Although enquiries from many sources left the age of the house something of a mystery, incidents and passages from its life testified to the richness of its career, The residence of many Consul-Generals of Italy and France during its lifetime, it was last inhabited by Count Ciano who left his post here as Consul-General for Italy in 1933.! While that famous diplomat lived there, it was the setting for many great social functions, even as it was while occupied by Cav. G. de Rossi who was Consul-General here from 1911 to 1924 and later rose to diploniatic heights as a Minister for italy. As many as 500 and 600 residents would attend the balls held within those walls.
But during the last four years the house has been empty. No-one lived there for the simple reason that it was far too dangerous. Old and feeble, the walls grew unworthy of trust.
After the departure of Count Ciano four years ago, some of the secretaries of the Italian Consulate made. the house their abode; but not for long Perhaps resentful of having its status so lowered, the house suddenly started dropping some of its upper portions upon the inmates one night. Thoroughly terrified, the occupants hed out of the treacherous build-n their pyjamas, since that incident the house has been without human inhabi tants although there have been intimations that it was not exactly uninhabited. Vague stories have been told. of strange noises emanating at night from the crurabling old. house. If ever a house had a right to be haunted this one has or had. hidden from the street by a barrier of trees growing closely together.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.