As a devout Catholic Isabel delighted in Rome and
its churches, though the places which she most enjoyed visiting were the
Catacombs and the Baths of Caracalla. At Rome she got blood-poisoning
and fever, which she took on with her to Florence, where they stayed for
some little time. At Florence they saw a good deal of Ouida, whom they
had known for some years. From Florence they went to Venice, crossed
over to Trieste just to change their baggage, and then proceeded to
Vienna. There was a great Exhibition going on at Vienna, and Burton
went as the reporter to some newspaper. They were at Vienna three weeks,
and were delighted with everything Viennese except the prices at the
hotel, which were stupendous. They enjoyed themselves greatly, and
were well received in what is perhaps the most exclusive society in
Europe. Among other things they went to Court. Isabel attended as
an Austrian countess, and took place and precedence accordingly, for
the name Arundell of Wardour is inscribed in the Austrian official
lists of the Counts of the Empire. There was a difficulty raised
about Burton, because consuls are not admissible at the Court of
Vienna. Isabel was not a woman to go to places where her husband
was not admitted, and she insisted upon having the matter brought
before the notice of the Emperor, though the British Embassy clearly
told her the thing was impossible--Burton could not be admitted. When
the Emperor heard of the difficulty through the court officials, he
at once solved it by saying that Burton might attend as an officer of
the English army.
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