'a curious document this journal'

the second character in unforgiven years by victor serge (daria) keeps a journal;

 'a curious document this journal, whose carefully chosen words sketched out only the outer shapes of people, events and ideas, a poem constructed of gaps cut from the living material, because - since it could be seized - it could not contain a single name, a single recognisable face, a single unmistakable strand of the past, a single allusion to assignments accomplished... no expression of torment or sorrow (this was for the sake of pride), no expression of doubt or calculation (for the sake of prudence), and nothing ideological, naturally for ideology is the sludge at the bottom of the pitfall... the construction of this featureless record, similar to a thought puzzle in three dimensions turned entirely towards some undefinable and secret fourth dimension, had furnished her with an exhilarating occupation...'