Friday, 5 September 1884
Haunted by all these feet, I sent Rosalie to fetch Jules's shoes to try on. And Emile replied that Jules's shoes are so small they could not be found, but that he was sending me his own hunting boots, in the hope that I might perhaps manage to wear them. The result was a walk in the Bois with chocolate boiled at the water's edge; I arrived wearing three pairs of shoes, one over another, with Emile's boot on top. First an Oriental slipper, then a shoe of my own, then one of Maman's, then the boot. I could have fitted in still more, but the heels would not allow it. This limping arrival makes everyone double over with laughter.# Vendredi 5 septembre 1884
We bring him back with us, and I have him tell me how he killed a Prussian and how they lay flat on their stomachs for half an hour, caught by surprise in a burst of gunfire. After which we go up to his apartment and I obtain a pair of his evening shoes — very small indeed, but I swim in them. Besides, it is enough for him that he can get into my ankle boot; he claims nothing beyond that. At the Bois we found him in company with the wife, his doctor, and their baby.
Nous le ramenons avec nous et je me fais raconter comment il a tué un prussien et comment ils sont restés une demi-heure couchés à plat ventre surpris par une fusillade. Après quoi nous montons chez lui et j'obtiens de ses souliers de soirée qui sont certainement très petits mais dans lesquels je nage. Du reste il lui suffit qu'il puisse entrer dans ma bottine, il ne prétend pas à autre chose. Au Bois nous l'avons trouvé dans la société de la femme, de son médecin et de son bébé.
Yes — but what does the doctor say?
Oui, mais le médecin que dit-il ?