CHÂTEAU DE FONTAINEBLEAU, _June 29, 1861_.
DEAR FRIEND: I received the cigar-case, which is charming even to my
eyes, which have just seen the gifts of the Siamese ambassadors. Our
letters crossed. I am so busy here doing nothing that I have had no time
to write. At last we are all leaving to-night, and I shall be in Paris
when you receive this letter.
We had, on Tuesday, a passably good ceremony, quite like that in the
_Bourgeois Gentilhomme_. It is impossible to conceive of a more singular
spectacle than that of a score of black men, with a strong resemblance
to monkeys, dressed in gold brocade, and wearing white stockings and
patent-leather shoes, with sword at their sides, all flat on their
stomachs, crawling on knees and elbows along the Henri II gallery,
carrying their noses as high as the backs of those who preceded. If you
have ever seen the advertisement on the _Pont Neuf_, “The Dog’s
Good-morning,” you may form some idea of the scene.
The first ambassador had the hardest time. He wore a felt hat
embroidered in gold, which danced on his head at every movement, and,
besides, carried in his hands a bowl of gold filigree, containing two
boxes, in each of which was a letter from their Siamese majesties. The
letters were in silk and gold purses, and the whole thing extremely
rich.
After having delivered the letters, when they tried to turn around,
confusion reigned in the embassy. There were kicks from behind into
faces, swords thrust into the eyes of those on the second row, who in
turn were putting out the eyes of the third row. The spectacle resembled
a troop of cockchafers on a carpet.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs had invented this charming ceremony, and
had required the ambassadors to crawl. The Asiatics are supposed to be
more guileless than they are, and I am confident that they would have
found no fault had they been permitted to walk. The whole effect of the
crawling was lost, however, because the emperor became impatient at
last, rose, made the cockchafers rise, and conversed in English with one
of them. The empress kissed a little monkey which they had brought with
them, and which is said to be the son of one of the ambassadors; he ran
on all-fours like a little rat, and had an intelligent expression.
The temporal king of Siam sent his portrait to the emperor, and that of
his wife, who is hideously ugly. But you would have delighted in the
variety and beauty of the stuffs which they brought. They are of gold
and silver, woven so delicately that they are perfectly transparent, and
resemble the light clouds of a beautiful sunset. They presented the
emperor with trousers, the legs of which are embroidered with small
designs in enamel, gold, and green; and a waistcoat of gold brocade as
soft as a silk handkerchief, the patterns of which, gold worked on gold,
are marvellous. The buttons are of gold filigree, with small diamonds
and emeralds. They have a red gold and a white gold, which when used
together produce an admirable effect.
In short, I have never seen anything more stylish, and at the same time
more elegant. What strikes one as singular in the taste of these savages
is that, while they use only dazzling silks, gold and silver thread,
there is nothing conspicuous in their stuffs. The materials are combined
in marvellous taste, producing a quiet, harmonious effect.
Good-bye, dear friend. I expect to make a visit to London, where I have
business connected with the Exposition. This will be about July 8th or
10th.