A brougham drawn by two horses stood before the house in Alte
Pferdestrasse, when I went to learn the news the next day.
Feeling that it was sure to be some one from the Court who was in
conference with the Master, I did not enter at once, but sauntered away
for some little distance, waiting till the interview should be over.
It lasted a long time. Finally I saw Düfflipp, the Court Counsellor,
come out, followed by the Director, Perfall. The swarthy and saccharine
face of the king's secretary was all shining with perspiration. He
wore a suit of chestnut-coloured cloth. His big awkward shoulders
disappeared into the carriage, and Perfall, very red and very much
given to obsequious bowings, closed the door. The horses reared,
stamping noisily on the pavingstones, then pranced off at a great pace,
while the Director walked rapidly away.
They both had the aspect of rogues. I hurried up the stairs to
Scheffer's floor, urged by anxiety and the desire to know what had
happened.
I found Wagner in a peculiar state of mind, ironically gay, satirical,
full of jokes, but calm, without any trace of anger.
"Do you recall that sentence of _King Lear_," he asked me, "'The worst
is not yet,' when they had said: 'this is the worst'? To-day surpasses
yesterday. Tartufflipp is just gone and the measure is full. Not only
do they refuse me the only rehearsal I asked for, and reject Richter
(who has failed in the obedience and respect which he owed to such a
director as Perfall) forever, but again they drive me away from Munich.
I am, it appears, a public menace and my life is in danger. It is
terrible! The poor counsellor was quite distracted about it, his hump
shivered with disquietude.... Truly, if he worries so about me, his
health will be affected and, in order to prevent such a misfortune, I
must go away at once."
"Oh! without seeing even one rehearsal of your work?"
"But the theatre would be quite likely to collapse upon me if I passed
its threshold! Do you not understand? Tartufflipp comprehends it all
very well; with the greatest solicitude and tenderness he incited me
to a prompt flight! To all that I attempted to say to him, he made the
same reply--'But that is not the question, do not remain here, you must
not stay, how terrible if anything were to happen to you!'"
"Did he speak in the name of his Master?"
"Not at all! The King is undoubtedly ignorant of the fact that I am
here. I tried to see him, this morning, at his Castle of Berg; but
they told me he had gone on an excursion. There is a guard all about
him in order to prevent my approaching him. But I foresee in all this
a cause for recriminations which might do harm to the royal person,
and in the endeavour to spare him all annoyance I take myself off,
without protest. You may be sure that the enormous sum the King has
put at the disposal of the theatre has given rise to wrath among the
ministers. The fact that this sum has been misused, squandered without
profit, through the incapacity and the knavery of those to whom it was
confided, does not lessen the complaint against the King. Then let us
accept the situation. We will let people imagine if they can that the
stage arrangements of the _Rheingold_ are superb; if mincemeat must be
made of my work, I submit to it, if only they will not incriminate the
King, and will leave me alone."
At that moment Richter arrived.
"Master," said he, "I have said my good-byes to the musicians of the
orchestra; they replied by a very touching ovation to me, and they
begged me to assure you of their most enthusiastic loyalty."
"My poor friend," said Wagner, "you are the real victim of this
deplorable fiasco."