Tuesday, 6 August 1861
Clear & bright early. Fretted at the lateness of a one-horse shay. Off ― at 6 ― to Fernex [sic] ― & was there by 7.15. ― A long village street. Walked beyond, & drew the wonderfully lovely “Claude=like” landscape ― Mt. Blanc clear, ― but dimmy, very hot. G. lively & contented. Angry cow. ― Village of Ornex. Kindly & gentle people ― asked me to draw in their garden. At 11 walked back to Ferney, where, G., seeing the sign of a fish, begged to choose that inn. And sure enough, they had fish, (pike tho’.) & a very nice little dinner=lunch, tho’ not as cheap as at Turin. ― At 1 To Fernex: ― disagreeable foot boy. 2 rooms are shown ― Voltaire’s own ― & much as they were ― all the portraits &c. It was not permitted to draw, but later, I wrote a card to M. David, & the odious foot boy said, yes. But the Mt. Blanc was then invisible, & I gave it up. G. & I, at 3 set off ― drinking at every pump ― very hot. ―
At Geneva by 5: saw apartmts ― no go. Washed & dressed & out, from 5.30 to 6.30 or 7. ― Saw other apartments ― but concluded on staying here at the Bergues. ― dined at 7. Walked with G. afterwards. No letters.
[Transcribed by Marco Graziosi from Houghton Library, Harvard University, MS Eng. 797.3.]