Dear Sonnleithner!
Since
it is so difficult to have a word with you, I prefer to write
to you about the matters we must deal with -- I received yesterday
another letter about my journey, and this one made my decision
to travel your revocable -- Hence I most earnestly request you
to see that by the middle of next April the book, which forms
the poetical part, will be quite finished, so that I can press
on with my work and so that the opera can be produced in June
at latest, when I myself can help to produce it -- My brother
has told you about my having changed my rooms. I took these only
on certain conditions, that is to say, until better rooms could
be found for me. The question had already arisen sometime ago
and I just wanted to assert my right to them at Zitterbarth's
when Baron Braun became the owner of the theater -- The rooms
which the painter occupies upstairs and which are really suitable
for a servant and nobody else, need only to be vacated; and then
I shall have rooms which are suitable for me. Where upon my presence
rooms could be cleared out for the painter and the question would
be settled -- Since in my presence rooms the servant has to sleep
in the kitchen, by now I have already had three servants -- and
the third too will not put up with this arrangement for long,
apart altogether from other inconveniences -- I know in advance
it is everything depends again on the worthy Baron's decision,
the answer will be no. If so, I shall immediately take my departure
from here. Ever since we met, this treatment of me has been persistently
unfriendly -- Well, so be it -- I shall never crawl --my world
is the universe -- and now I am awaiting an answer from you about
this -- because, moreover, I do not want to spend another hour
in this wretched hole. My brother tells me that you complained
about my having spoken against you. I beg you not to lend an ear
to such miserable gossip at the theater -- the only fault I have
to finding you is that you listen to readily to some people who
certainly do not merit your attention -- forgive my frankness
--
Wholly
your
Beethoven