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20 February 1871 — Madrid | |
Monday. 20th [February 1871]. I stayed in bed all the morning in order to prepare for the fatigues of this evening’s dance. Abt 1 came a note from the Dss de la T saying as the new Queen was so very ill she supposed we should put off our dance. We thought there was not time; however after lunch I sent for Clarita & with Mr FF: who came to call we went off to see the Dss: & she said the King had had yesterday a telegram to say the Queen was dead but it had turned out not to be true but the Queen was very ill. The K wanted to go off to his wife but the ministers decided that he could not leave the country especially after the attempt to assassinate Zorilla on Saty night. He was fetched away from his house abt 2 o’clock in the morng by a message from a friend saying he desired to speak to him on a very important discovery– He went accompanied by another friend & found it had been merely a hoax. On returning to his house he saw a man dart out of a door way & run on. He said to his friend “There is some plot against us”– As they proceeded two men ran past them & fired at Zorilla only just missing him. His friend pursued the assassins & saw them disappear into the door of a house wh was open to receive them, but the murderers were not caught– The Dss said she did not see how we could have our dance the Queen being so ill & so I decided to put it off. We went to Emilia’s where Henry met me. I sent Emilia & Clarita to drive in the Prado & told Mr Ff: who was to ride to tell every one he met & Henry & I went home in a cab & wrote cards to all we cd think of to tell them it was put off & sent round the groom on horseback & others in cabs & had done it by 6 o’cl: We kept Clarita to dinner & also Mr Ff. | |
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