Dear Mienel,
Alack, I found no letter from you here to-day; but the evening post comes in at 7, when something perhaps will turn up. — Since I wrote and telegraphed you last, I have arrived here, under many difficulties. Poor thanks I owe the Herweghs for offering to book me a seat from Geneva to Turin, which ended in smoke: the best time being lost, at Geneva I could only get a (villainous) seat as far as Chambéry, a third of the distance; whereas at Chambéry there came a sudden stop to all things, every place in every diligence and other coach being already taken till the 4th of September. So nothing remained but to hire a hackney flyman for 3 days, or take extra-post with strangers. I chose the latter, because two other travellers were in the same predicament: a very dear carriage had to be taken for the whole distance to Turin; but unluckily there was such a mass of gentry's private coaches also going extra-post, that the supply of horses gave out, and at last our only way of getting forward was by bribing the postilions. — It was a venturesome journey on the Mont Cenis by night; yet everything went right, and, with fine weather the whole time, I reached Turin yesterday afternoon.
This is a handsome, big, and elegant new city, quite à la Paris; but naturally that isn't what I'm seeking, and I shall not remain here long; I merely want to rest a bit, and make an excursion to the environs, which must be very beautiful. Last evening I made straight for a small theatre (there are a number of theatres here), where I heard a silly comic opera, which — wretched as it was — was quite excellently sung and acted by the company. Not until 12 did I get to bed after it, but slept very well (in a bed again at last) and did not arise till 9 this morning. — I should not have written you as yet, before having a letter from you to answer, if I hadn't wanted to tell you not to address to Turin any more, but to: Mr. R. W., à Gênes, poste restante (Royaume de Sardaigne).
(Gênes, you see, is the French for Genua — which in Italian, again, is called Genova; but I'm afraid Genova might be read Genève (Genf), which would cause confusion.)
Yes, it is the Mediterranean to which I'm chiefly looking forward, and hope to reach the 1st September (Thursday).
Good God, I can write you next to nothing about yourself, as it's so long since I've had any news from you; and then the post for Switzerland goes out at 5, and — even if I do get a letter from you to-day — that will not be till 7. So I must save any further remarks for tomorrow, when I hope to have something quite friendly and good to reply to.
So farewell for to-day, good old Minna. Be quite cheerful and calm — and you'll give me the greatest of pleasure. If Mathilde is with you still, my kind regards to her!
Adieu, shake Peps by the paw,
Thy wholly good Richard.
Turin, at the Hotel de l'Europe, on a splendid square, opposite the Royal Palace.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 53