as I could no longer stave off ruin.  She must have been in the highest degree wounded by some notion or other, of which I was ignorant, before bringing herself to reply in the following tone:  ’You wish to know finally whether I will or not?  Well, then, in God’s name, no!’ Not long after this I received from her sister, Mme. Wille, a very surprising explanation of her conduct, which seemed at the time perfectly inexplicable, and only to be accounted for by the weakness of her not very reliable character.

Amid all these vacillations the month of February had run to an end, and while Cornelius and I were busy on our Russian plans, I received news from Kieff and Odessa that it would be unwise to attempt any artistic enterprises there during the present year.  By this time it had become clear that, under the conditions thus developed, I could no longer reckon on maintaining my position in Vienna, or my establishment at Penzing.  Not only did there seem no prospect of even a temporary nature of earning money, but my debts had mounted up, in the usual style of such usury, to so great a sum, and assumed so threatening an aspect, that, failing some extraordinary relief, my very person was in danger.  In this perplexity I addressed myself with perfect frankness—­at first only for advice—­to the judge of the Imperial Provincial Court, Eduard Liszt, the youthful uncle of my old friend Franz.  During my first stay in Vienna this man had shown himself a warmly devoted friend, always ready to help me.  For the discharge of my bill-debts he could naturally suggest no other method than the intervention of some wealthy patron, who should settle with my creditors.  For some time he believed that a certain Mme. Scholler, the wife of a rich merchant and one of my admirers, not only possessed the means, but was willing to use them on my behalf.  Standhartner also, with whom I made no pretence of secrecy, thought he could do something for me in this way.  Thus my position was for some weeks again most uncertain, until at last it became clear that all my friends could procure me was the means for flight to Switzerland—­which was now deemed absolutely necessary—­where, having saved my skin so far, I should have to raise money for my bills.  To the lawyer, Eduard Liszt, this way of escape seemed specially desirable, because he would then be in a position to punish the outrageous usury practised against me.

During the anxious time of the last few months, through which, nevertheless, there had run an undercurrent of indefinite hope, I had kept up a lively intercourse with my few friends.  Cornelius turned up regularly every evening, and was joined by O. Bach, little Count Laurencin, and, on one occasion, by Rudolph Liechtenstein.  With Cornelius alone I began reading the Iliad.  When we reached the catalogue of ships I wished to skip it; but Peter protested, and offered to read it out himself; but whether we ever came to the end