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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.Dimanche 27 avril 1879
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 flatteries, myself throwing in a word here and there.
Ce Multedo m’a dit que je suis une adorable païenne, que je verrais égorger deux mille gladiateurs de sang-froid, que je ne descendrais pas combattre moi-même: « trop patricienne pour cela », que je puis enthousiasmer mais que je ne charmerai jamais, etc. des choses dans ce genre, de Daillens répondait et j’écoutais toutes ces études, hypothèses et autres flatteries, moi, en jetant ça et là mon mot.
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...
J’en ai fait de jolis ce soir, parole d’honneur, seulement l’illustre Multedo me reproche de ne pas changer d’esprit, d’être toujours telle moqueuse, toujours Juvénal... que vous me voyez, je suis flattée d’avoir fourni tant de discours...