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10 April 1908 — Rome | |
Friday. 10th [April 1908]. Olgas 2 boys arrived from England from school. The younger Katkoff boy & little John Egerton—a great joy in the house. At 2 I had a visit from Marchese Cassis & Elsie & they brought the 2 boys to see me. My godson is grown & improved & now speaks English. Sr Guggenheim of Venice also came at the same time. He was interested to see the house & also the garden wh I took him over & I introduced him to Olga who was sitting out there receiving friends. At 4 she went off to a concert & I walked with Michal to call on Col. & Mrs Delmé Ratcliffe who had asked me to tea. They have a nice house 6 Piazza Independenza. From there we walked on & went our several ways. I left cards at the Palace Hotel on Lady Vivian & on Mrs Griscom at the Savore & then walked on towards the Piazza di Spagna. En route I met the Misses Broadwood driving & they kindly took me in their carriage. I found the Curtis’ at home—rather forlorn being all packed & ready to leave Rome tomorrow on their way to Venice. Went home in a cab dressed & directly after dinner started off with Olga & Fofka to go to the Circus where there was a charity eveng. The whole performance was done by Roman gentlemen. It was crammed. It was clever but slow. There was the usual horsemanship & a woman in tight & scant skirts jumped over bars on her way round the arena on the horses back—not over decently—being too amateurish. Olga & I were glad to come away in the middle of the evening’s performance—leaving Fofka with a friend who came up into the box to stay with her. The whole thing made me sad. It reminded one of the old Roman days when the nobles of that time took part in the circus games—& was such a sign of decadence. A Signor Morpurgo rode well & jumped his horse over all obstacles & a poney & even a poney carriage. There were several gentlemen got up like clowns who were not a bit funny. It is not in the Italian nature to be able to be funny & have broad humour. | |
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