Tuesday, October 31:
Early in the night R. had a frightening dream in which someone was trying to kill me and he could not come to my defense. He then wakes me at 4 o'clock to see the comet - a dream night, the comet, the Wain, Orion, full moon, the mildest air, and motionless silence! R. also sees a shooting star, and we then return to bed.
In the morning everything we saw seems to me like a glorious Heaven, and I start the day newly steeled. Unfortunately R. is not very well and is not entirely satisfied with his work. He has also fallen behind in his reading of the little book about Bismarck, which interests him, and in which he recognizes B. as an honest Prussian who succeeded in carrying out a diplomatic coup: 'At that time he still knew nothing about the German swindle, he was a complete Prussian.'
At midday we take a little walk in splendid weather, meet the gondola at the railroad bridge, and ride on, unfortunately past the slaughterhouse, where we hear the moaning of the animals! Once again we are with the three children at table.
In the afternoon a telegram arrives from Biagino, the Frau Lucca relationship not so bad as we thought. We ride to Saint Mark's Square, where a splendid sunset delights us; the journey home, beneath glittering stars with the bells tolling, is wonderful. And in the evening R. brings our day to an end by reading to us several scenes from Romeo and Juliet (balcony scene, Tybalt's death, the marriage, the parting), deeply affecting us all, he himself in tears.
But who could ever describe or indeed paint him during readings of this kind? His countenance illumined, his eyes far away yet gleaming like stars, his hand magical both in movement and at rest, his voice gentle and girlish, all soul, but then plunging to the depths and soaring to the heights. May the star which today shot down as we returned home hear my wish! Before the reading we talked about Wahnfried, Venice. I vote - and in the end R. agrees - against traveling and in favor of remaining as long as possible in Bayreuth and visiting Venice regularly.