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28 September 1899 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Thursday. 28th [September 1899]. Wrote letters—did accounts. Early breakfast in my own room. I sent my gondola to Donna Laura this afternoon & went out with Mrs Browning. We rowed to the Lido & walked on the sea shore & she poured out her heart to me about her difficulties since her reconciliation with her husband. She fears all the old women who surround Pen who are hostile to her & thinks that they will all endeavour to write accounts of the disagreement with her husband for future publication. I tell her not to worry. Poor old Miss Leigh Smith is a soured old maid & she & Mrs Morison are blinded Browning partizans & it is of no use to think of it. My opinion is that Pen behaved badly in this that he was not deferential enough to his wife’s wishes as to the women of the household– I think he was entiché with the Ginevra who is a cunning Italian of the lower orders—& knew how to use her influence to her own advantage. On the other side Fannie was jealous & hysterical to an extraordinary degree & had not the dignity & tact & decision of character necessary to steer past the situation & so the matter ended as it did. Now however, I must say that Fanny has risen above all selfish considerations—she has simply entirely deferred to all Pen’s wishes & as far as I can judge he has used her submissiveness to the utmost & rather selfishly asked her to go to Asolo to receive Ginevra (once her servant) as an equal so as to show the world he was in the right. I do not believe that he actually sinned against Fannie—but there is little doubt that he was under Ginevra’s spell at one time—& that being an unscrupulous woman she knew it & took advantage of it. Even now, Fanny tells me that Ginevra, tho’ married & living at a short distance from Asolo comes over to Casa Browning every Saturday. Walks in without ringing the bell—orders the servants &c. Fanny bears it all out of love to Pen & having promised to do all he wished—but a man who allows such things cannot have a very clear idea of respect due to his own wife. I exhort Fannie to patience & tell her she will thus win in the end. We got back to Venice abt 6 & had tea at my house & then she left me. | |
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