Wednesday, 1 October 1873

The maths professor [sic] arrives; I could not go, but I had to. I asked him not to make me do any mental work, feigning a migraine (I never suffer from them).
Fortunately Brunet does not come. I am free. I wrote to Worth for a dress for Maman. I go out (green dress, badly). At four o'clock, German. At five o'clock, going out again. My aunt is with us. We take Mme Anitchkoff and Olga with us. Bete is at the Grand Hotel for her dresses... We spoke to M. Howard. He brought my fishing-rod. I stopped the carriage to speak to him.
We played Kings with Paul, Dina, and Bete. I am unlucky at cards. Shall I be lucky in love?
Wednesday, 1 October 1873
One truly does not know what to wear; I have no jacket, and my cotton dress is too little towards six o'clock. The affair with Palajka continues (Walitsky had given her two slaps); she escaped the other evening and returned only with a soldier to collect a dress. It has been discovered that much is missing -- from Maman, two hundred francs; from my aunt, three hundred-franc pieces; from me, three hundred-franc pieces, a Venetian mosaic set, and earrings with turquoises. They dared not accuse her before, when so many things were disappearing, but now it is clear. Josephine is a good woman, calm, exact, and obedient.
Maman and my aunt at the donkey stables, and I with Papa, Dina, and Bete. The little donkey stable belongs to Gioia, for several times I see her come out of it, through the respectable door -- there is a dirty one to the left. She was in a blue-striped cotton dress and a straw or muslin hat with blue at the back. She came out of the stable, watched our carriage drive away for a long time, and went back in. She has a proud and fierce air, but a majestic fierceness that gives her the appearance of a queen. It is not wicked; it is something I cannot explain.
I should so love to enter her house -- fool that I am, I could very well do so in her absence, by giving a louis or two to the concierge. I could get in by passing myself off as a lady's maid, for two weeks. I shall do it in time.
I have already imagined the time when I shall be a lady's maid, though without showing it. I shall powder my hair to make it ash-coloured. I would not want to disguise myself for her, but for those who come to visit her. This idea haunts me; I want it so much. But Maman will never, never, never consent.
But when I am grown up I shall absolutely, absolutely do it.
We walked from the end of the promenade to the London House, where I ate some fruit and brought home preserved suckling pig, asparagus, and a cucumber.
Mme Anitchkoff sent over excellent salted cucumbers. I dined as I have not in a long time. A broth with little puff-pastry pies, suckling pig, salted cucumbers. And charming little chickens with salted cucumbers, and grapes.
We play Kings; I was not once king. I am dreamy this evening.
I believe Boreel is married; his mother is in Nice and is always with a young woman -- blonde, pretty, elegant, but a little old for Boreel.

Notes

In English in the original.