Diary of Marie Bashkirtseff
CZENUKFR

Tuesday, 19 December 1882

But as there is also an invitation from the Gavinis, who have the Rothschilds' front box1 at the Français, one must do both. I dress underneath and have only the long fitted overcoat and hat to remove on arriving at the theatre around ten o'clock, [words blacked out: where we find] the Gavinis naturally, Randouin, Plater, Montgomery, Géry. As for the Exhibition, we go as a family — I on Papa's arm, which looks well... Ah! the beautiful things. Ah! the people of talent. Ah! fortunate mortals. We talk with Edelfelt2 (introduced by Cartwright — that is tiresome), Carolus,3 Bastien, Saint-Marceaux. I stammered with fear speaking to the last-named — I had just been literally seized by his busts and I must have seemed foolish. He looks malicious though amiable, and I am terrified of boring him. Bastien is an angel — everyone was fighting over him.

Mais comme il y a aussi une invitation des Gavini qui ont l'avant-scene des Rothschild pour le Francais il faut faire les deux. Je m'habille en dessous et n'ai plus que le long paletot ajuste et le chapeau a oter en arrivant vers dix heures au theatre [Mots noircis: oo nous trouvons] les Gavini naturellement, Randouin, Plater, Montgomery, Gery. Quant a ('Exposition nous y allons en famille, moi au bras de papa, cela fait bien... Ah ! les belles choses. Ah ! les gens de talent. Ah ! les heureux mortels. Nous causons avec Edelfelt (que presente Cartwright, ca c'est embetant) Carolus, Bastien, Saint Marceaux. Je begayais de peur en parlant a celui-la, je venais d'etre litteralement saisie par ses bustes et j'ai du lui paraitre sotte. Il a l'air mechant quoi-qu'aimable et j'ai une peur bleue de l'ennuyer. Bastien est un ange. On se l'arrachait.

I was almost weeping at having to leave for the theatre. It is impossible to imagine a more ravishing impression than that room where there is nothing but remarkable works. At the Salon everything is drowned in horrors; here, at every step there is something exquisite.

Je pleurais presque de m'en aller au theatre. Il est impossible de s'imaginer une impression plus ravissante que celle de cette salle ou il n'y a que des oeuvres remarquables. Au Salon c'est noye dans des horreurs, ici, a chaque pas c'est une chose exquise.

On our return everyone was exchanging impressions, and my aunt remarked that I was dressed like a beggar — which retrospectively disconcerts me considerably; though it can be explained: I had not worn my furs, and they had been afraid I might fall ill in that room where one was stifling... If that is not an irritating life, I leave you to imagine it. And how clever of them. To wound my vanity in order to protect me from draughts. Ah — idiots.

Au retour on echangeait ses impressions et ma tante dit que j'etais habillee comme une mendiante, ce qui me decontenance fort, retrospectivement, seulement ca s'explique; je n'avais pas mis de fourrures, et on craignait que j'en tombe malade dans cette salle ou on etouffait... Si c'est une vie embetante, je vous le laisse a penser. Et comme c'est adroit. Taper sur ma vanite pour me garantir des courants d'air. Ah ! les idiots.

Notes

The Rothschilds' front box (avant-scène des Rothschild): the Rothschild family maintained a permanent subscription to the most prestigious front box at the Comédie-Française. Being invited to it was a significant social distinction. ↩
Edelfelt: Albert Edelfelt (1854–1905), Finnish painter and one of the most celebrated northern European artists working in Paris in the 1880s. His naturalistic portraits and historical scenes had won considerable Salon success. ↩
Carolus: Carolus-Duran (1837–1917), celebrated French portrait painter and teacher (his most famous student was John Singer Sargent). He represented the height of Parisian fashionable portraiture. ↩