dered. J. looked through the
archives of the Legation to see if he could find anything bearing on
this subject, but in vain. The mighty question does not seem to have
troubled my predecessors. They seem to have worn the sleeves and gone
on living.

J. remembered that the wife of his former Minister, on the occasion of
the marriage of the Crown Prince, wore them. I decided to write to the
Queen of Denmark to ask her advice, telling her of the threatened
antagonism against me.

This is her letter in reply:

I advise you, dear Lillie, to do as their Majesties desire. The
Crown Princess always wears the sleeves when in Stockholm, and I
think it would be more polite and less awkward if you wore them
also.

Therefore I had them made. Thursday came: my dress was ready and the
obnoxious sleeves in their places, I quite admired them, and would not
have minded wearing them every day. Still, I could not but think how a
whole ballroom of ladies with them on must have appeared in Queen
Christina's time.

Although it was the duty of the Baroness to accompany me, I was not
surprised when I received a long letter explaining how a severe
headache had suddenly swooped down on her and would deprive her of that
pleasure.

That was her way of getting over this _impasse_.

The situation was awkward. This refusal at the eleventh hour was very
annoying. I was not expected alone, but alone I should have to go.
There was no alternative, and the absence of the _doyenne_ must explain
itself as best it could.

I arrived in solitary grandeur, and was conducted in state to the
_salon_, where the _grande maitresse_--with the sleeves, of
course!--was ready to receive me. She did not seem in the least
surprised at seeing me alone; possibly the _doyenne_ had written her
own account of the headache. I could see that she applauded the stand I
had taken, so I felt that if I had lost favor with my colleagues I had
gained it at court.

We went together to the _salon_, where we found the Queen. She rose and
gave me her hand, and I bowed low over it. She was dressed all in
black, with the white satin sleeves conspicuous under a long lace veil
which hung from her head. She is very fine-looking, tall, and imposing,
with a quiet and serious manner. She looks the personification of
goodness.

I gave her the letter the Queen of Denmark had sent her. Then she
talked of her brother (Duke of Nassau), and said he had written about
me and