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29 June 1903 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Monday. 29th [June 1903]. I went away by 10 train to Stanghella to pay my first visit at Vescovana since the death of my dear friend Countess Evelina Pisani. The last time I was there was for the New Year 1900 & she died 25th June that year & left her property to Marchese Carlo Bentivoglio d’Aragona & his wife Idita née d’Hurtado whom I had known since her childhood– I had shrunk from going to the place in the new régime & after enjoying the place barely 2 years Idita also died there of heart complaint leaving only one little daughter—at 8– At the station I was met by the carriage driven by the Countess old coachman Geminiano—looking old & bent– A young Count Nani Mocenigo & his sister were my companions & had also come to spend the day at Vescovana. Everything seems unchanged as we got there—on getting near the villa the groom sounded his horn to give the signal to open the garden gates—the big bell rang & we drove in under the great portone where Bentivoglio & little Mina received their guests. I found to my consternation a large party of Italians assembled to fête old Marchesa Adelaide Bentivoglio’s name’s day– She is the spinster sister of the owner of the house—very plain common looking & almost repulsive. On mounting the well known stairs to great upper sala it was almost a shock to find her at the top to greet me—in the place of the elegant beautiful noble looking Countess of old times. The house itself seemed unaltered—even as to furniture. It seemed all like a dream & the presentations to the assembled Italians added to my confusion—none of whose names reached my brains. So we sat in the accustomed seats—surrounded with the books, biblelots, pictures &c of the Countess—every detail of wh was so familiar to me—& I would have expected to see her walk in & take her accustomed place had not the talk & noise around me made me realize that all was changed. Old Adelaide took me into the Css’s sanctum wh had also been Idita’s & began pointing out the different chairs &c the latter had used– I could only see the places of the Countess—& for me there Idita did not exist– At last we went to lunch about one—& sat down a large & merry party—the plate—& services all familiar to me– After this meal we sat about in the great sala upstairs & Bentivoglio took me over the house, to the room in which the Countess (and Idita) had died—to the boudoir—the linen room—everywhere & I went through it as one in a dream. Then he took me out into the garden & to the chapel where she is buried—but as ill luck wd have it some of the party followed us—& went into the chapel also– I cd hardly bear it and had to fly out into the garden to regain my serenity & there was joined by Bentivoglio who showed me how he had cleared the ivy & opened out the grounds & generally improved it. Then I had an interview with the old priest D. Antonio & the poor old fellow wrung my hand & his face worked & he was very pale. He said he could hardly bear to come to the house & that he was only happy when it is empty. We grew calmer & talked about people he had known such as my nieces, the Symonds & Sophy Palmer of whose marriage he had not heard & then he went away. I saw the old servants, Morato (who had been the butler & is now a sort of agent & the Sindaco of Vescovana)—the cook Gigia—& Theresa who still keeps her great store of linen in the most beautiful order. We had tea at 4—& then people came to call from the neighbourhood. We dined at 7 & directly after I & the 2 Nani Mocenigos drove to the station to return to Venice & we got in a carriage where the parent Nani Mocenigo was & a gentleman smoked cigar after cigar wh almost sickened me—but everything comes to an end & by 12 I was in my own house & could breathe again & feel a very unpleasant duty was over. | |
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