CHAPTER XIX

King Carol as a diplomat--Lichnowsky as a Secretary of Legation--The scandal about his chief’s (Prince von Bülow) wife--I see something at Bad Hall--A great ladies’ man: he goes too far at length and is “promoted” to another sphere--Kiderlein-Wächter, genial and popular--An unfortunate dinner-party over which his housekeeper presided--Prince Gulochowski and his wife--Some British ambassadors: Sir Frank Lascelles and Sir Charles (now Lord) Hardinge--How the latter rendered me a great service--Sir Henry Drummond Wolff--Sir John Kennedy and Lady Kennedy and their family--Better times for the British colony--The British colony--Its religious interests--Bishop Collins and his visits to Bucarest--His tragic end deeply regretted--Since the war Bucarest has many more British visitors--A British Chamber of Commerce, and a projected club.

The late King Carol was considered one of the best diplomats in Europe. Was it because of this the German Embassy had always more secretaries on their staff than any other embassy? It was the case, at any rate.

Some twenty years ago the present Prince von Bülow was German Minister at the Court of Roumania. One of the secretaries was the young Prince Lichnowsky, who ended his career in London as German Ambassador at the outbreak of war.

Young Lichnowsky was considered to be very clever, in spite of his abnormally large head (his hats were always specially made for him); and for a German he was remarkably well groomed, but one did not wonder at that when one learned that he had all his clothes from Poole’s.

There was a good deal of talk in Bucarest at that time concerning Lichnowsky’s weakness for Mme. von Bülow, the wife of his chief. As the lady was considerably older than he, I never gave any credence to the reports, till some facts came under my own observation. I was staying for a few weeks at Bad Hall, a small village in Austria, rather celebrated for the health-giving properties of its springs. At the principal hotel Mme. von Bülow was staying, and in close attendance upon her no other than Prince Lichnowsky. He was most attentive, accompanying her to the Casino, to the springs, and always carrying a formidable array of wraps, as she was not a very robust woman. After seeing this, I could no longer disbelieve the stories that had been current.

Lichnowsky was considered a great ladies’ man in Bucarest, and the most of his time was spent amongst the fair members of the local society. His attentions to a certain personage since dead became so marked, that it was deemed advisable to cut short his adventurous career, and so he was “promoted,” and the society of Bucarest knew him no more.

Another diplomat was Kiderlein-Wächter, also German Minister during part of my stay in Bucarest. He was a genial man and very popular, but it must be confessed that he was anything but abstemious; he did not even confine himself to beer, as most Germans do.

His household was composed of three or four servants, a valet, and a lady housekeeper. In regard to the last-named he rather got into hot water with the Roumanian ladies. He issued invitations for a dinner-party, and, when the guests arrived and dinner was announced, the head of the table was taken by the lady housekeeper! Indignation was general among the Roumanians, as, although they are not at all strict among their own set, they are very particular as to what they require from an outsider. The consequence was that Herr Kiderlein-Wächter could never again show hospitality to the Roumanian ladies, as in no case would it have been accepted. Poor man! he died a year or so ago at Stuttgart, very suddenly, I believe.

Prince Gulochowski was also in Bucarest some time before as Austrian Minister. I remember him as rather short, portly, and wearing bushy whiskers. His wife was just the contrary. She was thin to attenuation. Mme. Gulochowski was once present at the Elisabeth Ball, given at the Royal Theatre every year. It was the Queen’s express desire that every lady should appear there dressed in Roumanian costume, as she wished to encourage the national industries.

One would have thought that Mme. Gulochowski would have eagerly seized upon the chance of covering up her thin shoulders, but not she. In spite of the well-known wish of the Queen, she appeared in ball costume, most conspicuous as the only lady present who was not dressed in national costume.

Of our own diplomats, not a few of our well-known men spent some time in Roumania.

Sir Frank Lascelles, a relative of the Earl of Harewood, was English Minister at Bucarest before being appointed to Teheran.

Our late Viceroy in India, Lord Hardinge, spent some time there also as chargé d’affaires. I always feel grateful to him for helping me out of a difficult position. I had been in Russia for some months and wished to return to Roumania, but no Russian préfet would sign my passport or give me permission to leave the country. Each one insisted that I must be provided with a new passport, as it was not admissible to leave the country with the same passport that I had on entering it. In my extremity I wrote to Bucarest, and the sympathy of Sir Charles Hardinge, as he then was, was enlisted on my behalf. He did his best for me, even interviewing M. de Fonton, the Russian Minister, with the result that a préfet was found who signed my passport.

