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30 April 1873 — Madrid | |
Wednesday. 30th April [1873]. This morning the question how Serrano was to be got out of Madrid was muted it appears his plan of emendment is known & he is no longer safe. Henry went to consult with Castelar who advised that Henry & I should go for 2 days to Santander & take the Marshal with us. So we decided to start this very evening. We said nothing to any of the servants except Hill & Giovanni who were to accompany us & we got a few things put up in carpetbags. In the afternoon Mirecki came to bid us goodbye as he intended to go to Santander tonight. I took leave of him in such a way that he cd not guess that we were going to take the same journey. Mme Ettling also came to see me—I went into the boudoir to fetch something & found Albareda & another gentleman there. I made the latter a bow & was abt to retire in confusion when Albareda made a movement wh made me look again & I found it was Serrano with hair dyed brown, false whiskers & shaved off mustache ready disguised for the journey. Henry lent him some of his light travelling clothes. Rancès were with us all the afternoon also the Duke’s cousin Chinchilla—all very anxious. At ¼ past 6 Henry, Serrano, Hill & I got into the carriage & drove to the station. Arrived there our attachés met us & walked with us, Serrano went between me & Hill, Pirel met us & we went at once to the saloon carriage at the end of the train wh had been prepared for us & Serrano at once got behind a curtain in a recess. Mr Napier brought me flowers & I stood at the window talking to him till the train went off abt 5 minutes after our arrival– Mr Hamilton the Times Correspondent came up as we were starting to ask where we were going & Henry said he was going to take me for a few days change of air as I had been suffering from tic—& we were off! But in abt 5 minutes we stopped—the line was being mended & we began to fear we shd be sent back to Madrid however the time we waited abt 1½ hour soon went by as we were so busy bailing out the water from the place in which to wash ones hands—the box containing it leaked & we were near being flooded—luckily we had my bag for hot water wh we filled & refilled until the cistern was emptied– We dined & settled for the night– Serrano slept like a top & indeed slept as soon as we left Madrid. Henry & I did not sleep much being too anxious. At Venta de Baños we branched off to Santander but our carriage was allowed to go straight thro’ so we had not to change we found we were 3 hours behind time there—& we went very slowly & lost more time. At Santa Cruz there were a lot of Guardias Civiles who examined all the carriages except ours. It was said the Carlists had crossed the line there this very morning. We arrived at Santander abt 3 & were met by Mr Charles Saint Martin on | |
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