Dear Friend,
I
wanted to go to you this morning, but an attack of colic which
seized me yesterday during the performance of the Italian Opera
prevents me from leaving the house so early - With regard to Hartl
we must have something in writing, or at any rate he must give
me his consent in the presence of two witnesses, of whom you could
be one and Breuning the other - But I should think
that it would be easy to draft a short statement about this. How
could we do it? - It is all the same to me even if the words 'from
compassion' and so forth are to be inserted in the note. For,
as it is, I have already become accustomed to the basest and vilest
treatment in Vienna - and only to please you and in order to be
able to work with you am I allowing things to take their
course - I have three documents about a day in the theatre last
year; and if I include the police documents, I have altogether
five written statements about a day which has never been allotted
to me. Why if only on account of the trouble to which I been
put for nothing those people really ought to give me a day,
which in any case they owe me. I repeat, a day which they
owe me, for, if I choose to do so, I can by virtue of
my right compel the T[heatrical] D[irectors] to give me that
day. And indeed I have discussed this point with a lawyer
- And why should I not do so? For have they not driven me to adopt
such extreme measures? -- -- Away with all considerations
or respect for those vandals of art -
Tomorrow
I will go in person to H[artl]. I called upon him once, but he
was not at home - I am so annoyed that all I desire is to be a
bear so that as often as I were to lift my paw I could knock down
some so-called great -- -- -- ass.
Beethoven