Tuesday, October 8:
He got up once during the night, read some pages in Lecky about the philosophy of Zeno and Epicurus. But he does not seem unwell, makes jokes, saying all women are worthless, “except for one!” Talked again about Othello, as if we had been reading it for the first time. Around lunchtime I thank him for the perfume, saying I should like to use it; he says he has put a drop of rose essence in it, and that gives it “its mystical, dark, profound quality”!
[Enclosed between the pages is a used envelope on which is drawn a hand and the instruction “Try this!” in Wagner’s handwriting. Added in margin: “I find a little bottle of Duchesse on my table. The hand was pointing to the bottle.”]
He does not feel entirely well; when I try to treat it lightly, he laughs: “I shall die on you—you’ll see!” The pains are like rheumatic ones in the region of his heart, but they come from abdominal troubles. After lunch R. talks again about Shakespeare, some remarks about the behavior of the children lead to observations on life, and R. recalls King Henry IV’s words on the book of Fate: “What philosophical axioms Shakespeare illuminates just through his observation and vividness of expression! Like, for instance, Othello’s remark that we can call these delicate creatures ours, and not their appetites.” Othello’s “O misery!” as Iago goes on talking, which shows that he is becoming aware of a cruel world hitherto unimagined, R. also mentioned that shattering cry of pain this morning.
R. and I take our walk today up to the theater, the sky is overcast, but the lovely view delights, indeed surprises us. The imposing building gains an ever-increasing power over me. R. arrives home rather tired, we were not allowed to complete our walk undisturbed and by ourselves.
[In the evening R. plays the first scene of the Paris version of Tannhäuser.] [Added on the following page, and possibly with reference to this, but see note: “In the evening R. spoke of the performances and said he would not find it possible to reproach the singers, and that is why he broke off his account. Thoughts of Schnorr in Tannhäuser; referring to his death, R. said, ‘Terrible!’ and added that no death since had made any impression on him.”]
In the evening we talk a lot about animals, R. recalls Rüpel and Robber, and how the former lay for 11 hours in the stagecoach without being noticed.