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24 September 1900 — Salce, Belluno | |
Monday. 24th [September 1900]. I left the Edens & returned home to Venice. Yesterday Mme Wiel brought over to tea a Mr Hudson (& his sister) who is proprietor of an illustrated paper called “County Life” now edited by Carry’s sister, Miss Jekyll. These two people got into the compartment in which I was travelling at Bribano the station after Belluno. I was glad to have them as travelling companions– At one of the stations Mr Hudson drew my attention to something in the road. I was looking with my head half out of the window when I received a violent blow on the temple & cheek. The railway official had put on a carriage or truck so carelessly that our train had a shock & my face was flung against the window frame. Happily I was not much hurt—tho’ I felt queer for a moment or two. At Feltre there was great crowds & much confusion as it was the day of the fair there. Our carriage soon was over filled with 3rd class passengers—all very hot tired & hungry. They were good tempered & well behaved– At Treviso we all had to change trains. There another accident overtook me. I had bought at Salce a large jar of honey. This had been carelessly tied up & when getting out of the train at Treviso the jar slipped from the string round it & broke on the platform– In the mass of floating honey I spied a spoon belonging to the Edens which I refused to leave behind. Mr Hudson seized the broken remnant of the jar containing the spoon & put it into the carriage with us! We soon had a carriageful of people & I had to explain to them how it had happened. An old gentleman with a venerable white beard accompanied by a nice little modest looking daughter was very sympathetic & suggested that I might even save a remnant of honey & that it would still be good if strained thro’ muslin. As we got nearer to Venice, the old gentleman kept looking at me & whispering to his daughter—at last he enquired if I were not “[illegible word] Layard” & on hearing that I was her he said with tears in his eyes that he was delighted to see me—that he had been our cook for 3 seasons when first we returned from Constantinople & he begged to be allowed to kiss my hand. After expressing my satisfaction I asked after his son the artist of so much renown (Fragiacomo) & complimented him on his success—& so we arrived happily at our journeys end—much to Mr Hudson’s amusement & astonishment wh could not imagine what was going on. Fragiacomo apologised for being in the same carriage with me owing to the crush of travellers & his not having found a place in the 2nd class. I told him I was glad as I had then had the chance of meeting him again. Eda Alderson & Nela Du Cane met me at the Venice station with Pasquale & the gondola & I was once more at home again. The English servants have not yet arrived but Regina cooks & Pasquale waits table & we get on very well. The heat is still very great & there is a heavy scirocco which is rather trying. We find very few people we know as to Italian & English residents—but there are a good many tourists. Mr & Mrs Curtis are here & they kindly asked me & the 5 nieces to luncheon one day at their beautiful Palazzo Barbaro. Fanny Browning is here in a little apartment she has taken in Campo S. Vidal where she has also rooms for some English nurses employed by the English Dr van Someren. Since I left her staying in my house in the winter she has made up her mind again to leave her husband, but will remain on in Venice. It is difficult to judge between husband & wife but to me it seems that he has behaved very badly to Fanny– He has taken no pains to see to her comfort & happiness—has tried to make her live in the Pal. Rezzonico here & pay for it—while he lives an independent life at Asolo—& has shown here plainly that he does not want her there– He would not let her have a permanent room for herself—saying she cd have the visitor’s room when she came—& would not allow her to give any orders to the servants– I am disappointed at the failure of my attempt to be a peace maker—but I fear now all hope of reunion is at an end. Iduna Belmondo is here—her husband away at sea– The Christies are here having moved to a small house close by here. Lady Mary Currie & her cousin Mrs Balfour, Miss Holland & a friend are amongst the travellers who called upon me– The heavy scirocco weather continued all the week until it culminated in a grand storm which roused us all night long. | |
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