[...] I do not enlarge on the moral necessity for my departure from Zurich; it must be known to you and I think I may take it that Hans or Cosima will have told you all that is necessary. Latterly circumstances made a further stay in Zurich unthinkable and a decision taken months ago had ultimately to be put suddenly into effect. Each new day brought new intolerable torments; only my departure could end them. But this had to be put off from day to day for lack of the necessary money. I had to provide my wife with funds and make it possible for us to leave Zurich for good by the payment of bills, etc., which I should not otherwise have had to meet till the new year, etc. etc. The torment of passing day after day in the vain hope of money coming in was terrible. [...] During that time to have seen you suddenly walk into the house would have been a heavenly comfort to me and to all engaged in the conflict.
As regards the Countess d'Agoult, I came to know her through Cosima's visit to me. She came several times to music with us in the evening, bringing her daughter. She seemed very interested in my Nibelungs. Unfortunately I was not in the humour to try to get to know her mind better; æsthetic discussions appeal to me less and less; besides she showed no kind of inclination to lead me into them. On the few other occasions on which we met she showed me marked, well-bred, deliberate reserve. She never spoke of you to your confessedly most intimate friend. I happened accidentally to speak of the artistic value of your recent works; she listened to my views in silence. [...]
You will be glad to hear that Venice has not disappointed my expectations. [...] I am waiting for my grand piano and hope to resume work without interruption next month. My thoughts are concentrated on finishing Tristan—and on nothing else.
I am very troubled about my poor wife. She has had to go through a terrible time and her bad state of health, in particular, has given me the utmost concern for months. [...] The poor thing utterly lacks the education to adopt a noble resignation which would command respect. For the present she is with relatives in Saxony and is to settle in Dresden later with our household goods. If ever I am allowed to enter Germany again I shall go to see her, and in any case I have no thought of leaving her altogether. [...]
Source: Letters of Richard Wagner, Vol. 2, selected and ed. Wilhelm Altmann, trans. M. M. Bozman (J. M. Dent & Sons, 1927), No. 367