h company (SENTAIT SON MONDE);
but her air appeared to me that of a waiting-maid (SOUBRETTE), and her
manners insignificant." Let Madame take that.

"Monseigneur himself," when our equipages had come, "waited on me
several times,"--Monseigueur the grand Marechal de Belleisle, among the
other Principalities and Lordships: but of this lean man in black (who
has done such famous things, and will have to do the Retreat of Prag
within year and day), there is not a word farther said. Old Seckendorf
too is here; "Reich's-Governor of Philipsburg;" very ill with Austria,
no wonder; and striving to be well with the new Kaiser. Doubtless
old Seckendorf made his visit too (being of Baireuth kin withal),
and snuffled his respects: much unworthy of mention; not lovely to
Wilhelmina. Prince of Orange, hunchbacked, but sprightly and much the
Prince, bore me faithful company all the Coronation time; nor was George
of Hessen-Cassel wanting, good fat man.

Of the Coronation itself, though it was truly grand, and even of an
Oriental splendor,[_Anemonen,_ ubi supra.] I will say nothing. The poor
Kaiser could not enjoy it much. He was dying of gout and gravel, and
could scarcely stand on his feet. Poor gentleman; and the French are
driven dismally out of Linz; and the Austrians are spreading like a
lava-flood or general conflagration over Baiern--Demon Mentzel, whom
they call Colonel Mentzel, he (if we knew it) is in Munchen itself,
just as we are getting crowned here! And unless King Friedrich, who is
falling into Mahren, in the flank of them, call back this Infernal Chase
a little, what hope is there in those parts!--The poor Kaiser, oftenest
in his bed, is courting all manner of German Princes,--consulting with
Seckendorfs, with cunning old stagers. He has managed to lead my Margraf
into a foolish bargain, about raising men for him. Which bargain I, on
fairly getting sight of it, persuade my Margraf to back out of; and,
in the end, he does so. Meanwhile, it detains us some time longer in
Frankfurt, which is still full of Principalities, busy with visitings
and ceremonials.

Among other things, by way of forwarding that Bargain I was so averse
to, our Official People had settled that I could not well go without
having seen the Empress, after her crowning. Foolish people; entangling
me in new intricacies! For if she is a Kaiser's Daughter and Kaiser's
Spouse, am not I somewhat too? "How a King's Daughter and an Empress are
to meet, was p