_August 13th._
Had tea with Constance Minot and Countess Bernstorff the other day.
Just now she is in a great state of nerves over the thought of going
to America to join the Ambassador. She declared she knew the English
had been lying in wait for her for two years and were going to be as
disagreeable as possible.
"They will search everything I have, I know," said she. "They will wash
my back with acid and they will rip the lining out of everything, and I
shall never be fit to be seen again."
In vain Constance and I assured her that she would be treated with
great respect. I told her we had had no trouble at all, and she
said: "What did you do?" I answered that we made love to the English
inspection officer and asked him to dinner, and asked her why she
shouldn't do the same.
"I suppose that would be the best way," she answered. Another real
grievance was that everyone had tried to give her things to bring to
friends and relatives in America.
"One woman gave me a large box. I opened it and found a toy Zeppelin.
Imagine if the English had found that in my trunk! They would have
taken me off the boat and hanged me, surely!" she said, with a laugh.