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19 August 1910 — Axenstein | |
Friday. 19th August [1910]. Baron Bülow returned here—so I leave Da Laura safely in his hands. Today I left Axenstein by 3.49 train down to take the Express at Brunnen. Folco took charge of me & went down to Brunnen to see me safely off. We had more talk about his future. I encouraged his idea of marrying an English girl but said he must choose well—a woman of a nice family—it is so difficult for a foreigner to understand the nuances of good breeding in another race—& one has seen many bad or unhappy marriages between foreigners for that very reason. My friend Countess Pisani used to say to me. English girls should not marry Italian men—they are taken by their dark eyes & their black mustaches—but they would not think the same if they saw them in robe de chambre! Italian men also are taken by foreign girls not understanding that their manners & ideas are not what are the best in their own country. I told him to let me know before he proposed to an English girl & I would give him my ideas on the girl he had thought of choosing. He said that was just what he thought of asking me—& so we passed the moments waiting for the train at Brunnen which took me back to beloved Italy & I reached Como at 9.25 having dined in the train to pass away the time. At Como the motor car of the Tavernas met me & Baker & were soon whisked off to Torno near where the Tavernas have their lovely villa close down on the Lake. It was a lovely evening & in abt 20 minutes I was welcomed by the Ct & Css in their garden for the road does not come quite down to the house. They led me thro’ the 2nd story to the drawing room. I found staying with them the P. & Princess Venosa (the sister of the Css) the son of the Tavernas—the Counts uncle Count Greppi & a young priest Don Guillo. Count Greppi is only 3 years older than his nephew & his elder brother is Ct Beppino Greppi who was Italian Minister at Madrid in our time. After a refreshing cup of tea & sitting a little while on the terrace over the lovely lake—hearing that my luggage had arrived I went to bed. Besides the guests above named—there is also Baron Jagow, German Ambr at Rome who stayed with me at Venice not long ago with Da Laura. | |
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