Sunday, April 2:
R. had a good night. Our breakfast conversation revolves around the children, mainly Blandine, with some apprehension! The laconic tone of Hans's telegram says a very great deal! In the Bund, which a Swiss maid here receives, it is reported, to R.'s delight, that on the left bank of the Vierwaldstätter Lake a parkland is to be leveled as far as Tribschen, “for some time the residence of R. Wagner.”
The weather is uncertain, we abandon a coach excursion and take the 5 o'clock train to Giarre and Riposto, returning with the 7 o'clock train. When we get off at Giarre, R. calls out, “Herr Schnappauf!” The urchins surrounding him repeat “Schnappauf” like an echo, amid much laughter; we go down to the sea in very gay spirits, sit on the terrace of the little tollhouse and watch the moon rising. A splendid journey, which we greet with cries of delight. On our return we see Etna free of clouds for the first time, shining in the moonlight.
A game of whist, made very merry by R.'s humorous vexation with his bad cards, ends a day on which R. has felt very well. He decides on a journey to Taormina tomorrow. [Added in margin: “On our return from Taormina he asks Fidi how much smaller than the earth the moon is, and he adds, ‘A dreadfully big thing, this earth, much too big!’ ”]