Grieg played some of his latest compositions, which were perfectly
exquisite, and played them as only he can. He was full of fun, and
told us of an American songstress who had been one of those who
had "got in." She insisted on singing for him "_Jeg elsker dig_"
and made a cadenza of her own at the end. He said Mrs. Grieg
almost fainted, and that his own hair had not finished standing on
end ever since. He played this awful cadenza for us, and I must
say it was ridiculous. Mrs. Grieg sings delightfully--_nothing but
Grieg, of course_. She has not a strong voice, but sings with
exquisite pathos and charm.
Grieg loves to talk of his rude behavior and dwell with pleasure
on his brusque speeches. He said a young American lady asked him
to teach her one of his songs, and after she had sung it he turned
round on the piano-stool and said:
"Are you singing for your living?"
"No," she answered, "I sing for my pleasure."
"Don't you think that dancing would be pleasanter?" he asked.
It was evident that they saw us go with regret; we certainly left
them with regret. They looked, as they stood there together waving
farewell, like two little gray elves; she with her short gray
dress and short gray hair; and he with his long gray coat and long
gray hair--a Grieg study in gray.
STOCKHOLM, _September, 1894_.
Dear L.,--Just as I was going to get a little rest, who should
come to Stockholm but the Prince of Naples? I begged him to give
us one evening before he left, which he promised to do. He seemed
as glad to see us as we were to see him.
"What would your Highness like best," I asked him, "an official
dinner followed by a reception, or a little dinner with a dance?"
"Oh, madame, the little dinner and a little dance, by all means."
So a little dinner it was. He does not care for dancing, but he
knew the lancers and quadrilles, and we danced those. We played
"Fox and geese"; I fancy, from seeing his amusement, that he had
never had a real romp in all his life. To finish, we danced a
Virginia reel. This was new to him and pleased him immensely. He
insisted upon going through the entire dance until every couple
had done its part.
A few days later King Oscar sent me the decoration of _Litteris at
Artibus_, which I shall wear on great occasions. This decoration
is a gold medal, and the ribbon that goes with it is blue. Queen
Christina of Sweden instituted the order. The medal is only given
to women of merit, artistic or literary. Jenny Lind, Frederika
Bremer, and Christina Nillson, and others have it.
I have become the _doyenne_ of the Diplomatic Corps. I intend to
make my colleagues walk very straight. So far my duties consist of
dancing in _quadrilles d'honneur_ and always being taken into
supper before every one else, and having the first place
everywhere; I take precedence of all guests. These honors do not
turn my head.
STOCKHOLM, _April, 1897_.
Dear L.,--We have been named to Paris.
Never did people have such a time getting away from a place.
All our furniture except a sofa and two chairs had been packed,
and was already on the way to Paris.
The entire morning I was busy receiving notes and bouquets of all
dimensions, tied with every imaginable national color.
We breakfasted with our colleagues from Germany, who had the
apartment above us. While still at table a royal chamberlain
announced that King Oscar was coming in half an hour to bid us
good-by. Heavens! How could we receive his Majesty without carpets
or curtains, only the sofa and two chairs! What a predicament! But
our good and kind friends came bravely to the rescue. They offered
to send down rugs, palms, and flowers, so that we could receive
our royal guest in the curtainless room. Well, the palms and
plants did certainly make the room look more inviting. J. camped
on the one chair, and the King and I sat on the sofa. The King
stayed half an hour. We were as sorry to leave him as he was to
have us go. He kissed me on my forehead, and kissed J. on both
cheeks, and said, "I shall come to Paris to see you."
J. escorted the King down-stairs and put him in his carriage,
while I wiped away a tear.
The royal visit over, our borrowed plumes were returned. Hardly
was the apartment bare again when there came a court lackey
telling our bewildered valet that the "Crown Prince would be at
the house in a short moment." Our colleagues most amiably sent the
rugs, etc., down again, and we sat in state and waited.
The Prince came, bringing a large photograph of himself, and said
many nice things, expressing his sorrow that we were going to
leave Stockholm, and bade us good-by.
The time was gradually approaching when I should put on my hat to
depart.
There were still a lot of things to be attended to at the last
moment. Our people had to be bid good-by and paid, and thousands
of trifles, as you may imagine, to be thought of, and I began to
despair of getting away. I seriously proposed to J. to pretend to
leave, bidding people good-by at the station, and stop at the
first place, to return the next morning and finish quietly what
seemed so impossible to do then.
What was our dismay, then, at receiving a telephone message from
Prince Carl, asking if I could receive him. Of course, I answered
I would be proud, and our colleagues above, learning of this new
complication, sent, without begging, the useful and ornamental
things which had adorned our _salon_ before.
Prince Carl came. He brought me a little bunch of
lilies-of-the-valley, intending a gentle allusion to my name. We
were very sad at the idea that we were to part, but part we must,
and pretty soon. The tired rugs were taken back once more.
Prince Eugen kindly telephoned that he wished to say good-by. It
was already so late that there was no question of the rugs, for it
was within an hour of our departure; therefore we were obliged to
receive the Prince without any accessories. He came with a little
offering of flowers. However, that did not make any difference,
because we all stood up. It is the custom here in Stockholm that
every one goes to the station to speed the parting guest. The
station was overcrowded. We were showered with the good wishes of
two hundred and fifty people, and flowers were in such quantities
that we had to have an extra compartment for them.
[Illustration:
A LETTER IN ENGLISH FROM KING OSCAR]