Monday, September 6:
Siegfried three months old today! Letter from Dr. Hallwachs on Hans's behalf; the petition has been filed, within two months I shall probably be divorced. Mood of solemnity.
Botanist and children. Then a right worthy woman from Appenzell in her gay national costume sells me bits of embroidery, the nut-brown maid! After lunch letter from Marie Muchanoff; she at last returns the letter from Hans and is coming here the day after next. Feeling of embarrassment: we have nothing to do with this world, however friendly it may be, and the confidence I placed in her weighs doubly on my heart. She also says my father was touched that I wanted to see him, "but does not wish to create a stir just now." As if I had either demanded or desired such a thing! R. also annoyed by this.
We drive to the Bassenheims' to report her coming. Terrible thunderstorm. R. returns home alone, I play and read with the children. When I come down, I look for R.; he had fallen asleep after bitterly weeping, weeping about the King! We hear nothing about Das Rheingold. How can I console him? To weep with him is all I can do!
Our mood is melancholy; we play piano duets, that restores our spirits. Only at the conclusion of the evening R.'s purchase of a baby carriage for Siegfried makes me concerned over our future existence, since R. is quite unable to save money. My concern annoys him, and he is right: I should have kept silent, for it is only with words of love that one helps, not with anxious talk.