My years at the Austrian court . tes of thegreat park. Here we all alighted, as there was no meansof driving to the house, it being one of theparticular whims of the Empress that allapproaches to the house by strangers shouldbe made on foot. Only those who have actually visited theAchilleion will know that to drive up any ofthe mountainous rocky paths is almost animpossibility, as the ascent to the house, builton the natural formation of the rock, is a mostdifficult feat to accomplish. Gott imHimmel I exclaimed the Archduke,as we all toiled along, breathless and exhausted, its twenty minutes s
My years at the Austrian court . tes of thegreat park. Here we all alighted, as there was no meansof driving to the house, it being one of theparticular whims of the Empress that allapproaches to the house by strangers shouldbe made on foot. Only those who have actually visited theAchilleion will know that to drive up any ofthe mountainous rocky paths is almost animpossibility, as the ascent to the house, builton the natural formation of the rock, is a mostdifficult feat to accomplish. Gott imHimmel I exclaimed the Archduke,as we all toiled along, breathless and exhausted, its twenty minutes since we left the gates,and we seem only half-way up. I have oftenheard of the extraordinary energy and love ofexercise my poor cousin possessed, but neveruntil to-day have I believed its truth. Letus all rest here by this little Greek temple,whilst the men of the party gather some of theprecious fruit, for which this Eden is said to befamous. And for a time we rested on the steps of thered marble staircase leading to the temple,. c - c FORMER RESIDENCE OF ELIZABETH 105 containing the superb statue of Heine, whichthe Empress Elizabeth had erected to herfavourite poet. This had been so cleverlyplaced that it seemed to spring out from theluxuriant greenery, and look down far belowinto the blue expanse of the calm Grecianwaters. Here—just here, said the Archduke,pausing on the top step and removing his hatbefore entering this shelter of memories, HerMajesty used to sit for whole days, a mournfulcrape-clad woman, plunged in the depths ofgrief; she came last in 1896, filled with aghastly presentiment she would never see itagain. Poor Elizabeth, so cruelly wronged andmisjudged ! Mad they called her because ofall this, because a woman, with a great artisticsoul, and a passionate love of the sea, succeedsin thinking out, designing and creating thisdream palace, and chooses consolation from allsocial noise and turmoil in such a—paradise,and the Archduke paused, because he wasunable t
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherlondo, bookyear1915
