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30 April 1904 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Saturday. 30th [April 1904]. Eda Alderson & I went off to Rome by the 9.40 train via Bologna & Florence. Countess Brandolin & her girl went with us & were also to be the guests of Q. Margherita. The Prefect came to the station to see us off & ordered a carriage to be kept for us. Css Brandolin said she dislikes him & chiefly on this account. Last year when Q. Margherita left Venice he refused her, by order of the King, admittance to the station. I did not know of this order & went to the station & the Prefect had not turned me away. (How could the poor man have done this rude thing?) The Queen had taken Css Brandolin with her in her own gondola to get over the question, It appears that the King had issued this order after the assassination of the King his father. Last year an officer, a general, I think, had insisted upon being let into the station at Padua to salute the King, on which H.M. ordered him to be placed under arrest for disobedience. At Bologna we had to change into the Milan direct train to Rome. There we met Css Zucchini who came to salutare us– At Florence the Papafava family were at the station. We had a restaurant car & dined in the train getting to Rome at 9.40. The Queen’s courrier met us & the Royal carriage. Eda left me & went to stay at the Hotel Beausite. I & my maid Baker were magnificently lodged in the Queen’s house au second. The Brandolins were in the Villino in the garden where once the Hurtados lived & where I constantly visited them. Refreshments were served to me by a page & the Marchesa di Villamarina paid me a visit before I went to bed, to welcome me. The Queen had yet people to dinner with her. It took me sometime to look round my magnificent lodging. I had an immense sitting room, hung with linen on the walls a mustard colour. On it were every kind of photograph of members of the R. family—the late King & the present one—enlarged almost to life size. Out of this was a small bed room hung with blue linen—next a toilet room wh made the corner of the house & had a window in both walls—then a bath room & next it my maid’s room. Everything most complete & every comfort. | |
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