it was an intimidating function for any one, and she had no one to help her, as they were all quite new to the work.  It was obviously an immense relief to her when some lady of the official world came in, whom she had known before.  The two ladies plunged at once into a very animated conversation about their children, husbands, and various domestic matters—­a perfectly natural conversation, but not interesting to the foreign ladies.

We didn’t make a very long visit—­it was merely a matter of form.  Lord Lyons came out with me, and we had quite a talk while I was waiting for my carriage in the anteroom.  He was so sensible always in his intercourse with the official world, quite realised that the position was difficult and trying for Madame Grevy—­it would have been for any one thrown at once without any preparation into such perfectly different surroundings.  He had a certain experience of republics and republican manners, as he had been some years in Washington as British minister, and had often seen wives of American statesmen and ministers, fresh from the far West, beginning their career in Washington, quite bewildered by the novelty of everything and utterly ignorant of all questions of etiquette—­only he said the American women were far more adaptable than either French or English—­or than any others in the world, in fact.  He also said that day, and I have heard him repeat it once or twice since, that he had never met a stupid American woman....

I have always thought it was unnecessary to insist upon Madame Grevy’s presence at the Elysee.  It is very difficult for any woman, no longer very young, to begin an entirely new life in a perfectly different milieu, and certainly more difficult for a Frenchwoman of the bourgeoisie than any other.  They live in such a narrow circle, their lives are so cramped and uninteresting—­they know so little of society and foreign ways and manners that they must be often uncomfortable and make mistakes.  It is very different for a man.  All the small questions of dress and manners, etc., don’t exist for him.  One man in a dress coat and white cravat looks very like another, and men of all conditions are polite to a lady.  When a man is intelligent, no one notices whether his coat and waist-coat are too wide or too short and whether his boots are clumsy.

Madame Grevy never looked happy at the Elysee.  They had a big dinner every Thursday, with a reception afterward, and she looked so tired when she was sitting on the sofa, in the diplomatic salon, making conversation for the foreigners and people of all kinds who came to their receptions, that one felt really sorry for her.  Grevy was always a striking personality.  He had a fine head, a quiet, dignified manner, and looked very well when he stood at the door receiving his guests.  I don’t think he cared very much about foreign affairs—­he was essentially French—­had never lived abroad or known any foreigners.  He was too intelligent not to understand