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10 July 1912 — Ca’ Capello, Venice | |
Wednesday. 10th [July 1912]. Lord Kitchener, Capt. FitzGerald & I went to the station in the Arsenal launch to leave for Bologna by 10.15 train. The Italian Adls both came to the station to see him off also Sig. Arbib & a couple of detectives accompanied us in the train for the protection of Lord Kitchener– The story of the conspiracy against his life in Egypt has made a stir & the Italians are desirous to protect so valuable a life. We lunched in the restaurant car at 12 o’cl after the usual dejeuner for those travelling was over—& arrived at Bologna at 1.20 where we were met by Eduardo Donna Laura’s maestro di casa & Prof: Faccioli surnamed the Fraticello. There were also various police authorities present & Donna Laura had sent a motor car for our use. In this we went with the Fraticello for a drive round to see the exteriors of the most important churches & palaces in the town. We went also to Rombaldi the antiquary to look at what he had got. A dark wood bedstead which I had seen when I was last with Da Laura & had wanted to buy of him met Lord K’s approval & he decided upon having it & a few other things less important. On leaving Rombaldi we drove to Via Ugo Bassi & looked into other small antiquity shops but found nothing to tempt us & we went on up the Via dell’Osservanza to Villa Minghetti. There at the top of the steep flight of steps stood dear old Da Laura to welcome us with open arms. She first folded me to her & then, to his astonishment, embraced also Lord Kitchener & taking his arm led him into the house & opening a little door in the long drawing room into the great church wh she has furnished with great taste with black wooden panelling & long tables. We then went to the terrace overlooking the town & distant plain by wh we had come this morning & there we sat & talked & had 5 o’cl tea while the gentlemen smoked their cigarettes. Da laura was very anxious to know whether Lord K. thought that the Turco Italian war was coming to an end. He said it was very difficult to predict as Italy’s action had brought so many discordant elements into motion—had rushed into the conflict so lightly. He said it was much to be regretted that Italy had not done the thing on an understanding with England who would have prevented Germany moving & the thing might have been done with better results. As it was it is difficult to see what will happen as Italy will not be allowed to keep the Islands she has seized in the Egean Sea & every country specially Greece will try to get hold of them. Also that by the proclamation of the annexation in Parliament of Tripoli Italy has made all arrangements with Turkey more difficult (yesterday Lord Kitchener had told me also that they have annexed what they have not got, as they have only conquered the sea board & the Arabs are keeping them out of the interior). The conversation went on to the state of Turkey & Da Laura asked about the laws of marriage. Lord K. said that the harem of the late Sultan had been composed of Georgians that the men of that country used to send their sisters & daughters to the Sultan’s Harem so that they might use their influence in favor of their family. That they persuaded the Sultan that the complaints of robbery & murder committed by the men of their family were calumnies. When he had been in Anatolia there was one particular case of a brigand who robbed & murdered people including the Govr Lord Kitchener had remonstrated with this man who was indifferent to his reproaches. Lord K. had said he would have him punished & would get our Ambassador to insist upon the Sultan’s sending a force against him. This was eventually done. Three hundred soldiers were sent to punish him—but his daughter was one of the favorites in the Harem & to please her the soldiers were told not to be able to find him. Lord K. said this robber was an excellent fellow & would have the booty he had had taken if Lord K. wished it the victim having been an English subject or a protegé. The system of Govt was always the same & now that the “young Turk” was in power it is something worse than before as they are not real good Turks, but Jews, French & the scum of the earth. Abt 6 o’cl we all retired to our rooms for a rest before dinner to wh came Prof. Senatore Ciamician. In the evening we sat talking in the long drawing room till 10.30 when Lord K. & Capt. Fitz took leave of Da Laura as they leave for London by an early train tomorrow morning & Ld K. kissed her respectfully on the hand. While sitting out on the terrace Da Laura explained what this villa had been—a kind of halfway house convent where those condemned to death in the 15th century passed the night on their way up to execution on the top of the hill—this is called Mezzaratta—(half way up). She then joked about our having arranged ourselves as a confraternity– She Lady “Abbesse”—I am “Sister Angelica,” the Professor the little Brother (Fraticello) & she said Lord K. is in future our General of the order & Capt. FitzGerald frate miniorè the younger friar. She said that in old days this church was called the “Comforter” of the condemned “Il Confortatorio.” A name that so delighted Lord K. that he said he insisted on the retention of the name as it so well represented its present use—owing to the hospitality of Da Laura. This so delighted Donna Laura that she declared that when she met Lord K. on another planet she would claim him as her own! | |
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