I saw that Hoffmann's Serenade in D, a piece of music I particularly wanted to hear, was to be played next evening at an open-air concert in the Rosenthal Restaurant, and announced that I meant to be present. Frau Professor said this was impossible, that no young girl could go to a place like that by herself and she unfortunately could not take me [...] so I hit upon a plan which this capital old lady somewhat reluctantly fell in with. I hired grey corkscrew curls and a large pair of horn spectacles, borrowed her thickest veil and her gown, which, after I had swathed myself in newspapers tightly tied on with string, and added other contrivances, was a perfect fit. Having finally painted in appropriate wrinkles, I sallied forth to the Rosenthal, sat down with a piece of knitting (for show only) at a small table, and asked for beer and a "Schinken Brodchen" - that is a buttered roll with ham in the middle.

It was a warm September night and the garden was full of burgher families, seated like me at little tables with beer and ham, and listening religiously to the really excellent music - in short it was the Germany of my dreams. [...] The Serenade, a charming piece of music by the by, and everything else I heard that night, enchanted me.