Sunday, August 1:
Every five minutes woke up abruptly, at first imagining Hans in sorrow, then had strange thoughts of a murderous attack on myself. Rose early, sat by Siegfried, and visited the other little ones. Before breakfast sorted through Weber's songs for Lusch; a simple little verse telling of the danger of wishes that come true arouses a melancholy mood in me. I have to weep.
R. tells me he has written to Hallwachs, saying that the legal authorization I am required to give cannot be got so easily. R. would like to do it all by himself, in order to spare me the embarrassing details. I tell him the details and the so-called unpleasantness mean nothing to me; if he could free my heart of sad imaginings, I should accept with gratitude, but this he cannot do, and all the rest is a matter of indifference.
Related to Lusch the life of Saint Anthony. At lunch Prof. Nietzsche, who is very pleasant and who feels happy at Tribschen. Afterward accompanied him to Hergiswyl with the children and R.; he is climbing Mount Pilatus. We go for a walk; a fine Sunday evening, peasants playing skittles. Beer and cheese beneath an arbor. Playful journey home with the children, Boni a dwarf, Lusch and Loldi giants.
In the margin: Telegram from Dresden: “To the German Mastersinger R. W.: Reunion of German technical students, Elbschlösschen in Meissen. Performance of ‘Steersman's Song’ from Der fliegende Holländer. Enthusiastic cheers for the German composer Wagner.”