Worked with Loldchen while Herr Sauter, the photographer and painter, was making a drawing of the salon and hall below for the King. R. is greatly annoyed at a telegram from the secretary of the Viennese Academic Society, who reports that R. is giving a concert in Vienna on the 6th, and inquires whether R. is really coming; also that they have engaged Dr. Glatz, of whom we so far know nothing. R. cables to Richter and forbids Glatz’s participation; in the evening Richter replies that it is all a misunderstanding.
In the afternoon Christmas errands. In the evening we get J. Rubinstein to play the Variations, after R. has worked out with Herr Feustel and the lawyer Skutsch a final agreement with Voltz and Batz. It is becoming increasingly clear that the two gentlemen have abused R.’s trust in a most shameless manner, and Herr Feustel, whose prudence and loyalty R. again has reason to appreciate very clearly, advises R. no longer to correspond with them directly. —
The 33 Variations again delight us, the product of pure genius.