Friday, December 27:
R. had a wretched night; it is also cold in our house. He tells me about his dream, which was set either on his or on the Munich stage; he saw a lot of knights riding to and fro and asked who they were; they were Hunding’s escort, he was told, who were putting their horses in the stables.
Then Niemann came in and uncertainly shook his hand; R. got himself caught in a door latch and was in this ridiculous position when an invitation came from the King to come to his box. I cannot, R. said, I am in bed; then, realizing that offense would be taken, R. tried to read the letter, but could not because of the door latch, that was his position in bed, lying on his side, and then he woke up!
Letter from friend Bucher in Berlin, sending a bowl. He reports that Herr Lang is no longer working in the ministry, which I am sorry to hear. My three pictures have arrived from Berlin and I hang them up in the salon; unfortunately R. is not satisfied with the one of him, he says it is too harsh.
Visit from Feustel in the evening, R. still not well, and we discuss Bismarck’s resignation from the Prussian government. It is said that he could not persuade the Emperor to take the measures he considered necessary, and he will now devote himself exclusively to Reich affairs.
R. goes to bed early, and I read the testimony of Thiers, his reports on the situation before and during the war; he is the first person in France to tell the truth about these matters, and he also says that Bismarck, whatever people might say, was not a hypocrite. But the whole thing is so stuffed full with French illusions that I have often to laugh out loud!