 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
31 January 1888 — Siena | |
Tuesday. 31st January [1888]. There was a tremendous snowstorm. Not a carriage was out & Ola & Henry had to walk thro’ the storm to go to see the Cathedral. I did not move & with difficulty could keep warm near the fire. After lunch a carriage was found & Ola & Henry went to see some more of the town but the horse had to be led at a foot’s pace. Abt 4 they returned & reported a slight thaw so I & Ola went off together in this same carriage to the cathedral. While there a dirty little man came up & asked Ola if her Signor Papa still wanted to find some Mantegna playing cards as he had said that morning for if so he could show us some. When we had walked through the cathedral we found our friend who explained to our driver where to take us to the Calle de Rialto & he met us there & conducted us to a small house up a dark staircase. It was rather a risky proceeding on my part & I did not expect to find any Mantegna cards but as we were 2 of us I thought we might venture so up we went. We found ourselves in a clean large room in which was an old Jewish looking little man. He took us to an inner room where was another little old man—a few old pictures & odds & ends, a double bed & a frame for work. On our errand being explained the old man no 2 brought out 5 cards which I at once saw were what we wanted & soi disant Mantegna cards. The price asked was 100 fcs. I said I could not decide & they begged me to take the cards to the hotel & they would call for the answer– This was agreed to & I carried them off, returned to the hotel & recounted our adventure to Henry. He admired the cards & when the old man came we eventually got them for 75 fcs. There were 3 people at the table d’hôte. I wrote in the evening to Mama to tell her of our find. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |