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19 February 1891 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Thursday. 19th February [1891]. Lovely weather & a good deal milder. Went on with my portrait of Nela—& sat a little while with her. At 1.30 Don Luigi di Savoia, Duce degli Abruzzi came with Admiral Noce to call on us. A charming lad of 18 who was born in Spain just before his father D. Amadeo abdicated. Henry had to sign the register of his birth. He is tall & thin of upright noble bearing like his father. Has large bright eyes & a frank pleasant manner very winning. He talked & laughed & found plenty to say for himself. Henry said to him, “Do you [know] that at one time it was seriously taken into consideration that you should be asked to be King of Spain? I was looking over old despatches on that subject only yesterday. Of course it was a secret.” Don Luigi said “But I was not Prince of the Asturies—it was my eldest brother”– Henry said he knew that but he D. Luigi would have been chosen as having been born in Spain. Henry had told Admiral Noce that he wished to know if he might pay his respects to D. Luigi & he at once sent word that he would come & call upon us. He has been away 1½ year on naval service & was absent at the time of the death of his father D. Amadeo last winter. His step mother Pss Letitia & his 2 brothers have been here to see him these last days. We lunched at 2 directly after he had left us. Henry & Nela walked out, I went in gondola to call on Pss Revidin at their fine palace close by here & she was at home and received me in a very small room so that I did not see the drawing rooms– The house was clean & well kept & denotes care & a good housewife. I went on to Marquesa Pandolfi whose “day” it was & sat with her for a little while & then went to the Piazza & brought Henry & Nela home. Read aloud to Henry. Visit from Malcolm who had been to tell the Prefet that our Queen intends to pay a visit to Venice at the end of April & has accepted the loan of his house. He was beaming with joy. When I told him that Henry thought H.M. would have to accept the Court gondolas—he acquiesced but said his idea if he had had to prepare a gondola for her was that the gondoliers should be dressed up as highlanders! The bare idea makes me almost scream with laughter when I think of it. It is too killing—think of these sailors with bare legs & petticoats! | |
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