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29 April 1876 — Madrid | |
Saturday. 29th April [1876]. Got up rather late & then went & sat downstairs to receive any visits. Lord Charles Beresford came & spent some time– He brought an apology from Mr Guillett & while he was with us Genl Milans del Bosch called & we had a very amusing talk—the Genl told curious stories against his country & compatriots. He promised us a new revolution—& much bloodshed should it take place. He said the King wd soon have to leave Spain & that in the next revolution the clergy wd be massacred—that only last week as he was riding with his staff he had to rescue two monks in the streets who were being stoned by the people—that he had to push them into a church & call to the vicar to bring out the crucifix to hold over them. Later Col & Mrs Byrne, Visconte de Poix, & the Bauers called. In the eveng we called for the Aylton girls & took them to the ball given by the D & Dss of Bailen in honor of HRH– We arrived in good time & went round the house admiring the fine collection of modern Spanish pictures. HRH came late having first gone to see the Zarzuela of Pepe Hillo. I was to have opened the 1st quadrille with the D. of Bailen but some how I did not hear HRH arrive & was not there & we got too late to the ball room. The ball room is fine but it was rather crowded– At 1 we went down to supper which lasted 2 long hours & bored HRH horridly. A band played in the conservatory. The Serranos were at the supper & the Dss was placed next to HRH—she hardly spoke to me all the eveng & I saw she wanted to quarrel with me. I knew there was no cause & did not know what pretext she had taken so I avoided her– After supper HRH said to Henry “I have been defending you against your enemy”—& then told him that the Dss de la Torre had been abusing Henry to him & said we ought to have asked her to dinner last night! & then she asked him if she had not done right & whether Henry had not behaved badly to her. To wh HRH answered that he did not agree with her & that the slight she had put upon Henry was not paid to Mr Layard but to the Representative of the Queen. We went home abt 3 o’cl. leaving the Ayltons with Mrs Hunt & they stayed till 7 AM when the Prince went home. It appears that when he got home he found the King just up & starting for a ride in the Casa de Campo so he just changed his clothes, got on horseback & went with H.M. | |
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