We reached the palazzo before sunset.  I was quite chilled through in spite of all my wraps (heavy and warm as they were) and thankful to get out of them and get a hot cup of tea.

We found the Marquise Dadda and the Countess Somaglia, who had arrived for tea.  The Queen always receives her friends at this time.

Another military dinner this evening!  Evidently, Monza is polishing off the military just now.  It is very amusing for us, as it gives us the chance to see all the celebrities.  I sat to the left of his Majesty, and he told me in a loud voice who every one was and what each one had done.  He did not seem to mind their hearing.  Pointing to one of the generals, he said, laughingly:  “He is tout ce qu’il y a de plus militaire; even his night-gowns have epaulettes on them, and he sleeps with one hand on his sword.”

MONZA, 6th of November.

Dear ——­,—­Signor Bonghi, the great Italian savant, arrived for luncheon to-day.  He is a personality!  I will describe him later.  I will only say now he is most learned and very absent-minded.  After luncheon the Queen wanted us to see the old cathedral of Monza, where, as you know, the famous iron crown of Charlemagne is kept.  So after lunch the landau was ordered for us.  Marquise Trotti (dame d’honneur) accompanied us.  The Queen asked Signor Bonghi to go with us to explain things.  Quite a crowd collected about the church door to stare at the court equipages.  The handsome tall servants, in their brilliant red liveries, were alone worth looking at.

It is very much of a ceremony to see the iron crown.  After having visited the cathedral thoroughly we were conducted down some steps to the little chapel which contains the crown.  The priest is obliged to put on the robes of high mass, and is assisted by another priest and a boy who swings the censer all the time.  The cappellano collected the money (twenty lire) from our party before the proceedings. (It is always well to be on the safe side.) The money question settled, the priest read some prayers, knelt many times, then ascended a little step-ladder, opened a gilded cupboard which was fastened to the wall, unlocked it, said some more prayers, and then with great reverence took out a casket, which he held high above his head, intoning a special prayer.  He came down from the step-ladder, bringing the casket with him, which he opened, and we were allowed to look at, but not touch, the celebrated relic.  The same ceremony was gone through when it was replaced.

Do you know that this crown was born in the year 593, and is made out of a nail supposed to be taken from Christ’s cross and hammered into a ring, and is encircled by a gold band about eight centimeters wide?  Outside the iron is a gold band set with soi-disant precious stones.  Not much to look at, and certainly not heavy to wear.

While we were there Signor Bonghi, at the request of the Queen, copied a Latin inscription on a tomb.  He translated it from the Latin and gave it to the Queen when he returned, also to me. (I inclose it.)