Cosima's Diaries

Diary Entry of August 26, 1877

Overview

The Sunday unfolded quietly, with church, work, and a small social milestone for Siegfried as he tried to connect with another boy. In the evening they returned to the Sistine Chapel, and Richard relayed a moving story about a helpful lamp cleaner whose kindness gave him renewed hope.

Content

Sunday, August 26:

Went to church, R. at work. Siegfried’s first attempt to make friends with another boy.

In the afternoon occupied with the Sistine Chapel! R. tells me that once, when he was out walking with friend Dannreuther, he asked a lamp cleaner the way to an address; the man immediately left his work to point it out, and when R. told him not to inconvenience himself, he replied, “For you it’s no trouble; so long as you are here again, everything is all right, one can then start to hope again!”

A mild, moonlit evening.