Dear ----,--Next to the Palazzo Tittoni lives a delightful family--the
Count and Countess Gigliucci, with a son and two daughters. The
Countess is the celebrated Clara Novello of oratorio fame. The three
ladies are perfectly charming. I love to go to see them, and often drop
in about tea-hour, when I get an excellent cup of English tea and
delicious muffins, and enjoy them in this cozy family circle.
Though they live In a palace and have a showy _portier_, they do not
disdain to do their shopping out of the window by means of a basket,
which the servant-girl lets down on a string for the daily marketing.
Even cards and letters are received in this way, as the porter refuses
to carry anything up to their third story. "_Sortita!_" screamed down
in a shrill voice is the answer to the visitor waiting below in the
courtyard.
When the three ladies are sitting at the tea-table dispensing tea, one
of them will suddenly commence the trio from "Elijah"--"Lift thine
eyes"--the other two joining in (singing without an accompaniment, of
course) in the most delicious manner. Their voices are so alike in
_timbre_ and quality that it is almost impossible to distinguish one
from the other. After the trio they go on pouring out tea as if nothing
had happened, whereas for me it is an event. It is such perfection!
Countess Gigliucci comes sometimes and sings with me. Her voice is
still beautiful and clear as a bell. What must it have been in its
prime? In her letters to me she calls me "my delicious blackbird."
ROME, _March, 1883_.
The King of Sweden came to Rome on an official visit to their
Majesties. I suppose it is called official because he is staying as a
guest at the Quirinal, therefore he is hardly seen in private. You
remember that I saw a good deal of him when he was in Paris in 1867. He
was then hereditary Prince to the throne of Sweden, and was called
Prince Oscar. He only stayed three days at Rome. There was a gala
dinner to which all the diplomats were invited. He greeted me very
cordially, shook hands in his genial manner, and talked about the past
(sixteen years ago) as if it were yesterday. He said, smilingly:
"You see, since I have become King I have cut my hair."