124 ELIZABETH CARY AGASSIZ 



be lost. It impressed me even more than the first time, 

 as everything does when it has the charm of familiar- 

 ity and association and suggests so much more than 

 itself, something that is personal to you over and 

 above its own external features. We have been an- 

 chored only an hour but have received the visit of the 

 doctor and the washerwoman, always the first comers, 

 and also a messenger from his Imperial Highness, 

 asking the names of the party. The oldest daughter of 

 the Emperor (his only child now, poor man) with her 

 husband, the Conte d'Eu, have the regency in the 

 absence of their father. 



Rio de Janeiro, January %5 



YESTERDAY, the day after our arrival, the Chamber- 

 lain of the Princess came to say she should be in town 

 with the Conte d'Eu in the afternoon and wished we 

 could call if we were in town. We went, of course, 

 and had a very pleasant visit. They were quite alone, 

 having sent word that we should come before the hour 

 of their reception. You know we knew them when we 

 were here before. She has acquired so much gentle- 

 ness and ease of manner, and she combines the sweet- 

 ness of her mother's expression now with the decision 

 and intelligence of her father. The Conte d'Eu, since 

 he finished up the war so honorably for the Brazilian 

 people, is their idol. He is what he always was, gay, 

 easy, cordial, and with the self-possession and un- 

 consciousness of perfect good breeding. They bade 

 us good-bye at the hour of their public reception and 

 asked us not to fail to come and see them at Petropolis. 



