Sunday, November 24:
Went once more to the cathedral; springlike weather. I think in concern about Pest, where cholera is said to be raging and where Hans and my father now are.
Dinner with the Kessingers and Nietzsche in the Restaurant Valentin, since the servants in the hotel are very unwilling and ungracious. Gay atmosphere; the cook good, the service bad. It is quite obvious that the original owner has left and a German has taken over the running of it.
Departure at 5 o’clock; our friend leaves us in Appenweier. At 8 o’clock in Karlsruhe; alarming reports concerning the theater. The Grand Duke has appointed a new director, Köberle, on the strength of a book he has written, and this man has engaged Herr Zenger as conductor, and the latter wrecks Martha.
The newspapers are at present full of the Spitzeder bankruptcy, the Dachauer banks, in which everyone is compromised, both Liberals and Catholic party. What a pretty world! Prof. Nietzsche tells me that in Munich a Dr. Puschmann, lecturer at the university there, has just published a paper in which he proves psychiatrically that R. is mad. That such things are possible and are tolerated!