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1 March 1881 — Rome | |
Tuesday. 1st March [1881]. I went off for the last time to the Villa Campana & finished my Faun as far as I could—also gave Mr Wood a last sitting for my bust. Lady Bagot & her boy Walter came up to see me there. Henry fetched me & took me to lunch at the Minghettis. We only met the daughter besides the host & hostess & had a very pleasant hour with them & told them all kinds of stories abt our Spanish experiences. We then took a cab & went back to the hotel. Had a visit from a Mrs Fred Layard & her 2 daughters—rather nice people originally from Ceylon. I & Mrs de Bulow went off in a cab to Mme de Westenbergs where we spent the rest of the afternoon seeing the end of the Carnival. There was Lady Eyre, Mrs Bruce, Pss Bandini, Mme Minghetti, Lady Paget, Lady Bagot, Mme Hegermann, Mme Keffenbrink &c &c. We were rather too high to see the flower throwing well but we saw the processions of the Return from Mecca & the French Academy car very well & the Barberi races. When it was getting dusk we all had a taper given us & then began the moccoli on the balcony—everybody putting out their neighbour’s & lighting their own & trying to keep it alight. The effect down the street was very pretty as the lights were seen even at the upper windows. Then Mme de Westenberg sent Henry, the de Bulows & I in her carriage to drive down the Corso to see it all—& we were much amused but as Henry got an egg thrown at his head we did not venture down a second time. I had a very touching leave taking at Mme Westenberg’s & nearly all the ladies kissed me & regretted our departure. It made me quite choky & sad. In the course of the afternoon Mme Minghetti told me of a [illegible words] she had just had with Lady Paget who seems to me the most imprudent woman in the world. Mme Min. says Lady P. abused their Queen abt the etiquette of last night & said she had no business to meddle abt it in another person’s house &c &c. Mme M. said she was determined to go to the Queen & tell her all abt it tomorrow! & was very irate. We dined in our own rooms with the De Bulows. After dinner Mme Castellani came to see us & later Mr Ffrench. At last I was so tired I sent him off & went to bed. | |
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