Monday, December 20:
Christmas shopping, with it much joy in the little ones, concealing deep sorrow! R. has discussions with friend Feustel to attend to. Herr Fürstner and Herr Batz have joined hands to deprive him of everything! He will probably have to take legal action against both; frightful glimpses into the baseness of the human race.
Nice letter from the Wagner Society in Munich. Also from the members of the chorus in Vienna. Before that, our first news from Vienna, that the management will not allow Frl. Siegstadt to come to Bayreuth to sing Siegrune. R. very indignant! Writes to the head of the management committee, Herr Lewy, a letter which I, fearing that it will cause trouble, address to Baron Hofmann with a request to put things in order.
In the evening the illustrations to Shakespeare sent me by Herr Pecht make us turn to All’s Well That Ends Well. R. reads it aloud, and again the proximity of genius cures us of all gloomy thoughts as if with the wave of a wand; how splendid the King, how fine the mother, how full of life the elegant Lafeu, how artistically done the conversations of the noblemen! The scene with the ring before the King, how gripping!