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27 May 1886 — Brussels | |
Thursday. 27th [May 1886]. At 11 we went out & taking an open cab drove to see the new Palais de Justice—a tremendous building lately erected. It is very enormous & imposing & cost an immense sum—but it is a curious mixture of every kind of architecture of every country. It is placed on the highest point of Brussels & has a drive round it on the plateau on wh it stands. We went into the hall wh is enormous but too much cut up & not simple eno’. We drove to the Porte de Hal & went in to see the museum there. It is very well arranged & has some interesting collections of armour, glass, carving &c. We got back to the hotel & lunched—& afterwards Henry & I read till 3 when we went out for a stroll– It was raining when we started but it cleared up. I left Henry at the Hotel de France to visit Mrs Napier & I walked on to the hotel. Maffei came to see me abt 6 & brought some silver things to tempt me to buy. Had to dress early & went to dine at 7 with Comte & Comtesse de Flandres. The Comtesse de Yves her lady received us—& Comte d’Outremont & his son– Exactly at 7 the door opened & in walked H RR. HH. She has a very nice pleasant German face & was very kind in her manners. He we had known at Venice last year. He is nearly stone deaf wh is a gt pity as he is agreeable & amusing. When we had been presented to H.R.H. dinner was announced & she turned to me & signed me to accompany her in to dinner, the 4 gentlemen following. They sat side by side—I next the Comte. Henry next the Comtesse– The Comte talked to me & I answered by signs & spoke to the Comte d’Outremont, the Comtesse talked to Henry & across to me & when there was anything very amusing she caught her husband by the arm—put her mouth to his ear & shouted it at him. The dinner was not particularly good & not very long. After dinner she & I walked out into the outer room as before—she made me sit down & talked pleasantly. Then the Comte de Flandres changed places & talked to me for a few minutes—but never heard a word I answered & at 8.30 they retired & we returned to our hotel. | |
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