_Rome,
July._
Jonkheer Jan has had a house warming in his new apartment in the top
of the huge Falconieri Palace, hanging high above the Tiber, with the
Farnesina opposite and the Janiculum, and the city far below. He has a
sunny terrace with the plants already climbing up a trellis and a
little set of rooms which he is beginning to furnish. Today several
congenial souls met up there for tea and music, and then looked out
over the city and the river which lay mapped out below us. He was
quite devoted to our blue-eyed Sybil.
I went yesterday to the Piazza del Quirinale to see the royal
processions come out of the palace and had a fine coign of vantage.
The fanfare blew and the soldiers presented arms, the cortège issued
out beneath the gate and slowly moved across the square and round the
corner out of sight. It was the day when the new Parliament was to be
inaugurated and the King and Queen were to go in state to open the
session, and the Ambassadors and Ministers had to attend in uniform.
There were outriders and cuirassiers and great gilded carriages of
state with lacqueys hanging on behind, and they made a fine show. The
music was gay and joyous, and the sun was shining brightly, but within
an hour it was raining in torrents and the return procession was
through a downpour. But by that time I had sought the protection which
the Embassy grants and was hard at work.
An American Admiral has come to Rome for a few days, leaving his
flagship at Naples. He wishes to be presented to the King and Queen
and so among other things I am busy about that. Last evening I went
over to see him and took him and his flag lieutenant, with whom I at
once struck up a great friendship, to Count L.’s reception in his
palace which lies low beneath the embankment of the river. Through
the courtyard we went, and up the stairway, into the suffocating
rooms, with little knicknacks about by the dozen, all in a mad
confusion. I tried to make the officers enjoy themselves and
introduced them to some girls. When it became too stiflingly crowded,
I steered them away, added dear old Rossi with his genial smile to the
party, and we went to a birreria in the Capo le Casé and had some
wiener wursts and beer; while we were there the Prince came in and the
German Counsellor of Embassy, and we all sat together some time. Then
through the moonlit streets we drove home.
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