My good Minna,
I have this moment received your letter, and hurriedly sit down to answer you forthwith on the most urgent point — our things. —
Simply write at once to Zurich; whatever you want, you will promptly receive. I told you the last time that that injunction was merely a passing stupidity of the creditors involved, set aside as soon as ever I heard of it. I only needed to commission Heim to acknowledge the bills in my name — so far as they should be found correct — and the injunction was removed at once. Believe me, I wouldn't conceal anything from you. It was annoying enough; but it's over. — So, get sent you whatever you wish.
— I'm curious to learn about Furrer's behaviour. I sent Heim an open letter, which he was to read aloud to that low person — perhaps through Spyri — if possible in presence of the men concerned: a letter in which I demand of him that he shall beg your pardon; but Heim hasn't let me hear anything further yet. I wrote for my coverlet also; I need it much, as my bedroom is splendid for summer, but not for the winter, and I wouldn't give much for the heating. —
When you arrive in Dresden, you shall find a longer letter from me at Tichatscheck's, which will supply you with further news about myself and Venice. If my pocket permits, I shall accompany it with views of sundry parts of Venice. Anyhow I have already been hunting some up at the shops for you. —
Really it's too cruel of you in our old age, to be wanting to divide up our estate; it will end by your letting me starve when my other operas cease paying and I've nothing but Rienzi to fall back on. For the present I must beg you to allow me from your undisputed property enough to pay off Heim and Zurich bills, and to be able to live on till Tristan. When the Tristan comes along, I'll hand you over some of that in turn, and thus, I fancy, we shall keep each other going. But joking apart, I hope for good takings ere long from my ancient Rienzi; which will really come in very handy. Breslau has paid me already. What I get from Hanover, will go to Heim straight off. Presuming on my new friendship with Lachner, I have got Munich also after it now, and am hoping that will come off; then others will soon follow suit. No one has sent me a refusal yet, merely puttings off; I hope to get Frankfort and Prague after it yet, though, whilst Darmstadt also has to send its fee. —
Well, no doubt you can manage awhile with the 1000 fr. from Ritters for the present. Just pay Frau Hanel, but don't let that make you buy yourself anything inferior to what you ought to have, I beg you for my sake. I really don't draw any hard and fast line for you, and whatever you need you may be sure of obtaining at once from me; don't be so absurd! —
Your throwing that Rottdorf "houselet" in my face is just what I might have expected; it came from my merely thinking of our former little flat there, and your meaning to take precisely such another in it. Forgive my belittlement of the big house!
For that matter, I could earnestly wish you — once more — to come to rest at Dresden, the sooner the better. I quite understand that, with Klärchen's familiarity with our moral relations, a harping on recent occurrences was less to be avoided than at Zwickau; but that is just what I should like to see prevented. There is nothing more foolish and cruel, than the constant tearing open of such wounds, and only with reluctance do I allude to it in this letter myself. Dear Mutz, come to rest; endeavour not to think of what has tortured you and is to be overcome for good. Believe me, I now am living solely for my art and the heartfelt wish to make your life as supportable and agreeable as possible in future. Nothing shall shake my resolutions, not even yourself when you try to provoke me. I shall even overcome your contradictions. — I regard the world otherwise now, than but a few years since, and can truly say, I feel that I've been tested in a higher sense at last. Let this be evidence to you of what I mean: that I can report how much better and calmer I feel now, in every respect. For some time now I have unintermittently had such beautiful sound sleep as I've hardly ever known before. Oh, if I only could lend it you, how soon you would get well! But believe me, this health and recovery doesn't come from without or through physic; it comes from nowhere but within: my retirement and profound collectedness refresh me, give me deep tranquillity and peace. If you look without for anything, hold fast to me alone! And if you would console yourself for all you've suffered, hold fast to it that my heart has stayed good to you, and — surely you can see it! — will stand unflinching by your side. —
Enough! I hope for the production of Tristan at Carlsruhe toward Easter; then we shall meet again, and all the rest will arrange itself kindly and well. Farewell, and rely on
Thy good Husband.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 1 (H. Grevel & Co., 1909), No. 148