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18 June 1870 — Madrid | |
Saturday. 18th [June 1870]. I had a lesson in singing from Inzenga in the morng & then wrote to Lady Emily Hankey & finished reading the 2 vols of the Memoirs of Saint Simon. As we were going to Picnic at 5 we had no luncheon but had tea at 3. At 4 the children began to arrive 1st Xavier Comyn then Mme Riaño & Juanito then Miss Silvela (12 years old) the Vizconde del Cerro & his daughter—4 of the Regent’s & the 2 Prims. When they had all come as by appointment to our house we set off. The Dss had sent one of the private omnibuses from the Royal stable with 4 mules—wh held 16—besides this carriage full we had our own in wh Mme Riaño, del Cerro & I followed the omnibus being full with the children nurses & Henry. We had not far to go to the Reservado of the Casa de Campo wh is the private royal garden just on the right as you enter. We [met] Giovanni with the dinner all unpacked so we set about finding a nice place to put the table wh we finally put in the centre of an alley of trees & the children ran abt & amused themselves till 5 when we had dinner. Mercier joined us with Brosé & poor little Madeleine who still looks pale from her late fever but is very pretty. Also Mme Bauer came with her 2 tinies & just as we had finished dinner—the Regent & Dss joined us & then Mme Mercier Mme Karnicky & Mme Acapulco– Cerruti & Mr Ashburnham had come to dinner. We then proceeded to play games & Cerruti set the children to run races, the game of played by one running with 2 oranges in his hand & 2 others running to catch him, when no 1 sees them gaining on him he (still running throws the oranges behind him wh nos. 2 & 3 have to pick up before resuming the race making catching no 1 almost impossible– After a time the game flagged so I offered to run taking the oranges, & Mercier & the Regent were to catch me—wh of course they did not succeed in– The Rt then taught us to play the game of the Devil Attacking the Angels defended by St Michael. Mercier was the latter & His Highness the Devil & all of the others the angels. At 8 o’cl: it began to get dark so we packed all the children into the omnibus & went home with 8 mules as it was up hill. Henry & I had some Horchata & then I practised all the evening & we went early to bed– | |
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