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8 July 1912 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Monday. 8th [July 1912]. I find Lord K. looking rather tired & more enclined to stay quiet than usual. He told me of the marvellous escape he had lately in Cairo, from assassination when he was virtually saved by Capt. FitzGerald. How they were coming back from the provinces by train & the police warned them that the Nationalist party had determined to put him to death. On arriving at Cairo they found the whole station in the hands of the police & got into the motor to drive to the Agency. At the gates of the station yard they were impeded by a cab across their route. Close by there stood a man with his hand hidden in his waistcoat. Capt. FitzGerald’s eye fixed the would be assassins so that he was fascinated & unable to carry out his plan, the motor passed on & the danger was over. It was not till the next day that the man was caught at a secret meeting of the conspirators & the police who were lying in wait heard the whole matter discussed—& heard the assassin saying that the gentleman in the motor had put him to such confusion by his look that he had been paralysed. The story made me shudder– Lord K. & Capt. Fitz went out in the morning in the Adl Garelli’s launch. I remained at home & had a call from Mr Montalba. I had a letter by early post to say Mr Browning has been given up by the Drs & his wife has been sent for. Count Grimani the Sindaco came to lunch to make Lord K’s acquaintance also Hugh Whitaker & Mr Price & told him about Mr Browning’s state & he went from here to consult with Mrs Curtis as to the advisability of going up to Asolo to see him. It was settled that he should wait. At 3 went with my 2 guests to Mr Arbib’s house that he might show Lord K. the copy of the picture in the Civic Museum of Francisco Morosini on horseback which has been copied for him by young Cadarin. A photo: was also taken for Mr Arbib of the little party standing by a fountain Lord K. is tempted to buy for Broome. We went on to Sigr Tamburlini’s house on Campo Sa Margherita to show Lord K. the beautiful metal work done by that artist & his reproduction of the treasury of St Marks. Thence we returned home to have 5 o’cl tea & Lord K. rested while I took Fitz out for a giro in gondola out by the Orfano Canal outside the Giudecca back by the Eden’s garden which I took him in to see. We found the owners still there but it was late & we had to hurry home to dress for dinner to wh Lord K., Fitz & I went off in the Adl Garelli’s launch to the Arsenal. Sigra Garelli received us with her husband & later arrived the Sindaco & Col. Calderari, a Capt. & Mrs Stewart (our naval attaché & wife). She was very fashionably dressed but was not very attractive & her manners not fascinating. She is the daughter of Mr & Mrs Story of Rome & gd child of the sculptor whom I had known there in former days. The dinner was pleasant eno’. I sat between Garelli & Calderari. In the evening Adl & Siga Cagni came. She is a pretty woman with great charm. I invited them & our hosts & Calderari to dine tomorrow. Home at 10.30 when we found a telegram for Lord K. saying he need not hurry home. This morning I received a letter from Marchesa Peruzzi to say Mr Browning is dying & asking if there was a chaplain to come & whether I thought he ought to go. I told Mr Price this at lunch & he said he would go & consult with Mrs Curtis. He wrote later that he would wait until sent for. | |
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