After amusing ourselves some time in the great throng, which was densest near the King, we went towards a secondary circle that had formed in another part of the room, where the Duke of Orleans had appeared.  He was conversing with Lafayette, who immediately presented us all in succession.  The Prince is a genteel, handsome young man, with a face much more Austrian than that of any of his family, so far as one can judge of what his younger brothers are likely to be hereafter.  In form, stature, and movements, he singularly resembles W——­, and there is also a good deal of likeness in the face, though in this particular the latter has the advantage.  He was often taken for the Duc de Chartres during our former residence at Paris.  Our reception was gracious, the heir to the throne appearing anxious to please every one.

The amusing part of the scene is to follow.  Fatigued with standing, we had got chairs in a corner of the room, behind the throng, where the discourtesy of being seated might escape notice.  The King soon after withdrew, and the company immediately began to go away.  Three-fourths, perhaps, were gone, when an aide-de-camp came up to us and inquired if we were not the three Americans who had been presented by General Lafayette?  Being answered in the affirmative, he begged us to accompany him.  He led us near a door at the other end of the salle, a room of great dimensions, where we found General Lafayette in waiting.  The aide, or officer of the court, whichever might be his station, passed through the door, out of which the King immediately came.  It appeared to me as if the General was not satisfied with our first reception, and wished to have it done over again.  The King looked grave, not to say discontented, and I saw, at a glance, that he could have dispensed with this extra attention.  Mr. M’Lane standing next the door, he addressed a few words to him in English, which he speaks quite readily, and without much accent:  indeed he said little to any one else, and the few words that he did utter were exceedingly general and unmeaning.  Once he got as far as T——­, whom he asked if he came from New York, and he looked hard at me, who stood farther from the door, mumbled something, bowed to us all, and withdrew.  I was struck with his manner, which seemed vexed and unwilling, and the whole thing appeared to me to be awkward and uncomfortable.  I thought it a bad omen for the influence of the General.

By this time the great salle was nearly empty, and we moved off together to find our carriages.  General Lafayette preceded us, of course, and as he walked slowly, and occasionally stopped to converse, we were among the last in the ante-chamber.  In passing into the last or outer ante-chamber, the General stopped nearly in the door to speak to some one.  Mr. M’Lane and Mr. T——­ being at his side, they so nearly stopped the way that I remained some distance in the rear, in order not to close it entirely.  My position would give an ordinary