Mme Gaillard (Louise, comtesse de Quincy)

Who she was

Louise, widowed comtesse de Quincy, who married the lawyer-poet and later Vaucluse deputy Jules Gaillard (GAILLARD). Mon Journal t.13 index: «Quincy (Mme Louise, future Mme Gaillard) : 299, 301, 306, 309-311»; t.15 index: «Gaillard (Mme), née de Quincey» (Quincy was her married name, not her maiden name).

What the diary says of her:

• She is the daughter of «Mme de Motessus de Ballore», who lives at Nice (098.0544), i.e. of MME_DE_BALLORE, and the sister of Jeanne, baronne de Wykerslooth (JEANNE_DE_BALLORE): «La visite de Mme de Ballore et de Jeanne de Wikerslovth … C'est l'aînée et elle paraît plus jeune que sa sœur Mme Gaillard» (105.0260).
• In March 1883 Marie calls her a countess «veuve de quinze ans» who «ne brillait dans aucun monde» and was bored at Nice (098.0544); in July 1883 she is ten years older than her husband, then thirty-six (100.0444).
• She is engaged to Gaillard by 27 June 1880 («Madame de Quincy est venue nous présenter Gaillard comme son futur mari», 089.0049), is still «la future Mme Gaillard» on 14 July 1880 (089.0151), and the couple are «les Gaillard» by 16 May 1881 (092.0012). The wedding date and place were not found.

Her first husband (the comte de Quincy) and her own dates are not established. Marie's ages are estimates, and «l'aînée» (105.0260) sits badly with them; the order of the two sisters is left open.

In the diary

• June–July 1880 (089.0049, 089.0070, 089.0126, 089.0149, 089.0151, 089.0158, 089.0160): she introduces Gaillard as her future husband, dines with the family and, on 14 July, tramps with them to the illuminations at Belleville in high heels.
• 1881–1882 (092.0012, 094.0082, 095.0003): visits exchanged with «les Gaillard»; at the 1882 Salon varnishing.
• 1883 (098.0212, 098.0544, 099.0254, 099.0359, 099.0382, 100.0444): Marie sends flowers to «l'ex-Mme de Quincey» after the Chamber debate; dinner at the Gaillards', 44 rue Saint-Lazare; the Salon; the «républicano-artistico-poétique» dinner.
• 1884 (103.0186, 104.0217, 104.0220, 104.0227, 104.0233, 104.0732, 105.0260): she brings Marie Paul Mantz's praise, witnesses the quarrel of 18 May 1884, goes to Neuilly with the family; her mother and sister visit in July.