s, and from the proscenium boxes to the orchestra.
In the center of the house is the royal box, the balustrade of which
is covered with real flowers. From all the balconies are hung
beautiful carpets covered with festoons. The whole interior was a mass
of color.

The Emperor and Empress sat, of course, in the front of the box, while
the other chairs were filled by royal guests who had come to Berlin to
congratulate the Emperor. The King of Saxony, the King of Wuertemberg,
and the other German royalties, all sat in the royal box. The
Emperor's sons had their seats in the balcony.

The Ambassadors occupied the four proscenium boxes. The highest
princesses of the German nobility sat in the next balconies. The
_Corps Diplomatique_ occupied the boxes and balconies adjoining the
royal box. All the officers and secretaries of the Embassies sat in
the parquet.

When the audience was seated the _directeur generale des theatres_
entered the royal box, came forward, and rapped with his stick three
times, a signal that their Majesties were about to enter. The royal
party came in very quietly and took their places. Every one in the
house, of course, stood up and bowed. It was a pretty sight from our
balcony to see all the men's heads in the parquet bend down while they
saluted their Majesties. It looked like the swaying of wheat by the
wind.

Gradually all the lights were turned out and the overture commenced.
The opera was "Carmen" and Madame Destinn sang.

In the _entr'acte_ the diplomats and the ladies and gentlemen in the
first balcony were begged to go in the foyer, where they were
presented to the different royalties assembled there.

The Empress was covered with magnificent diamonds and pearls, and the
jewels displayed by all these royal ladies, and all the glittering
uniforms of the princes and officers made a splendid sight.

The Emperor came toward me with a gleam of recognition, and commenced
in an entirely unceremonious way, shaking me heartily by the hand:

"How do you do? It's a long time since I saw you."

"Not since Rome, when your Majesty was there in 1889," I answered.

"So long ago? I remember it so well! As if it was yesterday!"

"I, too," I said. "I remember your Majesty being in the Statue Gallery
of the Capitol, where you looked like one of the statues itself, in
your white uniform."

"I remember," he said. "It was a dreadful glare."

"It was the first time they ever put electricity in the Capi