This counsellor, secretary to the king, had replaced Pfistmeister, the messenger who had carried the good news to Wagner from Ludwig II., and who was now, also, one of his most implacable adversaries.
"Tartufflipp," with his prepossessing face, was badly built, high-shouldered, even hump-backed—and the report ran that his hump was greatly increased by the Wagnerian theatre project, which having juggled away, he had concealed there.
What could result from all these artful under-hand dealings? Already they had written me from Tribschen that the costumes, according to the sketches sent to the Master, were hideous and would have to be re-made. Someone had conceived the idea of building up great scaffolds of gold upon the heads of the Gods, without remembering that in this opera, where gold is discovered, it ought not to appear until after Alberich had plundered and forged it. Would attention be paid to the author's suggestions? In that which pertained to the staging was there not all to be feared, considering that the only beings upon whom it depended were spiteful and incapable?
Decidedly, Richter's anxiety explained itself and extended to us.
[1] Hypocrite.
[2] Trap-door.
XIV
At last the time had come! The last rehearsal but one was about to begin. How mysterious and imposing was the empty and dimly lighted theatre! It appeared immense, almost like a cathedral, the stage all bathed in a blue haze, produced, no doubt, by some reflection of the outside daylight, for it was then three o'clock in the afternoon.
Only a very few had been accorded the favour of being present at this rehearsal, which was without stage scenery or costumes.