Monday, October 24:
R. had a good night and walks a little in the garden. After lunch Lulu's letter arouses concern, indeed even anger, because of what she tells us about Princess C. Wittgenstein. Goethe's "eternal feminine" is mentioned, but R. feels that women would not thrust themselves forward in this way if the men were not so pitiful. Our maid Marie sobs as she brings in the lamp, since she has heard we are going away. I am very touched; R. as well - memories of Vreneh and leaving Tribschen. Earlier, R. came up to me again: "But you are going with me."
In the evening friend Wolzogen comes; R. talks about Faust and remarks how unique it is: there is nothing else to compare with these two parts, in the first part this meeting, whereas in the second Goethe, like Beethoven, felt the desire at the end of his life to write once more "in his own way." In the years between, Iphigenie, Tasso - well, yes, he showed with these what becomes of a man when he is not himself. The children perform a charade outstandingly well, then R. plays Tristan und Isolde, and all, all that is sorrowful dissolves, and the fair bliss of melancholy flows through our veins!
Then, after expressing his regret that we cannot take Wolzogen with us, R. relates how [Wilhelmine] Schroder-Devrient once said to him in great passion, "Oh, what do you know about it, tied to your wife's apron strings?" and how strange that made him feel. He was 32 at the time.