The great problem was how to arrange the different suppers, of which there must be five or six.  The royalties must have a room to themselves.  There must be three separate suppers for the other guests, two for the dancers, and two buffets going on all the evening.

In the ballroom a dais was arranged with a red brocade for a background, on which were two red chairs for the King and the Crown Princess.

After giving the last orders J. and I stood at the doors to receive our guests, who soon began pouring in.  People in Sweden are always very punctual, and arrive precisely at the time for which they are invited.  Of course, when royalty is present one should be a little earlier.

Here the host always names the hour when the carriages are to be ordered.  I think this is very wise, because if the poor horses had to stand out in the cold, waiting until their masters chose to go home, they would freeze to death.  Fortunately, my dress, ordered from Paris, arrived just the day before.

At half past nine the servant announced the arrival of the royal carriages.  J. and the secretaries flew downstairs, two servants raced after them, each carrying a candelabrum of six lighted candles.  After J. had helped the King from the carriage he took the candelabra from the servants and preceded the King up the stairs to where I stood, according to custom, on the threshold of the door.  I presented to the Crown Princess a large bouquet of red and white roses (the Danish colors), with long streaming ribbons to match, and a smaller bouquet to the Princess Louise.

The tambour, a curious name given to an antechamber in Sweden, seemed overflowing with dazzling uniforms and showy liveries.  It was a very cold night, and all the guests were muffled up to the tips of their noses when they came in.  The display of india-rubbers was stupendous.  You can see how necessary were the twenty-two large porcelain stoves which, in Sweden, are built into the walls.  For my ballroom I was obliged to add an American stove of the kind one fills once a day from the top.

The King gave me his arm, and as we entered the salon every one courtesied to the ground.  Then the Crown Princess came in with J.

Tea was passed, and when the usual ceremonies like presentations and greetings were finished, the quadrille d’honneur commenced.

The King took his place on the dais and watched the dancing.

At eleven o’clock supper was announced.  In entering the supper-room the King gave me his arm, the others following.

We were fifteen at our table, ten of whom were royalties.

J. did not sit down to supper with us, as it is not the custom in Sweden for the host to absent himself from the rest of his guests.

Now came the moment for the surprise!

When the royal guests were seated on the dais, sufficient space was made in front of them, the door opened from a side-room, and the dancers entered.