Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Wednesday, 2 January 1878

It vexes me so that Berthe wants to draw in the afternoon.
On the sheet is painted a champagne glass with the foam brimming over.
To Monsieur de Marcuard
Do you take me for Cerberus, that you send me cakes? While awaiting their arrival I send you this glass of champagne and a biscuit. You cannot say the letter lacks sweetness — and yet you will never be able to carry it over your heart, for a very good reason: it sticks.
Marie Bashkirtseff
The Baron d'Alt called.
Berthe came to the atelier; fortunately the model was not there, having got drunk. One of the students posed for the head; I did not work — there was installing and helping and so on to do. Julian is very pleased but Amélie would gladly eat me alive, for I am gaining more importance every day.
As Berthe and I were in Julian's office, he remarked that it seemed to him that for some time now there had not been perfect harmony.
— Good heavens, Monsieur, you know how it is — these things come and go; besides, I concern myself only with drawing.
— Oh, Mademoiselle, you must expect a little trouble. You know how it is — when one stays in one place or moves slowly, everyone finds one charming and talented; but when one begins to alarm those who were accustomed to being first... Ah, well — one is exposed to a thousand little disagreeable things.
Then, accompanied by Paul, we go skating at the Faubourg Saint-Honoré. Apropos of Paul — he has given me nothing but pleasure since his arrival. I am glad of it. He tells us his idyll with the little Princesse Eristoff, sister of those two wretches you know. It is the story of Paul and Virginie — precisely — except it has lasted only a few months. There is even a Dominique, a Mayer the gardener, the maidservant, Paul's friend. It is touching and charming. Mme Tutcheff has carried the little one away, and I believe these barbarians, these villains, want to marry her to Pacha — that stout peasant with lofty sentiments. I shall rage over it as if it were my own affair. They have managed things very well... Paul is away and they will take advantage of it to vex the son of my mother. Oh, the villains! The villains!
Paul is only eighteen. In face and figure he looks at least twenty-eight or thirty.

Notes

In English in the original ("skatiner"). ↩