Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of May 27, 1874

Overview

She was forced to sign away control over her savings so R. could use the money for the house, a decision that exposed both her financial anxiety and her concern for his failing condition. His reproaches about the birthday present and about how she handled Marie Donhoff only sharpened the tension, leaving the evening free of reading and heavy with resentment.

Content

Wednesday, May 27:

Today I have to sign a paper permitting R. to make what use he pleases of the money I have saved, for payments on the house. I am deep in worries, for R.’s condition is also causing me great concern, and I fear we might overstep our material resources. R. reproaches me for not having given him a birthday present.

Nice letter from Marie Donhoff which, however, annoys R. because it is written in French; he gravely reproaches me for not persuading her to speak to me in Italian, and for not speaking to her in German. And that I mean to do. We do no reading in the evenings now.