"I had no extra toilet things to put into the Emperor's room, but,
fortunately, I had bought a cake of soap in Berlin; this I put on a
piece of marble I had picked up in the Forum, which I thought would do
for a soap-dish. The Emperor went into the adjoining room to change his
uniform, and suddenly appeared in the doorway, holding out his wet
hands, and said, '_Mein liebe_ Schlözer, can't you give me a towel?'
_Donnerwetter!_ said Schlözer, that was the one thing that I had
forgotten."
The luncheon was (excepting the famous wines on which he prides
himself) of the simplest kind of Italian repasts, of which macaroni,
frittura mista, and cutlets with saffron (_à la Milanais_) formed the
chief feature. The Emperor was in the best of spirits and enjoyed it
all, interlarded as it was with Schlözer's unique remarks.
The Emperor's own horses and carriages and _piqueurs_ (brought
expressly from Berlin for this one visit to the Pope) were waiting
before the German Legation to convey his Majesty and Herr von Schlözer
to the Vatican. The whole route through which they drove was lined with
a double row of the national troops to the very steps of the Vatican.
Every window was filled with people anxious to catch a glimpse of the
handsome and youthful Emperor as he passed by in his open victoria;
Prince Henry and Count Bismarck followed in another of the Emperor's
carriages.
At the early hour of half past nine the _haute société_, the Ministers,
the Senators and Deputies--in fact, _all Rome_--were summoned to meet
the Emperor at the Campidoglia. It was to be lighted for the first time
with electricity--a great event. People were to meet in the
statue-gallery. After all were assembled, the King, the Queen, and the
Emperor entered, followed by the princes and their different suites.
The Emperor was dressed in the uniform of the _garde de corps_ (all
white) with a silver breastplate and silver helmet. He was an
apparition! and did not look unlike one of the statues. Or was he a
Lohengrin who had come in a swan-drawn skiff down the Tiber to save
some Italian Elsa?
There were some presentations made. I, for one, was presented to his
Imperial Majesty, and was charmed with his graciousness. We talked
English, which I think rather pleased him, for he made some facetious
remarks on things and people and actually laughed.
The next evening, the 18th, the fireworks and the illumination of the
Forum, the Colosseum, and the Palatino, were the entertainment after a
_dîner de famille_.
The Diplomatic Corps was bidden to the Villino. The place was rather
too small to contain all the guests. Fortunately, it was a pleasant
evening; there was a full moon which lent charm to the scene. Bengal
lights, to my mind, are the cheapest form of illumination, but the
fireworks--for which the Italians are so renowned--were splendid.
Rockets of all colors, bursting in mid-air and sending down showers of
lighted balls, were never-ending, and everything belonging to
pyrotechnics was in profusion and perfection.
The _bouquet_ (which is the French for the _apothéose_) surpassed
everything I had ever seen before. It lasted several minutes. When
everything has burned out, only the brilliant "W" with an Imperial
crown remained, and faded gradually away.
ROME, _March, 1889_.
Dear Aunt,--Rome is placarded all over with blood-curdling pictures of
"the Wild West Show" and portraits of our friend Buffalo Bill. I call
him "our friend," although I can't say I know him very well. We
traveled in the same car with him for a whole week on our way to
California ten years ago. That is not enough, is it?
I had never seen a Wild West Show and was most eager to go; besides, I
wanted to see "our friend" in his professional character. We made up a
large party and went there _en bande_.
The tents were put up not far from the Vatican gardens, behind Castel
St. Angelo. None of us had ever been to such a performance, and we were
all delighted at the marvelous feats of lassoing by the cowboys and the
rifle-shooting of the cowgirls, who looked so pretty in their short
leather skirts and leggings. One of them threw pieces of silver in the
air and shot them in two with her rifle. Everything was wonderful.
Duke Sermoneta, who went with us, having read on the posters that
Buffalo Bill professed to tame any wild or vicious horse, wished to
test Buffalo Bill's ability, and perhaps with a little maliciousness
had ordered some of the wild horses from his estate to be brought to
Rome.
These untamed horses are like those that used to run in the _corsi dei
Barberi_ during the carnival in Rome when Rome had carnivals. The Duke
was very sure that no one could tame them, much less put a saddle on
them; the audience, no doubt, thought the same. There was quite an
excitement when the frightened things came rushing into the arena and
stood looking about them with terrified eyes. But the cowboys knew very
well what to do. They quickly lassoed them, and somehow, before we
could see the whole process, they were forced to the ground, plunging
about and making desperate efforts to get up. Finally, after many
attempts, a saddle was placed on them, and lo and behold! the ferocious
wild horses were conquered and, as meek as Mary's little lamb, were
ridden around the arena to the accompaniment of great clapping,
screaming, and applause. Every one was as enthusiastic as the Duke
Sermoneta over the stubborn and agile young Wild-Westers. Then Buffalo
Bill's herald came forward and proposed that the Italian _campagna_
boys, who had brought the Duke's horses, should mount the American
bucking horses. The Duke gave his consent readily. He was very willing
that his men should show what they could do. Well, they showed what
they could _not_ do; they could not keep on the horses a minute, even
if they managed to get on; they turned somersaults in every direction,
fell off, and rolled about on the ground. The audience roared.
Buffalo Bill appeared on a beautiful horse, holding his gray sombrero
in his hand, acknowledging the applause. He looks very handsome with
his long, fair hair falling on his shoulders and his Charles-the-Second
fine face.