Diana and Persis
Jan. 25th, 2021 12:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
osprey_archerI've long meant to read Louisa May Alcott's Diana and Persis, an unfinished novel about two women artists. At long last I have done it, and OH MY GOD, you guys, the OT3 energy in this book is SO STRONG. Possibly the reason Alcott never finished it as that she never could have gotten away with a menage a trois ending.
The book starts when Persis (who goes by Percy, a reference to Percy Bysshe Shelley) stops by her friend Diana's studio to inform her that she has turned down yet another lover, and intends to go to study art in Paris. Diana rejoices in the turned-down lover ("Flee from temptation and do not dream of spoiling your life by any commonplace romance, I implore you," she counsels Percy) and receives the plan to study abroad with grave approbation: of course Percy has to do it for her art, but Diana will miss her so much.
The next section is a selection of letters from Percy. These draw heavily on Louisa's little sister May's letters about her art studies in Paris. (Despite my comment above, probably the real reason LMA couldn't finish the book was grief for May's early death. It might have been too painful to revisit a character that drew so heavily on her lost sister.)
THIRD, and MOST IMPORTANT, Diana goes to Paris to visit Percy about a year after Percy's marriage! She hasn't informed Percy that she's coming; she just kind of sneaks up on Percy's villa (OH THE DRAMA) and peeps in through the door to see Percy's new husband August playing the violin as Percy lies on the floor sketching their dear baby daughter.
Diana and August instantly strike up the world's politest and most mutually admiring rivalry. As August departs to do the marketing (a most domesticated husband!), Diana "could not resist peeping from being the blue curtains for a glimpse at this unknown August who had usurped her place in Percy's life." After Diana catalogs his good looks - he is "tall, slender," with "clustering dark hair" - August pauses "to say, with a swift comprehension of the thought in her face, which would have been rather startling but for the playfulness of the question - 'Well, Mademoiselle, am I to be forgiven?'"
Diana assures him that he is; but a shadow lingers on her heart, nonetheless. And August, meanwhile, feels one growing as he watches the two women talk over lunch, "watching Percy while she listened to Diana's plans with a growing ardor in her face, an unconscious tone of regret now and then in her eager voice, an entire absorption in the subject which for the first time in her married life made her forgetful of his presence. His eye went from one face to the other, resting longest upon Diana's which he scrutinized with intense but covert interest as if trying to read the character of this friend whose influence he already saw was much stronger than he had imagined."
After dinner they all three go for a walk together. Alcott doesn't specify, but I envision Percy flanked by Diana and August, both "already conscious of the affectionate jealousy, the spirit of rivalry with which they could not help regarding the richly endowed woman who stood between them, since they represented the two strong passions which divided her heart and ruled her life."
And then August plays his violin for them, and sees Diana "bathed in light, finding [her figure] not only fair but winning, for the keen eyes were shut now, the firm lips smiled, the proud head leaned like a drowsy flower, and the whole face was softened wonderfully, not only by the magic of the moon but by the unwonted mood which unlocked her heart, and for an hour showed how much unsuspected tenderness it held.
'She is not all the artist but a women to be loved as well as admired. I will not be afraid, but trust her as Percy does,' he said within himself..."
NOW KISS. ALL THREE OF YOU.
Seriously though, I think this would make an AMAZING basis for an f/f/m OT3, set in the bohemian art world of 1883 or so. Two artists, bosom friends since girlhood! One leaves to study art in Paris! By and by she marries, and a year or so later her friend comes to visit, and to her surprise finds the new husband much less obnoxious than she imagined... actually really almost worthy of her friend... kind, loving, supportive of her art, easy on the eyes... soon not!Diana is not sure which one she is in love with anymore, and decides she'd better leave for Rome before she gets even more confused.
The book starts when Persis (who goes by Percy, a reference to Percy Bysshe Shelley) stops by her friend Diana's studio to inform her that she has turned down yet another lover, and intends to go to study art in Paris. Diana rejoices in the turned-down lover ("Flee from temptation and do not dream of spoiling your life by any commonplace romance, I implore you," she counsels Percy) and receives the plan to study abroad with grave approbation: of course Percy has to do it for her art, but Diana will miss her so much.
The next section is a selection of letters from Percy. These draw heavily on Louisa's little sister May's letters about her art studies in Paris. (Despite my comment above, probably the real reason LMA couldn't finish the book was grief for May's early death. It might have been too painful to revisit a character that drew so heavily on her lost sister.)
THIRD, and MOST IMPORTANT, Diana goes to Paris to visit Percy about a year after Percy's marriage! She hasn't informed Percy that she's coming; she just kind of sneaks up on Percy's villa (OH THE DRAMA) and peeps in through the door to see Percy's new husband August playing the violin as Percy lies on the floor sketching their dear baby daughter.
Diana and August instantly strike up the world's politest and most mutually admiring rivalry. As August departs to do the marketing (a most domesticated husband!), Diana "could not resist peeping from being the blue curtains for a glimpse at this unknown August who had usurped her place in Percy's life." After Diana catalogs his good looks - he is "tall, slender," with "clustering dark hair" - August pauses "to say, with a swift comprehension of the thought in her face, which would have been rather startling but for the playfulness of the question - 'Well, Mademoiselle, am I to be forgiven?'"
Diana assures him that he is; but a shadow lingers on her heart, nonetheless. And August, meanwhile, feels one growing as he watches the two women talk over lunch, "watching Percy while she listened to Diana's plans with a growing ardor in her face, an unconscious tone of regret now and then in her eager voice, an entire absorption in the subject which for the first time in her married life made her forgetful of his presence. His eye went from one face to the other, resting longest upon Diana's which he scrutinized with intense but covert interest as if trying to read the character of this friend whose influence he already saw was much stronger than he had imagined."
After dinner they all three go for a walk together. Alcott doesn't specify, but I envision Percy flanked by Diana and August, both "already conscious of the affectionate jealousy, the spirit of rivalry with which they could not help regarding the richly endowed woman who stood between them, since they represented the two strong passions which divided her heart and ruled her life."
And then August plays his violin for them, and sees Diana "bathed in light, finding [her figure] not only fair but winning, for the keen eyes were shut now, the firm lips smiled, the proud head leaned like a drowsy flower, and the whole face was softened wonderfully, not only by the magic of the moon but by the unwonted mood which unlocked her heart, and for an hour showed how much unsuspected tenderness it held.
'She is not all the artist but a women to be loved as well as admired. I will not be afraid, but trust her as Percy does,' he said within himself..."
NOW KISS. ALL THREE OF YOU.
Seriously though, I think this would make an AMAZING basis for an f/f/m OT3, set in the bohemian art world of 1883 or so. Two artists, bosom friends since girlhood! One leaves to study art in Paris! By and by she marries, and a year or so later her friend comes to visit, and to her surprise finds the new husband much less obnoxious than she imagined... actually really almost worthy of her friend... kind, loving, supportive of her art, easy on the eyes... soon not!Diana is not sure which one she is in love with anymore, and decides she'd better leave for Rome before she gets even more confused.
