Monday, 23 February 1874

We all go to Monte Carlo, all except Stiopa and Machenka (the Ferry boots arrived this morning -- good).
The sun is blazing, the olive trees grey, the earth red -- it nearly made me weep. My God! There are many dogs, not one that I like.
I won little by little a hundred and fifty francs, which I lend to Maman. At six o'clock we -- that is, Paul, Dina and I -- set off. M. Potemkine comes with us, the newlywed. We chat and laugh on the journey. A rather dirty Russian was holding himself back from laughing, for we were saying very droll things, especially about travelling in Russia and false reports. We drive him home.
On entering the gaming room Maman was immediately surrounded by Berr, two Potemkines, Bach -- but she does not know how to hold back.
In the evening we play at roulette, which I have just purchased. I held the bank and won eight francs.