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19 December 1879 — Constantinople | |
Friday. 19th [December 1879]. I made Jerry write a letter to Arthur wh took me the best part of the morng. We also sent out Giovanni to buy us Christmas cards & sent them by post. At ¼ to 2 I set out in the brougham—called at the American Consul for Mrs Heap & we drove to [illegible word] to pay a visit to Mme Hayreddin Pasha. It rained, hailed & snowed as we went. Hayreddin himself recd us & interpreted in the Harem. His wife is a tall handsome big woman with rather pasty complexion & coal black eyes & hair. She was arrayed in yellow satin with a long train tucked up under her waist wh was trimmed with imitation white lace. Her little daughter who wore the same costume in pink of 9 years old was very pretty & like her mother. While we were paying this visit it began to snow and Hayreddin P. showed us over the house wh was capitally arranged. He was very proud of the bed room a large appartment containing a divan—running under the windows—a large armoire & a gigantic 4 poster of carved & gilt bed—big eno’ for 6 people & hung with red silk– He said he had brought it from Tunis. There was a fireplace & a fire burning. The Pasha said “this is our summer bedroom” & opening the door of a good sized cupboard quite filled by an ordinary bed & a small divan he added “mais en hiver nous nous [illegible word] içi à cause du froid!” At the harem door we parted with Madame & went over the salaamlik—wh was beautifully arranged & kept & there were 2 dining rooms—several drawing rooms & billiard room & a charming library well warmed– The library had bookshelves let into the wall & covered with glass and he had various tables one with a microscope—others with writing materials. It was a long room with windows on 2 sides—to the S. looking into the Bosphorus—to the N. looking into the garden. On leaving Hayreddin we drove on to Arnaut Keui & called on the Caratheodorys & found the old lady & Mme Alexandre P. at home & had some tea with them & then came shivering home. The Consul Genl. & Mrs Fawcett dined with us also Mr Foster, Baron Ittersum & Capt. Fitzgerald of the “Rapid.” The Mantillas came in the eveng & we played dominoes & had some fun. | |
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