ard the
ladies, passing rapidly from one to the other. He made quick work of
us, as he did most of the talking himself, hardly ever waiting for an
answer.

He said to me, "The Queen tells me that you have been here before."

"I have, your Majesty," I answered; "I was here five years ago and had
the honor to be presented to you."

"Really?" said the King. "I don't remember."

"But I've known you longer even than that," I said.

"How so?" asked the King, abruptly.

"When your Majesty was in Paris in 1867."

"That makes us very old friends," he said, smilingly.

Finally, when their Majesties had finished the circle, they met at the
end of the ball-room; every one made a _grande reverence_, and they
bowed graciously in response and withdrew.

We ladies, in walking out, allowed our _manteaux_ to trail behind us.
We entered the room where refreshments were served, and crowded around
the buffet, which groaned under the weight of all sorts of good things.
We drank one another's health and Happy New Year in champagne.

_January, 1881._

Dear Mother,--You would never believe that my official duties weigh as
heavily on me as they do. I received a letter from the Marquise
Villamarina, saying that "her Gracious Sovereign would be pleased to
receive me on the seventh at three o'clock." Therefore, dressed in my
best, I drove to the Quirinal. It is so near our palace that I had
hardly entered the carriage before I had to get out of it. The
gorgeously dressed and long-bearded _concierge_ who stood pompously at
the entrance of the palace waved the carriage to the other end of the
courtyard, and pounded his mace on the pavement in an authoritative
manner.

I mounted the broad, winding staircase, went through the long gallery
lined with lackeys, and reached the _salon_, where the Marquise
Villamarina was waiting to receive me. After the usual greetings she
said, "_Sa Majeste vous attend_," and led me through many _salons_ to
the one where the Queen was. I noticed, as we walked along, that the
Marquise removed her right-hand glove, I took this as a hint that I
should do the same. The Queen was standing when I entered the room. I
made a deep courtesy before going in. She came forward and gave me her
ungloved hand, over which I bowed deeply. The Marquise retired, leaving
me alone with the Queen, who motioned me to sit beside her on the sofa.
She spoke French, and so rapidly that I could hardly follow her. She
was kindness it