very couch is still there on
which she reclined for her famous statue. You remember what a modest
lady friend said to her, "_Cela m'etonne que vous ayez pu poser comme
cela_!"--meaning, without clothes; to which the Princess replied: "But
why do you wonder? Canova had a fire in the room."

Lenbach asked permission to paint Nina. We did not refuse, and expected
great things. He photographed her twenty times in different poses,
turning her head (physically, not morally) every which way, and painted
thirteen pictures of her, but there was only one (a very pretty profile
in crayon with a pink ear and a little dash of yellow on the hair)
which he thought good enough to give us.

Do not ask me what we have done or whom we have seen. We are out
morning, noon, and night. Every day there is a regular "precession of
the equinoxes"--luncheons, dinners, and _soirees_ galore.

I sing twice a week with the Queen--red-letter days for me. I look
forward with joy to passing that hour with her. I never knew any one so
full of interest, humor, and intelligence. It is delightful to see her
when she is amused. She can laugh so heartily, and no one, when there
is occasion for sympathy, is more ready to give it. Her kind eyes can
fill with tears as quickly as they can see the fun in a situation.

Nina and I go out every morning from ten to twelve. Johan is then busy
with his despatches and shut up in the chancellery. It is the fashion
during those hours to drive in a cab in the _Corso_. It is not
considered _chic_ to go out in one's own carriage until the afternoon.
I am glad of the excuse of buying even a paper of pins in order to be
out in the sunshine.

Another queer fashion is that on Sundays gentlemen (the highest of the
high) who have their own fine equipages, of which on week-days they are
so proud, drive to the fashionable places, like Villa Borghese and
Villa Doria, in _cabs_. Sometimes you will see the beaux most in vogue
squeezed (three or four of them) in a little _botte_ (the Italian name
for cab), looking very uncomfortable. But as it is the thing to do,
they are proud and happy to do it. But on other days!--horrible!
Nevertheless, it is on Sundays (_especially_ on Sundays) that Principe
Massimo causes people to stop and stare because he drives abroad on
that day in his high-seated phaeton, his long side-whiskers floating in
the wind, his servants in their conspicuous dark-red liveries covered
with armorial braid, pale-blue