【英文字幕】

Alma.I beg you.Read this letter carefully.Our relationship must not degenerate into a mere flirt. Before we speak again, we must have clarified everything.You must know what I demand and expect of you and what I can give in return. What you must be for me. You must renounce, your word. Everything superficial and conventional. All vanity and outward show concerning your individuality and your work.?

How do you imagine both wife and husband as composers? Do you have any idea how ridiculous and subsequently how much such an idiosyncratic rivalry must end up dragging us both down?

How will it be if you happen to be just in the mood but have to look after the house for me or get me something I happen to need? If you are to look after the trivialities of life for me, you must become the person I need. If we are to be happy together, my wife and not my colleague. That's for certain.

Does this mean for you breaking off your own life? And do you think you will have to do without a high point of being, which you cannot live without? If you entirely give up your music in order to possess and also be my own.?

From now on, you have only one profession to make me happy. Now I do realize that if you are to make me happy, you must yourself be happy, through me. But, in this drama, which could develop equally well into a comedy or a tragedy, the roles must be correctly cast.?

The role of composer, the breadwinner is mine.Yours is that of the loving partner, the sympathetic comrade.I am asking very much of you, very much.But I can and must do so because I also know what I have to offer and shall offer in return.

You must surrender yourself to me, unconditionally. Make every detail of your future life completely dependent on my needs.?And in return, you must wish for nothing. Except my love.

And what that is Alma,?I cannot tell you. I have already spoken too much about it. But let me tell you just this. For someone I love the way I would love you if you were to become my wife, I can forfeit all my life and all my happiness.

Write with utter candour, tell me all you have to say, and all you know. Rather than living in self-deception, I would prefer for us to part at once, otherwise being the way I am, I know it would end in a catastrophe for both of us.

This letter will come as a dreadful shock to you. I know it, Alma. And even if this is only cold comfort, you can well imagine that I am suffering just as much. I call to God, though aware that you have not yet made his acquaintance to guide your hand my love, in writing the truth and not letting yourself be led astray by ostentation.

For this is a moment of great importance. These are decisions that will weld two people together for eternity. I bless you, my dearest, my love, no matter how you react. Many tend to kiss my Alma. And I beg you, be truthful.

Your Gustav！