9 February 1872 Locarno
Nikolai Platonovich:
Disaster is knocking at our door. If we hadn’t paid our rent of 317 francs yesterday our landlord would have evicted us. We'd already been forced to write a letter of exchange for 300 francs that we committed to paying to the National Bank of Locarno at the end of the month. Had we not done so we would have had to face the bailiff. Nikolai Platonovich, you can understand my despair, my terror. It’s not the fear of losing all our possessions that inspires them, but after such a scandal it would no longer be possible for us to remain in Locarno. I've already exhausted all my resources and I don’t know what to do. Mikhail owns nothing and I still have two children to take care of. Nikolai Platonoviuch, you who are Mikhail’s old friend, please do whatever you can to rescue us; save us from the bitter shame of a visit from the bailiff. Please, please, answer me quickly. I beg you in the name of all that is holy to you.
Forgive the incoherence of my letter, but I am so weighed down that I can no longer think clearly. I'm writing you unbeknownst to Mikhail, who would be against my sending this letter.
Antonie Bakunin