From the middle arcades the young pages—­twenty-four in number—­entered in pairs.  Then came the Oberhof Marshal alone, followed by the four greatest personages in Berlin, the Duke Trachenberg, Prince Fuerstenberg, Prince Hohenlohe, and Prince Solms-Baruth.  After them came the Emperor with the Empress on his arm.  Every one bowed.  They were followed by the five sons of the Emperor—­the Crown Prince, Prince Adalbert, Prince Eitel Fritz, Prince August Wilhelm, and Prince Joachim; then all the princes and princesses of the house of Prussia.

[Illustration:  THE THRONE-ROOM OF THE ROYAL PALACE, BERLIN]

It was a very imposing sight as they all marched in.  When the Emperor and the Empress reached the throne they made a stately bow to each other and separated, the Empress turning to the doyenne (the first ambassadress) and the Emperor crossing to the Ambassadors.  Each chef de mission stood in front of his secretaries and presented them.

My place was between the wives of the Swedish and the Brazilian Ministers.  My neighbor was very unhappy because she was not able to use her eyeglasses.  Eye-glasses are one of the things that are not allowed, nor are such things as boas or lace wraps.

The Empress spoke to all the ladies in either German, French, or English.  She was accompanied by the grande maitresse, who stood near.

Right behind the Emperor are two gentlemen who are always within speaking distance.  The first is the tallest young man to be found.  He wears a red uniform, white knee-breeches, very high boots, a breastplate representing a brilliant rising sun, and a high blazing helmet surmounted by a silver eagle.  This makes him the most conspicuous person in the room, so that you may always know where the Emperor is by seeing the young officer’s towering helmet above the crowd.  The other is General Scholl, a dear, kind old gentleman, who is dressed in the costume of Frederick the Great’s time, with a white wig, the pigtail of which is tied with black ribbon, a huge jabot of lace with a diamond pin on his breast.

All the other court persons wear dark blue dress-coats, with gold buttons, and carry in one hand the awe-inspiring stick, and in the other the list for the suppers.  Some of them are rather vain about their legs, and stand profile-wise so that they can be admired.  They do look very well turned out, I must say, with their silk stockings and low buckled shoes.

The ladies of the Corps Diplomatique are not always as observant of court rules as they ought to be, and their decolletage is not always impeccable.  If Worth sends a corsage with the fashionable cut—­what do they do?  They manage, when they stand on their platform en vue, to slip their shoulders out, thereby leaving a tell-tale red mark, only to slip the shoulders in place when royalty has its back turned.