Sunday, 27 April 1879

Our usual circle, and Madame Gavini, with whom I take a turn in the Bois. Tchoumakoff the painter came to fetch his daughter, who is a beauty, but we keep her for dinner, along with Mesdames de Bailleul, de Mouzay and de Daillens, Multedo and Filippini. Mademoiselle Cernitsky — Cerny for the stage — bellowed in the most incredible and extraordinary fashion. Daillens, Multedo and I retreated to the studio to be witty; Filippini and Dina joined us on the pretext that so beautiful and powerful a voice must be listened to from further away.
This Multedo told me that I am a charming pagan, that I could watch two thousand gladiators have their throats cut in cold blood without flinching, that I would not descend to fight myself — "too patrician for that" — that I can inspire enthusiasm but will never charm, and so forth, things in this vein; de Daillens replied and I listened to all these analyses, hypotheses and other [Words blacked out: flatteries], myself throwing in a word here and there.
I did some fine things this evening, word of honour — only the illustrious Multedo reproaches me for never changing my spirit, for being always such a mocker, always Juvenal... As you see me, I am flattered to have provided so much discourse...