Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Thursday, 18 July 1878

Madame de Hohenlohe has departed — only the two young men remain, who dined beside me at the table d'hôte today. They occupy the ground floor of the right pavilion, we the first floor. Their balcony is below ours. I sing and they play the piano. According to the servants' gossip, they find me pretty and well made. They always bring up my behind to my face!
In Germany one sees many that are broad and flat — I have never seen one so prominent as mine, which is a perfection... of its kind.
At table I spoke with Dr. Tomachewsky of scientific matters; then Madame Antonsky and the others spoke of professors, of Madame Abaza who sings, and asked what lessons cost, and so-and-so's anatomy professor charged such-and-such and another such-and-such, etc. There is nothing I do not do — and this must produce a bewildering effect on men who do not expect it. In striving to be a universal woman I shall become terrible... unless I manage to appear divine...
Multedo writes to Maman... This sentence is incomparable — judge for yourselves: "I was assisted by two political men who handled the affair admirably." Is it not stupendous — this fine young man assisted by those two political men who handled the affair so admirably! I regret that the poor boy writes such grotesque things.
I have made myself a garnet velvet bonnet like the black one I had in Paris... There are moments, days, when this bonnet, a hat, a veil, hair waving and falling in loose curls... I sometimes achieve what I might call ravishing — but to believe it one must live with me and observe me close at hand.