 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
27 December 1880 — Naples | |
Monday. 27th December [1880]. Hill was not well eno’ to get up till midday. We made up our minds to move down to the first floor—so I put all my things together. We got excellent rooms & a very pleasant view. The weather was quite hot & we had to close the shutters against the sun. Lunched early & drove off to Capo di Monte taking Cortelazzo & Giovanni. We got there in abt ½ hour. The Palace is full of modern pictures mostly hideous. There is an armoury & a few interesting suits of armour but nothing specially fine. There is a ball room & fine suite of rooms—some Capo di Monte china in cases of bad date & a curious Capo di Monte boudoir the walls & ceiling being lined with that china. It resembles a Retiro room made at Madrid also by Charles III in the Palace. When we left we drove round to see the Cemetery wh is magnificently situated. We walked abt there some time & had a lovely drive home. The sunset was lovely—the scirocco wind changed & the clouds cleared off Vesuvius—the vapours went straight up & got tinged by the setting sun. Dressed for dinner & went to dine with Lady Holland. Met Princess Cariati & her son Prince Cariati & Ct Ludolf & the Bülows. P. Cariati took me to dinner but I had to sit between Bülow & Ludolf. The latter was Neapolitan Minister in England. A very agreeable man. After dinner the conversation fell on Mrs Hobart Pasha—we told Lady H. we believed her to have been a protegé of hers—she said on the contrary she had not a very good opinion of her—she never cd penetrate the mystery of her life—& she did not think her truthful– She had turned up at Naples one year & was living alone at the Hotel de Etrangers without even a maid. She was supposed to have come from Moldavia with some ladies who had picked her up but had not known her. Lady H. said she was the daughter of Capt. Hoare Naval Attaché in Paris– Henry said he had been a great friend of his—but he had not known of it– Lady H. says the Dss of St Albans mostly made the match—& when Hobart went to consult Lady H. she saw things had gone so far it was no use to say anything besides she wd not spoil any womans prospects. I told her what had happened at Consple & on comparing notes we came to the same conclusion that all had been very queer. Three or 4 people came in the eveng but I did not catch the names—2 very smart ladies & 2 or 3 men– | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |