ou from under his bushy brows, and see his
cruel, satirical smile, you are a little prejudiced against him. We
meet him often at our friend Ross's studio at afternoon teas, where
there is always a little music. Ibsen sits sullen, silent, and
indifferent. He does not like music, and does not disguise his dislike.
This is not, as you may imagine, inspiring to the performers. In fact,
just to look at him takes all the life out of you. He is a veritable
wet blanket. I have read all his works in the original. I think they
lose a great deal in being translated. The Norwegian language is very
curt and concise, each word conveying almost the meaning of two in
English, which enables the author to paint a whole situation in a few
words. I can see the difference, in reading the English translations,
and where they fail to convey his real meaning. Strangers who wish to
see Ibsen must go to the cheap Italian restaurant, "Falcone," where he
sits before a small iron table, eating deviled devil-fish. No wonder
that he is morbid and his plays weird!

_February, 1881._

Dear Mother,--I know you would like to hear about the first ball at the
Quirinal. It was very splendid. Since the last and famous ball at the
Tuileries I had seen nothing like it. When we had mounted the
guard-lined staircase and passed through innumerable _salons_ we were
received by the _Grande Maitresse_, surrounded by numerous _dames de
palais_, all so beautiful that I wondered if they had been chosen for
their beauty alone. I never saw so many handsome women grouped
together. Numerous chamberlains preceded us into the ballroom and
showed us the benches where the _Corps Diplomatique_ have their places.
The benches looked inviting enough, with their red-velvet coverings and
their gilded legs, but I did not feel as if I should care to sit on
them for hours.

Madame Minghetti sat on one of the _taborets_ on one side of the
throne, and Madame Cairoli (wife of the Minister of Foreign Affairs)
occupied the _taboret_ on the other side. These two ladies are the only
ones who have the right to sit on the little square stools that are
called _taborets_.

We waited in our places until we heard the orchestra start the national
hymn, then every one stood up as the King and the Queen entered arm in
arm, followed by splendidly dressed and bejeweled _dames d'honneur_ and
the numerous suite. Their Majesties went to the throne, stood there a
moment, then stepped down and spoke t