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."

# Mardi 7 mai 1878

— But then why?

— Mais alors pourquoi ?

— 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.

— Oh mon Dieu., i I y a je ne sais quoi dans les origines de la famille... quelque chose de pas trop... enfin à ce point de vue là c'est un mauvais mariage.

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.

Il sait bien quoi Blanc. Je suis contente de l'apprendre, cela m'empêchera de me plaindre de tout cela et me prouvera que tout n'est pas perdu.

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.

Que me fait Paul de Cassagnac après tout ? Rien, du moins pour aujourd'hui. Il peut bien pourrir, se marier, faire toutes les saletés de la terre.

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.

Ce Blanc qui veut se faire passer pour le mentor du grand homme, est à peine son Schaeppi et il fait des embarras pour tout, songez donc hier il a dit à propos de je ne sais quoi que Paul était ennuyé de ces questions de mariage et qu'il ne reviendra plus nous voir.

— He told you so? asked Maman.

— Il vous l'a dit ? demanda maman.

— Oh! No, but...

— Oh ! non, mais...

— Well, said I calmly, it will be he who has lost out.

— Eh bien, dis-je avec calme, ce sera lui qui aura perdu.