Madame Batourine

Mme Batourine

Wife of Alexandre Batourine, an old friend of the family who had once loved Marie's mother; Marie meets them at Wiesbaden in August 1875. Mon Journal t.10: «Batourine (Mme, née Bachmakoff)». Old, ugly and toothless, but «du meilleur monde», talkative and fond of speaking of high society (039.0061, 039.0244, 074.0106). The Batourines have their own house (039.0063); Marie dines with them on 25 August 1875 (039.0243). In August 1877 she is in deep mourning for her brother Bachmakoff and receives the Bashkirtseffs with Prince Repnin and the prince of Nassau, which Marie finds oppressive («cette vieille diablesse», 074.0079-0088, 26 Aug 1877). M. Batourine was «très amoureux de maman et elle de lui» before both married other people (074.0107). Marie calls her an acquaintance of twenty-five years, who truly loves them (074.0371), and in September 1877 she writes to thank Marie for things bought on her behalf (075.0103). See the entry BATOURINE for her husband.