esented every one of the ladies to the Queen,
_even me_. All the royal carriages seemed to be out--two open
barouches with four horses were for the four royalties. I drove to the
castle to see Nina, who was already installed in her regal apartment.
I went up the _Wendeltreppe_, through two antechambers and a small
_salon_, before reaching her magnificent drawing-room. It had superb
tapestries on the walls and was filled with fine old Dutch inlaid
furniture. It is called the Braunschweig suite, nine rooms in all.
Frederick had a separate staircase and entrance. Nina and I went to
the window to look out onto the _Platz_ in front of the castle, and
saw the parade pass before the Emperor and the King, who stood in the
rain while the troops marched by.

Nina had a court carriage and lackey at her disposal all the time she
was in Berlin. In the evening there was a state dinner in the superb
_Weissesaal_. Johan and I and the members of the Legation were the
only diplomats present. We all met in the Grand Gallery; the Emperor
took in the Queen of Denmark, placing her on his right, and the King
gave his arm to the Empress and sat facing the Emperor. The table was
in the shape of a horseshoe, and there were about eighty people
present. Prince Schleswig-Holstein (familiarly called Prince Abby)
took me in, and the Emperor's son, Prince Adalbert, sat on my left.
The _menu_ was in German. Some of the French dishes seemed to have
puzzled the translator. The Empress wore a dress of blue brocade and
many beautiful jewels. Our Queen wore a light-gray satin trimmed with
lace, and her famous diamond-and-pearl necklace. The Emperor wore the
Danish uniform, and the King was in the uniform of his Prussian
regiment. A military band played throughout dinner.

I was amused when the fruit and bonbons were passed. Both the princes
next to me piled their plates high with them and passed them over
their shoulders to the young gentlemen pages who stood behind each
royal person, thus depriving many ladies of the longed-for bonbons,
which were adorned with the portraits of their Majesties.

The Emperor made a very charming and touching speech in German, when
we all stood up and emptied our glasses. The King replied in German,
and we again got up and drank. After dinner every one went into the
long gallery, and their four Majesties talked very informally with us
while taking their coffee. At eleven o'clock their Majesties retired.
I was glad, for Nin