Saturday, January 9:
Nice letter from Baron Augusz, containing a few words from my father, who relates that Rubini, when asked in St. Petersburg whether he would sing in a concert given by my father, replied that for Liszt he would even dance, if that is what he wanted; in the same way, says my father, he would be ready to do anything for Wagner.
R. has a wide variety of things to attend to, accounts, concert, orchestra, circular for the singers, etc., while I attend to outfitting my two eldest girls, whom I shall now send to the boarding school when I go away. This is the outcome of long reflection, painful recognition...
In the evening we discuss with R. certain French expressions which are so absurdly imitated in German, thus laying bare the whole sad state of German standards in earlier times. R. searches in Kabale und Liebe, the scene in which old Miller returns from prison, with Luise sitting in a corner. We are moved to tears by it. 'When one thinks,' R. interposes, 'that the whole generation of today laughs at that' - complaining that the intrigues in the play are so full of flaws.
While R. is changing his clothes I hear him say from the top of the spiral staircase, 'Yes, my dearest wife, the slightest flaw can spoil the effect of even the greatest strokes of genius.' Going down, I ask him with whom he had been talking. 'As always, with you, and still about Kabale und Liebe.' Thoughts of Othello, the terrible effect of Cassio's dream as related by Iago.
Later R. wanders out on the balcony, and through the open door of Fidi's room he hears the three eldest girls praying slowly and earnestly for their loved ones, for the King, and for all people on earth, as I have taught them. This moves and pleases him greatly. We continue reading Gfrorer.