Thursday, August 18:
Richter, whom I sent to the Sonnenberg, brings me 50 francs for the wounded, I do some collecting myself and am able to give Countess B. 137 francs. In town there are once again two conflicting news reports: the French claim to have won at Gravelotte; on the other hand, a report comes from Pont-à-Mousson that after a battle lasting 12 hours, with many casualties, the French were thrown back, and also the projected splitting of the French army was accomplished. The news has been so conflicting ever since Sunday, but I prefer to believe the Germans.
Family swim (Loulou begins swimming today). R. says he hopes Paris (“this kept woman of the world”) will be burned down; in his youth he had not understood Blücher, who had desired this, and he had disapproved, but now he understood him—the burning of Paris would be a symbol of the world’s liberation at last from the pressure of all that is bad. In 1815 the allies went out of their way not to harm this city, for they were soon to have need of it again to amuse themselves. R. would like to write to Bismarck, requesting him to shoot all of Paris down.
When I return home from town, Dr. Pohl is there, and R. is singing the last scene of the first act of Götterdämmerung for him. Discussion of the situation, R. believes the German reports implicitly. It is also said that Prussia has returned the millions demanded in ’66 to Bavaria.
When R. saw me, he said: “There you are. I am always so happy when you come back, I enjoy again the crowning act of my life whenever I see you”—while for me, as I was returning, the ground burned beneath my feet in my longing to see him again, to know how he was. R. is very impatient at receiving no news from Cl[emens] Brockhaus, he much desires our marriage to take place on the 25th. I remembered everything in patience, for thoughts of the general situation are too grave.
As I came home, I met the widow of the dairy farmer who was recently drowned; I spoke to her and was very touched by the way she spoke of the disaster and her attitude toward it. Her face, ravaged by farm work, has fine, regular features, and her child looks fresh and alert.