Remembering

'This day' -- so once Catullus wrote --
'Whith a white stone I shall mark boldly',
And, till now I am glad, beholding
The avenue where, to lime-trees' note,
With an umbrella on the sand
White hands some words for me were pressing,
What -- I'll not tell. For you have guessed it;
And ready on the tongue, words stand.

Maxim Bahdanovich 1913 Óñïàì³í

"Äçåíü ãýòà, -- òàê ï³ñࢠÊàòóë, --
ß áåëûì êàìåíåì àäçíà÷ó."
Äàñþëü ÿ ðàä, êàë³ ïàáà÷ó
Àëåþ, äçå ïàä ë³ïࢠãóë
Ìíå ïàðàñîíêàì íà ïÿñêó
Øòîñü ðó÷ê³ ì³ëûÿ ï³ñàë³,
Øòî -- íå ñêàæó. Âû àäãàäàë³,
² ñëîâû ¢æî íà ÿçûêó.

Ì.Áàãäàíîâ³÷ 1913


The expression originates in Catullus' "Lapide candidiore diem notare," (Poem 68, line 148) which translates as "to mark with an especially white stone the (lucky) day." The English version was quite commonly used in Victorian times.