Friday, February 19:
R. not well — I literally creep past him, refrain from asking questions, try only to help him to forget. When once he laughs heartily, I feel as if I have triumphed over the forces of life. Many preparations for our departure tomorrow. On top of that the cook gives notice, all the servants are ill. The children, thank God, well and very happy with Elisabeth. I write up the days from the 13th till today and close now until Vienna.
When, one morning during this week, I went to R., he told me that my picture had comforted him, the rays of the sun had fallen on the picture and I had looked at him as if transfigured!