Monday, 5 August 1878

Auguste is visibly declining — he arrived handsome; now he is ugly, he is ill-tempered. One recognises his bell — one has to hear him speak to the waiters and to his poor Gans, who is a charming brother. I believe they will soon bury him.
Baron Schenk (yesterday's baron) is the highest official in the region — governor, or some such... This baron is in love with a young lady and organised yesterday's ball to make her acquaintance... The young lady is myself; the gentleman in question is... Dourassoff. Offended, they say, by my refusal, my admirer departed from Soden at once — fortunately his carriage was not yet unhitched.
Mergejewsky was fair, Bruschetti fair, Pacha Gorpintchenko (what a name!) fair, Plowden fair, Multedo fair — and now Baron Schenk also fair... Shall I count Santasiglia, who was a child but was fair?
It is at least three weeks since I grew bored without my studio... An introduction at the Embassy and I am the happiest of women. I am going to make a vow... I vow here to give one thousand francs to the poor if I obtain this introduction... I swear it to God who hears me, and whom I beseech to hear me.
To be scrupulous I must say that my princes played the Russian anthem, On dit que l'on te marie, and the Marseillaise. Afterward we went to Homburg which, as you know, is ravishing — the park is magnificent, and many proper English visitors.