Wednesday, January 5:
R. is very upset, no news from anywhere! I look through the books, itemized in marks.
In the afternoon I go to see Herr Feustel in order to discuss various things again; R. makes up his mind to conduct concerts in Brussels if the sum mentioned to him by Herr Brassin, 40,000 francs, can be guaranteed.
Herr Jauner writes quite unselfconsciously, unaware of the letter from the finance clerk; Tannhäuser is still being performed, so at least that final unpleasantness has not occurred. R. sends Kinowsky 100 thalers through nephew Jachmann; he had long ago set these aside for him, not intending to allow his sister-in-law’s disgraceful behavior to stop him from helping a poor man. Should she later make use of this to exert more pressure, the police will be called in.
In the evening there is a visit from the district councillor Scherer, who tells us about the excavations in Steinach. Worrisome decisions with regard to the eldest children. I tried to persuade R. to return to the biography, but he asks me to wait until these bad times have been decided one way or another. He is thinking of the abandonment of his undertaking, and his account of the events leading to that. Our life afterward; today I suggested to Herr Feustel that my property be pledged and that he approach my father in this connection; he promises to do that “if all else fails.”