Saturday, 21 April 1883

# Samedi 21 avril 1883

I have had a rather amusing week. The studio has its charms from time to time. I have finished the competition piece and am amusing myself doing caricatures.

J'ai passe une semaine assez amusante. De temps en temps l'atelier a du bon. J'ai fini le concours et m'amuse a faire des charges.

And while I am amusing myself with these trifles, Saint-Marceaux comes to call. He found only Maman. Ah — that is really too much!

Et pendant que je m'amuse a ces niaiseries Saint Marceaux vient chez nous. Il n'avait que maman. Ah ! ca c'est trop fort !

In the end, this evening there is an impromptu and very amusing costume dinner.

Enfin ce soir il y a un diner improvise et costume tres drole.

Émile Bastien was going to a costume ball and came to show off his brigand costume. So we all disguise ourselves. I make a very pretty Mme Récamier — they posed me in the manner of David's portrait. Alice as Louis XV, Dina as a little Russian girl, Villevieille powdered and patched.

Emile Bastien allait a un bal costume et vient montrer son costume de brigand. Alors nous nous deguisons tous. Moi tres jolie en Recamier, on m'a posee comme le portrait de David. Alice en Louis XV. Dina en petite russienne, Villevieille poudree.

And Tony, who arrived in the midst of this carnival, improvises a costume as an emir.

Et Tony qui est arrive au milieu de ce carnaval s'improvise en emir.

I have so many things in the studio that we even found him red boots.

J'ai tant de choses dans l'atelier que nous lui avons trouve meme des bottes rouges.

Julian alone stays in his ordinary clothes — but after dinner I crown him with roses as the god Pan.

Julian seul reste un bourgeois mais apres diner je le couronne de roses comme le dieu Pan.

And then who should arrive but M. de Rochefort, a young attaché at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs — and we all hide.

Et voila qu'il arrive M. de Rochefort un petit attache au Ministere des Affaires Etrangeres, nous nous cachons tous.

Just think — young men of society do not understand this; they know stiff formal society and they know improper society. But the charming informality of artists would disconcert them; they would commit improprieties. And I am quite happy to dress up, laugh, have fun — but let everything remain correct; not a word, not a gesture… impure!

Pensez donc, les jeunes gens du monde ne comprennent pas ca, ils connaissent le monde guinde et le monde inconvenant. Mais le laisser-aller charmant des artistes les derouteraient, ils commettraient des inconvenances. Et moi je veux bien me deguiser, rire, m'amuser, mais que tout soit correct, ni un mot, ni un geste... impur !

These people will not believe in my enthusiasm for Saint-Marceaux.

Ces gens-la ne veulent pas croire a mon enthousiasme pour Saint Marceaux.

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