8–14 June 1857

Got up at eight, am not well. Wrote one sheet of The Demented \ and letters to Nekrasov and to Karam- zina. I bathe twice a day and go rowing. Had letters from*Turgenev, Nekrasov, Bdtkin, and Druzhfnin. Some clean, unpleasant, Englishwomen have arrived.

I have somehow gone a day wrong in my dates. It looks like a fog because rain has been falling all day. Have written the first chapter of Youth capitally and should have written more but wish to revise the whole as soon as possible. After dinner wrote my Travel Notes. Wrote many sheets — about nine — but did not finish. Sdsha bothered me in the evening. Chatted about America and politics with the Englishwoman. Had a letter from Pushchin and answered it. Received 2000 rubles from Moscow.

Slent very heavily, am not well. Got up at seven, bathed, took my letters to the post. Wrote little of The Outlying Field , but it seems to be going pretty well. My spell of activity is beginning to slacken. The English- woman thinks that the essential thing is to speak French, but that what she says is immaterial. In the evening Sasha came and I went with him in a boat as far as Vernet. Then with a big dark boatman and his son we threw stones into a boat ; but the clouds were lower than the mountain tops and it was threatening.

Woke at six, it is fine. Went to Vevey about bill of exchange. Could do nothing Was at the Zubins. Madame Steier. It was very nice. Returned with Poli- vdnova ; she is not at all stupid, and seems simple and kind. At dinner Englishwomen, mother and daughter, whose sole interest in life is restaurants. Raining, walked a little. Read The Neighbours , by Mme. Bremer ; a very bright, attractive talent, though, as usual with women, too sugary. Wrote four or more sheets of Travel Notes. Have thought out The Fugitive Cossack very well, and looked over what was written.

Broke mirror. Only that omen was lacking ! Was weak to try my fortune by the use of a dictionary. The words I hit on were re-sole , water , catarrh , grave. Read The Neighbours the whole morning. Bad as an artistic production but shows much sweet attractive talent and poetry. Did not go out all day. After tea wrote five sheets of The Fugitive Cossack

In the morning went to Blonet. Lovely. A quite modern oval fountain and majestic ancient terraces, rent chestnut trees and rotting seats. Went to Geneva. Z^bin drove us; he is stupid but practical. Met Petzold and Chernyshdv. On the steamboat wrote a tiny bit. On reaching Geneva went to the Bocage. Noire has died. With Alexandra Tolst&ya, to my shame, I feel awkward like a young man.

In the morning went with the Russian priest to the Tolstdys’. Dined with Gher ; good fellows those artists. At six started for Chambery with a Savoyard, a playful, delicate, stalwart Frenchman with a little dog.

Slept till twelve. In the train and beyond Lanslebourg with a tipsy Piedmontese and a red-haired conductor with large eyes and a mocking smile. Because of indecision did not succeed with K. S.