Sunday, May 7:
Letter from the children; they are well. Longing for them. R. feels moved whenever he thinks of them; he also constantly asks me what people must think knowing that he has me, how relieved they must feel about him. My friend Frau Dirksen was quite amazed when he declared to her the day before yesterday that, if I were still ill, he had no intention of conducting the concert.
On Thursday evening I asked him to promise me that we should die together, whereupon he replied that we had loved each other and had come together; Fate, the stars, would continue to look after us.
At 12 o’clock breakfast with Tausig at Marie Schleinitz’s house. The minister tells us the Emperor claims never to have heard anything so perfect as this concert; it was sublime. General Beyer had heard R. conducting the Faust Overture in the morning concert and told the Emperor he had never heard anything like it.
After breakfast the selection of the committee members, whereupon I drive to the Wesendoncks’ to invite him to take part, but obtain little satisfaction there. R. at the same time goes with Tausig to seek out “the touching Jew” Loser, orders cigars for him, and gives him his pamphlets in gratitude. On the journey he tells Tausig how and for what he is living, and speaks of Fidi, whereupon Tausig exclaims, “He must be a splendid boy.”
In the evening dinner with Eckerts, very pleasant, then some friends.