Letters of a Diplomat's Wife, 1883-1900Waddington, Mary King
History
Letters of a Diplomat's Wife, 1883-1900
Waddington, Mary King
Europe -- Social life and customs
I will go on a little and send this letter also from here. We had an
expedition this morning to one of the chateaux belonging to some member
of the Sobieski family, or rather belonging to a Potocki quelconque,
where there are many souvenirs of Sobieski. I never was on such a
villainous pavement (they tell me Moscow is worse), and the road long
and straight through flat country, not very interesting. The chateau was
full of pictures and bibelots of all kinds, and every possible souvenir
of Sobieski, flags, swords, snuff-boxes, etc., and quite worth seeing. I
enjoyed the outing, as everything was absolutely unique, carriages,
costumes, carts, people, language, houses, a poor tumble-down little
hovel next to a great palace with gates and courts and gardens.
We lunched again with all the Embassy, and then I went to see what was
happening to the maids. I had left them in such a dejected condition on
the landing when I went out. They couldn't get hold of any servant
(couldn't make them understand when they did), couldn't get my boots or
travelling skirt, or hot water, or anything, in fact. The hotel is full
of people, all starting this afternoon, and there is a fine confusion,
but they really must learn to get along without all modern conveniences.
#Entre Varsovie et Moscou#,
en wagon, Samedi soir, 19.
I will try and write a little, Dear, while we are stopping at Smolensk
for tea. It is rather difficult when we are moving (though we go slowly)
as you will see by the writing, as the train shakes a great deal. As
soon as it stops we all tumble out, are received by railway officials in
uniform, and conveyed to a private room decorated with greens and flags,
where most elaborate repasts are provided. We got off from Varsovie
yesterday most comfortably about 4 o'clock. Various officials, our
Consul Berard, were at the station to see us off, and an engineer of the
company, who goes with us to Moscow to interpret and look after us
generally. The train is most luxurious--for W. and me one long saloon
carriage lined with grey satin, and with every variety of easy chair,
sofa, table, writing-table, lamp, etc. Flowers on one of the tables and
maps of the route on another. Communicating with it and directly behind
are two bedrooms for us--mine is capitonne in blue satin, a very
good-sized bed, glass, chairs, table, etc., also a dressing-room with
every modern convenience. W.'s is grey satin, equally comfortable, with
dressing-room, bath, etc.--behind these again a coupe for the
maids--then a long carriage for the rest of the Mission with chairs,
tables, etc, and small coupes. The engineer showed us all the
arrangements, hoped we were satisfied, and also told us that two
employes would be stationed at each end of our carriage always for
whatever we might want.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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