Tuesday, July 19:
R. had quite a tolerable night. We have breakfast in the turret; he is amused that the signorina calls Fidi “Sigfredo” and laughs over this “idealization which makes nonsense of everything.” Recently he criticized women’s names which are modeled on men’s; he says the ancient Germans bore women’s names.
From the newspaper he reads to me a translation of a fine sonnet by Camões. The announcement of the Reich Chancellor’s speeches provokes him to exclaim, “If that is the only statesman worthy of the Germans, tant pis!” Departure of the Wolz.’s - R. goes to them around 1:30. At 1 o’clock Herr Neumann, whom R. does not dislike. Talk of a theater to be built in Berlin for the Ring, which the director would use as a base for the foreign tours he is starting.
We drive up to the theater, great pleasure in the work going on there, a splendid sight, this stage teeming with good workmen! The whole thing a source of pride. How it rears up, huge and simple, dedicated wholly to the sublime! Herr Neumann inspects the machinery with a view toward purchasing it. Supper in the garden, the scent of linden trees. Departure of Herr N., who asks R. whether he has forgiven him, whereupon R.: “You did nothing to me, you just didn’t appreciate who I was. I could not have remained, not at any price, though I admit that it was a horrible situation for you.”