Comte Blondoff (Bloudoff)

Overview

An elderly Russian count whom Marie meets at Spa in July 1874 and again in Rome in 1876. The printed edition spells him two ways: «le comte Bloudoff» at the table d'hôte beside M. and Mme de Bauche (021.0422, 19 July 1874; scan t.4 p. 39) and «Le vieux polisson Blondoff», who praises Marie to de Bauche and follows her when she goes out alone (022.0212, 29 July 1874; t.4 p. 68). The Mon Journal t.4 index has only «Blondoff (comte), 68». In Rome «le comte Blondoff … fait un mouvement de surprise en m'apercevant puis salue ma mère» on the Pincio (052.0153, 14 January 1876) and sits near the young princess Ouroussoff at a party (055.1025, 22 March 1876); his surprise suggests the Spa acquaintance, so one man is probable (0.7).

Identity uncertain

We are not sure who this is. «Bloudoff» would be the French spelling of the Russian comital name Bludov (Блудов); we have found no comital family «Blondoff», and the form may be a misreading of «Bloudoff» (u/n) in the manuscript or the print, but the edition prints «Blondoff» three times out of four. No member of the Bludov family has been matched to Spa 1874 or Rome 1876. Sources checked: the four paragraphs above, the scans of t.4 (pp. 39, 68), the t.4 index, a web search. If you can identify this person, we would be glad to hear from you.

References in Diary

• 1874-07-19 (021.0422), 1874-07-29 (022.0212) — Spa
• 1876-01-14 (052.0153), 1876-03-22 (055.1025) — Rome