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28 April 1876 — Madrid | |
Friday. 28th April [1876]. I got up by 11. Emilia came & we wrote more invitations & went downstairs to give the finishing touch to the reception rooms & arrange the furniture & then at abt 4 everything being in order went & sat in my room & rested & had tea. At ¼ to 8 Henry & I were dressed & we went down to receive our guests. We were 31 at table. HRH arrived soon after 8 all the rest having already arrived. As soon as the King’s carriage was to be seen the P. of Wales, Henry & I went to the front door to receive him & the Princess & we went into the inner drawing room to wait for dinner. The Pss sat & made me do the same—the King & P. doing the same. As soon as dinner was ready the K. offered me his arm, to every ones surprise as we had been told it was contrary to etiquette—the P. did the same to the Infanta & we walked in. The K. sat opposite HRH & had me on his right & the Dss de Sesto on his left. HRH had the Dss of Fernan Nuñez on his left. Our chef Mr Joubert did himself honor & the dinner was excellent & hot. It lasted abt 2 hours wh seemed to me a little long. I had the cardinal Nuncio at my right who was a nice cheerful old gentleman. As soon as dinner was over the K & HRH went to smoke & coffee was served to the Infanta in the inner drawing room. A great many people had come who were invited to the ball but the dancing cd not begin without HRH. When they came out of the smoking room HRH told HM that he wd like to dance with the Infanta—altho’ it had been arranged that on acct of the death of the Infanta of Portugal the K. wd not dance—a very poor excuse when once he came to a house where there was a ball—the K. said if the Infanta danced he must do ditto & at once offered me his arm for a quadrille—& we opened the ball. After this quadrille HM went away, Henry, HRH & I accompanying them to the door—& the dancing proceeded. At 12 the supper was opened to the Prince who took in Mlle Osma & P. Louis with Mme Murietta. I had to stop & mount guard in the door to keep out others & when HRH danced Henry & I each stood in a doorway to prevent people walsing at the same time as the P. had complained he was so banged about at the F. Nuñez ball. In the course of the eveng HRH came up to me to ask me if I knew a Mr Guillett & as I said no, he told me he was in our house. I remembered that Col. Fitch had presented me some one whose name had escaped me. I went to ask Henry & found that Mr G had come without invitation with Col Fitch & that seeing HRH seemed to annoyed abt it Henry had turned him out—we told the P. who said “I am delighted, I have had my revenge at last! that man has been following me about for the last 7 months & I am never rid of him—I don’t know him & I never will—tho I have no doubt he says he knows me well.” It then appeared that Mr G. had been following in the wake of HRH in India in order to write a book abt the journey—that he was a rich man & had wanted to marry one of the Campbells & that as the Prince was now connected with the Argylls he wd not hear of it. I danced with HRH a quadrille– At 2 there was a cotillion led by Mr Sartoris wh was very amusing. There was a new figure– A paste board house stood at one end of the room—the lady put inside—men led up to it who had to ring at the door—she looked thro a little window wh she opened & if she disapproved slammed it in their face—& if not came out of the door & danced with him. It was past 4 in the morng when HRH took up his departure, & we went to bed tired but satisfied with the success of our party. Serrano had dined with us & the Dss was to have come in the eveng but to our great surprise she never turned up. HRH was annoyed as he was engaged to dance with her. P. Arthur left today for England not being able to stop for our dance– | |
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