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3 November 1888 — Villa Pisani, Vescovana | |
Saturday. 3rd [November 1888]. We each had our first breakfasts in our rooms. The weather was splendid. The girls who were in the room next us, picked grapes out of their window from the pergola & Ola breakfasted out on the balcony. When I was dressed I went in to Countess Pisani who having a bad cold was still in bed where she had been doing “in po’ di conti con gli uomini” as her maid said. At 10 we started off in 2 carriages for Arquá, a pilgrimage to the tomb of Petrarch. I went in one carriage with Mrs Brown & D. Antonio. Henry had the 2 Du Canes & Miss de Bunsen with him. Splendid weather & the sun was so hot that Don Antonio put his pockethandkerchief over his clerical hat. We got to the end of the plain where the Euganean hills beginning & came in 2 hours to the most picturesque village of Arquá but the road became so steep we had to walk up the hill on wh it stood. Mrs Brown & I waited at the piazza in which was the tomb whilst the rest walked up to Petrarch’s house. On their return we unpacked our provisions & had in the little inn an excellent lunch to wh we did full justice & then off we set again & drove to San Zibio, the gardens belonging to the Martinengo family. They are very prettily situated at the foot of the hills & are a kind of miniature Versailles. It was too late in the year to admire them as we should had not the leaves of the trees been more than half off. But the girls led by D. Antonio rushed into the maze & then got lost & had to be helped out by the gardener, then Don Antonio in his excitement caught Mrs Brown by the hand & they flew off down a little hill—the priest’s soutane flying in the air. It began to get late & a thunderstorm broke in the neighbouring & we had to hasten our steps & cut short the good gardener in his desire to show us all the hidden waterworks wh spouted from unexpected corners &c. We went to the inn to get the horses put in to the carriages & got an excellent cup of coffee made à la Venitienne & then started to return to Vescovana & got back there after 5. Just as we were leaving the gardens a thunder storm came on & there was some heavy rain on the way home, We were glad of a cup of tea & a rest before dinner at 7.30. In the evening Miss de Bunsen & Ola played the piano & Henry played patience. | |
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