Comte de Mulinare (Chevalier Edouard de Moelenar)

Basic Aktualizováno: 2025-07-04

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-07-04 Diary Coverage: Up to 1874-08-31

Identity

The Comte de Mulinare, whose name Marie also spells as "Chevalier Edouard de Moelenar," was a Belgian aristocrat who became the subject of Marie's mockery during her stay in Ostende in August 1874. He represents the first real-life example of what Marie calls a "Plobster" - her code word for men who attract attention but whom she finds ridiculous rather than genuinely attractive.

The Original "Plobster"

Marie first notices him posing constantly around the social venues of Ostende, particularly at the Kursaal. She describes him as having:

A long nose under a small "mushroom" hat
Excessive posing "to the point of ridicule"
A resemblance to a lobster (homard in French)
Tall stature

Social Interactions

After about fifteen days of mutual observation and his constant posing, he was finally introduced to Marie's party on August 29, 1874, by Basilévitch. The introduction revealed his full name as "Chevalier Edouard de Moelenar."

During their conversation, he spoke about Marie's boots and feet, but she noted that "his language lacks polish" and concluded he was "not a real Plobster" - meaning he lacked the genuine aristocratic refinement she valued.

Marie's Treatment

Marie's attitude toward the Comte was one of amused contempt:

She laughed uncontrollably whenever she saw him
She compared his movements to Paparigopoulos (another figure she found ridiculous)
She made him "fashionable" in her circle as an object of mockery
She called him "ce beau chevalier errant" (this handsome knight errant) sarcastically

Significance

The Comte de Mulinare/Moelenar represents an important development in Marie's social observations. While she had previously used "Plobster" to describe attractive men she admired from afar, this usage shows the term evolving to include men who try too hard to attract attention but fail to meet her exacting standards of aristocratic behavior and refinement.

His appearance in the diary also demonstrates Marie's cruel wit and her tendency to make entertainment out of those she considered social inferiors or pretenders.

%% 2025-07-04T11:25:00 RSR: This glossary entry documents the Comte de Mulinare/Moelenar who became Marie's first named "Plobster" - a figure of ridicule rather than admiration. The entry is based on diary references from August 1874, particularly the detailed August 29 entry where he is finally introduced after weeks of posing. %%