Читать книгу Marconi My Beloved - Maria C. Marconi - Страница 40

We went from Civitavecchia to Santa Marinella where my cousins the Marchese and Marchesa Sacchetti had their summer villa. It was really pleasant to see our relatives again. Prince Odescalchi used to spend the summer in his castle at Palo. When he heard from my cousins that Guglielmo and I were planning to stay in the area until the birth of the baby he offered us his lovely villa by the sea. We were delighted to accept and rented it for the three summer months. In this way my husband could carry on with his experiments on board the Elettra which was anchored out at sea. I have wonderful memories of those days. Villa Odescalchi was built on the rocks outside the town towards Santa Marinella and Guglielmo and I had a magnificent room overlooking the sea. It was here that our beloved Elettra was born.

On 20^th July, 1930, the day of our daughter’s birth, the waves were breaking violently against the rocks and making a deafening noise. The din did not bother me, in fact I liked it. Guglielmo was with me, encouraging me with his smile. We talked lovingly about the little baby that was about to come into the world and wondered what it would be like. We did not yet know that our child would love the sea, which was so close and made itself heard so violently that day, as much as Guglielmo and I did. I had a beautiful baby girl with blue eyes and fair hair. Guglielmo wanted to call her Elettra like his yacht. We were filled with joy. We had a daughter who made our happiness complete.

Our daughter was christened Maria in devotion to the Virgin Mary; Elettra after the yacht; Elena in honour of her godmother the Queen of Italy and Anna after her two grandmothers, Guglielmo’s mother and my own.

Elettra was baptized on 30^th July at Villa Odescalchi in a room that was turned into a chapel for the occasion. His Eminence Cardinal Eugenio Pacelli, who was then the Secretary of State, came expressly from the Vatican City. He had wanted to bless my marriage to Guglielmo in 1927 but unfortunately at that time he had not been able to leave Berlin where he was the Papal Nunzio. He did us the great honour of baptizing our daughter. The future Pope Pius XII was a very old friend of my family and ever since I was a little girl I had been fortunate enough to meet him often at our house. When he arrived at the villa everyone was struck by his tall figure dressed in the purple cardinal’s robes. He was good looking and impressive and he emanated a great spirituality.

Elettra’s godmother was Queen Elena who gave her a beautiful diamond medal and a little gold and pearl necklace. Her majesty was represented by a lady in waiting, the Duchess of Laurenzana. The christening ceremony was followed by a reception in the garden. The owners of the villa, Prince and Princess Odescalchi were present. Enzo and Vittoria were close friends of ours and I remember them with great affection. Our friendship continues with their children. Naturally all my closest relatives were there: Prince Orsini, Prince and Princess Barberini, Marchese and Marchesa Sacchetti, Marchese and Marchesa Serlupi Crescenzi, my aunt Maria, my father’s sister who was married to Marchese Guglielmi D’Antognolla. Among our friends were the Princes and Princesses Colonna, Massimo, Chigi, Borghese, del Drago, Ruspoli, Lancellotti, and Torlonia, Duke and Duchess Lante delle Rovere, Duke and Duchess Sforza Cesarini, Marchese and Marchesa Theodoli and the Governor of Rome Prince Francesco Boncompagni Ludovisi with his wife Princess Nicoletta.

The weather was fine that day and the sea was calm. After the christening Guglielmo asked Cardinal Pacelli if he would like to hear some messages from Australia in the radio station on board the Elettra. This was still a great novelty as the first official communication had taken place only a short time before. The Cardinal, who was always very interested in my husband’s experiments, was delighted to accept the invitation. The Elettra which was anchored in front of Villa Odescalchi had all her flags flying and looked more beautiful than ever that day. His Eminence, accompanied by Guglielmo, went out to the yacht in our motorboat and was ceremoniously welcomed on board the Elettra by the Captain and the crew. He stayed for some time in the radio station and listened with interest to Guglielmo’s explanations and to the radio signals and conversations from far away countries.

Just a few members of my family and our closest friends stayed on after Cardinal Pacelli’s departure. Guglielmo took Prince Odescalchi’s children, Livio, Anna, Ladislao and Alessandro on board the Elettra so that they could visit the yacht and listen to the radio messages that came from far away. Guido and Maria were too little to go. I can still see my husband’s happy expression at the end of that exceptional day.

Keeping a promise he made us at the time, and therefore as an exception, a few years later Cardinal Pacelli who by then had become Pope Pius XII administered First Communion and Confirmation to our daughter Elettra in the Matilde Chapel in the Vatican. When his Holiness Pius XII died in 1958 it left a great void in our lives.