a rule, she is not present at large
dinners, because of her health. The King gave his arm to our Princess,
the Crown Prince took the Queen. Prince Carl gave me his arm and put me
on the left of the King.

During the repast the King asked me if I had read his book of travels.
I regretted to say that I had not. Then he called his _chasseur_, who
always stands behind his chair, and told him to beg the adjutant to see
that a copy of the book should be sent to me.

He talked a great deal of Paris, of his admiration for the Empress
Eugenie, and how he had enjoyed his visit during the Exposition of
1867. He said, "Do you remember our excursion in my little boat when
you, the Princess Mathilde, and Marquis Callifet did me the honor to
come with me?"

"Yes, I remember very well, but I think the honor was on our side."

"Do you remember," he said, "the guitar, and those delightful songs you
sang--'Beware?' Do you remember?"

I remembered, certainly, and wondered if I had ever sung anything else
in my life.

"And our going to the Rothschilds' place near Boulogne," he continued,
"where the porter refused to let us enter the park?"

"Yes," I replied. "But when he heard who you were all the doors were
thrown wide open."

"Those were pleasant days," the King said with a sigh of recollection.
"I was a good friend of yours, and never will I change."

"I hope you never will, your Majesty."

"Never," he said. "When once I am a friend, I am a friend for always,
and I shall always be a good friend to you." And, taking up my hand
from the table, he kissed it--a most embarrassing moment for me!

* * * * *

Our ball was a great success. Perhaps you don't know how festivities
belonging to royal visits are managed. Entertainments are prearranged
three or four weeks before the arrival of the royal guests.

I had never entertained royalty before, therefore I was naturally
rather nervous. I sent to Nice for kilos of flowers, and to Rome for
mosaic brooches and little _fiaschettis_, which I filled with perfume.
I sent to Paris for canes and card-cases and silver pencils, and
arranged a surprise for my guests. This was a fancy-dress quadrille, to
be danced by sixteen young people at the beginning of the cotillon.
Four couples were dressed as shepherds and shepherdesses in
different-colored satins, with powdered hair and bright ribbons. The
other four were dressed as _incroyables_.

The great problem w