SINAÏA.
From Kronstadt we made an excursion to Sinaïa, a fashionable
watering-place and summer residence of the King of Roumania, about two
hours’ distance over the frontier.
We had provided ourselves with a passport from Hermanstadt, for just
at that particular moment the regulations about crossing the frontier
were rather strict, in consequence of some temporary coolness between
the two crowned heads on either side. Usually the _entente cordiale_
between both countries is most satisfactory, and Austrian officers
wishing to pay their respects to his Roumanian Majesty can always
count on a gracious reception; but we happened, unfortunately, to have
hit off a brief period of international sulks. Austrian officers were
forbidden to show themselves in uniform within the kingdom, or, indeed,
to cross the frontier at all, and were consequently reduced to the
subterfuges of passports and plain clothes.
It ultimately proved to be much easier to cross from Hungary to
Roumania than _vice versa_; for on our way back that same evening, we
were detained an eternity by the suspicious pedantry of the Hungarian
officials, contrasting unfavorably with the genial simplicity of
arrangements on the other side.
The whole route from Kronstadt to Sinaïa is very beautiful, the railway
running through a deep valley which sometimes narrows to the dimensions
of a close mountain gorge, densely wooded on either side by noble beech
forests, bordered by fringes of wild sunflowers, which marked the way
in a line of unbroken gold. One might almost have fancied that some
munificent fairy had thus chosen to show the way to the King’s abode,
by strewing gold-pieces along the road.
The glimpses of peasant life we got by looking out of the
carriage-window already showed us costumes more varied and fantastic
than on the Hungarian side; an air of Eastern luxury as well as of
Eastern indolence pervaded everything, and it was impossible not to
feel that we had entered another country—the land _beyond_ the land
beyond the forest.
At Sinaïa itself the valley has somewhat widened out, affording room
for numerous handsome villas and luxurious hotels which have sprung up
there of late years. On a low hill stands the convent where the royal
family have taken up their residence till the new-built castle is ready
to be inhabited.
[Illustration: CASTLE PELESCH AT SINAÏA. SUMMER RESIDENCE OF THE KING
OF ROUMANIA.]
Proceeding on our way towards the convent, we were puzzled for a
moment by the appearance of the peasant women we met—their surprising
richness of costume and profusion of ornament surpassing the limits of
even Roumanian gorgeousness. Their straight-cut scarlet aprons were
literally one mass of rich embroidery, and each movement of the arm
caused the sleeve to glitter in the sun like the scales of gold and
silver fish; but why, in place of the customary sandals, did they wear
delicate high-heeled _chaussure_ strongly suggestive of Paris? Why,
instead of the twirling distaff, did we see Japanese fans in their
hands? And why, oh why, as we came within ear-shot, did we make the
startling discovery that they were not talking Roumanian at all, but
speaking French with more or less successful imitations of a Parisian
accent?
These various “whys” were soon put to rest by the information that
these were not peasants at all, but Roumanian Court ladies, who,
following the example of their queen, adopt the national dress for
daily wear during the summer months.
It being Sunday, mass had just finished as we reached the convent,
whence a motley congregation of officers and ladies, soldiers,
peasants, and monks came pouring out. A sentry walking up and down
in a somewhat _nonchalant_ manner, as though merely taking a mild
constitutional, and a red-and-blue flag waving above the low roof of
the old-fashioned, shabby building, were the only symptoms of royalty
about the place.
Presently a low basket-carriage, drawn by two handsome cream ponies
with distressingly long tails and ill-cut manes, came round to the
convent door, close to where we were standing, and was entered by a
slender lady attired in the national costume, bareheaded, and holding
up a Chinese parasol to protect herself from the broiling sun. She
appeared to be on easy, cordial terms with the respectable-looking
family servant who assisted her to get in, and had quite a pleasant
chat with him as he stood on the door-step. It was evident, from the
way she was saluted on her passage, that the Queen is a great favorite
with people of all classes.
The King, whom we came across a little later in the day, seemed of more
unapproachable species, and the little incident connected with his
appearance savored rather of Russian than of Roumanian etiquette.
We were walking in the direction of the newly built castle, which,
situated on the banks of a torrent at the opening of a steep mountain
ravine, and deliciously shrouded in gigantic trees, is the most perfect
beau-ideal of a summer chateau I ever saw. Already I had had occasion
to remark the appearance of several semi-military-looking beings
(whether policemen or soldiers I cannot precisely define) dodging about
mysteriously in and out between the tree-stems, when suddenly one of
them came rushing towards us, waving his arms aloft like a windmill
gone mad, and with an expression of the wildest despair hurriedly
repeating something we failed to understand, but which evidently was
either a warning or a threat. Before we had time to request this
curious being to explain himself more intelligibly, he had disappeared,
jumping over the steep, precipitous bank of the ravine, and vanishing
in the brushwood.
