298 Ten Years of my Life, 



dinner next day, and the same was received by the Duke and 

 Duchess of Ossuna, and the Counts and Countesses Furstem- 

 burg arid Larisch. 



Next morning the Augusta regiment arrived at Ems, and 

 passed in parade before the King and Prince Albrecht, stand- 

 ing with their staffs by chance right opposite my windows. 

 That over, we drove to our house in Coblentz, and went to 

 dinner in the palace at five o'clock. The Queen was very 

 gracious, and gave me a little lecture about ray health, and 



Countess H was quite malicious, making some pointed 



remarks, which, however, did not hurt me. 



The dinner was soon over, for the queen had after it a 

 grand cafe-dansa?it in the garden, where about two hundred 

 people from Coblentz appeared in their best looks and finery. 



We all should have liked to stay to the end of the festivrJ, 

 but her Majesty would not allow us, as we vvere under medical 

 treatment, jestingly saying that she would not deprive his 

 Majesty the King of his usual company. She had ordered the 

 express train to stop for us near the palace, and about seven 

 o'clock we had to leave. 



In walking from the palace to the bridge where the train 

 stood, we were surprised by a pelting shower, which made sad 

 iiavoc with our bonnets and dresses, though I did not suffer 

 much, for I sheltered myself under the ample petticoats of my 

 magnificent cousin, who laughed at my expedient of using her 

 as a tent. Our whole party arrived like drowned rats on the 

 Promenade, or like wet peacocks, which seemed the impres- 

 sion of his Majesty, who joked us about our fine feathers being 

 ruffled by the rain. 



Just when the King left us and went away with Count Lehn- 

 dorff, the French minister, Count Benedetti, stopped his 

 Majesty and said something to him, on which our noble 

 sovereign became two inches taller, and his kind face acquired 

 an expression that I had never before seen upon it. Making 

 an impatient movement with his hand towards Count Lehn- 

 dorff he went away alone, leaving the oily Frenchman quite 

 petrified. All who were near were very curious, and the news 

 of this rather strange occurrence ran like wildfire through all 

 Ems, creating great excitement. 



On July 13 I was up early, and we^t to the Promenade, 

 where I saw the King walking with General von Treskow, his 



