Monday, 14 July 1873

Nearly every day I practise four hours of piano. Princess Galitzine is always at our house; rarely a day passes without her, and in the evenings we go out together.
Auda is to come tomorrow to fit my riding habit; the glove maker too.
In the evening, in the carriage, everyone was ready to sit down but Dina was dawdling, so I said:
— Come along, Mme Cadyow, hurry up!
This name stays with me, and it makes me laugh so; it has a magical effect. I have only to pronounce it, merely to think it, and I laugh like a madwoman.
— Which madame? Oh! come now, which madame? What? said Dina in a sly tone, looking me in the eyes.
— Nothing at all, go away, you're annoying me!
What a rascal — she even looked it up in Bouillet, but who suggested A. to her? She is not as stupid as I thought.
Papa kept saying silly things; he was recounting his old loves — how comical old lovers are! Everything should wither at the same time. But Papa is still strong and young for sixty-four.

Notes

"Suggested" in English in the original.