Monday, February 14:
I had a difficult night and consequently sleep through the whole morning. Around lunchtime R. comes to me in his new hat, sent to him by the "Order of the Holy Grail." It suits him splendidly. R. finishes copying out his article. At lunch he talks of a book by Prof. Pott, in which he suddenly found Gobineau's book on the inequality of the human races thoroughly discussed and criticized. He describes to us Gobineau's main idea of the downfall of humanity after an existence of 14,000 years, which interests both him and us. Over coffee he brings up his Italian plans again, on my account, he says; when I assure him that the climate here is doing me no harm at all, he says, "Then let your good health be the excuse." The Parsifal meadow reminds us of Switzerland in spring, the magic of it, and of Tribschen altogether. "That was a refuge," R. says, and relates how he was able to keep me hidden from view. We go for a walk, watch our Abbe on the ice, return home; the operation is performed, that is to say, R. allows me to cut off one of his eyebrow hairs which has grown too long and to place it in my locket. In the evening I read his article out loud; R. listens, standing, interrupts me now and again with signs of approval, and then embraces me. The loving intensity with which he listened and watched did, I believe, increase my powers of interpretation, and if he was satisfied with the way I imparted his ideas, to me it was bliss to express them. Our conversation starts with the article and touches on all subjects, including Gobineau's theory, to which R. links the remark that it is by no means impossible that humanity should cease to exist, but if one looks at things without regard to time and space, one knows that what really matters is something different from racial strength - see the Gospels. And he adds jokingly: "If our civilization comes to an end, what does it matter? But if it comes to an end through the Jews, that is a disgrace." He talks of starting a new article, "Herodom and Christianity." He once again speaks in praise of the Nouvelles asiatiques and says that beneath the majestic foolishness of Mohammedanism the peoples of the Orient have retained a certain childlike quality; and they also have dignity, as can be seen, for instance, in the two silent people in the first story. He feels that the Russians are more capable of civilizing the Orient than the English, who have imposed themselves on it in the manner of a countinghouse. When we are alone, we yield completely to the mood which the reading has induced in us - oh, could one but die at such moments!