Ischia

Overview

The island in the Bay of Naples. Marie names it only as the site of the earthquake of 28 July 1883, which destroyed Casamicciola and killed between 2,313 and some 3,100 people (Wikipedia, «1883 Casamicciola earthquake»). On 26 August 1883 she goes to the great charity fête at the Tuileries for the victims, where a painted journal is sold with sketches by famous artists and lines by great writers; Dumas's column asks what the disaster means for a Christian and Catholic God. She is not convinced: «Passe pour Sodome et Gomorrhe. Passe encore pour Herculanum et Pompéi car là Dieu punissait ceux qui envoyaient ses apôtres au martyre ... Mais ici. Où sont les crimes atroces et [inommables] d'Ischia ?» (101.0241-0242).

In Marie's diary

• 1883-08-26 (101.0241, 101.0242, Paris).