Italian Letters of a Diplomat's Wife: January-May, 1880; February-April, 1904Waddington, Mary King
General
Italian Letters of a Diplomat's Wife: January-May, 1880; February-April, 1904
Waddington, Mary King
Rome (Italy) -- Social life and customs
I found the going down more disagreeable than coming up. It was darker,
the steps were a little broken at the edge and decidedly slippery;
however, we arrived without any adventures. Just as we got to the hotel
we saw three or four carriages drive up, and as we went in the porter
told us the German Crown Princess with her daughters and a large suite
was arriving. We stood in the court to see them pass--but the Princess
was not there, only her daughters (3). They were tall, fair, very
German-looking, each one with a large bouquet. There seemed any number
of ladies and gentlemen in attendance, and a great deal of bowing and
deferential manners.
We went downstairs about a quarter to eight. We had given the Murrays
rendezvous in the reading-room, but they came in just as we crossed the
court, and we went straight to the dining-room. They told us the Crown
Princess only comes to-morrow. They had gone to the station to meet her
(they had seen her in Venice), but there were only the young Princesses.
We had a pleasant dinner. They are a nice couple (Scotch). He is very
clever, a literary man, rather delicate, can't stand the English winter,
and always comes abroad. He knows Italy well and is mad about Venice.
She is clever, too, but is rather silent--however, we didn't either of
us have a chance to-night, for the two gentlemen talked hard, politics,
which Mr. Murray was very keen about. He had a decided thirst for
information, and asked W. so many questions about France, the state of
politics, the influence of the clergy, etc., that I was rather anxious,
as in general there is nothing W. hates like being questioned. However,
he was very gracious to-night, and disposed to talk. When he doesn't
feel like it wild horses couldn't drag anything out of him.
They stayed till ten o'clock, and now I have been putting the last
things in my small trunk. The big trunks go straight through from here,
and we will pick them up at the Gare de Lyon. The padrone has just been
up to ask if we were satisfied with the hotel, and would we recommend
him.
_To G. W. S._
TURIN, HÔTEL DE L'EUROPE,
May 13, 1880.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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