 | Lady Layard’s Journal Go to a Date Search the Journal |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |
10 January 1900 — Milan | |
Wednesday. 10th [January 1900]. I had brought from home the picture of our collection by Giovanni Bellini Madonna & Child by Sir Edward Poynter’s request to show to Signor Cavenaghi the picture restorer & to have his opinion as to the advisability of having it put in order—the picture being now in a very bad state. I sent the picture to his studio 12 Via Pontuccio & at 10 oclock walked there to speak to him about it. He was absent so I left him a message with his pupil & then went next door to enquire for Sr Frizzoni who was at home & received me very kindly & I gave him also the message for Cavenaghi. Then I walked back to the Hotel & lunched in the coffee room– On entering an old ugly German lady bowed to me—& then rose & offered me an English newspaper wh I accepted. She said it was just arrived. On opening it I saw “Victory” announced & remarked it to the Lady at wh she replied that it had since been contradicted & then she proceeded to say the most horrid things against the War & against England. I tried to keep my temper & returned her the newspaper saying that as the news were not true I would not trouble to read it. She then said Ladysmith had fallen– I was miserable but would not let her see that & tried to speak unconcernedly to the old lady. She said she had been herself in the Transvaal & tho’ she did not like the Boers she liked justice & thought it would be more noble to acknowledge our faults & to make peace. I suggested Germany wd never have made peace in the middle of the Franco-German war—& she answered that that war had been a just one. At last having finished my lunch I paid my bill bowed to my tormenter & went off to the station & left by 12.30 train for Bale. Knapp my maid went 1st class with me as far as Lucerne. I dined en route in the Restaurant car– Then again I was pursued by the War topic. A German gentleman coming from Rome sat at the same table as I did but he was polite and said the War was a commercial loss to all Europe– Got to Bâle at 10.30 where we had to wait an hour & there I got into the sleeping car. Was put into a compartment with an English girl but eventually I got a compartment to myself. | |
|
Previous Entry
|
Following Entry
| |