her); a large _salon_, two
smaller _salons_, a library, and a spacious dining-room; and it has
(quite rare in Stockholm) a _porte-cochere_. The Chancellery is in the
courtyard, having its separate entrance and staircase.

The evening before we left Copenhagen we had the honor of dining with
the King and Queen of Denmark, at Amalienborg. It was a family dinner,
J. and I being the only guests. After dinner the Queen talked a long
time with me and handed me the letter she had written to the Queen of
Sweden.

"I told her," she said, "that I was very fond of you, and I knew that
she would be equally so. And how the Duke of Nassau [her brother]
admired you and your singing."

"If your Majesty hadn't said it, I never would have believed that the
Duke liked my singing. I was under the impression that he would have
liked me better without the singing."

"Yes," the Queen said, "I confess that he is not musical, and does not
like _all_ music, but he really did like to hear you sing. He told me
so."

"Of course he knows," I answered, "but he is the last person from whom
I expected to receive a compliment."

As their Majesties retired, the Queen held out her hand, and when I
stooped to kiss it she kissed me affectionately on both cheeks. The
King, on shaking hands with me, said, "_God Reise_" which is Danish for
_bon voyage_.

The first days in a new post are always very busy ones. My first visit
was to _the doyenne_ of the _Corps Diplomatique_, Baroness Ph. She gave
me a list of visits to be made, and a quantity of her own cards with
_pour presenter_ with mine.

Yesterday J. was received by the King, and presented his _lettres de
creance_.

Although J. had been Secretary of Legation, and had been groomsman at
the marriage in Stockholm of the Crown Prince of Denmark to Princess
Louise (niece of King Oscar), and was very well known to the King, all
the regular formalities had to be gone through with. J. made his
traditional official speech to the King, both standing; and the King
solemnly answered with an elaborate assurance that the relations
between Sweden and Denmark had always been of the best and that they
would remain so.

When the ceremonious utterances were ended, the King put his arm on
J.'s shoulder and said: "Now let us sit down and have a good talk
together of old times." The King "thee-and-thoued" Johan, and said,
"_Her, du. Naar kommer din husfru?_" which in English means, "Listen
thou. When is thy wife c