to
you.

Monday.

You are inappreciable! Take Rue Pigal [Pigalle], both houses,
without asking anybody. Make haste. If by taking both houses
you can diminish a little the price, well; if not, take them
for 2,500 francs. Do not let them slip out of your hands, for
we think them the best and most excellent. SHE regards you as
my most logical and best--and I would add: the most splenetic,
Anglo-Polish, from my soul beloved--friend.

[6.]

The day after to-morrow, Thursday, at five o'clock in the
morning, we start, and on Friday at three, four, certainly at
five o'clock, I shall be in Rue Tronchet, No. 5. I beg of you
to inform the people there