My dear Franz,
Now it is my friend’s turn to help - : without him I do not know where to turn! -
What was it, when I visited you that last time in Weimar, that persuaded you to go to Karlsruhe, in spite of so many obstacles? I do not know; but you felt it necessary to fulfil the obligations of friendship, and so - you had to go there. - This time it is I whom you must help, and quickly. I am at the end of a crisis that involves everything sacred to man: I must make a decision, and every choice that is open to me is so cruel that, in reaching it, I must have beside me the one friend that heaven has granted me.
But I would prefer it if you did not come here to Zurich, since my decision must necessarily take me away from here for the present. Since I hope to find a way of causing the least possible harm, I plan for now to go to Paris, where - in the eyes of the world and especially of my good wife - I may claim to have been taken by certain interests that need protecting. It is there that I should like to meet you. If this is too far for you, or if Paris is totally inconvenient, we could also arrange a rendezvous in Strasbourg. I should like to discuss my entire position with you, in order that the only friend I have may give his complete consent to whatever course I decide to adopt. You will see quite plainly that I am not acting unthinkingly. I shall forbear to go into detail in these lines, but you will have no difficulty in imagining what has happened without any need for explanation on my part: it is sufficient to say that it involves me as a complete human being and that what is at issue is all that is most sacred and noble in life. - But chance has dealt me another bitter blow. I would set off at once, were it not for the fact that I am at present waiting for some money to arrive; just when I need their help, everyone abandons me; I have had to send a letter of attorney to Haslinger in Vienna in order to force my director there to pay me quite a large sum of money that he owes me: I cannot reckon with any certainty upon a successful outcome here for at least a month. From Berlin, where Tannhäuser was performed precisely once during the last quarter, I received precious little for a change, whereas I had come to expect large sums of money from there during the winter months. Only within the last few days have I been able to write to Härtels and offer them Tristan on certain conditions, so that - even in the event of their acceptance - I cannot demand an immediate advance from them, since I cannot send them any of the manuscript until the end of February. My wife’s purse is nearly exhausted; she is anxiously awaiting money from me to pay a pile of New Year’s bills. In such circumstances — since I am completely without resources here — I find myself in the painful position of not being able to effect my necessary departure, which I would not be able to do even if I were to receive the necessary fare, since I cannot leave my wife, even for a short time, without any means. Accordingly, I need at least 1000 fr. in order to be able to leave. Since I expect Härtels to send me a sizeable advance on the first act by Easter at the latest, if, indeed, I am not able to ask for it sooner, I can certainly promise to pay back the money by then. In heaven’s name look around to see from whom and by what means you can get hold of this money: it is most dreadfully important for me to be able to get away from here during this time. Think where I am living! - Send me the money, even if it is from the most Jewish of Jews, - and at the same time let me know where you want to meet me - in Strasbourg or in Paris. I am sure that you will have no objection to a meeting taking place. As for me, I believe the time of my friend is now at hand.
I do not dare ask to be remembered to your circle. Fare you well! Until we meet again very soon.
Yours,
Richard.
Source: Selected Letters of Richard Wagner, trans. and ed. Stewart Spencer and Barry Millington (W. W. Norton & Company, 1988), No. 203