Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Tuesday, 7 May 1878

It is seven in the morning — I am about to leave for the studio. Blanc said there are people who wish to prevent the marriage, and I replied that if they wish it, they have their reasons, and if they have their reasons they are perfectly right to prevent it. He also said that it would have to be done under rather delicate circumstances, after a certain time, and that there are complications, and that the gentleman does not like to speak of it; "he is rather put out at making this marriage, which is not precisely a bad one, but still... his excuse is that he loves the person, or at least makes one believe so — from the financial point of view it is quite acceptable."
— But then why?
— Oh, good Lord, there is something — I don't know what — in the family's origins... something not quite... in short, from that point of view it is a bad marriage.
Blanc knows quite well what. I am glad to learn it — it will stop me lamenting all this and will prove to me that not everything is lost.
What does Paul de Cassagnac matter to me, after all? Nothing — at least not today. He may rot, marry, do every vile thing on earth.
This Blanc, who wishes to pass himself off as the great man's mentor, is barely his Schaeppi — and he makes a fuss about everything; just think, yesterday he said, à propos of goodness knows what, that Paul was weary of these marriage questions and would not come to see us any more.
— He told you so? asked Maman.
— Oh! No, but...
— Well, said I calmly, it will be he who has lost out.