Monday, 15 March 1880

Useless dramas. Everything is settled; on Saturday reassuring telegrams were received. There is nothing serious. Old Bashkirtseff proposes to Paul, as soon as Maman has arrived, to go and ask for the hand of the infanta officially, to efface the scandal.
As for the young people, they are agreed that if after Lent (during which one cannot marry) they are not married, or if the parents on either side oppose their union, they will simply make away with themselves. Like Pyramus and Thisbe. Love is a beautiful thing.
Mademoiselle Florence Graham, a very proper young lady from the atelier, comes to work with me. She paints a still life while I fiddle with my painting.
I have written to Tony to ask him to come, and I am very afraid.
Berthe has just left.
Yesterday Gaillard, the Mouzays, and Soutzo dined with us.
Soutzo sent superb asparagus surrounded by flowers. I am so afraid of what Tony will say; it seems to me so presumptuous of me to exhibit, although Julian said that if there were only exhibitors of my caliber it would be very fortunate.
It seems to me I shall be annihilated with shame when he comes to see the painting; I do not know if I shall dare, yet I cannot go away if he comes. It is incredible that it should be I who says this, and yet you see! If I said it aloud, people would think I was joking.
The Pure One has arrived. Our ladies met him yesterday on the Champs-Elysees. But my poetic ideas have passed.