 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
6 January 1870 — Madrid | |
Thursday. 6th [January 1870]. I woke with a headache so I did not get up till past 11 & did not take a singing lesson– We had a thick white fog again. Did some writing for Henry & wrote to Blanche– I did not go out as I had a slight face ache. I read a great deal of Spanish. At tea Mr Ashburnham came. Henry went out for ½ hour’s walk. Messrs Ff: & Ash: dined with us, also Mr Doria who is going thro’ here on his way to England from Lisbon. At ½ past 9 we went off to Mme Montijo’s: There we saw some private theatricals—a comedy acted by Mme de M’s niece La Comtesse Nova de Jajo & a Mme Lujan, a Señr Romere who acted capitally & another gentleman. It was very amusing & well acted tho’ of course I could not understand much of it. When this was over Señr Romere improvised some little speech I couldn’t understand & then Mme Lujan & Mr Hunt sang us a scene from the Barbiere tho’ not in costume. He sang very well but her voice is rather passée—still she sings with a deal of execution tho’ not so well as Mrs Hunt—not so high a voice. This over, there took place drawing for the “etrennes” that is from one box is taken a lady’s name & the other a gentleman’s who are henceforth “spiritual husbands & wives” for the rest of the year & the gentleman has to give the lady a present; at the same time they draw verses & read them aloud supposed to be from the couple addressed to one another. Henry’s name was coupled with Mme Bauers & he must send her a bouquet tomorrow. There was not time to go thro’ them all & my name remained in the box. After that the seance broke up & as I felt rather unwell I got Henry to go home—but they were going to dance & afterwards sup. The Bauers have proposed that we should join an expedition to Toledo on Sunday. They are going to have a special train & will go if the weather is fine. Henry went to the Palace today to the Regent’s reception & said that the Regent told them he did not believe that he had really been shot at but that some sportsman returning home had let off his gun by chance as the shot came from the other side of the wall. He treated the affair very lightly. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |