General Zerman. 133 



We arrived in Mexico at eight o'clock in the evening, and 

 drove directly for my husband's lodging in the Puente de San 

 Francisco. I considered it a lucky omen that we entered 

 Mexico on that day, which was the fourth anniversary of my 

 wedding, and we celebrated it next day at a dinner given to us 

 by an acquaintance of Felix, General Zerman. 



This gentleman had been a General in the United States 

 during the war. I do not exactly know what business brought 

 him to Mexico, nor do I believe he really had any, though he 

 was always very fussy and busy, and talked much about enor- 

 mous claims he had against the United States Government. 

 Without being able to state an exact reason for it, one was in- 

 clined to suspect him of being somewhat of a humbug. He 

 was a great dandy, and had the peculiar fancy of wearing 

 always a grass-green suit. 



Next day Baron Magnus, the Prussian minister, paid me a 

 visit. Felix on first arriving in Mexico had a letter of intro- 

 duction to him from kind Baron Gerolt, and Baron Magnus 

 had indeed done all he could to assist him. He behaved also 

 in a very friendly manner towards me, and though I might have 

 wished him to act with more energy and decision under circum^ 

 stances where weak diplomatic tactics were of no avail, a too 

 sharp criticism would grate upon my feelings, for towards my 

 husband and myself he acted to the end with great kindness, 

 and it would be ungrateful not to acknowledge it with thank- 

 fulness. Moreover, I overrated perhaps his power and in- 

 fluence in Mexico, and my eagerness to assist the Emperor, 

 and to extricate him if possible from his dangerous position, 

 made me perhaps too exacting and eager for a course of action 

 , which was not allowed to a Prussian minister. I am no diplo- 

 matist, and if I follow my impulse, as I generally do, I am not 

 responsib' ^ to any king or prime minister it I commit a politi- 

 cal blunder; therefore I am perhaps no good judge about the 

 actions of diplomatists. If his Government were satisfied with 

 his behaviour in Mex-ico, he may smile at my unreasonable 

 exactions. 



The Baron frequently took me out in his carriage to show 

 me the city, \vith which I became well acquainted, as I had to 

 stay there several months. 



Though Mexico has not been described so frequently by 

 tourists as London and Paris, and a detailed account of its 



