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11 November 1903 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Wednesday. 11th [November 1903]. Quite early Sister Clare arrived to speak to me about the hospital– Since I had been gone there had been trouble. Dr van Someren had treated the patients so strangely that Sister Clare expostulated at wh he had written her a letter saying she must resign to see his fads tried. This could not be allowed & I sent at once for Mr Brown to see what was to be done. When he came happily agreed with me that it could not be borne—& promised to see the Doctor. Mr Harston came also & endorsed the sentiment. I absolutely refused to allow the public money to be so used. In the meanwhile the Dr accused the matron of insubordination & there was a pretty row. There were perpetual comings & goings & talking & arguings at last the Dr happily said that he held to his fads & his experiments & if he were not allowed to practise them he would resign. As we had a Committee meeting on at which a letter from him was read resigning. The relief to us all was intense—except to Mr Brown who is his devoted friend & who was miserable– Still he said that in this case the Dr was wrong so he would not uphold him. But then came another question. Should the Dr be allowed to remain on the Committee? Mr Brown came to ask my opinion. I said—decidedly not– Mr B. argued. I held firm and at last he went away sadly. The next bomb was—Mr Brown also resigned. What next was to be done. He was treasurer & the only one here capable of filling that post. Mr Harston is willing to help but is a bad accountant & is treasurer to the Sailor’s Institute & had already got those accounts into a muddle. I was much worried & had a sleepless night– The next day Mr Harston came again & sat talking it over with me– I had been to see Mr Eden & begged him to come to the [illegible word] wh he agreed to do & said he & Mrs Eden would come on to the Committee– After Mr Harston had talked some time I understood that if I would withdraw my objection to the Dr remaining on the Committee Mr Brown would withdraw his resignation. There was nothing for it but for me to give in & this I did—after all the Hospital affairs must not be allowed to suffer. I consulted Mr Eden & we agreed to “save Dr van Someren’s face” & to leave him on the committee. Mr Harston told Mr Brown who declared himself satisfied and so the matter was settled & peace restored– The girls Verona & Nela worked on at their book binding steadily going every morning to the Archives & returning just in time for lunch. Every other day they went back for a couple of hours more & got on very satisfactorily. On Sir Domenic Colnaghi came to stay with me. He & his family are settled for the winter at Florence. He was an old favorite of Henry’s & used often to come to us. He had not paid me a visit since I have been alone; nearly ten years since he was here. The girls went off on the with Malagola to Bologna for 2 nights to see the place & have a little fun. They returned on having greatly enjoyed themselves & the next day Sir Domenic left me & returned to Florence. I had had much interesting talk with him about Lord Stratford de Redcliffe to whom he was at one time private Secy at Constantinople. He says that Sir Stratford with all his violence of temper was never really angry with those about him if they were seriously at fault—& then always spoke kindly and seriously. Sir Domenic was happy renewing his youth with recollections of old times & I was interested—& we sat together, I threading bead necklaces & leading him on to talk. It rained heavily all the time & there was no going out of doors. In the meanwhile Cav. Marzollo & Señor Arbib had gone off to London to arrange the Venezia-Murano Co affairs—& they seem to be going finally to be able to buy back from Jesurum & Co the 50 shares they have managed to get hold of & I have a hope that the business started by Henry is going to be really saved & put into a business way. I have much worried lest it should all fall into the hands of the rascally Jesurum Co. | |
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