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 w