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
It is again a beautiful day, and at 10 o'clock W. and I started. I took
Adelaide, for I knew W. would be absorbed at once by the medals, and I
didn't care to come home alone. We were received with much empressement
by the Director. As I supposed, the Conservateur des Medailles carried
off W. at once, and a sub. of some kind was deputed to show me the
Historical Museum, which really is very interesting, costumes and
interior groups of figures of the whole world. They say it is very
exact, but what a work it must have been. We saw it very well and fairly
quickly, as it wasn't a public day, and the young man only showed us
what was worth seeing. We walked home. It wasn't far, and he explained
the route to us. I really needed the exercise. The town is decidedly
gloomy, even in the bright sunlight, and might be any Northern town
anywhere.
I breakfasted alone at a small table in the dining-room, and had the big
room almost to myself--two gentlemen were breakfasting at one end.
Almost as soon as I got upstairs I had some visits. First Richard
appeared, very pleased with his excursion, said it would have been a
pity not to see the Falls, being so near; then came Col. Wyckham Hoffman
and Whitehouse. Hoffman was much interested in hearing about the
Coronation, as he was five years secretary in Russia and knew all the
people. He and Mrs. Hoffman are at Elsinore for the summer and want us
very much to come down and dine and stay over night, but I am afraid we
can't. W. wants all his time here for the coins, and it would take quite
a day to really see the place. Kergorlay came with a carriage at three,
and he and I and Richard started again for the same drive. It seems all
Copenhagen does it every afternoon. The sea looked enchanting, and I
think there were more boats than yesterday--several big steamers,
English bound they tell us--and such quantities of pleasure boats. We
drove rather further into the forest, as we had more time. It is really
very lovely--had tea in another casino with the same view of the sea. We
met various private carriages with good horses, a certain number were
breaks full of nurses and children; and some rather smart-looking
officers well mounted. We didn't meet the Royal break again. It seems
they are all (a big family party) at one of their chateaux near
Copenhagen, and come into town very often. Kergorlay seems to like
Copenhagen--not the climate, he says it is cold and foggy, there are
days when one never sees the sun. It makes rather a gloomy impression
on me. If I lived here I too would want to come every day to the Deer
Park, which wouldn't be convenient perhaps for domestic arrangements.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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