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7 August 1870 — Madrid | |
Sunday. 7th [August 1870]. This morng we found news of another battle & the French again defeated. There arrived some bags from Eng. brought by Mr Dart the consul but it only brought me a letter. I wrote all the morning. In the afternoon Cerruti came & took Henry out the F.O to find out if there was any more news but they cd hear of none so we told Cerruti to come back & dine with us & at 6 we went out for a drive. We went past the Atocha Church on a road in the suburbs we had never been on before. On going home we first took a turn in the Fuente & just as we were turning home we passed the Prims. Prim made us signs to stop & that he wished to speak to Henry so we turned & went along side of their carriage. Prim was sitting on the far side & he crossed over to the back seat to get nearer & with a very grave face said “We have just had fresh news & a third battle has been fought & Genl MacMahon has been utterly beaten & forced to retire.” It seemed astonishing to hear of three defeats in so short a time. We went home to dinner & Cerruti came. Afterwards I left them smoking & went to sit with Hill for ½ hour & then came down & Mr Weisweiller rushed in saying the news was very bad. The Emperor is said to be retiring from Metz to Chalons. Paris is declared to be in a state of seige & the Chambers are convoked for Thursday. Henry & Cerruti wished to go to Prim’s so we went in Cerruti’s carriage. I did not go in but left my parcel for Emilia Riaño at Miss Madrazo who is going to forward it & then I took a turn in the Fuente before going back to fetch los señores & it was past 11 when we went home. We had not been in bed very long before Giovanni woke us with the latest news in the Papers & ½ hour afterwards he came a 2nd time with telegrams sent Henry by the F.O. They contained no fresh news but merely a repetition of what Prim had communicated. | |
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