Part 34 (1/2)
This afternoon the King came to take tea with us. I had not seen him since the death of the Queen. It was a great pleasure to have him in my house. He and I sat in the large _salon_, while Johan, the King's adjutant, and a German gentleman attached to the King during his stay here remained in the next room. The King only talked about the Queen.
I, who loved her so much, was all tears. His Majesty once in a while would put his hand on mine and say, ”You loved her.” We had our tea alone. He told me that the Queen's room in Amalienborg remains just as she had left it. My photograph was on the mantelpiece in her boudoir, and the cus.h.i.+on that I had embroidered for her was still on her _chaise-longue_. Nothing there was to be disturbed.
As the King left I pointed to the portrait of himself he had given me, which was hanging on the wall. I said:
”I prize this, your Majesty, more than anything I own, because you gave it to me yourself.”
”I was better-looking then than I am now. Is that not true?”
”Your Majesty is always handsome in _my_ eyes,” I answered.
”Dear madame, you make me vain.” And he took my hand, and the kind King kissed it like a _preux chevalier_ of the old school.
As I followed him to the door he said, ”Do not come any farther; you will take cold. I will bid you good-by here.” He is about eighty-five years old, and as youthful in his movements as a young man.
J. said, ”I am sorry we have no lift.”
[Ill.u.s.tration: QUEEN LOUISE OF DENMARK From a photograph taken in 1878. She was the wife of King Christian IX., and the mother of Queen Alexandra of England, Empress Dagmar of Russia, King George of Greece, and various royalties.]
”I do not need a lift; I can still run down the stairs.” Which he did in a surprising manner.
The King left that evening; and as he begged me not to come to the station, J. went without me.
_February, 1903._
As Johan is accredited to the Court of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, we were invited to a great court ball which was to be given. We arrived at Schwerin at twelve o'clock, and found the _marechal de la cour_, the court servants and carriages at the station awaiting us. We were not installed in the castle, but at the Grand d.u.c.h.ess Marie's palace in the town itself. The _marechal_ who met us informed us that we were expected to luncheon at one o'clock. We just had time to change our dresses and drive to the castle. The lady of honor and the _marechal de la cour_ received us in the hall on the ground floor, and the elevator took us up to the _salon_ where the Grand Duke and the Grand d.u.c.h.ess were awaiting us.
The Grand d.u.c.h.ess is very charming and very handsome. She is the daughter of the d.u.c.h.ess of c.u.mberland, granddaughter of King Christian. We had luncheon in one corner of the vaulted hall--a luncheon of twenty people. I sat on the right of the Grand Duke, who was most amiable. After luncheon the Grand d.u.c.h.ess took me into her boudoir and showed me all her souvenirs--photographs of Bernstorff, a screen painted by the Queen of Denmark, and aquarelles of Gmunden, her home. She has all the charm of her dear mother and her beloved grandmother.
At four o'clock we left and drove about Schwerin, making the obligatory visits. A court carriage with a lackey was put at our service during our stay. I rested, having rushed about since eight o'clock in the morning.
Our apartment in this palace looked as if the mistress had just left it. The drawing-room is filled with knick-knacks, a piano with music on it, and tables with writing-materials. At seven o'clock we dined with the grand master of ceremonies and his wife at their palace. A dinner where you know none of the guests and no one knows you must naturally be uninteresting, and this one did not prove the contrary.
At half past nine we went again to the _chateau_ to attend the ball. A chamberlain met us at the antechamber and preceded us into the ballroom. The grand-ducal pair came toward us, and I was led to my place on a raised dais. I danced the _quadrille d'honneur_ with the Grand Duke. Very nearly every one in the room was presented to me, and I found among them many people I had known before--therefore we had some subjects of conversation, for which I was thankful.
The _chateau_ is a _bijou_. It has a winding staircase which is worthy of Blois. We mounted this to go to the supper-room. The supper was served at small tables, and was excellent. Frederikke danced the cotillion, and we stayed until the end. It had indeed been a long day for me. The next day we drove to the _chateau_ and bid their Highnesses good-by.
BERLIN, _1904_.
Dear L.,--At one of the Towers's costume b.a.l.l.s Mr. X, of American renown, dressed conspicuously as Jupiter (of all ironies!), stalked about, trying to act up to his part by shaking in people's faces his ridiculous tin bolts held in white kid-glove hands, and facetiously knocking them on the head. He happened, while talking to a lady, to be right in front of the young Prince. A friend tapped him discreetly on the shoulder, giving him a significant look. ”What is the matter?”
said Mr. X, in a loud voice, glaring at his friend. A gentle whisper informed him that he had better turn round and face the Prince.
”Heavens!” said the ungracious Jupiter. ”I can't help it; I'm always treading on their toes” (meaning the Prince's).
Speaking of indiscretions, I was told (I cannot say whether it is true) that Mrs. Z, one of our compatriots, having met the Emperor in Norway, where their yachts were stationed, and feeling that she was on familiar enough terms, said to him:
”Is it not lovely in Paris? Have you been there lately?”
”No, I have not,” answered the surprised Kaiser.