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26 April 1902 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Saturday. 26th [April 1902]. I walked out with Elaine before lunch & went to call on Bss Reinelt whom I found laid up with the gout but very wroth at having Sr Rombo come to sit with her—as he had done yesterday morning. He is Ct Morosini’s father & between them they are trying to hold her tight in their clutches on account of her millions & she tells me she is sure Rombo comes as a spy. She is the more put out that there has been a report put about that she is going to marry him & she wound up by saying “Je voudrais jeter ce monsieur là pas la fenêtre!” All this she whispered to me as she limped with me to the door of the anteroom. I promised to return to see her tomorrow morning & joined Elaine again & went home to lunch. After lunch I had a solemn visit from Mr Castellani (manager of the V. & Murano Co) & his wife. He is an old man almost in his dotage—& I always have mistrusted his honesty. As soon as they left Ct Seckendorff & I went off in gondola to fetch Mme Kwekwitsch & she took us to the palace of the Centanini to see some blue faience vases they want to sell—wh they believe to be worth 40000 lire & wh I believe not to be worth 2000– They are blue & white & dated 1769. The daughter Mme Notabartolo received us & showed their vases to us & then gave us coffee on a charming terrace wh leads out of the middle of the house. I took occasion to ask why her mother had not given over to the police the gondolier who had stolen the leather wh had been sold to me– She said her [mother] had not done so in order not to ruin the gondolier! I said I had informed the police as soon as I knew it & she said she personally was glad I had done so. I went to call at the Prefettura & saw Elsie Cassis & begged her to tell the Prefect how badly the patients at the Italian hospital were being treated & how we were removing the poor burnt English sailor who was miserable there as he had never once been washed in the 3 weeks he has been in hospital—& that his mate died of erysipelas from the bad nursing. I called also on Lady Radnor & found her at home & spoke to her about the painting of our church windows which she seemed ready to undertake to paint herself. The weather became threatening & a storm of rain & wind arose which I fear will bring wet & cold after the delightful warm weather we have been having. The Villiers dined out with Sir Hubert Miller. Iduna Belmondo came to dine with Ct Seckendorff & Pss Taxis & me & in the evening several friends dropped in to bid me goodbye before my departure for London. | |
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