Subscription Bills. 289 



ing-room in England than at a Subscription Ball in Berlin 

 Supper and refreshment halls vvere arranged, and stalls with 

 ice-creams and cooling drinks to be iound in the passages. 



I was sitting in a box together with Mrs. General von 

 Witzleben, looking with much interest upon this highly amus- 

 ing and lively scene. Her Majesty, knowing that the leave of 

 absence of my husband was expired, and that he had to re- 

 turn to Coblentz, sent for us to say adieu. When we left the 

 box of the Queen we met Prince Charles, the brother of the 

 King, who stopped and spoke to us ; and afterwards the 

 Crown Prince came, shook hands with us, and charmed us by 

 his amiability. We had received from him an invitation for a 

 ball on the 31st, but as my husband had to leave we had to 

 decline, with great regret. 



We left soon after the Queen, at about half-past eleven, and 

 \vent to supper at Countess Benckendortt's, meeting there some 

 diplomatists, who are always amusing compmy. It was again 

 two o'clock A.M. before we reached home. 



We left next day at seven o'clock p.m. for Coblentz, where 

 we resumed our usual life. On February 4 I went to a ball 



given by General von S at the military casino, ending 



only at two o'clock in the morning ; and the same evening I 



attended to our circle, where Mrs. von C invited us to a 



fancy dress ball, and next morning we went to Cologne to look 

 about for our costumes. The landlord of the Hotel Disch 

 gave us all desired information, and sent for a Miss Maria 

 Merjack, who assisted us, and whom we engaged to come to 

 Coblentz to teach us different Spanish dances ; for Mrs. von 



C and myself had decided on appearing in a Spanish 



quadrille. 



On the 9th again was a great ball given by General Her- 

 warth von Bittenfeld, when I danced every set, with old and 

 young gentlemen. 



Another fancy ball at General Von Herwarth's was decided 

 on for February 23, and as I could not possibly exclude myself 

 from taking part in it, I- joined a sailor or fisherman quadrille 

 in the costume of the people of Alsen, in compliment to the 

 General (who won a victory there in the Danish war) ; and, in 

 an evil hour, we ordered our costumes to be made by Mr. 

 Kemp, in Bonn, recommended I do not know'by whom. 



We had now a busy time with preDarino; for the two fancy 



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