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3 April 1871 — Madrid | |
Monday. 3rd [April 1871]. I got up rather late so as to make me dressing as we had to go at 1½ to the opening of the Cortès in low dresses & trains. We got there very early & had to wait some time. We had a tribune in the body of the house in the same way as on the day the King swore to the Constitution. Just before the King arrived, the doors of the Cortès opened & in rushed a quantity of ladies in bonnets &c & took all the empty places they could find so that there was not room for the last comers of the Members to sit down & abt 100 of them had to stand. On the King’s arrival he bowed to the House & to our tribune & sat on the throne with all the Ministers standing behind him. In a loud clear tone of voice he then read his speech in Spanish– At the end of the first phrase in wh he said that he would never seek to impose himself by force on the Spanish people—the whole house rose to their feet & cheered loudly & enthusiastically. Serrano afterwards told Henry that the phrase as first written out ended differently but that the King with his own hand had struck the words out & inserted those I have quoted. The speech over, Serrano pronounced the Chambers open & the King bowed & retired. Some of the members told us that people were very much amused at the way the K had bidden them to be seated—& that he pronounced “Sentado” in the voice of a commander on the field of battle rather than as a permission. We got home before 3. I did not go out again. But Elizabeth de Martino came & had tea with me & stayed a long time– The Pedrorenas called & also later Emilia & Mr Gay: Mr Ff: dined with us & Bartoldi, Dragonetti, De Martinos, Mess Ash & Kay & the Marquis of Selva Alegre & Colobiano dropt in in the evening. Also Gay: We had arranged for the Canitz to come & play whist but there was a hitch & they did not come. We had a cosy pleasant evening. | |
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