To “Valerien”

24 July 1870

Neufchatel

Dear Friend:

In the name of god I beg you not to do anything stupid, that is, not to fool around, to follow our advice, and to believe that every word in my letter to Talandier, that I ask that you read, is correct. It’s a question of your safety, and you'll understand this once you've taken the trouble to understand every word of that letter.

It would be good of you, and you would render an enormous service to our sacred common cause if you could find a way to take back from Nechaev all the documents he stole from us, as well as his. But I'm afraid that you've lost your edge and your former agility, which is why I beg you in your own interest to completely cut yourself off from Nechaev and his little friend Waldemar Sallier and, if possible, to make sure he loses your trail. Since the princess [Obelenski] is in Outin’s camp, which is hostile to ours, ask her on my behalf not to write to Outin.

Yours

MB