We now looked round in alarm, half expecting to see a furious
wild-boar, possibly even a bear, appearing from the mountain-side,
but could only perceive a tall, dark, handsome officer approaching
us, and behind him a correct-liveried servant carrying a railway
rug. The meaning of the mysterious warning now began to dawn on our
comprehension; this could only be the King, from his resemblance to
the portraits we had seen, and we had probably no business to be here
prying on his private premises. Our feeling of tact was, however, not
exquisite enough to induce us to risk our necks in endeavoring to
conceal ourselves from his august gaze, so we bravely stood our ground,
and nothing worse happened than our bow being very politely returned.
When his Majesty had disappeared I went to the bank to see what had
become of the unfortunate soldier or policeman who had effaced himself
in so foolhardy a manner; but though I half expected to see his corpse
lying shattered at the foot of the rock, no trace of him was there to
be seen.
The castle, now completed, and since 1884 inhabited every summer by
the royal family, is built in the old German style, and has, I hear,
been fitted up and furnished in most exquisite fashion—each article
having been carefully selected by the Queen herself, whose artistic
taste is well known. Deeper in the forest, at a little distance from
the castle, is a tiny hunting-lodge, where in the hot weather the Queen
is wont to spend a great part of the day. It is here that she loves to
sit composing those graceful poems in which she endeavors to reflect
the spirit and heart of her people; and visitors admitted to this royal
sanctuary are sometimes fortunate enough to see the latest rough-cast
of a poem, bearing the signature of Carmen Sylva, lying open on the
writing-table.
The villas about Sinaïa are rather bare-looking as yet, especially on
a burning summer day; for parks and gardens have not had time to grow
in proportion to the hot-headed mushroom speed with which this whole
colony has sprung into existence. The bathing establishment is one of
the most delightful I ever saw—a large marble basin, roofed in and
lighted from above, framed with a luxuriant fringe of feathery ferns
and aquatic plants trailing down on to the surface of an exceptionally
clear and crystal-like water. When the Queen comes hither to bathe
the walls are further adorned by hangings of Oriental carpets and
embroidered draperies.
There are in the place several good restaurants whose cookery might
rival any Vienna or Paris establishment, and, for prices, indeed
surpass them. Everything we found to be very dear at Sinaïa. As we were
returning to Kronstadt in the evening and intended to walk about all
day, we did not engage a bedroom at the hotel, but merely asked for
some place where we might deposit our wraps and umbrellas. For this
purpose we were given a sort of small closet, semi-dark, being only
lighted from the staircase, and containing, besides a broken table, but
two deal chairs and an unfurnished bedstead. Yet for this luxurious
accommodation, which our effects enjoyed during a period of about eight
hours, we were charged the modest sum of fifteen francs.
I spent some time at a very fascinating bazaar, where I purchased a
few specimens of Roumanian pottery, dainty little red-and-gold cups
for black coffee, some grotesque birds, and an impossible dog, which
have somewhat the appearance of ancient heathen household gods. There
were also carpets for sale, but mostly over-staring in pattern, and of
terrifically high prices.
We had brought with us a letter of introduction to a _ci-devant_
Austrian officer settled here, and married to a daughter of Prince
G——, one of the principal notabilities of the place, which
introduction procured us a very pleasant invitation to dine with his
family on the terrace overlooking the public gardens.
Our beautiful dark-eyed hostess, whose graceful _élancée_ figure seemed
made to show off to perfection all the fascinations of the national
costume, was kind enough to dress expressly for my benefit before
dinner, putting on a profusion of jewellery to heighten the effect of
robes fit for Lalla Rookh or Princess Scheherezade. One can hardly
wear too much jewellery with this attire: three jewelled belts, one
adorned with turquoises, another with garnets, and a third with pearls
and emeralds, were disposed across the hips one above the other, like
those worn in old Venetian paintings; several necklaces, forming a
bewildering cascade of coral and amber over the bosom; a perfect wealth
of bracelets; and more jewelled pins than I was able to count held back
a transparent veil, further secured by loose golden coins falling low
on the forehead.
Her father, Prince G——, gave us some interesting details about the
foundation of this promising colony, which is the only establishment
of the sort in the kingdom. He himself was the principal moving spirit
in its foundation, and it was owing to his persuasions chiefly that
the King formed the resolution of founding a national watering-place,
which, by becoming the resort of the Roumanian _noblesse_, would keep
them at home, instead of spending their money at French or German baths.
* * * * *
Gladly would I have prolonged my stay in Roumania by some days, or
even weeks; and it was tantalizing to have to leave these attractive
unknown regions after such a cursory glance. Still more so was it to
be obliged to refuse a friendly invitation to return there to join a
projected expedition of eight to ten days across the mountains, to
be organized as soon as the weather had grown cooler. It was to be a
large cavalcade—about twenty persons in all—the ladies in Roumanian
dress and riding in men’s saddles. “Perhaps it is because of this you
refuse,” said my hostess. “I have heard that you English are always so
very particular; but here everybody rides so—even the Queen herself
has no other saddle.”
I had, alas! no opportunity to correct this impression, by showing that
an Englishwoman may be as enterprising as a Roumanian queen.