Monday, August 14:
R. feels somewhat better; for me a number of farewell visits, Emilie Sierzputowska, Alexandra Schleinitz, whose excellent piece on Vars. pleased me greatly. Unfortunately tuna is served at lunch; R. eats some and suffers all day from indigestion! He had made an appointment with the chorus master, the conductor, and Herr Reichmann at 5 o’clock to discuss tempi; it is quite a while before he is able to talk with them, but at last he does so, then commits an error of diet by drinking beer, after which he has to go to bed. He reads Cervantes’s story Rinconete y Cortadillo while I receive people downstairs in a subdued frame of mind. During the night his pains increase, I make hot compresses for him, and in the joy of seeing him gradually recover and of being permitted to perform this humble little service for him, my soul sinks down in grateful prayer. Who never saw his dearest suffer, who never sat helping at a bedside through night’s heavy hours, he knows you not, ye heavenly powers! I know you and your consolations!