Thursday, August 10:
Hochkopf.
Late yesterday evening during the wearisome ascent, I was gazing — dog-tired — longingly upwards to discern at last the goal of our march, when, above the edge of the mountain, I caught sight of the first brightly twinkling star. Not bothering much about the direction, I took it for the evening star, and hailed it loudly — ‘Cosima’. That gave me heart. It was quite wonderful. The star ever brighter — quite alone, no other star. It was completely dark by the time I got up there far ahead of all the men, with a big bunch of keys to open up the lodge. Luckily I got the last one to fit, tried to find my way about in the dark, found the King’s sleeping place, and stretched out bathed in sweat, dog-tired. The men arrived.. God, before Franz produced a light! There was marvellous confusion. Now alone with Franz. Completely in the wilds. No water to be found. Where is there a spring? We hadn’t asked. Much groping about mountain and forest. In vain. Laborious changing of clothes — ah, what a muddle. Finally, bread, wine, Sausage. But no water. So mineral water — brought for the cure — had to be unpacked. Arrival of good mood. Franz had brought my white dressing-gown. Enveloped in its splendour I again traversed the wooded eminence seeking water. Now the moon was shining. I must have cut a celestial figure! — Then I gazed again towards ‘Cosima’. Now I could see that it was not the evening star but Jupiter. Shining splendidly. — Everything up here is beautiful beyond description. The sleep of dog-tiredness worked. In the morning, fresh unspeakable confusion. Once Franz interrupted smiling ‘But your Excellency, it’s beautiful outside’. — Glorious morning loveliest weather. Tour of the height. All expectations exceeded. Quite incomparable. My true ‘Asyl’ for the future is discovered. There stands the couch on which I can picture you lying. — Many thanks for the greeting! Certainly! Certainly! — I love you with an ultimate love. — Recovery is what I hope for too. Forgetting and remembering! —
(Strange about the star! But in the end whether it’s Cosima or Jupiter is all the same thing. — )