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16 October 1878 — Therapia | |
Wednesday. 16th [October 1878]. May & I cut out clothes for refugees all the morning. After lunch I went with Henry to call on the Fourniers & to beg her to take the Herberts down to the dinner which the Persian Ambr gives tonight in honor of Hatzfeldt as the Sultan has sent for us to dine with him. I dressed at ¼ 4 & at ½ past Henry, Sir Alfred Sandison & I went off to Dolmabaghcheh in the mouche giving Mr Preziosi a lift down. A cavass & carriage awaited us & took us up to Yildiz where we arrived on the stroke of sunset. Kiamil Bey met us at the door & handed me upstairs where I took off my cloak. I wore a white watered silk the tablier embroidered in silk on crepe & trimmed with dark olive green. In my hair diamond tiara. While waiting we talked to Safet P., Musurus P., Mustafa Phosfor P., Vissini P., Osman P. Hayreddin P., Ali Fuad Bey, Raouf P. & Kiamil P. who were all to dine with H.M. A few minutes before dinner H.M. sent for us & after a few complimentary sentences began a little speech saying he had long wished I should be the first to receive the order of charity wh he had instituted for ladies who had helped in the war to relieve the human sufferings—& he was delighted I had recd the Queen’s permission to accept it and he begged me to let him clasp it himself on my neck. When Sir Alfred had translated this H.M. rose opened a box of velvet with a star & crescent in gold on it & took out the order with its gold chain. He had some difficulty in opening the spring & after fumbling for some time Sir Alfred showed him how to do it & H. Majesty fastened it round my neck. I begged Sir Alfred to offer my grateful thanks & H.M. led the way to dinner putting me on his right, Henry on his left. on my right I had Musurus P. who had to do the “Terjiman” for me but whose Turkish was so bad he evidently did it with difficulty. During dinner a military band played. Afterwards H.M. took me & Henry & Sir Alfred into a drawing room, & made me sit on the sofa near him. We had coffee & he & Henry smoked cigarettes he also gave one to Sir Alfred saying “one must smoke after eating.” He also sent for Safvet P. & they had a long political talk. When tea was brought Safvet went away & we talked of other things. All the eveng H.M. private string band played, the men sang choruses—one sang operatic airs, another the flute & another violin. The Sultan promised me a cock canary & I promised him my Circassian goat. We had tea abt 9.30 in gold cups but it was poor stuff to drink. At abt 10 we asked permission to retire and went down to Dolmabaghcheh with an escort got into the mouche & reached home abt ¼ to 12—had tea & got to bed. | |
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