One may imagine that I did not let the grass grow under my feet once I had the required permission. It always seemed so strange to me that permission to leave Russia was just as difficult to obtain as permission to enter it.

Sir Henry Drummond Wolff was British Minister to Roumania for a short time, but his stay was so brief that scarcely any members of the English colony ever saw him.

The most popular by far of the British Ministers was Sir John Kennedy, who with his family remained for some seven or eight years in Bucarest. The family consisted of four sons and one daughter. “Pat” Kennedy I refer to elsewhere as a playmate of Prince Carol. Two of his gallant brothers fell in the Great War. Miss Kennedy was, and still is, a great favourite with the Queen of Roumania.

Sir John and Lady Kennedy with their daughter (the sons were for the greater part of the time at school in England) were constant attendants at the English church services. They took a great interest in all that concerned the British colony, and were much kinder and more hospitable than any of their predecessors.

Of all the foreign colonies in Bucarest the English was, until a few years ago, the smallest. The Embassy, a few business men with their families, a number of governesses, an English doctor, and a bank manager were the sum total. There was no English church, but service was held once every Sunday in a schoolroom of the Jewish mission, by the missionary to the Jews, who spoke English remarkably well and had taken orders in England, although himself of Jewish descent. His wife was English, and perhaps on that account their house was the centre of any hospitality that was shown to the English colony. Very pleasant and homely were the little meetings that were held at the vicarage near the school--the working parties once a fortnight at which garments were made for the poor Jews, the weekly choir practice, and the informal afternoon teas.

The visitors were mostly governesses, and what a delight it was to have a cup of real English tea and a good chat without being obliged to be on the _qui vive_ for any mistake that the speaker would be likely to make (as one had to be when speaking to one’s pupils)! How one laughed at any little _faux pas_ made by the native handmaiden, as for instance one afternoon, when our hostess rang for another cup and saucer, and the little maid put her head into the room to inquire in a hushed voice, “A _clean_ cup and saucer, Madame?”

The working parties were always well attended. Each member cheerfully paid her franc monthly in order to pay for materials, and no element of discord was ever present till much later on, when some fresh arrivals from England took it upon themselves to cavil at the manner in which the garments were distributed. These were always given to the Jewish poor (there were no English poor in Bucarest), and, as some folk have no love for Jews, the newcomers protested that the articles should be distributed to people of all nationalities. This arrangement was finally decided upon, although it was quite unnecessary as it turned out. The German poor were well looked after, the French also, and it was really only the Jewish poor who seemed to be in need. Besides, as we were considerably indebted to the Jewish missionary for his kind help on Sundays, as well as for the hospitality shown us on every occasion, it was, in my opinion, only right to help on their work by every means in our power. At the time of which I speak the missionary had no remuneration for the English service on Sundays. In later years an arrangement was made by which the missionary gave a third part of his time to the English community, in consideration for a fixed sum raised by them annually.

I am glad to learn that an English church has now been built to meet the needs of the greatly increased colony.

The English Church in Roumania, as in most parts of southern Europe, belongs to the diocese of Gibraltar. We were visited pretty often by the Bishop--Bishop Collins--who proposed to visit all parts of his diocese, which included Smyrna, at least once a year. Poor man! he did not live to carry out very many of his plans. He caught a severe cold whilst travelling in Russia, but still insisted on preaching during his stay in Bucarest. The consequence was that he became seriously ill, and for a long time had to refrain from any active work. When his health improved he again resumed his duties, hoping that a journey to the East would complete the cure. Great was the pleasure when it was announced that we might expect a visit from the Bishop. He arrived, but how changed in appearance! he was not the same man. He left Roumania with the intention of visiting Smyrna. A great reception was planned for him there, all the English colony was _en fête_, and at the hour when the steamer was expected all those who could possibly manage it wended their way to the quay. Alas! their pleasure was turned into grief by the news that it was only a dead body they were to meet--the Bishop had died on board.

The mourning was great throughout the whole diocese, as Bishop Collins was so greatly beloved. A charming personality, a student in his tastes more than an active worker, he had gained the esteem and affection of all those (preachers and people) who belonged to his diocese. His wife, too, had been very much liked. She was his elder by some years, but they were very devoted to each other. Indeed, there is no doubt that her death, which took place only about a year before his own, had such an effect upon him as to hasten the sad event.

The war has been responsible for many things. One of the few good things is that the English have at last discovered Roumania. The presence of British visitors in a Bucarest hotel no longer calls for comment. A British Chamber of Commerce has even been established, and a British club is talked about, and will no doubt soon be an accomplished fact.

How good it is to know that the British is now not the smallest but the largest colony!