Friday, July 16:
In France they are having revolutions again. In contrast, the King of Bavaria once again does not open the exhibition. One sees the aim is to get rid of the young King.
R. thought yesterday evening with great concern about the forthcoming production of Das Rheingold: yet again a vast amount of money expended and a pitiful, not to say ridiculous result! All the same, R. does not intend to bother himself about it. How curious the ways of Fate, which fills precisely this incapable King with enthusiasm for R.’s works, how curiously terrible!
The morning taken up with Siegfried, vexation over the stupid willfulness of his nurse and worry about his eye. At midday great weariness, yet played in the afternoon with the children.
In the evening the Mendès couple (M. Villiers is also with them). She is very remarkable, so lacking in manners that I find it downright embarrassing, yet at the same time good-natured and terribly full of enthusiasm. She literally forces Rich. to play and sing pieces from Die Walküre and Tristan.
When they have gone, R. says to me: “There are no women left in France, just think of that! My God, what a spirit you are!” He had noticed that I had been weeping while listening to his recital: “Yes, for us that is life, we are rooted in it, it is our heart’s blood; the others amuse themselves with it, we live it.” Late to bed;