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Friday, 8 February 1878
I made a watercolor — a dreadful daub1 — depicting Mme de Fayet with her opulent figure, her yellow hair, and her blue dress, singing: To live alone in this world, etc., stretching her arms toward a cupid2 bearing Popaul's head, who flees at full tilt with a thoroughly terrified air. In the sky one can make out two birds in pursuit of each other.# Vendredi 8 février 1878
I called Fortuné and asked him what it was.
J'ai appelé Fortuné et lui ai demandé ce que c'était.
— It is Paul de Cassagnac and the Comtesse de Fayet.
- C'est Paul de Cassagnac et la comtesse de Fayet.
Whereupon I wrap it up and send it at precisely midnight to 10 bis, rue de Boulogne.
Après quoi je l'enveloppe et l'envoie à minuit juste rue de Boulogne 10 bis.
Blanc is there; I joke as usual... and, extraordinarily, the conversation turns to Cassagnac.
Blanc est là, je blague comme d'habitude... et par extraordinaire on parle de Cassagnac.
I detest these marriage arrangements — like Janvier de la Motte and this Bourbon business!
Je déteste ces arrangements de mariage comme Janvier de la Motte et ce Bourbon !
It humiliates me — it reduces me to the level of... it is hideous!
Cela m'humilie, me ravale au rang de... c'est hideux!
Collignon writes to me from Nice.
Collignon m'écrit de Nice.
Notes
Pochade: a quick rough sketch or painting, typically done in a single sitting. ↩
In art, un amour = a winged cupid figure, cherub of love. ↩