1–7 December 1856

Got up at eleven. Noted events of the day and played till gymnasium time. My arm hurts badly. Dined at home. Finished reading Carmen ,l Weak, French. Had a letter from Turgenev. Sent to him. Fell asleep. Poldnski came. Botkin is absurd. With him to Les Huguenots .3 It is simply bad. Wrote a good letter to Val&ya neither warm nor cool, and one to Katkov. To-morrow must write to Auntie, Nikolenka, and Serezha. Wept to Sh^vich, to Obolenski, and to Stolypin.

The Discharged Officer has not been passed by the Censor. Went to the University. The Symphony was delightful. To Stolypin. He is dull. To Bdtkin. To Dusseau’s to dine. Spent the evening with Botkin, Druzhfnin, and Annenkov, pleasantly. Have spent much money. Wrote to Sh^vich.

Am not writing anything. Read M&rimee — good. Think about the comedy. Gymnastics good, no pain. Dined at home Fell asleep. Went to Sh£- vich. Dull. Played. To Botkin. Panaev praises Youth highly. Pleasant. Revised proofs of The Discharged The story by Prosper M£rim4e. Officer. To Davydov — bill. To Panaev — the conditions. Letters — to Serezha and to Tatiana Alexindrovna.

Wrote nothing. Dined at Botkin’s. Went to hear Dal — bad. Strolled about the Meshcljanski street — bad. At home read the delightful Common Story. Don’t feel well.

In the morning read A Common Story and sent it to Valerya. Wrote to Serezha and to Auntie. Corrected The Degraded Officer. Gymnastics. «Listened to a bad story at Sh^vich’s. At Druzhlnin’s, pleasant. Had an explanation with Panaev. To the Bludovs ! To the Staff. Wrote to Nikolenka and Masha.

Left cards at Bludov’s and Ustiknov’s. Dined at Dusseau’s with Polovtsov. Left. Was at Anna Nikolaevna’s. Thank Heaven it was all right. Had two amiable but sad letters from Valerya. Was at the Ustinovs’. Played badly. Mme. Sh^vich came. Supped with Bras at Stotypin’s.

Got up late. Wrote to Valerya. Gym- nastics. Dined at home. Read The Poor Bride } If is simply weak. His mistress is good. Went to the circus. Supped, I don’t know why, at Dusseau’s. Read Druz- hfnin’s second article. His weakness is that he never asks himself whether it is not all bosh.