dless, forgotten, and
neglected."

All her mirrors were covered with black stuff of some kind; she did
not wish to see the sad relics of her beauty.

At eleven o'clock every evening she took a walk with her maid around
the Place Vendome. She stayed in bed all day, never rising till
twilight, and receiving no one but one or two old admirers who were
faithful to the end.

Her things (_haillons_ they were called in official language) were
sold at auction--piles of old ball-shoes, head-gear, gloves stiffened
with moisture and age. Apparently, she never gave anything away, but
hoarded her treasures, which after her death were swept in corners and
smelled of mold and damp.

We are named to Berlin. I am very sorry to leave Paris; I was getting
quite accustomed to its little ways. Johan went to the Elysees to
present his _lettres de rappel_. It seems only yesterday he went to
present his _lettres de creance_. The President gave him the Grand
Cordon of the _Legion d'honneur_, and to me the beautiful _service de
Sevres_ called "_La Chasse_," a _surtout de table_ of five pieces.
This is only given to royalty or Ambassadors. One cannot buy it, as it
belongs to the French government. I heard that they hesitated between
giving me that or a piece of Gobelin tapestry. I was glad they chose
the _surtout de table_. It will be useful in two ways--as a subject of
conversation and as a beautiful souvenir of our stay in Paris.

BERLIN, 1902-1912

BERLIN, _January 22, 1903_.

Dear L.,--J.'s presentation of his _lettres de creance_ to the Emperor
was a small affair compared with former functions, which were combined
with gala coaches, powdered coachmen, and _pourboires_. It was simply
taking a train to Potsdam, in which there was a section called
_Kaiserlich_. The Minister of Foreign Affairs accompanied him, as was
his duty. In a royal carriage from the court they were driven to the
Neues Palais. J. was met by the _Introducteur des Ambassadeurs_ (Herr
von Knesebeck) and conducted into the presence of the Emperor, where
J. made his speech. The Emperor was very official and ceremonious when
he responded, but in the conversation afterward was affability itself.
J.'s audience with the Empress was very hurried, because of the Crown
Prince of Denmark, who had arrived the night before in Berlin. He
stayed two days at Neues Palais.

I arrived two weeks after this. The custom here is for a Minister's
wife to be presented by the _