Friday, 26 March 1875

My diary, my confidant, my consoler — it is to this that I turn when I am too wretched, and that is every evening.
It is a relief to write, when one is so, so miserable. Another winter over, to be followed by another equally humiliating, equally terrible for me.
I am burning away like a candle, and if this goes on soon there will be nothing of me left. One can endure one great misfortune, even two — but to endure a continual misfortune, an eternal grief, ceaseless humiliations, all the petty, vile little things I put up with — that is impossible. And truly I believe there will be some change. The state I am in cannot last forever.
Oh, if someone would notice me — if someone would take pity on me — but I see no one, no one but God. Well, what need have I of others if I see God! But I do not see Him, or rather He does not wish to see me! He abandons me, He despises me because I am an ingrate, a wretch. I want a miracle — am I worthy of one? Worthy or not — Almighty God, look upon me, sustain me. Make life bearable!
I will not say — or else kill me! as I was tempted to — for I do not want to die; I want to live, I want to be happy. Oh, truly I would have been happier selling little bunches of violets for two pennies than living as I live. I am crushed, annihilated, I wander like those shades sospesi^[Italian: "suspended" — from Dante's Inferno, Canto IV, the souls of Limbo who are neither saved nor damned.] in Dante's hell.
Biasini came, but things are dragging on.
My God, let them build. Forgive me for importuning You with all these trivialities — but I have only You.