[Illustration:  EMPEROR WILHEIM IN THE UNIFORM OF THE GUARDS]

[Illustration:  THE EMPRESS OF GERMANY ON HER FAVORITE MOUNT]

We arrived at the Wendel entrance and mounted the long and fatiguing staircase before we reached the second story where the state apartments are.  In the hall of the corps de garde were several masters of ceremony, who received us with deep bows.  I wondered what certain large baskets which looked like clothes-baskets were, and was told that ladies wearing boas or lace wraps around their shoulders were expected to drop them into these baskets.  They would then be conveyed to the other staircase, where, after the ceremony, we would find our servants and carriages—­and, we hoped, our boas!  We passed through different rooms where groups of ladies were assembled.  The Corps Diplomatique filled two rooms.  The ladies were in the first one, which leads to the Throne Room.

The Hungarian and Russian ladies wear their national costumes, which are very striking and make them all look like exotic queens.  The English ladies wear the three feathers and the long tulle white veil, which make them look like brides.  We others wear what we like, ball-dresses of every hue, and all our jewels.  No one can find fault with us if our trains, our decolletage, our sleeves and gloves, are not according to regulations.

The chamberlains arranged us, consulting papers which they had in their hands, after the order of our rank.  Being the latest member, I was at the very end, only the wives of two charges d’affaires being behind me.  The one directly behind me held up my train, just as I held the train of the Peruvian Minister’s wife in front of me.  I hope that I have made this clear to you.  The doyenne stood by the door which led into the Throne Room through which she was to enter.  Four meters behind her was her daughter holding her train, and behind her were the ladies who had not already been presented at court.

The room not being long enough, we formed a serpentine curve, reminding one of the game called “Follow the leader.”  It must look funny to any one not knowing why we were so carefully tending the clothes of other people.  I never let go the train of the colleague in front until she reached the door of the Throne Room, where I spread it out on the floor.  Then, as the lady passed into the room, two lackeys, one on each side of the door, poked the train with long sticks until it lay peacock-like on the parquet.

[Illustration:  TWO VIEWS OF ROYALTY From photographs taken at Lyngby, near Copenhagen, in 1894.  In the facing photograph the former Czar of Russia is seen, with black hat and light clothes, holding his favorite dog.  From left to right the others are:  the Princess of Hesse; the Princess Marie; Prince Waldemar with his dog; a dame d’honneur; King Christian X. of Denmark; and the present Czar of Russia.  The man at the extreme left of the picture is the present King, George of Greece.]