cent, sweet and agreeable. She asked Mademoiselle d'Este if she
was going to the Duchess of Sutherland's ball, and on her replying
that she was not going, and giving some trifling reason for not
doing so, I couldn't help laughing, because on our way to
Marlborough House she had told me, with what appeared to me very
superfluous wrath and indignation, that she had received an
invitation to the duchess's ball, but that as it was coupled with an
intimation that it was hoped the persons who had been at the Queen's
great fancy ball, given a week before, would wear the same costumes
at Stafford House, Mademoiselle d'Este chose to consider this an
impertinent dictation, and said first "she would go in a plain white
satin gown," then "in a white muslin petticoat," finally, that "she
wouldn't go at all;" and working herself up by degrees into more
fury as she talked, she abused the Duchess of Sutherland vehemently,
mimicking her in a most ludicrous manner, and saying that she always
reminded her of "a great fat, white, trussed turkey," which
comparison and the ridiculous rage in which she made it made me
laugh till I cried, in spite of my admiration for the Duchess of
Sutherland, whose beauty and gracious sweetness of manner always
seemed to me very charming. When therefore, Mademoiselle d'Este
assigned another reason for not going to the Stafford House ball, in
answer to the Queen's inquiry, I couldn't help laughing, and told
the Queen the truth was that Mademoiselle d'Este's pride was hurt at
being requested to come in the fancy dress she had worn at the
Palace; and so, for this imaginary absurd offence, she was going to
give up a very fine and pleasant _fete_. The Queen laughed, and,
turning to Mademoiselle d'Este, said, "Your friend is right. You are
very foolish; you will lose a pleasant evening for nothing."

After this the conversation fell on the French plays and the
performances of Mademoiselle Dejazet, who was then acting at the St.
James's Theatre. The Queen having asked my opinion of these
representations, I said I was unwilling to enter upon the subject,
as I did not know how far the forms of etiquette would permit me to
express what I thought in her Majesty's presence. Upon her pressing
me, however, to state my opinion upon the subject, I reiterated what
I had said in a previous