 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
6 September 1890 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Saturday. 6th September [1890]. Were called at 7 & Rina brought in our tea & we sat over it talking till 8 & had the 3 birds out Jacky, Joey & Chippy. Wrote journal & practised guitar before 9 o’cl breakfast. Mr Malcolm came to stay with us last night in order to leave his room free for the Empress party. Hard work unpacking & putting straight. Abt 11 we saw the Empress & party to go Malcolm’s palazzo over the way & take possession. She then came over to pay us a visit with the Princesses Victoria & Margaret, Ct Seckendorff & Css Bruhl & an ADC. They did not stay very long & when they were gone I resumed work. Lunched at 1.30 & Malcolm came to lunch. At 3.30 I went over the way to go out with the Empress & Seckendorff to make a tour of the bric a brac shops. We went to Dorigo, Favenza & Moisé Rietti. The Empress told me how ill the Dss of Sparta had been after her confinement. The heat was terrific. Tatoi a “house in wh an English gentleman would not lodge his game keeper,” she said. The King of Greece was away—the Queen gone to Russia & poor little Princess Sophie left quite alone. She had a German sage-femme sent her by the Empress who had been educated & trained in London. The princess who was accablée by the heat could neither eat or drink & wandered about from room to room in her nightgown sitting first on one chair & then another seeking rest & coolness. Had this lasted one week longer it wd almost have killed her. The confinement went all right but afterwards the Pss was taken with violent fever & was delirious the cause not being known. She was out of danger when the Empress arrived at Athens & did not herself know how ill she had been. The King & Queen of Greece also say that it was nothing & make light of it & perhaps do not know how ill she had been. We returned to have tea with the Princesses & then we all went off to the Eden’s garden & took a stroll & it was nearly 7 when we got home. Mr Malcolm dined with us & went over to the Emp. afterwards– The 3 girls went out in gondola with Dacre. We played patience & went early to bed. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |