Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Saturday, 13 February 1875

It is with unparalleled joy that I return to my work.
It is [?] the ardour of study that makes me think of staying in Nice another year so as not to interrupt the lessons. No, what am I saying — and painting, and singing? But if I find a good painting-master who truly does not go to Rome, I shall be content — or at any rate accustomed — to my other masters.
But then I do not lose a year — I gain one; a year of study is not wasted, and if I make my debut in society at seventeen and a half instead of sixteen and a half, it is all the same. Besides, things in Nice may change, and if they do I shall spend a very merry winter — I shall not go dans le monde de Nice but shall receive people I like; and then the following winter, the winter of 1876-77, I shall go to Rome. By then, on the 25th of January, I shall be eighteen — as you see, I shall not yet be an old woman. But if things do not change, never mind — I shall do what I do now, that is all. What will be, will be.
We went to see Mme Sapogenikoff, and before that we went everywhere.
In the evening I spend time playing with Stiopa, who is an intelligent and amusing boy.
Then I write; then I shall read and sleep.

Notes

In Italian in the original. The following paragraphs continue in Italian, with occasional French words, as Marie practises the language in preparation for her planned stay in Rome. ↩
In Italian in the original. "Fe e [?]": word illegible in manuscript. "contenta o anvezza": likely "contenta o avvezza" (content or accustomed), a learner's spelling. ↩
In Italian in the original, with the phrase dans le monde de Nice (in Nice society) slipping back into French. "uno vecchia": should be "una vecchia" (an old woman); Marie was still learning Italian. ↩
In Italian in the original. "dormitf": apparent transcription error for "dormirò" (I shall sleep). ↩