Friday, 7 March 1879
Collignon, back from visiting her parents, came to see us; I kept her the whole day and talked the whole time — one must make up for lost time. Only there was my aunt who also wanted to talk, and who makes errors at every moment, saying "le" for "la" and then adding apostrophes where there should be none, and then showing herself ill-tempered when speaking of the Howards, one of whom is marrying. That irritated me a little.
Collignon de retour chez ses parents est venue nous voir, je l'ai gardee toute la journee et j'ai parle tout le temps; il faut bien se dedommager. Seulement il y avait ma tante qui voulait aussi parler et qui fait des fautes a chaque instant disant le pour la et puis des s'ou il n'en faut pas, et puis se montrant hargneuse en parlant des Howard dont une se marie.. Cela m'a agacee un peu.
Paul says he could barely recognize Cassagnac, so much has he aged — and Rosalie says she likes him better now. And why? "Because he no longer has that insolent gaze, that looking-down-at-people which gave him such a hateful air."
Paul dit qu'il a eu peine a reconnaitre Cassagnac tant il a vieilli et Rosalie dit qu'il lui plait mieux a present. Et pourquoi ? "parce qu'il n'a plus ce regard insolent, ce regard d'en haut qui lui donnait un air si detestable".
I would be curious to see this destruction — it would finish making him pass from my mind.
Je serais curieuse de voir cette destruction, cela acheverait de le faire passer.