But, dearest old girl, what has put it into your head to raise such a lamento over my having sent you some money? I long since knew you couldn't manage with the last for ever, and in my own person — believe me — I am best experiencing that the life we're leading now is infamously dear; and if it has come heavy to myself, owing to my needing quiet and convenience for my work, on the other hand your cure and health involved considerations I've been urging on you all along. Believe me, you would only have distressed me if you had denied yourself a single comfort, to say nothing of a necessity, for the sake of saving. For Heaven's sake be easy on that point, and don't let that care worry you at all, at all. On the contrary, I'm delighted that you should have notified me so simply, and without any fuss, of the approaching end of your resources. I am in no sort of difficulty myself, as I've really no idea of travelling within the next few days, were it only since it's much too hot for me. Moreover I'm already seeing to the needful; a man who has such a beautiful new opera in his pocket, may be sure he will not want. But you're not to worry about it at all: merely make yourself quite comfortable at Schandau — which certainly is better than Spandau — and leave me to look out for more money.
It annoys me to have to confess to you that I've just been ill again. It seems I brought back a fine cold with me from Pilatus; I developed a catarrhal fever which kept me three whole days in bed (my visitor, Dräseke, nursed me). I am recovering already now, only I mayn't exert myself in any way; which I tell you chiefly to excuse me for not writing you at any length today, as I've already had to work off several duty letters — among others, to Tichatscheck a moment back. — Neither has anything happened, excepting that I received my pass back yesterday, with visé, which at least has made a free man of me. I must still abide here for the present, though, as I'm in very active proof-correcting correspondence with Härtels — whom I'm pressing hard — and don't want to interrupt it until all is finished. Otherwise my laziness now is a perfect disgrace; I loll, stretch myself, and yawn that one can hear it through every room in the place. Just do the same yourself! —
For the rest, you do very wrong to blow up N.; she acted very cleverly, and has pledged me to especial thanks, as I otherwise shouldn't have at all known what to send you from here for your birthday. Now that you have got to the back of the secret, however, just tell Nette to present herself at Fr. Tanzer's; the great trifle of money, which she is to devote to a small present for you, must have arrived there by now. But that's merely to rank as half a joke; we'll keep your birthday this time on our wedding-day: in any case we shall celebrate that together, and then I'll bring you half Paris city as a present. —
Pretty secrets! —
Oh, lest I forget it — please write me out that second Moudon address again at once. Lord knows, I can't find your memorandum anywhere. It was to Mr. Page I did write; but what's the name of the other pension? —
Na, lazy, lazy fellow me, I must let this suffice for to-day! May even these few untidy lines tell you that you're to be of good courage, take great care of yourself, and by no means excite yourself again; moreover, that things are standing tolerably with me, and I'm greatly looking forward to soon arriving at a regulated home, whether here or there, with a healthy, gentle wife, good merry house-pets, and other of God's blessings! So be of good cheer! Things are bound to go! Best and most charmant greetings and other mille choses from
Thy most faithful Lazy-bones.
Source: Richard to Minna Wagner: Letters to His First Wife, trans. William Ashton Ellis, Vol. 2 (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1909), No. 186