Chocolat (Fortuné Saïd)

Overview

The Bashkirtseffs' young Black servant, Fortuné Saïd, nicknamed «Chocolat» (Mon Journal t.9 index: «Chocolat, nègre. Domestique des Bashkirtseff», pp.7, 13, 20, 39-40, 52, 58, 69, 71-72, 114, 181-182, 185, 207, 315; and «Chocolat, mère du précédent», p.39). Earlier indexes list «Fortuné Saïd, domestique» (t.5, t.6) and «Fortuné, domestique» (t.3); the t.11 index «Fortuné, (domestique chez les Bashkirtseff)». Marie herself equates the names: «ce que dit Fortuné, surnommé Chocolat» (055/1876-03-13, 055.0656), «Fortuné Chocolat vient de frapper à ma porte» (059/1876-05-07, 059.0882), «télégramme signé Fortuné, c'est Chocolat» (080/1878-06-08, 080.0490), and in 1883 «l'ancien Chocolat-Fortuné Saïd» (100/1883-06-06, 100.0078). He speaks French, Italian, Niçois and a little Russian (064.0339) and was thirteen in July 1876 (063.0341); he has a mother whom he wrote to for leave to stay in Russia on higher wages (065.0549).

Course of the diary:

• Nice, 1873-76: the household takes him on in late August 1873 («On a pris un petit négrillon, qui sortira avec nous en voiture», 008/1873-08-28); in September Marie orders «une livrée à Saïd» (009/1873-09-17), in November «Fortuné sur le siège» (012/1873-11-06), «Pitou (Fortuné)» announces visitors (013/1873-12-01), and at Christmas «On appela Fortuné … pauvre petit, il était très content» (014/1873-12-27). He is the household boy of 1874-75, sent on errands (015.0319, 016.0032, 048.0371), «Fortuné coureur ou coursier ou flâneur» (029/1875-02-01), «suivie de Fortuné Saïd en livrée» (030/1875-03-10), «Vois-tu, cher Fortuné, dis-je au petit» (032/1875-04-24). On 6 January 1876 Marie writes «J'ai écrit de m'envoyer Fortuné. Le petit Saïd fera très bien ici» (051.0423). The t.2 and t.3 indexes list «Fortuné» and «Saïd» separately; t.4-t.7 have «Fortuné Saïd», and Marie's own «Fortuné Saïd en livrée» (1875) joins the two names: the Nice boy of 1873-75 is the boy of Rome.
• Rome, January-March 1876: arrives with Léonie on 29 January; «le petit nègre sur le siège, très bien arrangé en livrée blanche-foncée» draws the crowds (053.0208); carries Galula's messages (054.0075-0086), lost and weeping on the Capitol, befriended by Bruschi (055.0657-0658: «Chocolat, tu ne voulais pas nous trahir !»).
• Paris - St Petersburg - Poltava, July-November 1876: Marie's "chien, poupée, amusement" whom she drills in history and morals (064.0342-0363), with a new chocolate-coloured livery (061.0234); he makes his first communion on 18 June 1876 (062.0450-0451), accompanies Marie to Russia (064.0400 «un nègre») and is punished and forgiven in the Gavronzi "revolt" of 27 August (065.0548-0560); the dead dog, the boys of the village, the oath on the icon (066.0737-0747); in November a quoted letter (apparently Kousma's) says he has «renvoyé à Poltava» Chocolat «selon vos ordres», and Marie fumes «je te le redemanderai par la police» (067.1348-1350); the print has Marie's entry «On retient Fortuné en Russie ! Mon père ne répond pas !» (068/1877-01-11). By Feb. 1877 she regrets «ce gentil petit nègre que vous aviez l'année passée» (068.1433).
• Paris, 1877-78 (whether the same boy or a replacement is not stated; the diary calls him Chocolat again): livery and errands (074.0443, 076.0074, 077.0563, 080.0490, 080.0524).

Marie's wording about race is her own and is translated as written (see the LAN note at 065.0549).

References in Diary

015/1874-01-24; 016/1874-01-30; 048/1875-11-01; 051/1876-01-06; 053/1876-01-30 to 054/1876-02-28; 055/1876-03-13, 03-16, 03-25; 056/1876-03-29; 058/1876-04-16, 04-19; 059/1876-05-07; 061/1876-05-27; 062/1876-06-18-19; 063/1876-07-04 to 07-19; 064/1876-07-19 to 08-14; 065/1876-08-20 to 09-01; 066/1876-09-03 to 10-08; 067/1876-11-11 to 11-28; 068/1877-02-12; 074/1877-09-25; 076/1877-11-08; 077/1878-02-03; 080/1878-06-08, 06-09; 100/1883-06-06.

Caution: 054.0555-0560 (the "petit domestique" / "petit nègre" exchange with the cardinalino) and 053.0354, 054.0003, 054.0286, 055.1138, 056.0116 name Fortuné only; 055.0803 («vous aimez Chocolat, je serai votre Chocolat») is a figure of speech from an admirer, and 100.0078 refers to a different Black servant, Louis, who only recalls Chocolat.