Tuesday, 9 January 1883

Nervo came with the young man who will lead the cotillon¹ to settle the details.

And then Coquelin cadet² for the comedy — the elder is in St. Petersburg; it is there that he learned of Gambetta’s death. The death of Gambetta — does that not seem to you sad and unjust?

For a week I have been plunging into reading about Gambetta, Mirabeau, and the Revolution. The French Revolution belongs to everyone — so I am not ridiculous in being passionate about these extraordinary events. I am left overturned by it; it is a fever that makes me forget everything, and in the evening they give me bouillon because I often cannot eat dinner.

If I could explain myself, I would say that I am in despair over Gambetta’s death. I wept for the Little Prince³ as one weeps over a melodrama — it was tragic, above all touching — that child killed abroad, so far away... But what I weep for now I could only properly express if I had the honour of being French and the happiness of being a man.