Saturday, 6 April 1878

Robert-Fleury really encourages me too much; he proved that second place was rightfully mine and that it did not surprise him in the least. It was quite absurd to see the fury of the others.
I went to the Luxembourg and then to the Louvre with Schaeppi.
When one thinks that Multedo, who left here at half past two in the morning, goes home and probably dreams of my arms, of all manner of things, and believes that I am thinking of him... While I, undressed, dishevelled, hair in disarray, shoes on the floor, was wondering whether I had seduced him sufficiently, bewitched him sufficiently — and was not content merely to wonder, but asked Dina, and we calculated everything together! It is truly revolting, or quite simply repulsive.
I was ravishing this evening and coquettish beyond measure. I will not say that Multedo pleases me — no; but he is already more than the others by virtue alone of this: that I do not know how to be coquettish and amusing with the others as I am with him. I continued to deny everything, then made fun of him openly — and openly too I was gracious, and then made fun of him again. So that he must certainly be, as one says, agacé.
There were many guests at dinner; they all stayed very late. Multedo, Morgan, and Goldsmid left last. Berthe and Yorke left around one o'clock.
I told him that I was under the seat on the evening of the cord, and he never would believe it, saying it was impossible since he had found me at the Boyds'. Yet there you are!
O youth — two years ago, I thought that this was Love. Now I am reasonable and understand that it is amusing when you feel that you are making yourself loved, or rather when you believe you can see that someone is falling in love with you. The love one inspires is a distinct feeling that one experiences oneself and that I formerly confused with love itself.
After all, it is no matter, provided my future does not suffer for want of direction.
Good God — and I thought I loved Antonelli with his rather large nose that recalls Multedo's. Fie! The horror. It is that I am so glad to justify myself! So glad! No, no, I have
never loved... and if you could imagine how happy, free, proud, and worthy I feel... of the One who is to come.