“After remaining a few moments, the master of ceremonies, who, by the by, apologized to me for miscalling my name, opened the door from the veranda into the empress’ drawing-room, where we were again put in line to await the appearance of the empress.  The doors of an adjoining room were suddenly thrown open and the empress, gorgeously but appropriately attired, advanced towards us.  She was dressed in a beautiful blue silk terminating in a long flowing train of many flounces of the richest lace; upon her head a crown of diamonds, upon her neck a superb necklace of diamonds, some twenty of which were as large as the first joint of the finger.  The upper part of her dress was embroidered with diamonds in a broad band, and the dress in front buttoned to the floor with rosettes of diamonds, the central diamond of each button being at least a half inch in diameter.  A splendid bouquet of diamonds and precious stones of every variety of color, arranged to imitate flowers, was upon her bosom.  She addressed a few words gracefully to each, necessarily commonplace, for what could she say to strangers but the common words of enquiry—­when we came and whether we had been pleased with St. Petersburg.

“Gratifying as it was to us to see her, I could not but think it was hardly possible for her to have any other gratification in seeing us than that which I have no doubt she felt, that she was giving pleasure to others.  To me she appeared to be amiable and truly feminine.  Her manner was timid yet dignified without the least particle of hauteur.  The impression left on my mind by both the emperor and empress is that they are most truly amiable and kind.

“After speaking to each of us she gracefully bowed to us, we, of course, returning the salutation, and she retired followed by her maids of honor, her long train sweeping the floor for a distance of several yards behind her.  We were then accompanied by the master of ceremonies back to the large reception-room, and soon after we left the palace, descending the staircase through the same lines of liveried servants to the royal carriages drawn up at the door, and returned to our rooms.  On descending to our parlor we found a beautiful collation with tropical fruits and confectionery provided for us.  Our polite attendant, who partook with us, said that the carriages were at our service and waiting for us to take a drive in the gardens previous to dinner, which was to be served at five o’clock in the English Palace and to which we were invited.

“Two carriages called charabancs, somewhat like the Irish vehicle of the same name, with four servants in the imperial livery to each, we found at the door, and we drove for several miles through the splendid gardens and grounds laid out with all the taste of the most beautiful English grounds, with lakes, and islands, and villas, and statues, and fountains, and the most perfect neatness marked every step of our way.