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
This morning W. and I had our first regular turn at sight-seeing. We
took a nice little botta on the Piazza, had our Baedeker--a red one,
like all the tourists--and were quite happy. Some of the old colleagues
were highly entertained seeing us driving about with our Baedeker; said
it was W. under a wholly different aspect. We wandered about the
Vatican for two hours, seeing quantities of things--Sistine Chapel,
Stanze Raphael, Apollo Belvedere, etc., and always a beautiful view over
the gardens. Later, he says, he must do it all regularly and
intelligently with one of his men friends, as I naturally could not
stand for hours recognising and deciphering an old inscription. I left
him from time to time, sat down on one of the stone benches, talked to
the custode, looked at the other people, and gave them any information I
could. It interested me to see the different nationalities--almost
entirely English, American, German, very few Italian, and no
French--yes, one artist, a rather nice looking young fellow who was
copying something on the ceiling of one of the "Stanze," rather a
difficult process apparently. There were many more women than
men--groups of English spinsters doing their sights most thoroughly--the
Americans more casual. The Apollo looked splendid, so young and
spirited. We walked some little distance, coming home before we could
get a fiacre, and I had forgotten how cruel that Roman pavement was. I
don't believe any of my boots will stand it; I shall have to get
somewhere here a pair of thick-soled walking shoes.
We had a quiet hour after breakfast. I have arranged a ladies' corner in
the drawing-room. I was in despair the first two days over the room. I
had never lived in small hotel quarters with a man, and I had no idea
how disorderly they are. The table was covered with pens, papers--piles
of them, three or four days old, thick with dust--cigars, cigar ashes
over everything, two or three large, bulky black portfolios, very often
a pot hat, etc. So we compromised; W. took one end of the room and I the
other. I obtained from the gérant (thanks to Madame Hubert, who is very
pretty and on the best of terms with him) a small table, large china
vase for a plant, a nice arm-chair, and a cushion for the sofa, borrowed
a table-cloth from Gert, also some small things for my table, and my end
looked quite respectable and feminine. The room is large, so we can
really get on very well. We had a pleasant visit from the Marquis de
Noailles, French Ambassador to the Quirinal, before we went out. He has
a charming, easy manner. We are to breakfast at the Embassy, Palazzo
Farnese, to-morrow for me to make Madame de Noailles's acquaintance. I
wonder what I shall think of her? The men all say she is a charmeuse.
She is Polish born, was a beautiful woman--I think all Poles have a
great charm of manner.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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