arents. I will quote his own words,
and though they make one smile, one loves the impulsive devotion of his
youth; and they make one feel, too, that a man who inspires such an
affection, and who can do so much good by a little sympathy, is to blame
when he does not befriend others--above all if he has suffered, like
Wagner, from loneliness and the want of a helping hand. You must
remember that this letter was written by a boy of fifteen.

"I have been to--guess whom?... to the master, Richard Wagner! Now
I will tell you all about it, just as it happened. I will copy the
words down exactly as I wrote them in my note-book.

"On Thursday, 9 December, at half-past ten, I saw Richard Wagner
for the second time at the Hotel Imperial, where I stayed for half
an hour on the staircase, awaiting his arrival (I knew that on that
day he would conduct the last rehearsal of his _Lohengrin_). At
last the master came down from the second floor, and I bowed to him
very respectfully while he was yet some distance from me. He
thanked me in a very friendly way. As he neared the door I sprang
forward and opened it for him, upon which he looked fixedly at me
for a few seconds, and then went on his way to the rehearsal at
the Opera. I ran as fast as I could, and arrived at the Opera
sooner than Richard Wagner did in his cab. I bowed to him again,
and I wanted to open the door of his cab for him; but as I could
not get it open, the coachman jumped down from his seat and did it
for me. Wagner said something to the coachman--I think it was about
me. I wanted to follow him into the theatre, but they would not let
me pass.

"I often used to wait for him at the Hotel Imperial; and on this
occasion I made the acquaintance of the manager of the hotel, who
promised that he would interest himself on my behalf. Who was more
delighted than I when he told me that on the following Saturday
afternoon, 11 December, I was to come and find him, so that he
could introduce me to Mme. Cosima's maid and Richard Wagner's
valet! I arrived at the appointed hour. The visit to the lady's
maid was very short. I was advised to come the following day,
Sunday, 12 December, at two o'clock. I arrived at the right hour,
but found the maid and the valet and the manager still at table....
Then I went with the maid to the master'