Sunday, 19 January 1879

At the Gavinis' we make the acquaintance of Monsieur and Madame Randouin, and then we go to the Bois with Mme Gavini, who is always the same, and who says in the most natural tone: "Mme Belletti — oh, one will never say as much as I know. She is my intimate friend; it was I alone who patronized her at Nice. Mme Randouin — poor dear, people do say terrible things about her. My intimate friend — but her money matters are not very clean, I believe. As for the Comtesse Coloredo, my intimate friend — a finished adventuress! But what will you do, I have known them for twenty years, one cannot break things off; besides, when one has no young daughters one overlooks a great many things. And then I only see them in company, after all!"
She may well, the dear woman — for I believe there are not two women who know as many people as she does, and in the heap! as she says.