Henrietta and I were very anxious to see the ceremony at the Elysee, and asked Mollard, Introducteur des Ambassadeurs and chef du Protocole—­a most important man on all official occasions, if he couldn’t put us somewhere in a corner, where we could see, without taking any part.  W. was of no use to us, as he went officially, in uniform.  Madame Grevy was very amiable, and sent us an invitation to breakfast.  We found a small party assembled in the tapestry salon when we arrived at the Elysee—­the President with all his household, civil and military, Madame and Mademoiselle Grevy, three or four ladies, wives of the aides-de-camp and secretaries, also several prominent ecclesiastics, among them Monsignor Capel, an English priest, a very handsome and attractive man, whom we had known well in Rome.  He was supposed to have made more women converts to Catholicism than any man of his time; I can quite understand his influence with women.  There was something very natural and earnest about him—­no pose.  I had not seen him since I had married and was very pleased when I recognised him.  He told me he had never seen W.—­was most anxious to make his acquaintance.

While we were talking, W. came in, looking very warm and uncomfortable, wearing his stiff, gold-embroidered uniform, which changed him very much.  I introduced Capel to him at once.  They had quite a talk before the Archbishops and ablegates arrived.  The two future Cardinals, Monseigneur Pie, Archbishop of Poitiers, and Monseigneur Desprey, Archbishop of Toulouse, were well known in the Catholic world.  The Pope’s choice was generally approved.  They were treated with all due ceremony, as befitted princes of the church.  One of the Elysee carriages (always very well turned out), with an escort of cavalry, went to fetch them, and they looked very stately and imposing in their robes when they came into the room where we were waiting.  They were very different, Monseigneur Pie tall, thin, cold, arrogant,—­one felt it was a trial for him to receive his Cardinal’s hat from the hands of a Republican President.  Monseigneur Desprey had a kind good expression.  I don’t think he liked it much either, but he put a better face on the matter.

Both Cardinals said exactly what one imagined they would say—­that the traditional fidelity of France to the church should be supported and encouraged in every way in these troubled days of indifference to religion, etc.  One felt all the time the strong antagonism of the church to the Republic.  Grevy answered extremely well, speaking with much dignity and simplicity, and assuring the Cardinals that they could always count upon the constitutional authority of the head of the state, in favour of the rights of the church.  I was quite pleased to see again the red coats and high boots of the gardes nobles.  It is a very showy, dashing uniform.  The two young men were good-looking and wore it very well.  I asked to have them presented to me, and we had a