Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Wednesday, 30 July 1873

Woken at half past five. After breakfast, in the restaurant dining room, where we have (or rather he came to speak to us) a Russian general, Parachinsky. He is a first-rate walker; we caught up with him. We went down Monte Incantato to the station. The train was to bring Paul. But in vain — we look for him, nothing. He must have missed the train. And, wretched as we are, forced to wait another six hours. We played. After breakfast it was with great pain that I have driven them from the table.1

A cinq heures et demie je suis reveillee. Apres dejeuner, dans la salle du restaurant ou nous avons (ou plutot lui est venu parler a nous) un general russe Parachinsky. C'est un marcheur de premier ordre, nous l'avons rattrape. Nous descendimes le Monte Incantato a la gare. Le train devait amener Paul. Mais en vain, nous le cherchons, rien. Il a sans doute manque le train. Et, malheureux que nous sommes, obliges d'attendre encore six heures. Nous avons joue after breakfast It was with great pain that I have driven them from the table.

[Crossed out: I write this in the wagon, before me is seatted [sic] a gentleman very like Hamilton. One monew [?] though it was he only with a beard!]2

[Raye : I write this in the wagon, before me is seatted a gentleman very like Hamilton One monew though it was he only with a beardl

Well, we left Monte Carlo. I was extremely sorry to part without Maman — it is such a pity that she could not come.3

Well we left Monte-Carlo. I was extremely sorry to part without maman, it is such a pity that she could not come.

I even wept. The views are beautiful, the palms superb; everything is very beautiful on the road to Genoa. But I long to see black north, and green trees.4

J'ai meme pleure. Les vues sont belles, les palmiers superbes, tout est fort beau sur la route de Genes. Mais I long to see black north, and green trees.

I want to be done with the departure, and here we are on our way.

Je veux avoir vite fini avec le depart, et nous voici en route.

But here is what happened to me: on leaving Nice I put on new boots and only at Monaco did I feel them pinching my feet. I paid no attention, but arriving near Genoa, my feet tanto doleano that I was forced to go barefoot in nothing but my stockings. Gently, Dina contrived to cut the boots until they fell off my feet. With all these difficulties, getting down from the train and walking to the hotel were hard tasks. We took the first omnibus that came, to the Hotel Quattro Stagioni — the ugliest in the world; they gave us two rooms that looked more like two stables.5

Mais voila ce qui m'arrive; en partant de Nice j'ai mis des bottines nouvelles et, seulement a Monaco, j'ai senti qu'elles me pincent les pieds. Je ne fis pas attention mais arrivee vers Genes, mes pieds tanto doleano que j'etais forcee de rester pieds nus avec des bas seulement. Doucement Dina imagina de les couper jusqu'au point qu'ils tombaient du pied. Avec toutes ses affaires descendre du wagon, marcher jusqu'a l'hotel etaient des choses difficiles. Nous primes l'omnibus premier venu de l'hotel des Quattro Stagioni, le plus vilain du monde, on nous donne deux chambres qui avaient plutot l'air de deux etables.

The whole time, "the frankest gaiety reigned among us." Oh, how detestable Italy is, on account of the Italians. What a wretched people! How dirty they are. We wanted a bath, but I did not believe such happiness possible in an Italian hotel. I asked for one as a joke, and what was everyone's astonishment when it was brought. With a great deal of loud laughter and jokes, I sat down in it. (I am writing this at a table in the Milan station restaurant.) Only at one did I fall asleep.

Tout le temps "la gaiete la plus franche regnait parmi nous". Oh que l'Italie est detestable, a cause des Italiens. Quel peuple vilain ! Comme ils sont malpropres. Nous voulions prendre un bain, mais je ne croyais pas avoir un bonheur pareil dans un hotel italien. J'ai demande un pour rire, et quel fut l'etonnement de tous, lorsqu'on l'apporta. Avec beaucoup de gros rires, de plaisanteries je m'assis dedans. (J'ecris cela sur une table du restaurant de la gare de Milan). A une heure seulement je m'endormis.

Notes

In English in the original. ↩
In English in the original. Marie's spelling and grammar preserved. ↩
In English in the original. ↩
In English in the original. ↩
Italian in the original: "they hurt so much." ↩