Spent the evening alone at home. At eight o'clock there was a ring at the door. A messenger brought a laurel-wreath with the inscription: "Truth, Light, Liberation." I took the wreath at once to the bust of Beethoven on the tiled stove and placed it on his head, since I had so much to thank him for, especially just now for the music accompanying my drama. At eleven o'clock a telephone from the theatre announces that everything has gone well. _May 29_.--The _Black Flags_ come out to-day. I make very satisfactory terms with the publisher regarding the _Blue Book_ (and I had thought it would not be printed at all). So I determined to remain in my house, which I had determined to leave on account of poverty. _August 20_.--I read this evening the proofs of the _Blue Book_. Then the sky grew coal-black with towering dark clouds. A storm of rain fell; then it cleared up, and a great rainbow stood round the church, which was lit up by the sun. _August 22_.--I am reading now the proofs of the _Blue Book_, and I feel now as though my mission in life were ended. I have been able to say all I had to say. I dreamt that I was in the home of my childhood at Sabbatsberg, and saw that the great pond was dried up. This pond had always been dangerous to children because it was surrounded by a swamp; it had an evil smell, and was full of frogs, hedgehogs, and lizards. Now in my dream I walked about on the dry ground, and was astonished to find it so clean. I thought now that I have broken with the _Black Flags_ the frog-swamp is done with. _September 1_.--Read the last proofs of the _Blue Book_. _September 2_.--Came across tramcar 365, which I had not seen since I began to write the _Blue Book_ on June 15, 1906. _September 12_.--The _Blue Book_ appears to-day. It is the first clear day in summer. I dreamt I found myself in a stone-quarry, and could neither go up nor down. I thought quite quietly, "Well, I must cry for help!" The German motto to-day on the tear-off calendar is: "What is to be clarified must first ferment." To-day I got new clothes which fitted. My old ones had been too tight to the point of torture. My little daughter visited me. I took her home again in a chaise. _September 14_.--The whole day clear. Towards evening, however, about a quarter to six, the sky became covered with most portentous-looking clouds, with black outlines like obliquely hanging theatre-flies. Afterwards these were driven out by a storm over the sea. This evening my _Crown Bride_ was performed. Thus, then, the _Blue Book_ had appeared. It looked well with its blue and red binding, which resembled that of my first book, the _Red Room_, but in its contents differed as much from it as red from blue. In the first I had, like Jeremiah, to pluck up, break down, and destroy; but in this book I was able to build and to plant. And I will conclude with Hezekiah's song of praise: "I said, in the noontide of my days, I shall go to the gates of the grave: