Oct. 24, 60. A hurried word, my dearest Child ! Your last lines made me profoundly and heartily glad, — as one always feels after alarm.-f- The [missing] letter must have got here on a most unlucky day, just as I was packing off my servant, whom I had previously had the greatest difficulty in tolerating. He had frequently committed the offence of forgetting my letters and carrying them about with him for days, if they t See letter of Oct. 20 to Otto: "On the 1st of October" — meaning Sept. 30, unless the letter spread over two days — " I wrote your wife ; I'm much disturbed at having had no news since then, as I hoped to find at least a word of welcome on my entry into my new abode." — Tr.. had been handed to him by the postman ; for which I had often blown him up severely. Now — it was precisely in that week that I sent him about his business ; he had to quit my house in half an hour (for good reasons). Another letter, also, has never reached me : now everything is clear, — whether from knavery or fright, he didn't give the letters up, on leaving. — I shall try to hunt him up ; if that doesn't succeed — ah ! you must write me all over again. I give everyone exactly as much trouble as I give myself : we must bear it between us. I am very fatigued : people here are too unremittingly industrious for me. Not the least irritation — but very great strain ! A thousand fine greetings ! I must be off again ! Just one more greeting, tho' ! R. W.
Richard Wagner
Source: Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck, translated by Ellis, No. 108