At night I was summoned to the queen's apartment. Mrs. Schwellenberg
was there, waiting. We sat together some time. The queen then arrived,
handed into her dressing-room by the king, and followed by the princess
royal and Princess Augusta. None other of the princesses slept in the
queen's Lodge. The lower Lodge, which is at the further end of the
garden, is the dwelling-place of the four younger princesses.
The king, with a marked appearance of feeling for the--no doubt
evident--embarrassment of my situation, on their entrance, with a mild
good-breeding inquired of me how I had found Mrs. Delany: and then,
kissing both his daughters, left the room. The two princesses each took
the queen's hand, which they respectfully kissed, and wishing her good
night, curtseyed condescendingly to her new attendant, and retired.
The queen spoke to me a little of my father, my journey, and Mrs.
Delany, and then entered into easy conversation, in German, with Mrs.
Schwellenberg, who never speaks English but by necessity. I had no
sort of employment given me. The queen was only waited upon by Mrs.
Schwellenberg and Mrs. Thielky, her wardrobe woman; and when she had put
on her night dishabille, she wished me good night.
This consideration to the perturbed state of my mind, that led her
majesty to permit my presence merely as a spectatress, by way of
taking a lesson of my future employment for my own use, though to her,
doubtless, disagreeable, was extremely gratifying to me, and sent me to
bed with as much ease as I now could hope to find.