Sunday, April 9:
Easter eggs; the children search for and find them and are happy. Fidi also finds an egg; his “Papa” is already giving R. much delight.
In the outside world, Dollinger and the Commune. When I went walking with R., he said, “I should like to tell all reformers to study human nature and to realize what a miracle it is that we have not all gobbled one another up, that things still go on as they do, and that they should consequently worship all such things as hereditary monarchy as divine manifestations, instead of emphasizing their absurd aspects; for by rights, men being what they are, we should have devoured one another long ago.”
Over beer we discuss our prospects; my heart feels very heavy. God knows what now lies before us! All that remains for me is to be worthy of R. and never to show him any signs of faintheartedness. Today I had to weep on his shoulder; the King will demand Siegfried, and what then? In the evening at last took up Gibbon again.