Dearest Muzius,
Really you are very wooden people, all of you; you cannot even start a thing without me. Surely Herr Dr R. might have had a talk with Frau Trümpler in the first place; others can often speak up for one with more importunacy than oneself. But all these people seem to have a dread of one another! — So I shall have to go begging from Pontius to Pilate again, and that means a loss of time. Can't you get introduced to Frau Trümpler by Heim, then — or Dr R.? You could speak better in my interest yourself, than I. — Not one of you can do anything — isn't that true?
It is awful to me, to hear that you've had to take opium again; it's to be hoped you will listen to reason, and let yourself be supplied with rest and sleep by me for once, which I promise you if you only will follow my orders a bit.
For the rest, I'm waiting for the day of my departure now with great impatience; probably I shall not write you again, unless anything very important should happen unforeseen. I expect to arrive from Berne on Tuesday morning by the Baden train, as I prefer travelling at night in this heat. — Please do not have my bathtub filled with water, but leave it empty in the alcove: I shall only use it to do my washings in. But go at once to the Post and tell them to send on no more letters here from Friday morning onward, but to give them to the postman. True, I wrote to the bureau yesterday, myself, but it will be as well for you to ascertain if they duly received that letter.
Now let me hope for a kindly reunion; I expect you'll be satisfied with me and my health. What I have lost by the sweating, Fips has picked up, so that you can abide by him if I don't please you. If you want a few good nights' sleep ere my arrival, carefully follow the advice I have given you; but of course you don't appear to think of it, and would rather take that cursed opium. At the least take a couple of cold foot-baths.
Adieu, bad woman who gives me so much anxiety! To a speedy good Wiedersehen!
Thy R.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 114