My Dear Child,
You have not quite rightly understood and appraised the gravity of what I have told you, but probably you are not equal to doing so yet, and in any case it alters nothing in me nor in my course of action. Cling to that, and judge of my intentions from it, and you will never have reason to complain. So, first and foremost, now and always, peace! No more brooding; everything is open and straightforward, and the resolution, nay the hope, is sure that everything will turn out, gently and quietly, for the best. No more about it now, then! [...]
[...] The Wesendoncks arrived the evening before last. He called upon me yesterday and invited me to tea, whereupon I explained very delicately in writing that for the future we should remain on friendly terms but without personal intercourse. Let it remain like that!—and I beg you most earnestly to abstain from any kind of interference; it would only have results which I should be forced to regard as a fresh breach of your trust! This must be my affair entirely and I hope you will fall in with me this time at least. There is no question here of strength or weakness on my part but simply of this—that my course appears to me to be the only way to avoid countless possible unpleasantnesses, provided we intend to remain here.—
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 1, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 356