324 MEMOIR OF 



announce the birth of the new vear, turned to 

 his fair partner and said, " Now I can say what 

 no man else can ever say again." 



''And wliat may that be?" inquired the 

 Princess, with an interested look. 



" That I've had the honour of dancing out 

 the old year and dancing in the new (1874) 

 with your Royal Highness." 



"Quite true," replied the Princess; "no one 

 else can say that but yourself," 



But Fame, that worst of all gossips, relates 

 of him on that occasion — though he himself 

 stoutly repudiated the impeachment — that, in 

 setting the Princess right as to some remark 

 she had made, he forgot for the moment whom 

 he was addressing and, said, " No, no, my dear ; 

 'tisn't so." But if, in truth, his tongue did so 

 slip, the pure Devonshire stram, in w^hich he 

 was wont to use that familiar expression in 

 speaking to ladies, if it did not astonish, must 

 have amused her Roval Highness amazinglv. 



At dinner, on the first day of that week's 

 visit, Russell's country manners cropped out 

 somewhat conspicuously. He had been helped 

 to fish, and, wishing for more, had sent his 

 plate off for a second "helping," when the 

 Prince, observing the vacancy before him, asked 

 if he didn't like fish. 



" Yes, sir," replied Russell, " Fm very fond 

 of fish. Fve been helped once, and Fve sent 



