ndous noise was heard without--then came a loud roll of the drums,
which lasted for several seconds, and the clank of musketry--then a
cheer;--it is the king.

The king! resounded on all sides; and in another moment the large
folding-doors at the end of the saal were thrown open, and the music
struck up the national anthem of Bavaria.

His majesty entered, accompanied by the queen, his brother, two or three
archduchesses, and a long suite of officers.

I could not help remarking upon the singular good taste with which the
assembly--all anxious and eager to catch a glimpse of his majesty
--behaved on this occasion. There was no pressing forward to the
"estrade" where he stood,--no vulgar curiosity evinced by any one, but
the group continued, as before, to gather and scatter. The only
difference being, that the velvet chair and cushion, which had attracted
some observers before, were, now that they were tenanted by royalty,
passed with a deep and respectful salutation. How proper this, thought
I, and what an inducement for a monarch to come among his people, who
remember to receive him with such true politeness. While these thoughts
were passing through my mind, as I was leaning against a pillar that
supported the gallery of the orchestra, a gentleman whose dress, covered
with gold and embroidery, bespoke him as belonging to the court, eyed me
aside with his lorgnette and then passed rapidly on. A quadrille was now
forming near me, and I was watching, with some interest, the proceeding,
when the same figure that I remarked before, approached me, bowing deeply
at every step, and shaking a very halo of powder from his hair at each
reverence.

"May I take the liberty of introducing myself to you?" said he.--"Le
Comte Benningsen." Here he bowed again, and I returned the obeisance
still deeper. "Regretted much that I was not fortunate enough to make
your acquaintance this evening, when I called upon you."

"Never heard of that," said I to myself.

"Your excellency arrived this evening?"

"Yes," said I, "only a few hours since."

"How fond these Germans are of titles," thought I. Remembering that in
Vienna every one is "his grace," I thought it might be Bavarian
politeness to call every one his excellency.

"You have not been presented, I believe?"

"No," said I; "but I hope to take an early opportunity of paying 'mes
homages' to his majesty."

"I have just received his orders to present you now," replied h