Monday, August 12:
Letter to Marie Schl. R. works on his essay. With the children in the garden; much joking about the end of the world, proclaimed for today.
Drove into town; Götterdämmerung, very finely copied out (IIIrd act) by Herr Rubinstein and appropriately completed on the day the world will end, is taken to the bookbinders to be bound in orange velvet for the King. Then visit our upward-growing house, which will be very pretty. After that to the Feustels’; fresh trouble with the theater; Herr Brückwald also appears to be unreliable.
On the journey home we notice that the old Zurich coat, which has often covered me as well as R. (“You’re a full 30 years old!”), has been stolen. I am very sorry about it.
Home in the evening by moonlight; sad feelings due to Loldi’s eye, which R. thinks looks sightless!
The servants tell us that a Herr von Hagen was here with his mother, declared himself to be an enthusiastic admirer, wished just to set foot in the workroom, and also asked after Fidi.
I go to bed with a feeling of deep weariness of life.