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20 October 1894 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Saturday. 20th [October 1894]. Worked in the library all the morng read Henry’s letters to his mother. After lunch I went out alone to call on Baroness Oesterreicher whom I had heard was unconsolable since her husband’s death & I thought I might be able to sympathise & console her. I found her alone & stayed an hour with her– Her husband died a year in August. She lives part of the time in Vienna where he died & part here. She was anxious to know if I thought one ought to pray for the dead. I told her the great comfort was to think the dead are safe with God & did not need our prayers– She said she was surprised at being alive– She had told her husband she was sure she would not survive him 3 months—& he had said he thought she might survive him six months. What strange ideas! She said when she found she did not die of an attack of influenza tho she was ill nine days she saw she could not die & so sent for a Dr & he told her these people who wished to die never die in that kind of way. I told her she ought to work & occupy herself & not have such thoughts but leave such things to God– Afterwards she wished to apologise for a rude letter she had once written to me 3 or 4 years ago—& now she was sorry & I said it was long ago forgotten. She is going back to Vienna next week. I went for a row on leaving her– Passing the “Columbo” a war vessel just abt to start on a journey round the world. I heard the Royal March—evidently some Royalty going on board. It carried my thoughts back to Consple & our Fleet there. The telegrams in today’s papers give a bad acct of the health of the Czar—who seems to be dying. Poor woman—the wife—how terrible for her. | |
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