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28 December 1870 — Madrid | |
Wednesday. 28th [December 1870]. I went to breakfast at the Regency. When I arrived the Dss was at mass being the Innocents’ day—which here is like all Fools day a day on wh people trick each other– The Regent came to her boudoir & told me all abt the attempt on Prim’s life. How that the assassins had placed 2 cabs across the street to impede the progress of the carriage & that 6 or 8 men had come running by firing as they went. The last stopping & firing à bout portant, with a blunderbuss– One AD.C escaped untouched—the other had his hand blown to pieces & Prim had the 3rd finger on his right hand blown to pieces & 6 or 7 balls in his left shoulder & elbow. He said that when he (the Regent) was at La Granja on Christmas Eve that one of his suite had been in to Segovia & on his return the Regent said “What news”? to wh he answered “There is a report that Prim’s life will be attempted in the Calle de Turcos”! & yet no precautions had been taken & no police were in the vicinity the day it happened. Topete he said would go to meet the King in Prim’s place & Topete had taken the offices of Minister of War, of Foreign Affairs & the Presidency of the Council– The Regent also told me that the very day of the attempt Topete had been to see him & the Regent had said to him “Well Topete, when you are President of the C. you may count on my support” which rather annoyed Topete he said “I see you are laughing at me”– That very day before 12 o’clock the Regent’s prediction was accidentally fulfilled. Henry came to fetch me at 2 & said the Countess de Rius had told him she would see me– I therefore called & found her very much upset & very pale– She said the 1st she had heard of it was in coming in to the drawing room by one door, she saw Prim come in at the other with his face covered with blood & gunpowder & he said—“I have been shot at but it is not much to matter.” From here I went home. We were reading in the eveng when Mr Blanc came to tea & also Palmaroli. We asked them both to stop & dine wh only Mr B could do. After dinner we played duetts & sang till eleven. Del Cerro came in the afternoon & told us we were to wear low dresses at the Cortès when we went to see the King swear to the Constitution. Sent parcel to Eng: by Spanish messenger. | |
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