Dear L.,--The visit to the Berlin court by King Edward and Queen
Alexandra is already a thing of the past, but I must tell you about it
while it is still fresh in my mind. We, as _légation de famille_, went
to the Lehrter station to meet them on their arrival. When the train
steamed in the Emperor and the Empress went forward to the door of the
carriage, and as the King and the Queen descended they all embraced
affectionately. The Empress led the Queen to the waiting-room, where
she presented all the ladies who were there. There was music inside
and outside of the station. In fact, everything was so exactly like
the reception of our King and Queen, which I have described before,
that I will not repeat myself.
King Edward looked tired and coughed constantly. The Queen, whom I had
not seen for a long time, seemed quite unchanged and charming as ever.
There is not much time on such occasions to say more than a few words
to each. We saw them drive off amid the most enthusiastic greetings
from the populace massed together in the square.
That evening there was a state banquet, served in the _Weissesaal_, at
which the Kaiser read his speech in English to the King, and the King
read his reply.
I sat between Lord Granville and Sir Charles Hardinge, between a
cross-fire of wit and fun. The court orchestra, up in the gallery,
played subdued music during the dinner, so that conversation was
possible. Their four Majesties sat next to one another on one side of
the table, and the _Chancelier de l'Empire_ sat opposite the Empress.
The English Embassy and ourselves were the only diplomats among the
hundred guests. The bonbons which were served with the fruit had
photographs of King Edward, the Queen, and the German Imperial family,
and were, as is the custom, handed to the pages. These offerings are
meant, I suppose, as a polite attention, and little souvenirs of the
occasion, but the guests for whom the bonbons are intended go away
empty-handed. These pages belong to the highest families in Germany,
and are present at all court functions, such as balls and dinners, and
stand behind the chairs of the royal personages at the table.
[Illustration:
COUNT HATZFELDT
From a recent photograph. He was Prime Minister of Germany and German
Ambassador to London, brother-in-law of Madame de Hegermann-Lindencrone.
The picture shows over sixty decorations, all the important ones of
Europe, which have been given him. It is custom that the decorations
of orders in diamonds are kept by the family after the death of the
recipient. All other orders go back to the governments bestowing
them.]
After dinner we went into the long gallery, which in one part was
arranged as a _salon_, with _fauteuils_ and chairs in circle.
To show what a wonderful memory King Edward has, he said to me:
"Do you remember a song you used to sing [I thought he was going to
say 'Beware'] with something about, 'I mean the daughter'?"
"Yes, your Majesty, I remember very well. It was, 'I know a lady, a
Mrs. Brady.'"
"Yes, that was it...'and has a daughter,' wasn't it?"
I said, "What a memory your Majesty has! Fancy remembering that all
these years. It was when your Majesty came to Sommerberg to play
tennis with Paul Hatzfeldt."
"That was a long time ago," continued King Edward. "I was stopping
then with the King and the Queen of Denmark at Wiesbaden. I remember
it all so well. Poor Hatzfeldt. You know what Bismarck said about
him?"
"Was it not something about his being the best horse in his stable?"
"That is it," the King answered. "You have a good memory, too. How is
Countess Raben?"
"You mean 'the daughter'?"