19 January 1820: The Ball at The Palace of the Ministry of Public Instruction

Just yesterday, I was at the ball at the Palace of the Ministry of Public Instruction upon the request of the Minister of Public Instruction and Madame Georges Ramponneau. I really enjoyed myself there. At the ball, I wore a magnificent gown, and the wonderful diamond necklace which I had borrowed from my friend, Madame Forestier.

This is me at the ball.

When I entered the ball, I knew I would be a great success. I saw that I was prettier, more elegant and more graceful than any woman there. I I was even remarked by the minister himself. I felt so pleased with myself. All the attaches of the Cabinet even wished to waltz with me. I felt that this was what I deserved: the beauty, the attention, everything that I had enjoyed that particular night.

I deserved it all, I wanted to grasp it, take it together with me, it was all mine. The pleasure of it, the wonders of it, everything was mine for the night.








I danced with rapture, with passion, intoxicated by pleasure, forgetting all the triumph of my beauty, in the glory of my success, in a sort of cloud of happiness comprised of all this homage, admiration, these awakened desires and of that sense of triumph which is so sweet to a woman's heart.

Even now, I can still taste the pleasure of the victory, the pleasure of being admired by so many men. It is just too bad that all good things have to come to a end. Ah, how I wish I can experience it once again, just one more time.