n
having had all objects of interest shown to him. I could not keep myself
from asking him how he could find it in his heart to accept so many
marks of kindness from the king when he was on the point of departing in
order to fight against him. Upon this observation of mine he appeared
somewhat ashamed, and answered me: 'It is true that such a thought
passed through my mind one day, when the king offered to show me his
fleet. I answered that I hoped to see it some day, and then quietly
retired, in order to escape from the embarrassment of being obliged to
decline, point blank, the offer, should it be repeated.'"

The baroness's own meeting with the king soon after her return to
England, in the autumn of 1780, when the prisoners were exchanged, is
thus entertainingly described: "One day when we were yet seated at
table, the queen's first lady of honour, my Lady Howard, sent us a
message to the effect that her Majesty would receive us at six o'clock
that afternoon. As my court dress was not yet ready, and I had nothing
with me proper to wear, I sent my apologies for not going at that time,
which I again repeated when we had the honour of being presented to
their Majesties, who were both present at the reception. The queen,
however, as did also the king, received us with extraordinary
graciousness, and replied to my excuses by saying, 'We do not look at
the dress of those persons we are glad to see.'

"They were surrounded by the princesses, their daughters. We seated
ourselves before the chimney-fire,--the queen, the princesses, the first
lady of honour, and myself,--forming a half-circle, my husband, with the
king, standing in the centre close to the fire. Tea and cakes were then
passed round. I sat between the queen and one of the princesses, and was
obliged to go over a great part of my adventures. Her majesty said to me
very graciously, 'I have followed you everywhere, and have often
inquired after you; and I have always heard with delight that you were
well, contented, and beloved by every one.' I happened to have at this
time a shocking cough. Observing this, the Princess Sophia went herself
and brought me a jelly made of black currants, which she represented as
a particularly good remedy, and forced me to accept a jar full.

"About nine o'clock in the evening the Prince of Wales came in. His
youngest sisters flocked around him, and he embraced them and danced
them around. In short, the royal family had such a pecu