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24 January 1899 — Rome | |
Tuesday. 24th [January 1899]. I had arranged to meet Ersilia at the Doria Pal. at 10 but she sent me word by the telephone that she was not well & would not come so I remained at home & worked & read. After lunch a long visit from Mme de Bülow who is in this hotel. After lunch I went out walking & went to the Pal. della Consulta to see how Ersilia was. She was just getting into her carriage so we gave each other rendezvous at Mme Hurtado’s at 4.30 & I went for a walk to the Colosseum. It came on to rain as I went—so I waited in the Colosseum till it cleared up. I enjoyed wandering there by myself & poking about & conjuring up the Roman days, the splendor of the Emperors &c. I then walked by the Via Cavour to the station & finally to the Via Veneto to Mme Hurtado’s. She was not in but I went into her house & waited for her. There was an Italian lady waiting also whom I found afterwards was a daughter of Ct Dolfin of Venice. When Mme Hurtado arrived I went into her bedroom & sat there with her & later we were joined by Css Canevaro & Maria Cozzi & Princess Arduinoemis Buoncompagni & another lady. They were all very excited at the confusion being made by Princess Jane (Santa Faustino) an American lady who is giving a ball tomorrow eveng & for wh her friends are giving dinner parties of 12 people who are invited to the ball—& no others. It is an American fashion & causes a commotion. I walked home by 6. Had a visit from Mme d’Antas. Dressed & went to dine with Countess Pasolini a dinner she gave for me. Met there Ct & Css Spolletti (née Rasponi), Duca Castagneta (Neopolitan) whom I had known at Lady Hollands in old days & who gave me his arm at dinner, Princess , Count Gino Marcello of Venice, Signor Sonnino ex Minister of Finance. Count Pasolini was absent but his sons were there. After dinner had amusing talk with Css P. & Sonnino & she declaimed against the dirty Italian habit of men spitting in every direction especially in the train. She said she was trying to work against it & we agreed to form a League of “Antispitters” & at once the Sonnino & I formed ourselves into a committee for the purpose!! It lead to much fun– I had a talk with Css Spolletti about lace schools & explained to her how my sister Blanche works her cottage industry & promised to take her to see all the working of it if she comes to London– At 10.30 I went on to the English Embassy where there was a party for the D. & Dss of Connaught who dined there. I found that it was a dance & after making my obeisance to the host & hostess I slipped away & was in bed by 12– | |
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