Paparigopoulos

Overview

Michel (Mikhaïl Petrovitch) Paparigopoulos, a young Greek diplomat whom Marie knows as «le Grec» at Spa in July–August 1874 and meets again in Rome as Greek chargé d'affaires in 1876–77. Mon Journal indexes: «Paparigopoulos (M.), Grec» (t.5), «Paparigopulos (Michel), grec, chargé d'affaires» (t.7 pp.19–20, 22, 76…; t.8 pp.47–48; t.9 pp.243, 275, 294); his mother, Mme Paparigopoulos, is with him at Spa (t.4 pp.41, 83). Marie's own comic doggerel gives his career: «Embrassant la carrière diplomatique… Brun, fort beau garçon, comme son aïeul Agamemnon» (021.0348–021.0351). Outside sources agree on a Michael Paparrigopoulos, born in Athens about 1840, Greek chargé d'affaires in Rome from 1875 to 1880 and later minister at Bucharest and St Petersburg, died 1920 (en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ambassadors_of_Greece_to_Russia; en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_ambassadors_of_Greece_to_Italy), though the dates differ between sources.

Relevance to Marie

Stub replaced from a full read of the 97 tagged paragraphs' windows. Identity: Marie's own statement at 053.0177 and the index lines t.5/t.7; outside identification with the diplomat from Wikipedia lists (dates conflicting; the genealogy site christopherlong.co.uk gives the name as Michael (Petros), consistent with the patronymic «Mikhaïl Petrovitch», 021.0418). The existing footnote at 053.0198 says the Spa acquaintance is «not the same as Michel Paparigopoulos»; this contradicts Marie's 053.0177 and the indexes and should be reviewed (see lists). Also in the 1874 paragraphs: «Mme Paparigopoulos» (022.0415) is his mother.

References in Diary

At Spa (July 1874) Marie meets him through her mother: «je m'attendais à entendre un nom comme Esterhazy, et j'entends: M. Paparigopoulos. Mais c'est indigne, un papa, rigo, poulos, il est grec !» (021.0146). He becomes a daily visitor and part of the Basilévitch–Gericke–de Tanlay court around Mme Basilévitch, courting Marie's mother first and then Basilévitch (021.0361): he teaches her the language of the fan (021.0285), offers her a first present, the fan (021.0528), helps her mount her horse (022.0055), and tells her twice that he has no weakness for her (022.0218). Marie calls him «un gentil garçon» (022.0056) and later mocks his mannerisms (023.0402). He is one of the committee of the fête for Gambart (022.0274, 022.0281).

In Rome in January 1876 a messenger shows his card, «Michel Paparigopoulos, chargé d'affaires grec» and Marie concludes: «C'est lui, l'autre se nommait Michel, celui-ci aussi, c'est le même» (053.0177). The Greek minister who calls the next day «parle comme le Paparigopoulos de Spa» (053.0198). By March 1876 he is a caller they miss (055.0529); in May he sits with Simonetti in the salon (060.0284). In December 1876 at Nice, «le raide et le bête Paparigopoulos a fait connaissance avec mon père» and blushes (068.0308), and in February 1877 he is among the men she greets at a ball (068.1005).