Friday, 15 August 1873

At the Exposition (detestable grey dress — everything is packed). We visited everything in detail. Truly I adore the porcelains, the blue ones especially. What tempts me are the furniture, the carriages, the porcelains, and the jewels after all. Dinner at the Provencaux — only there can I eat. Today the dinner is not very good. After dinner, a promenade in the Prater; they talked of the races at Baden, and my aunt said:
"But it was a scandal — the art prize was copper! The Duke of Hamilton won it and had it melted down."
I blushed like a fool. But no one said anything; I should have preferred them to say something, for they seem to know and not to want, out of pity, to make me blush still more. It is far better to boo a singer than to pass her over in silence.
[Crossed out: Dina's dress.]
Home at eight; I mended my gloves and then wrote three letters — to Maman, to Mme de Mouzay, and to Helene. I bought two bracelets, very thin, in gold — very pretty.