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7 April 1909 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Wednesday. 7th [April 1909]. Mme Waddington & I went off to Hotel Britannia to lunch with the Bülows at 1. There was the Prince & Pss—Da Laura Minghetti, Countess Anina Morosini, the Commander of the Hohenzollern (Platen, Count Flotow) & an A.D.C. & Faccioli. We went up to the sitting room where we were amiably received. The Prince looked pale & worn—but was in good spirits. La bella Contessa came last dressed in green velvet with a large black hat covered with masses of small white flowers & a dark pink ribbon across them. The hideous fashion for the moment is a turn down large hat covered with flowers, almost swamping the head—while the dress is narrow & makes the figure like a pole. All the gentlemen greeted her with exaggerated compliments on her beauty & the Prince said she came like “un raggio di sole” all of wh she took in with a smile of complacency. She is a handsome woman still—with fine eyes—but has recourse to the use of the toilette for her complexion. We went down to lunch sans ceremonies—& it was served in a private room. I sat on P. Bülow’s right & Mme Waddington on his left. Next me was the Morosini & she was very chatty & amiable. She spoke of “L’empereur ma l’a dit dans sa lettre” & was treated as a special friend of the Emperor. I said I wondered whether the King of Italy would come here next week to meet him—she said she did not think so now that Germany was so thick with Austria the enemy of Italy. Prince Bülow spoke of our English diplomats– How he regretted the departure of Lascelles fm Berlin & had written privately to our F.O. to see if they would not let him remain another year—but the answer was that there were so many young men waiting for promotion. He said Sir E. Grey our present Min. for F.A. was very clever politician but he knew nothing of diplomatic appointments wh are all left to Sir A. Harding who has his private friends. The Prince praised the Goschens who have taken Lascelles place. He spoke of Sir F. Cartwright at Vienna but does not know him. When I said he owed his sudden advancement to the clever despatches he had written, the Prince said that now a days—despatches were of little value & that a good diplomat was the man who was quick & kept up good relations with everyone. I said Cartwright is a silent man & I feared he would not come up to our idea. Nous verrons. The P. spoke of our King’s visit to Berlin & what tact he had shown & what golden opinions he had won—& added he is a very clever man. The lunch was short & we went afterwards into the reading room & sat on a row of chairs opposite the windows to hear the band of the Hohenzollern play in the garden of the Hotel. I telephoned home for my party to join us wh they did. At 3 we left– I came home & the rest of the party went their own way. Sir Alfred Lyall & his son Capt. L. came to dine—they have arrived here for a few days & they said today that the Kaiser hearing the Bülows had friends to lunch had telegraphed to say the band of the Hohenzollern was to play. I suppose this was especially meant for Css Morosini– The Kaiser is a great friend of hers (en tout bien tout honneur) tho’ it has caused much illnatured gossip. Of course she is immensely flattered & no wonder. It was said that he will lunch with her when she comes & has said that the Bülows must also be there to meet him. | |
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