Monday, 8 September 1873

The professor of arithmetic and cosmography came. While we were talking with him, Paul brings in the hat from Paris; Maman, not wanting to pay before seeing it, goes down, and upon opening the box, the professor is forgotten. At nine o'clock in the evening we receive a letter from this professor saying he was poorly received, etc. -- which is the pure truth. I am truly sorry about it. I did not go out; I wrote to Mantel, ordering my ideal hat.
Oh! my God, Mother of God, grant that this time I have what I have so long desired! Walitsky has composed some monstrous verses and wants to send them to Makaroff's brother, who remains in Nice. They want to drive him away by having him read, as if by chance, a denunciation to the secret police on behalf of Khalkionoff, as the latter is supposedly a member. This denunciation is drawn up in caricature with a thousand absurdities by Walitsky.
They claim that Zibine is in love with me. How ridiculous -- a girl of fourteen. But he is convinced I am seventeen, the old rat. I was reading my Derby and told Maman that two days of racing at Baden have passed. There will be races in Nice too, and Hamilton will race, she says. The silly Princess calls me Duchess; I cannot help smiling. I was writing and she called me General, (Z.) Gritsia, Duchess -- I kept serious all the while, but at Duchess, I smiled. Ah! when I think that he will come, it takes my breath away! He is racing in Vienna. He would be happy with me; I love what he loves; I would not make a married man of him; he would live as he pleases, go where he pleases. I would ask only one thing -- that he love me. He would live as he does now; marriage would change nothing, since I am fond of that mode of living. We would go into society as well. Ah! let us dream these dreams of happiness! My God, if only it could be!!!!!!!

Notes

In English in the original.