Dear Minna,
As I am obliged to answer you at once — on account of the tax business — I can only do it very briefly, since the time between arrival and departure of letters here is very short. I don't at all know what I'm to fill up in the form, or what to declare; moreover, I never clapped eyes on such a form last year, and this is the very first time. Therefore — not to do anything stupid — I shall simply sign it, and you must be so good as to beg Sulzer, in my name, to fill up the rubrics for me as he may think fit. What is there for me to declare? I have no property, and can earn as good as nothing, at least nothing settled, and least of all in Switzerland and Zurich. All I could say, then, would be: What I need to maintain me, I receive from abroad. But Sulzer will soon find out the proper wording, and write it in for me.
— I have received the Schwerin honorarium, but with a deduction of 2 louis d'or for the Berlin Jews, of course; therefore only 18 louis, 3 of which were assigned to Hug of Zurich. 10 louis d'or I at once repaid to Müller. — But you can pull along for the present, can't you? The beginning of November — if you will — there'll be money again.
Otherwise I'm doing better; it was a kind of nerve-crisis that had set in, making me feel extraordinarily weak, and at length excited; but it did not alarm me, as I had a splendid appetite all the time. — Since it was too noisy for me down below, though, Brunner has given me a very nice room on the first floor, where it is quieter. To-day I've recommenced the cold ablutions, which suit me; I'm feeling brisk. My digestion will soon get into order, too, I hope. —
So — your excursioning is still a long way off? I expect you people have given up wanting it now; for we have had our fine weather, and it will not return. What idiots you all are!
I have nothing more to write to you, dearest of wives, for of course nothing ever happens here. Merely, I have won 1 franc off Karl at billiards; but I shall have to do a lot of sharping before I cover your gaming losses here. — Now, for God and the Holy Trinity's sake, have you not been to the Prophète? Do write me what you're doing, and whether Boom is in full finger-power to play the grand into trim? Please ask him to dinner, and give him a thumping beefsteak. —
Farewell now; give Peps my blessing. Write and come; and — hold me dear, too.
Thy first-rate Husband.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 43