Friday, September 24:
The A.A.Z. reports a succès d’estime for Das Rheingold; the work is quite happily sacrificed, but the honor of the machinists, costume designer, director, etc., is saved, on paper, at any rate. I said to R. that Semper’s theater had gone up in flames in indignation.
Striking sign of the way things are going in the world: Father Hyacinth, long persecuted by the Jesuits, has issued a protest against the whole Roman hierarchy. Very moving and significant. R. says the Pope is in the hands of the Jesuits, because they bring in the money. Antonelli cannot raise money and for that reason no longer has much say in things.
Fine letter from Heinrich Porges about Das Rheingold. Spent the whole day arranging furniture. Great tiredness. Fine autumn day, the mountains glisten with snow. Wrote to Claire and Judith.
In the evening played a Beethoven quartet. When R. today visited his bookseller, the latter said to him, “You must certainly have already received your biography from Nohl; I sold out my copies, four, at once.” We knew nothing about it.
In the evening great melancholy about life, we weep gently together, and, when he is gone, I have to continue weeping bitterly.