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7 February 1881 — Rome | |
Monday. 7th [February 1881]. I was ready at 9 when Lady Eyre fetched me in her carriage & took me to the Vatican to hear the Requiem for the late Pope. When we got there we found all the places reserved for the public already filled. Every lady in black with a veil on her head instead of a bonnet. I squeezed into a place near Mme Zarifi at the end of a bench & I was dreadfully squeezed & pushed by ladies trying to get further on. At last there was such a dreadful squeezing that a lady in front of me was taken worse & began to cry & faint. We held her & I gave her my salts & at last she revived & an usher came & fetched her out– The behaviour of the public was not befitting a church—they talked, they laughed & they pushed– I sat there for abt 2 hours when just before the service began the Chamberlain came back & said that if I was the lady who had Cardl Jacobinis card I was to go with him & he would give me another place. Lady Eyre advised me to go & I was put in the back seat of the Roman ladies where one saw very well & there was breathing room. The Pope came in by a side door in a white dress under a long mantle of red velvet embroidered with gold wh was upheld by some priests & service began. The music was entirely vocal and did not impress me much & I could not follow it very well, & the lady next me did not seem to be able to find the place for me. There was high Mass & then a Dies irae sung & soon after 12 it was over– The Pope retired by the little door, the Cardinals all bundled out & then the public were let out. I had to wait some little while for Lady Eyre & stood & saw it all. In fact we were almost the last left in the Ambassador’s Hall. I was amused to see the Popes guard marched off. When the Coll gave the word to turn, some turned one way & some the other & then laughed while the Coll blew them up– Got back to luncheon at one & I then went off to Villa Campana & worked till 4 when Lady Bagot came to join me & I took her to call on Mme Cairoli by appointment. We met there Mme Keffenbrink & also the Danish Minister & Mme Hegermann who is an American & was a Mrs Moulton– From there I took Lady B home & then returned home myself. | |
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