VICTOR IN PRIVATE LIFE

ditions of men, from foreign princes and statesmen down to the meanest artisan in the city. In the afternoon he generally drove through the town and appeared at the fashionable promenade on thePincian Hill ; after which more business was gone through, and late in the evening he drove to the Villa Mirafiore, a beautiful house a short distance from Rome, which he had built for his countess, on whom he bestowed every luxury. It is said that Victor Emmanuel repented of his union with this lady when he recovered from the fever. Be this as it may, after the ceremony of marriage had taken place, though it was in no wày legally binding, he always spoke of her and regarded her as his wife. Unless the king were detained at the theatre or a réception or family reunion at the Quirinal, he generally passed the evening witlr one or two intimate friends at his country home. He supped about ten or eleven o’clock, retired at midnight, was ,up at the dawn, had two or three hours hard exercise, and was installed in his city palace, ready for work, before many of his subjects had opened their eyes.

A small plainly furnished suite of apartments on the ground floor was ail Victor Emmanuel occupied of the magnificent palace of the Quirinal, except on state occasions. With the exception of his military uniforms, which were of necessity handsome, his wardrobe was the scantiest which a gentleman could be supposed to manage with by rigid economy. He wore the same cloth, colour, and texture ail the year round — grey for moming and black for evening. He seldom had more

than one suit of each, and wore them till they were shabby, which caused a Neapolitan boy to remark, ‘The ministry load us with taxes, and yet they hâve not the heart to buy Vittorio a new pair of pantaloons ! ’

The king laughed heartily when he heard the observation. The only thing he was particular about was his linen, and of that he liked a great quantity and fine quality. When he was going to Berlin and Vienna, his gentlemen-in-waiting told him that his wardrobe required replenishing. The king replied, ‘Very well ; order what is necessary.’ ‘ But your majesty tnust hâve your measure taken this time, for they are very élégant ' at Berlin and Vienna.’

‘ What a nuisance ! Ask Baron to be kind

enough to hâve his measure taken for me ; he is about my size,’ was the response. He never wore gloves but when he was en grande toilette.

Going to the theatre one night in a grey coat, the king observed that the daughter of the Emperor of Russia and the Princess Margherita were in the house. He must pay a visit to the foreign princess, and it was too late to retum to the Quirinal to change his dress.

‘ I am ail black but the coat,’ he said to his attendants ; ‘if some one would lend me a coat!’ He espied a young marquis, one of his aides-de-camp, near, and sent for him. The coat was quickly exchanged, but a white tie was still wanting. The marquis offered his, but Victor Emmanuel, seeing one of his servants at the door of the box with a fresher one, walked up to him, and sflently took ofT his tie and fastened it on himself ; then -

A CURE FOR UNPUNCTUALITY. 209

brushing his hair at the glass he said, ‘ Do I look King of Italy ? ’

This familiarity, in which he occasionally indulged, did not involve a loss of dignity, for he knew how to check any undue presumption. Once a Roman noble, whose sympathies were rather with the old régitne than the new, said, ‘ I wonder your majesty drives in the Corso ; we Roman princes do not go.’

‘ And we, King of Italy, go ; ’ replied Victor Emmanuel, with a stately dignity which he could assume when occasion required.

He was excessively punctual in ail his engagements, having his time portioned out for every separate duty, and he could not tolerate the want of punctuality in others. One evening an engineer kept him waiting ten minutes, during which period his impatient temper got the better of him. He was just despatching a messenger to know if anything had happened, when the engineer made his appearance. The king walked up to him, watch in hand, saying, ‘ Bravo ! you are ten minutes late!’

The delinquent was so crushed that he could not find a Word of apology. The good-natured king, seeing this, thought his rebuke had been too sharp, and hastened to add, ‘ Well, I am sure it was not your fault, and I will take care that it does not occur again.’ He went into the adjoining rooni and brought out a handsome watch, saying, ‘ This goes exactly with mine, so in future there shall be no différence in our time.’ ‘ Pardon,’ murmured the engineer, ‘your majesty, I am so con-