Visit of a Herr von Balasy and wife, enthusiastic supporters of R. R. works; the day before yesterday he set the ravens croaking, and yesterday he said, “Nobody will be able to say that Hagen strikes down Siegfried without a backward glance, since he stabs him in the back!”
For all his exhausting activities and his indispositions, R. is always indescribably loving toward me—for instance, he told me today that he did not send my letters up to me so as to make sure that I should come into the salon while he was working and fetch them myself. A change in the daily routine: now that the days are getting shorter, R. goes out soon after lunch and returns home at about 5 o’clock to write another page of his score. —
Herr and Frau von Balasy from Hungary visit us; they have a recommendation from Baron Augusz[i]and present themselves as the most ardent of admirers. During the evening many strange things come out, revealing all the hatred of the Austrian Court for Germany and Bismarck; for instance, this gentleman is hoping, among other things, for an early alliance between France, Austria, and Russia to declare war on Germany, coûte que coûte (at all costs). Delight in the recent letter from the Russian Emperor to Don Carlos, while Prussia and Austria recognize Spain. Confidence that the Arnim papers will not be found, since they are in a safe place.
During all this the gentleman says, very rightly, “If Bismarck were really pursuing pan-German policies and not specifically Prussian ones, surely he would support the Wagner undertaking?” To that one can indeed give no answer, though R. tries with warmth to prove that Germany could very well join hands with Austria, that Bismarck considers himself a German, and that everything Prussia has so far done is self-defense to exonerate itself from the contumely which was heaped on it. The gentleman maintains that in the year ’66 Bismarck wanted to take over a part of Bohemia, and Napoleon alone saved it.
Austria and Hungary, he says, are being undermined by Prussian agents. He further relates that Queen Olga[ii] is solely responsible for the French war—she sent Napoleon a letter from her brother, the Russian Emperor, who had said to her, “I shall never allow the fait accompli of ’66 to be destroyed.” On account of that and the alliance with Austria, N[apoleon] III ventured into war. But the treaty of alliance stipulated, »Après la première bataille gagnée, l’empereur d’Autriche s’engage etc.« (“After the first battle has been won, the Emperor of Austria under takes, etc.”)—as a point of honor N. wanted to win a battle first, and Austria did in fact enter into this shameful treaty! —
It is interesting to observe from all these pieces of information what confusion the Jesuits are causing everywhere, the purpose being to isolate Germany wherever possible and to compromise alliances. The worthy gentleman could not see how much shame Austria derives from such alliances. God protect Germany! May it prevail in glory—whether for a shorter or a longer period is immaterial, as long as it is honorable. —
Our dear Dr. Lang is now an official agent of the Catholic party! . . . Freedom of movement now allows very many noncommissioned officers to count on rapid promotion, since many Bavarian officers fail their examinations; to serve in the Bavarian army—that is indeed a splendid prospect!
[i] Baron Anton Augusz, friend of Franz Liszt, best man at Hans Richter’s wedding.
[ii] Queen Olga (1822-1892), not sister but daughter of Tsar Nicholas I of Russia, married to Crown Prince Karl of Württemberg in 1846.