wagner was almost innocent of any sense of responsibility.not only did he seem incapable of supporting himself， but itnever occurred to him that he was under any obligation to do so.he was convinced that the world owed him a living.in support ofthis belief，he borrowed money from everybody who was good for aloan —men，women，friends，or strangers.he wrote beggingletters by the score ，sometimes groveling without shame， atothers loftily offering his intended benefactor 0 the privilege of contributing to his support，and being mortally offended if therecipient declined the honor.no record was found of his payingor repaying money to anyone who did not have a legal claimupon it.
what money he could lay his hands on he spent like anindian rajah.the mere prospect of a performance of one of hisoperas was enough to set him to running up bills amounting to tentimes the amount of his prospective royalties . no one will everknow—certainly he never knew—how much money he owed.
we do know that his greatest benefactor gave him＄6，000 to paythe most pressing of his debts in one city， and a year later had togave him＄16，000 to enable him to live in another city withoutbeing thrown into jail for debt.
瓦格纳几乎没有丝毫责任感。他不仅似乎无力养活自己，而且从未想过有什么养活自己的责任。他确信世人应该供养他。基于这一信念，他向所有拿得出钱的人借钱 ——不论是男是女，也不论是朋友还是陌生人。乞讨信他一写就是二十几封。有时低声下气，不知天下有羞耻二字；有时趾高气扬地把资助他的殊荣恩赐给他看中的捐助人，要是领受人谢绝这一殊荣，他会气得半死。没有发现任何记录表明他曾经把钱付给或还给未对他提出法律上的要求的人。
凡是能弄到手的钱，他花起来象一位印度王子。他的某一出歌剧可能要上演了，单凭这一点指望，他一下子就欠下十倍于预期版税的帐单。没有人搞得清楚——肯定他自己也弄不清楚——他欠过多少钱。可是我们确实知道，一位为他出钱最多的捐助人曾经给他六千美元，帮助他偿还他在某市催得最紧的债款。一年后，又得给他一万六千美元，使他在另一个城市得以安顿下来，并免遭因无力偿还债务而锒铛入狱的灾难。