Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Wednesday, 3 May 1876

Is there in the world a more charming place and one more badly inhabited than Nice? All the permanent residents are still here, but they are so insignificant and hideous that it makes one's heart ache. As for the men — it is known to everyone that Saëtone, Galula, Danis, Roissard, and occasionally Audiffret are the pearls of society. Now if you knew these pearls you would have asked yourself in terror: what, then, are the others, since the best are thus?
For three days there has been an insufferable wind; besides, I ask for nothing better than to stay at home and quietly seethe and complain about Pietro — to myself, of course. I am very bored; I had taken up a volume of Rousseau, but at the first pages of his New Heloise I was disgusted. As for Émile — I read it in honour of le Surprenant and found some good ideas in it, but many useless dissertations quite capable of disgusting one with everything.
It is so cold now that I am going to close the window. This time I have not taken my morning walk on arriving at Nice as I usually do. My amorous thoughts are elsewhere, and my sad preoccupations keep me at home, impatiently awaiting the hour of departure for Russia — but before that? I should like to go back to Rome. Pietro must telegraph forty-eight hours before the races. It would be much better if he came himself. If he were free, and above all if he loved me, he would do so no doubt. This idea came to me yesterday before falling asleep. I read La Dame aux Camélias yesterday after luncheon. I had expected better after all that has been said of it. I read a comedy by Shakespeare — and I find nothing as amusing as Dumas's novels and the works of old Plutarch. The writers of the eighteenth century disgust me; as for the Ancients, I fall asleep at the first pages — but if I have the strength to overcome that first impression I cannot tear myself from the book, and that has happened to me many times.
Here are the regulations of our society.
A.T.E.
Regulations of the Society A.T.E. of Ladies and Young Ladies, founded on Sunday, 9 May 1875, at Nice, Promenade des Anglais 55 bis, in the villa of Mlle Marie Constantinovna Bashkirtseff, Thalia, President and Foundress, in the presence of the two founding members, Mlles Marie Alexandrovna Sapogenikoff, Aglaia, and Olga Alexandrovna Sapogenikoff, Euphrosine.
1° Following the example of the President Thalia and of the two founding members Aglaia and Euphrosine, who have adopted the names of the three Graces of antiquity, each member must adopt a particular name by which she shall be designated in the society's official communications.
2° Members can only be admitted by the President, and any person wishing to become one may apply to one of the known members, who will refer the matter to the President.
3° Members may only be of the female sex, from the age of fifteen. However, for the functions of secretaries, correspondents, doorkeepers, sweepers, and others, gentlemen are accepted — always through the President alone, who will deliver their nomination bearing her seal and signature as well as those of the two founding members. The signature of the President alone may suffice when necessary.
4° The insignia are: a silver heart as represented here, with the initials of the President and the two founding members. This is the official size, but for everyday use one is free to make it smaller; however, it must invariably be worn on a cord of raw silk or on a silver chain. The President's heart differs from the others only by a raised key above the initials — a key that members do not have. 5° For male officials the insignia are the same.
6° At assemblies to which they are convoked by the President, members must be dressed in white and wear their insignia suspended from the neck by a silver chain. Assemblies may also be held by ordinary members by virtue of a special authorisation and with the consent of the two founding members. The authorisation of the President alone may suffice.
7° Gentlemen are admitted to assemblies only by virtue of an invitation from the President or from a member having a special authorisation for this purpose.
8° The rewards range from the grand yellow ribbon to the grand golden heart. These decorations may be worn only at assemblies, with the exception of the golden heart, which may be worn everywhere.
9° The principal seat of President Thalia is at Nice, in her villa, where all correspondence must be addressed.
I hope that is well done! As for the appointments, they are worded as follows:
A.T.E.
Monsieur Charles Guillaume Plowden is hereby appointed, from the 1st of May 1876, Secretary of our Society at Rome.
Thalia, President and Foundress.
Aglaia, Euphrosine, founding members.
Dina, member and mysterious secretary.
There. One must have these foolish things printed.
Towards five o'clock I went to pose on the terraces with Victor, who struck the most picturesque attitudes as if he had understood. But it was truly not worth the effort — there was nobody on the Promenade but la Pointue with l'Olive in a basket. These two beauties have been very close since the disappearance of their gentleman caller.
At dinner I did something foolish — I drank a whole glass of straight wine, which made me tipsy; and in the evening at the Sapogenikoffs' I was not in full possession of my wits, but we laughed a great deal all the same. And when I, my aunt, and Maman came home, in Maman's room they speak of Antonelli. My aunt dismisses him entirely on hearing that he has neither horses nor carriages and not even a watch.
— No doubt, my dear, I said — Antonelli is nothing but rubbish, a worthless creature.
— And why were you in the corridor if Antonelli is nothing but rubbish? asked Maman.
— Because it amused me.
— But that is very wrong.
— And why?
— Because he tells his friend Torlonia about it, and that puts off the others.
Good Lord, good Lord, good Lord! Madame my mother may well be right. Well, here is a new torment. One evening — the day before or the day before that of our departure — I told Antonelli that he was boasting of things that had not happened and telling nonsense to Torlonia. He assumed a dignified air and said:
— What do you want me to say to you when you have such an opinion of me? I truly do not know why you think me the lowest of men — a scoundrel, in short!
— What would you have!
— Yes, I can see it — and I am looking for what could have led you to think me vile and dissolute, as you say, to such a degree.
— Say what you will — I have no confidence in you whatsoever, I said.

Notes

Le Surprenant — "the Astonishing One," Marie's nickname for Audiffret. ↩