Monday, 20 July 1874

We leave at eleven o'clock for the Cascade de Caux, where we will meet Gambart with his hippopotami. The road is arid, the heat crushing. I say nothing the whole way -- over two hours.
I found myself very ill-seated at the same table with these people. Gambart had brought with him Kirsh, the Malezieux couple, Body, and the Godefroy woman. Select society.
How they talked, how they laughed! I thought I was at the theatre. But I would gladly have escaped. I had a great desire to leap onto one of the horses that had just been unharnessed and flee.
Gambart goes to show us the [Crossed out: fountain] cascade -- Dina and me. I breathe with him, without all those people. Since I declared myself infallible and was wrong, I hesitate to say what I think. I think Gambart thinks of Dina. Maman thinks as I do and told me so. Fortunately we return; the cascade is not worth so long a journey.
I was thinking on the way.
There is a grand illumination this evening, and an [Crossed out: by electric fi-] electric fountain at the end of the avenue (silver dress, black hat, good). Maman is elegant; I am delighted. I did not wish to sit near the Davignons, Vivianis, and the Poles. We took a few turns in the avenue. The Greek is with his mother. Basilevitch sent Gericke [Crossed out: and the count] out for a walk, ordering him to take the count along so that, not being with her, they would not be with us. But they all come to the merry-go-rounds, with us, like yesterday. I had a great deal of fun. Dina, Gericke, the Greek, Walitsky, the count, and I are in one carriage, and Paul preceded us riding two horses at once. We left in our wake a trail of laughter and gaiety. This gaiety was contagious, and all the people around us were enjoying themselves far more than the others. Haristoff (a very handsome fellow) watched us go round. Maman, de Bauche, Body, and the princess watched us. Basilevitch comes to carry off Gericke; she comes to fetch him here -- I do believe she was all alone.
I stuck a pin more than halfway into the count's hand. He displeases me; it is for that reason that I make eyes at him and treat him favourably. Gericke was dreadful -- he danced the cancan on the way to the merry-go-rounds. Maman was too kind.
This man forgets himself!
Basilevitch is pale, her eyes red. M. de Tanlay left at noon. She no doubt spent last night weeping over his departure.
The evening ends badly. I had the foolishness of wanting to go into Baas's with everyone for [Crossed out: a glass of] lemonade; we leave and not one of the gentlemen rises to see us home. Maman returns furious, I humiliated and more than furious.