Empress received the Queen affectionately and gave her a bouquet, which she carried in her hand.  I saw Nina’s pale face, pinched with pain, in the distance, and longed to fly to her, but etiquette compelled me to stay to make my obeisance to their Majesties.  The band which was in the station struck up the Royal Danish March, and we could hardly hear ourselves speak on account of the tremendous resonance.  The procession of resplendent uniforms and the bright colors of the ladies’ dresses made a brilliant sight as they walked through the station.  The Empress led the way, and we all followed to the waiting-room, where presentations to the Queen took place.  The Empress presented every one of the ladies to the Queen, even me.  All the royal carriages seemed to be out—­two open barouches with four horses were for the four royalties.  I drove to the castle to see Nina, who was already installed in her regal apartment.  I went up the Wendeltreppe, through two antechambers and a small salon, before reaching her magnificent drawing-room.  It had superb tapestries on the walls and was filled with fine old Dutch inlaid furniture.  It is called the Braunschweig suite, nine rooms in all.  Frederick had a separate staircase and entrance.  Nina and I went to the window to look out onto the Platz in front of the castle, and saw the parade pass before the Emperor and the King, who stood in the rain while the troops marched by.

Nina had a court carriage and lackey at her disposal all the time she was in Berlin.  In the evening there was a state dinner in the superb Weissesaal.  Johan and I and the members of the Legation were the only diplomats present.  We all met in the Grand Gallery; the Emperor took in the Queen of Denmark, placing her on his right, and the King gave his arm to the Empress and sat facing the Emperor.  The table was in the shape of a horseshoe, and there were about eighty people present.  Prince Schleswig-Holstein (familiarly called Prince Abby) took me in, and the Emperor’s son, Prince Adalbert, sat on my left.  The menu was in German.  Some of the French dishes seemed to have puzzled the translator.  The Empress wore a dress of blue brocade and many beautiful jewels.  Our Queen wore a light-gray satin trimmed with lace, and her famous diamond-and-pearl necklace.  The Emperor wore the Danish uniform, and the King was in the uniform of his Prussian regiment.  A military band played throughout dinner.

I was amused when the fruit and bonbons were passed.  Both the princes next to me piled their plates high with them and passed them over their shoulders to the young gentlemen pages who stood behind each royal person, thus depriving many ladies of the longed-for bonbons, which were adorned with the portraits of their Majesties.