Wednesday, May 8:
R.’s ailment is still not cured, but the doctor encourages no complaints, telling us we can be glad that this carbuncle is such a superficial and insignificant one. R. works. I with Loldi again to the photographer’s.
Now Königsberg also wants to do Rheingold and Walküre - Herr von Hülsen will soon be ringed around by the Ring! At lunch I have to rebuke Lulu sharply. R. writes to Herr von Loen, suggesting that instead of royalties the Grand Duke might grant him a small pension until 30 years after his death. In this way he could circumvent Messrs. Voltz and Batz. “This would be for one of my 130 daughters,” R. says with a laugh.
In the evening we begin Kenilworth. R. revises his article, but without any pleasure, says he has nothing more to say to anybody. At supper much merriment over the way I get entangled in my own lies; R. declares that I must have been ordering a trumpet serenade for him from the military band!