I shall be unable to write you much to-day, dearest Minna, since, to speak candidly, I'm a little pulled down by my work — to which I'm now sticking with the most passionate zeal — and incapable of any effort after table. Moreover, I have next to no occurrence to relate, as usual. The solitary thing to tell is just my happy perseverance with my work, and that I now may expect to have quite finished it as early as mid-August. You know how I get seized with an almost extravagant eagerness when a thing's once in full swing and approaching its end; then I've all but no mind left for anything else.
Your letter, poor dear harassed and buffeted Wife, touched me deeply, and I could really curse my fate, at my present ripe age to be still incapable of offering you true peace of life. I can appreciate your desire for rest, indeed I can! Believe me, if I'm more indifferent thereto myself, it is half desperation at the abominable way in which I'm treated by my fatherland. But I'll briefly jot you down to-day my plan for the immediate future. Mid-August I hope to be able to leave here and go to Paris. I have also written direct to the Paris director concerning Rienzi; if anything comes of it for this winter, so much the better! In any event I shall devote my immediate visit to a study whether and where I can find us the most suitable dwelling; if I can persuade myself that it would please us both to be in Paris, I suppose I shall have to embrace that, for I can see nothing better in front of me. Nevertheless I shall try to keep another door still open, and in case nothing comes of the Rienzi, perhaps only think of a provisional logis garni for us, still to leave a choice for the Carlsruhe possibility. For I still think that, once I am there, the Grand Duke may resolve on an extremity, and not permit me to depart again.
So I would beg of you, when you have quite finished with Schandau and want to get out of it, to start with Nette, dog and bird, direct for Carlsruhe. I shall ask Devrient to engage a small furnished apartment beforehand, where you may await me in comfort until I can come too and alight in your quarters straight off. I do hope that everything will have got that length by the end of October. Then — if not sooner — it shall be definitely decided whether we can remain in Germany or not. In the latter event we shall travel thence to Paris. If I were to find a very suitable abode in Paris first, tho', and especially if Rienzi were set down for this winter, then we should hold to Paris in advance for either case, just to be completely safe. — That's my provisional plan; what do you think of it?? —
By the way, America is on the haunt again. A German Opera will not come off there, but they want to engage me for 3 months' concerts on the terms discussed. Well, we'll wait and see; in the meantime I do not set much store by it. —
As regards my tantièmes it appears to go with you as with many others in Germany, who look at them through magnifying-glasses. You wrote me of two performances at the beginning of April; Ander sang Lohengrin twice at Berlin in May: which makes 4 performances. Then hoped for perhaps a 5th — even a Tannhäuser perf. in addition — and made out for myself quite a nice little bill. Instead of that, exactly 3 perfs. have been notified to me — 2 with Ander, and only one before. It came to 158 thr., as another 50 thr. was struck off for the advance. I owed precisely this amount to Bülow, who had had to raise me money on my tantièmes last winter when I required it, and to whom I couldn't pay it back before; consequently — nothing for me this time. But — be easy; it will all come right, once this fearfully dear hotel-life stops. In Paris I mean to draw in my horns to begin with. —
And now I really must break off; don't be cross with me, good Minna, my head is quite dizzy. — I enclose a few lines for the Ney. Friend T. appears to be a ragamuffin! —
The weather continues splendid, and for the last week a strong breeze has been blowing, which keeps the air fresh. This does me an extraordinary amount of good! May I only hear good news of yourself very soon; I know how much you always suffer from the heat. For that matter, if you want to take a drive oftener, surely a little chaise must stand at your command? Please drive — along the valley to the Kuhstall, — don't look too close at money, I'll see to more if it runs out. The main affair is that you poor good wife should thrive for me! —
So pluck up courage, pluck up hope! Something delightful is sure to arrive soon. Congratulate me also on the approaching termination of my work; I build great hopes on it! —
Now a thousand heartfelt greetings! Farewell and ever think kindly of
Thy Richard.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 2 (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909), No. 181