Saturday, 3 January 1880

I cough as much as possible, but by some miracle, far from making me ugly, it gives me an air of languor that suits me well.
Many visitors come, and much admiration for Berthe's child, who is ten months old and very pretty; for a moment in her arms it makes a picture, and the archangel looks at us with beautiful honest eyes. As for Berthe, in her short dress she looks like an elegant little maid. Turquan introduces his brother, who is in the Senate and who is to get us into the sessions on Article 7.
As for Gaillard, he has obtained two invitations for us to Juliette Lamber's ball, in the names of the Princess Eristoff and the Generale de Meynek. I tell him of my adoration for Gambetta, and he answers that it is very great and at the same time childish, because I do not see the physical side, which is hideous. We talk of Republicans and of artistic and literary salons, and he offers to introduce Joseph Arnaud to me, but I refuse because he is "too conceited."
Prince Soutzo proposes to perform a comedy on Monday, January 12, the eve of Russian New Year, and as we had the intention of bringing together a few friends, the comedy is adopted.