Tuesday, 22 December 1874

I saw Terffidua — he overtook us, and at the sight of his pretty hair, his pink ear, and his fresh cheek, I had to admit to myself that he is handsome, and that one could kiss him with pleasure on the cheek near the ear.
Here is a man who owes everything to his complexion — like d'Arnim, like all men really; I have a horror of a pale, washed-out face. The Duke has the finest complexion in the world — though he is not as young as Terffidua — the finest complexion in the world, and the finest manners in the world; in a word, he is the finest in the world. I never find a man truly good-looking unless he has something that recalls the Duke. The two I have just mentioned have the complexion, and for that I single them out. Arnim has very badly cut hair; if it were properly arranged he would be considerably better-looking.
I laughed a great deal this evening, and others laughed because I laughed.

Notes

"Terffidua" = Audiffret spelled backwards. Marie's reverse-spelling privacy device.