aid
"Ha!" Another pause, the presentee hardly considering himself
justified in replying to this observation. The duke finding he had
made a false start and accomplished nothing, shifted his weight to the
right foot, simultaneously hanging his head on his shoulder on that
side, and said "Hum!" It would often occur that when he had reached
that point he would make a duck forward with his head to signify that
the audience was at an end.

If there was anything that the presenting official thought might be
appropriately remarked to the distinguished presentee, he would
whisper a hint to that effect in the grand ducal ear, of which His
Highness was usually glad to avail himself. I remember one amusing
instance in point, when it needed all the sense of the majesty of the
sovereign presence to preserve in the bystanders the gravity due to
the occasion. It was in the case of an American presentation. The
United States had at that time no recognized representative at the
grand ducal court, and Americans, much fewer in number then than of
late years, were generally presented by a banker who had almost all
the American business. This gentleman, having to present some one--I
forget the name--who was connected by blood or in some other special
manner with Washington, whispered to the grand duke that such was the
case. His Serene Highness bowed his appreciation of the fact. Then,
after going through the usual foot-exercise, and after a longer pause
than usual, he looked up at the expectant visitor standing in front of
him, and said, but with evident effort, "Ah-h-h! Le grand Vaash!"
There was nothing more forthcoming. Having thus delivered himself, he
made his visitor a low bow, and the latter retired. It was evident
that the grand duke of Tuscany heard of "Le grand Vaash" then for the
first time in his life.

After any specialty of this sort had been disposed of, the ruck of
presentees, standing like a lot of school-boys in a long row, were
"presented," which ceremony was deemed to have been effectually
accomplished by one duck of the grand ducal head, to be divided among
all the recipients, and an answering duck from each of them in return.
They were then as free to amuse themselves in any manner it seemed
good to them as if they had been at a public place of entertainment
and had paid for their tickets. And not only that, but they were free
to return and do the same, without any fresh presentation ceremony,
every time there was