My love to Johnnie.

Chopin to Fontana; Marseilles, March 10, 1839:—­

Thanks for your trouble.  I did not expect Jewish tricks from Pleyel; but if it is so, I beg of you to give him the enclosed letter, unless he makes no difficulties about the Ballade and the Polonaises.  On the other hand, on receiving for the Ballade 500 francs from Probst, you will take it to Schlesinger.  If one has to deal with Jews, let it at least be with orthodox ones.  Probst may cheat me still worse; he is a bird you will not catch.  Schlesinger used to cheat me, he gained enough by me, and he will not reject new profit, only be polite to him.  Though a Jew, he nevertheless wishes to pass for something better.

Thus, should Pleyel make the least difficulties, you will go to Schlesinger, and tell him that I give him the Ballade for France and England for 800 francs, and the Polonaises for Germany, England, and France for 1,500 francs (should he not be inclined to give so much, give them for 1,400, 1,300, and even for 1,200 francs).  If he mentions the Preludes, you may say that it is a thing long ago promised to Pleyel—­he wished to be the publisher of them; that he asked them from me as a favour before my departure from Paris—­as was really the case.  You see, my very dear friend, for Pleyel I could break with Schlesinger, but for Probst I cannot.  What is it to me if Schlesinger makes Probst pay dearer for my manuscripts?  If Probst pays dear for them to Schlesinger, it shows that the latter cheats me, paying me too little.  After all, Probst has no establishment in Paris.  For all my printed things Schlesinger paid me at once, and Probst very often made me wait for money.  If he will not have them all, give him the Ballade separately, and the Polonaises separately, but at the latest within two weeks.  If he does not accept the offer, then apply to Probst.  Being such an admirer of mine, he must not pay less than Pleyel.  You will deliver my letter to Pleyel only if he makes any difficulties.

Dear me! this Pleyel who is such an adorer of mine!  He thinks, perhaps, that I shall never return to Paris alive.  I shall come back, and shall pay him a visit, and thank him as well as Leo.

  I enclose a note to Schlesinger, in which I give you full
  authority to act in this matter.

  I feel better every day; nevertheless, you will pay the
  portier these fifty francs, to which I completely agree, for
  my doctor does not permit me to move from here before summer.

  Mickiewicz’s “Dziady” I received yesterday.  What shall you do
  with my papers?

The letters you will leave in the writing-desk, and send the music to Johnnie, or take it to your own house.  In the little table that stands in the anteroom there are also letters; you must lock it well.

  My love to Johnnie, I am glad he is better.