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8 May 1875 — Madrid | |
Saturday. 8th [May 1875]. Painted till breakfast. Maffei came early to consult Giovanni abt some antiquities & we made him stop to breakfast. Esquivel gave me lesson. At 4 I went out but it was terribly hot. I paid Mme Bernar a visit & them Emilia Riaño & then came home. Had tea & practised. Went to dine at the Palace. Wore white satin with garlands of boule de neige & diamond & emerald tiara & necklace. We made the circle & the King came & was introduced & said a few words to each– There were there of ladies self, Mmes Koudriaffsky, d’Antas & Canelaux. When the King had gone the round he & the Infanta walked in to dinner & when they got to the dining room they separated & each went in at a different door– At the door the King turned & said to me “Par ici Madame” & then stood on one side to let me get on his right hand– Mme Koudriaffsky sat on his left. The dinner & wines were very bad every thing cold & horrible. Simconi sat on the Infanta’s right & Henry on the left. I had on my right Mr Koudriaffsky. The King was very pleasant & talked of all kind of thing, never being at a loss for an answer. He was very enthusiastic abt England & intends to have every thing in Eng: fashions. He speaks French perfectly & knows how to turn a compliment like any man of the world. There was a very fine centre piece on the table made of gild bronze with inlaid marbles—cameos, enamel with temples cameos &c &c but the knifes &c were not silver. I suppose they were all sold with the rest of the plate in the time of the Federal Republic. We finished dinner a little after 10. The servants were very badly & dirtily got up. Their liveries closed to the throat. They served the Muscatel in mistake for Johannesburg & vice versa. When dinner was over the King led the way out & we went to the drawing room hung with light blue silk embroidered with white with the cypher of Charles III. The King began to talk with different people & we all had to stand till he left at about ½ past 11. The other ladies of the Palace were Marquesa de Bedmar, Marquesa de Hereden Spinola (her niece), Dss de Sesto, Mme Castro (wife of Minister for F. A.) & Mme Salaverria (wife of Finance Minister), Dss de [illegible word]. Mme Alderon de la Burca & Marqa Albendas de Santa Cruz were in attendance on the Infanta who wore a strawberry in pink satin trimmed with pink & red roses & tho’ not pretty looked very nice & was very amiable tho’ not very clever. At dinner heard news of the death of Isabelle Fernan Nuñez. | |
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