Mme Prodgers
Також відомий як: Prodgers
Overview
Mrs (Mme) E. Prodgers, the English hostess of Nice's foreign colony, who lived at 17 Promenade des Anglais («la célèbre Prodgers», 040.0072; address on a mock-letter, 053.0083). Marie sees her as the local «reine» of society: «Mme Prodgers qui depuis tant d'années amuse, rassemble le monde, égaye toute la ville, reçoit plus que personne» (050.0332). She belongs to the Nice set (Lewin, Durand, Vigier, Saëtone) that Marie's family regards as not quite received elsewhere: on 23 April 1874 they discuss «Lewin, de la Durand et de la Prodgers» in the same breath as the Gioia, whom they say Paris would not receive (018.0359). The Mon Journal t.1 index calls her «Prodgers (Mme), Anglaise»; later tomes also list «Prodgers (M.)» (her husband, slapped in the street by Georges, 034.0344) and «Prodgers (Mlle/Mlles)» (a daughter, 034.0186). Her first name is not given; a 1876 footnote calls her «an English/Irish woman of ambiguous social standing» (063.0114). The identification beyond the diary is open.
In the diary
- 1873–74: a ball at her house is the talk of Feb 1873 (002.0015), the Prodgers appear in Marie's early notes on Nice society (003.0264) and in a comic «course entre Mmes Prodgers et Vigier» written in the «Letters» notebook (011.0033). She rides, drives and gives receptions («Chez Mme Prodgers il y a grande réception», 014.0310; 015.0009). On 1 March 1874 Audiffret wins a bet by carrying «Prodgers» on his shoulders the length of the Promenade des Anglais: «Prodgers ne devait pas bouger, il tomba et n'osa bouger» (017.0097). The pronouns there are masculine and the text does not say whether Mr or Mrs Prodgers is meant. In Sept 1873 it is said that Lewin called on the Gioia and then on Mme Prodgers (009.0174).
- Winter 1874–75: the foreign colony is «lasse des scandales continuels de Georges et surtout révoltée par son histoire avec Prodgers» (2 Dec 1874, 027.0121; the passage is about Georges's conduct, not Mme Prodgers's); Florence says she goes everywhere but is mocked and has «de très mauvaises manières» (027.0228); Marie writes of those who try «déraciner la Prodgers, ou Mme Sabatier» (027.0362). Saëtone and Mme Prodgers have an affair that «le monde a dit… très naturel» (034.0007). She had, Marie says, chased the Bashkirtseffs out of the Howards' (034.0343).
- Scandal of the theatre (1875): Mme Prodgers and Miss Robenson, «tellement habillées et décolletées», close their box curtains and the whole pit whistles (043.0295–0301); on 29–30 Nov 1875 «une cabale se forme contre Mme Prodgers et… personne ne veut la recevoir» (050.0315), and Marie, who has herself felt exclusion, writes «J'aime Mme Prodgers. Elle doit être si misérable» (050.0333). Her role as chaperone and marriage broker for the American Robenson, with Audiffret as target («son boudoir bleu est un bureau de mariage en grand», 051.0223; «la Prodgers a pris à cœur cette affaire», 051.0381), is Marie's constant torment in the winter 1875–76. See #Robenson and #Emile_d_Audiffret.
- Departure: «Prodgers a tout à fait quitté Nice pour Paris» (062.0063, 31 May 1876); in July 1876 «La Prodgers est ici. Elle est pour le moment la maîtresse du baron Roissard, député des Alpes-Maritimes» (063.0114; #Roissard).
- Last mention: 20 May 1878, at the theatre: «les Durand, la Prodgers et beaucoup d'autres» (080.0246).
References in Diary
Більшу частину цього глосарія досліджено за допомогою мовних моделей штучного інтелекту та звірено з наведеними джерелами; помилки можливі. Якщо ви помітите помилку, будь ласка, повідомте про неї кнопкою вгорі сторінки.