Letters of Frederick Engels
Source: MECW Volume 2, p. 542
Written: September 1841
First published: in Marx/Engels, Gesamtausgabe, Abt., 1, Bd. 12, 1930
A nice story told in front of a Frenchman by that son of the gods, Albert Molineus, who is courting Ida [Engels]. Enfin, a la porte du ciel �tait Saint-P�trus (instead of Saint Pierre) et le peintre K�ttgen d'Elberfeld itait abord� par le musicien Weinbrenner: Eh bien, K�ttgen, vous ne dites rien, racontez-nous donc quelque chose. Enfin, K�ttgen dit: Enfin, j’ai eu cette nuit un fameux r�ve. Enfin, dit Weinbrenner, qu'est-ce qu'il y avait donc? Enfin, dit K�ttgen, je r�vais d'�tre � la porte du ciel. Alors il y avait tous les artistes c�l�bres, Meyerbeer, Horace Vernet etc. Enfin, Meyerbeer frappait � la porte; P�trus dit: Qui est l�? “Meyerbeer.” Les artistes nentrent pas ici, dit P�trus. Enfin vint Horace Vernet. Qui est l�, dit P�trus. “Horace Vernet. “ Les artistes nentrent pas ici, dit P�trus. Enfin Weinbrenner arrivait. Quest-ce qu'il y a l�? dit P�trus. Enfin, je suis Weinbrenner. Enfin, Pitrus dit: Entrez, s'il vous plait. [Saint P�trus was standing at the Heavenly Gate and K�ttgen, the Elberfeld painter, was approached by Weinbrenner the musician. Now then, K�ttgen, you're very quiet, tell us something. At last K�ttgen said: I had a wonderful dream last night. Well, said Weinbrenner, what was it about? Well, said K�ttgen, I dreamt I was at the Heavenly Gate. All the famous artists were there — Meyerbeer, Horace Vernet, etc. Then Meyerbeer knocked on the Gate and P�trus said: Who is there? “Meyerbeer.” No artists allowed in here, said P�trus. So then Horace Vernet stepped forward. Who is there? said P�trus. “Horace Vernet.” No artists allowed in here, said P�trus. So then Weinbrenner came forward. What’s going on? said P�trus. I am Weinbrenner. So then P�trus says: Come in, please.]
The point of the joke — ainsi, Weinbrenner n’est pas d'artiste [Consequently Weinbrenner is not an artist] — was naturally omitted by the clever young man who spoke French so well. Now you know what kind of people are scrambling for the honour of becoming your brother-in-law.
Friedrich
[believed to be a P.S. to Engels’ letter to Marie of September 9, 1841]