I wrote in the paper concerning the dear little dancer Hedi Weingartner, that she represents in body and soul the very incarnation of the Viennese belle. My conclusion read: “And nevertheless, for all the apparent gaiety, she’s so very sad inside! About what? Just ask Franz Schubert and Hugo Wolf!”
My young room service waiter said to me: “Jesus, that was swell, what you wrote about that Viennese honey. And the story with that Mr. Wolf and the other guy!”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
“You know, the two dudes that dumped that poor thing!”
“No, those are two long-dead, illustrious Viennese composers of Lieder who were cheerful on the surface and yet so very sad in their songs!”
“Aha—so that’s what it’s supposed to mean! To be perfectly honest, Mr. von Altenberg, I prefer my interpretation!”