Sunday, October 3:
A bad night, Siegfried awake every two hours; bore this slight torment with pleasure, how willing I am to suffer in order to earn my happiness and atone for the guilt of my existence! In the morning a visit from Countess Bassenheim, who much to my delight pleases R. greatly with her cordiality and her wit. Lunch with the children, then games with them. Siegfried well again. Wrote a letter to Claire. In the evening arrival of M. Schuré.
Monday, October 4:
Bad night with Siegfried, and R. still unwell. The expected letter does not arrive from Munich, so we assume the King is after all stopping the allowance. R. speaks to Schuré about our affairs and finds his outlook admirably sound. Botanist.
After lunch I talk to Schuré about the whole anomaly of R.’s coming into the world in our days. He should by rights have graced the world in Aeschylus’s age; now, to clear up the insoluble misunderstanding between himself and the world, he relies on occasional explanations, and the more he talks, the wider the gap becomes. The theater of his thinking is a temple and the present theater a fairground stall; he speaks the language of the priest, and shopkeepers are supposed to understand him! I have to dedicate my whole life to him, for I have recognized his position.
In the morning he plays parts of the first act of Siegfried.
Tuesday and Wednesday, October 5 and 6:
Days devoted to our visitor; each morning some music from Siegfried. In the afternoon a walk; in the evening, reading. Have made the acquaintance of Lichtenberg, great delectation. From the outside world a letter from Judith and at last the expected letter from Mrazek. Restless nights with Siegfried.