Editing Vaslav Nijinsky (section)

===Marriage===
Nijinsky's work in choreographing ballets had proved controversial. They were time-consuming to rehearse and badly received by critics. Diaghilev asked him to begin preparing a new ballet, ''[[Josephslegende|La Légende de Joseph]],'' based on the Bible. Aside from Nijinsky's difficulties, Diaghilev came under pressure from financial backers and theatre owners who wanted productions more in the style of previous successful work. Although Diaghilev had become unhappy with Fokine's work, thinking he had lost his originality, he returned to him for two new ballets, including ''Joseph''. Relations between Diaghilev and Nijinsky had deteriorated under the stress of Nijinsky's becoming principal choreographer and his pivotal role in the company's financial success. Diaghilev could not face Nijinsky to tell him personally that he would no longer be choreographing the ballet ''Joseph'', but instead asked his sister Bronia Nijinska to deliver the bad news.

The company was to embark on a tour of South America in August 1913. Nijinska, who had always worked closely with her brother and supported him, could not accompany the tour because she had married in July 1912 and become pregnant. In October 1912 their father had died while on tour with his dance company, causing another stress for the siblings. Diaghilev did not accompany the South American tour, claiming he had been told that he would die on the ocean. Others have suggested the reason had more to do with wanting to spend time away from Nijinsky and enjoy a holiday in Venice, "where perhaps adventures with pretty dark-eyed boys awaited him".<ref>buckle, Nijinsky, p.372</ref> Nijinsky set sail on a 21-day sea voyage in a state of turmoil and without the people who had been his closest advisers in recent years.<ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|pp=53–76}}</ref>

[[File:Vaslav Nijinsky, 1912.jpg|thumb|left|Vaslav Nijinsky, 1912, dancing the ''Faun''. Photograph by [[Adolf de Meyer]].]]
The tour party included [[Romola de Pulszky]], whose father Count Charles Pulszky was a Hungarian politician, and mother Emilia Márkus was a noted actress. In March 1912 the recently engaged Romola was taken to see the Ballets Russes in Budapest by her prospective mother-in-law and was greatly impressed. Nijinsky had not been performing, but she returned the following day and saw him: "An electric shock passed through the entire audience. Intoxicated, entranced, gasping for breath, we followed this superhuman being... the power, the featherweight lightness, the steel-like strength, the suppleness of his movements..."<ref>Romola Nijinsky, 'Nijinsky,' p.&nbsp;4.</ref> Romola broke off her engagement and began following the Ballets Russes across Europe, attending every performance she could. Nijinsky was difficult to approach, being always accompanied by a 'minder'. However, Romola befriended [[Adolf Bolm]], who had previously visited her mother, thereby gaining access to the company and backstage. She and Nijinsky shared no common language; she spoke French but he knew only a little, so many of their early conversations involved an interpreter. When first introduced to her, he gained the impression she was a Hungarian prima ballerina and was friendly. Discovering his mistake, he ignored her thereafter.<ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|pp=78–85}}</ref>

Romola did not give up. She persuaded Diaghilev that her amorous interests lay with Bolm, that she was rich and interested in supporting ballet. He allowed her to take ballet lessons with [[Enrico Cecchetti]], who accompanied the troupe coaching the dancers. Nijinsky objected to her taking class with the professionals. Cecchetti warned her against becoming involved with Nijinsky (describing him as "like a sun that pours forth light but never warms"<ref>Romola Nijinsky, 'Nijinsky,' p.13</ref>), but Diaghilev's endorsement meant that Nijinsky paid her some attention. Romola took every opportunity to be near Nijinsky, booking train compartments or cabins close to his. She was likely warned that he was homosexual by [[Marie Rambert]], whom Romola befriended and who was also in love with Nijinsky.<ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|pp=85–86}}</ref> As a devout Catholic, she prayed for his conversion to heterosexuality.<ref name="Romola Nijinsky, 'Nijinsky,' p.233">Romola Nijinsky, 'Nijinsky,' p.&nbsp;233.</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|p=87}}</ref> She referred to him as ''Le Petit'', and wanted to have his child.<ref name="Romola Nijinsky, 'Nijinsky,' p.233"/>

On board ship, Romola had a cabin in first class, which allowed her to keep a watch on Nijinsky's door, while most of the company were exiled to second class. She befriended his masseur and was rewarded with a rundown on his musculature. Determined to take every opportunity, she succeeded in spending more and more time in his company. The unexpected friendliness was noticed by Baron de Gunsbourg, an investor in the Ballets Russes, who had been tasked with keeping an eye on the company. Instead of reporting to Diaghilev on what was occurring, Gunsbourg agreed to act on Nijinsky's behalf in presenting a proposal of marriage to Romola. Romola thought a cruel joke was being played on her, and ran off to her cabin crying. However, Nijinsky asked her again, in broken French and mime, and she accepted. Although Gunsbourg had a financial interest in Ballets Russes, he was also interested in forming his own company, and a split between Diaghilev and his star dancer might have presented him with an opportunity.<ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|pp=87–89}}</ref>

[[File:Mr. Nijinsky and his little daughter at his apartments in the Biltmore (c. 1916).jpg|thumb|right|Nijinsky and daughter Kyra, 1916]]
When the ship stopped at [[Rio de Janeiro]], [[Brazil]], the couple went straight to buy wedding rings. Adolph Bolm warned Romola against proceeding, saying "It will ruin your life".<ref>Romola Nijinsky, 'Nijinsky', p.&nbsp;240.</ref> Gunsbourg hurried to arrange the marriage, getting permission by telegram from Romola's mother. A quick wedding could take place once the ship arrived at [[Buenos Aires]], Argentina; the couple were married on 10 September 1913 and the event was announced to the world's press. Back in Europe, Diaghilev "gave himself to a wild orgy of dissipation...Sobbing shamelessly in Russian despair, he bellowed accusations and recriminations; he cursed Nijinsky's ingratitude, Romola's treachery, and his own stupidity".<ref>Gold, p.160</ref>

As the company was due to start performing immediately, the couple had no honeymoon. A few days after the marriage, Nijinsky tried to teach Romola some ballet, but she was not interested. "I asked her to learn dancing because for me dancing was the highest thing in the world", "I realized that I had made a mistake, but the mistake was irreparable. I had put myself in the hands of someone who did not love me."<ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|p=92}} quoting Nijinsky's 'diary'.</ref> Romola and Nijinsky did not share accommodations until after the season was safely underway, when she was eventually invited to join him in separate bedrooms in his hotel suite. She "almost cried with thankfulness" that he showed no interest in making love on their wedding night.<ref>{{harvnb|Ostwald|1991|p=92}}, citing Romola Nijinsky's biography, 'Nijinsky'</ref>