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22 February 1912 — Cairo | |
Thursday. 22nd [February 1912]. Visits in the morning from Marquesa Guadalmina & later from Lady Oppenheimer. Eda & I went at 1 to lunch with the Khedivah mère. We walked there attended by one of the Agency cavasses as the house is only next door. He left us in the garden & we were attended to the Palace door by the black men of the house. Turkish women awaited us inside 2 down by the door, 2 a little further on & others scattered about in the hall. Miss Hughes, the lady in waiting came forward & led us into the room where the Khedivah mère was sitting on a divan & beside her on a chair was Princess Nazli Fazil my old friend– The hostess motioned to me to sit by her side & Eda sat on a chair opposite Nazli. After a short time had elapsed for the exchange of civilities the Khedive mère rose & walked with me followed by the others out into the great hall & into the dining room– A fire was burning & our places were all laid on the opposite side of the table with our backs to the windows. The K. mère explained that she enjoyed the sight of the fire so much that she would never sit with her back to it. I sat on her right & Miss Hughes next me at the end of the table—Nazli on the K. mère’s left & next her Eda, opposite to Miss Hughes. The table was laid in European fashion—a bowl of roses in the center & flowers laid on the table in a pattern with dishes of sweets. We had very excellent Turkish fare—pilaf, kebobs &c &c eight courses in all. The menu was printed in Turkish which did not enlighten me. After luncheon we returned in the same order to the sitting room & remained talking there for an hour when H.H. rose & we took our departure. As soon as we got out of the room Miss Hughes gave me a packet containing H.H. photograph as a mark of her esteem. After luncheon coffee was served in the sitting room by Turkish girls. One held the tray which was draped with a velvet cloth embroidered in gold. On each side of her stood girls, one holding a ewer of water, the other with a censer. They all wore kind of turbans on the side of the head– A fourth more elderly woman poured out & presented the cups of coffee. The luncheon was served by 3 European women—dressed in dark green & without caps on the head– They seemed to understand English & were rather like the German type. Having been brought to the Khedivah’s Palace by the Agency cavass we were conducted back by the Khedivah’s cavass who left us with a deep bow after he had seen us safe into the Agency garden. The day being lovely & the hour of our return abt 3 we asked “Henry” Lord Kitchener’s maitre d’hotel whether we might have a carriage to take a drive. He at once ordered a motor for us & we drove to the Pyramids, got out & took a saunter round & then back to the Agency to tea. At the Pyramids we saw men busy at work putting up wood stages for the representative of the Opera of “Aide” which is to take place in the open air in a short time. To me it seems rather sacrilege to do such a thing in the midst of tombs—but the idea is much approved of especially as the opera was written expressly for Egypt & just given here. Capt. FitzGerald left here today on his military duties—so we were a small party in the evening only Eda, Sir Wm & I. | |
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