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Saturday, 20 May 1876

Samedi, 20 mai 1876

At half past nine we leave, accompanied by Potechine and Nainer, who waits on us like princesses. On entering the station, my aunt found Antonelli there, all smiles, standing before the clock which showed barely five minutes remaining. The poor fellow was quite thrown off at seeing her. We barely exchanged a few words.

A neuf heures et demie nous partons accompagnées de Potechine et Nainer qui nous sert comme des princesses. En entrant à la gare, ma tante y trouva Antonelli tout souriant devant la pendule qui marquait qu'il n'y avait guère plus que cinq minutes. Le pauvre fut tout déferré en la voyant. A peine avons-nous échangé quelques mots.

"You will come to Nice?"

— Vous viendrez à Nice ?

"I do not know."

— Je ne sais pas.

I looked at him.

Je le regardai.

"No," he said. "Pay no attention — I am good for nothing this morning; I will come."

— Non, dit-il, ne faites pas attention, je ne suis bon à rien ce matin, je viendrai.

"That is good."

— Ça c'est bien.

Potechine, Nainer, and Pietro stood near the carriage door.

Potechine, Nainer et Pietro se tenaient près de la portière.

"Well, Monsieur," said my aunt, "when will you come to Nice?"

— Eh bien, Monsieur, dit ma tante, quand viendrez-vous à Nice ?

"As soon as my father gives me the money," Pietro replied.

— Aussitôt que mon père me donnera l'argent, répondit Pietro.

What a foolish thing to say aloud. We were leaving — that dispensed with formalities. He held my hand.

Voilà qui est bête à dire tout haut. Nous partions, cela supprimait les cérémonies. Il me tient la main.

What a dreary thing, going to Nice!

Quel ennui d'aller à Nice !

What is remarkable, and equally incredible, is that my aunt had no idea of the significance of that invitation to come to Nice. She invited him half out of politeness and half as one of the many unfortunates whom my triumphant beauty was supposed to have made wretched. This little episode can give one an idea of the entire conduct of my primitive family. And then when people say that… they will be astonished. Blast!

Ce qu'il y a de remarquable et aussi d'incro*yable c 'est que ma tante ne se doutait pas de la signification de cette invitation de venir à Nice. Elle l'invitait moitié par politesse moitié comme un des nombreux malheureux que devait faire ma beauté triomphante. Ce petit épisode peut donner une idée de toute la conduite de ma primitive famille. Et puis lorsqu'on dira que... on s'étonnera. Zut !*

As far as Genoa we travel with a young German returning from the desert who recounts his journey. At Orbetello¹ I see Passionist monks² from Santi Giovanni e Paolo. And since Antonelli had told me that the rector of that convent was away on a journey, I had no doubt that it was he. So at Genoa I telegraphed Antonelli at once that we had met the rector and that he sent his compliments — signed "San Zuc…" as an abbreviation for Zucchini.

*Jusqu'à Gênes nous voyageons avec un jeune Allemand qui revient du désert et raconte son voyage. A Orbitello je vois des moines passionnistes de San-Giovanni e Paolo. Et comme Antonelli m'avait dit que le recteur de ce couvent était en voyage, je ne doutais pas que ce fut lui. Aussi à Gênes je télégraphie de suite à Antonelli que nous avons rencontré le recteur et qu'il lui fait ses compliments, signé San Zuc... par abréviation de Zucchini.*

And another telegram to Nice: Dina is very ill and I fear smallpox — if that is it, I will not come.

*Et une autre dépêche à Nice : Dina est très malade et je crains la petite vérole, si c'est ça je n'irai pas.*

Paper, Maria, cardinal, cigarettes.

*Papier, Maria, cardinal, cigarettes.*

Gloriae cupiditate³

Gloriae cupiditate

Notes

Orbetello: a coastal town in southern Tuscany on the Rome–Genoa rail line, built on a promontory in the Orbetello Lagoon. ↩

The Passionist Fathers (Congregation of the Passion): a religious order founded 1720 by St Paul of the Cross, dedicated to meditation on Christ's Passion. Their Roman motherhouse is at Santi Giovanni e Paolo on the Celian Hill — where Pietro had been confined. ↩

Latin: Gloriae cupiditate — "By desire for glory" or "By ambition for fame." A classical phrase (related to cupido gloriae, common in Cicero and Sallust). Marie uses it as a closing motto, signing off the carnet with her driving ambition. ↩

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