The dance was also rather dismal.  The musicians played some national waltzes, and the guests shuffled about on the sanded floor, treading a slow measure and on one another’s toes; the women held on to their partners by their shoulders, and the men clutched the women round their bulky waists.  However, they all kept the measure, and some of the men really danced quite well.

The finale was the fireworks.  It ought to have been a grand display, but the rockets were damp, the “wheels,” which ought to have wheeled up in the air, merely whizzed on the ground and seemed to make for the nearest guest in an absolutely vicious manner.  All the things that ought to have gone off stayed and sputtered.

As an entertainment it was a failure.  The guests, however, had plenty to eat and drink, and carried away pockets full of tobacco and cigars, but it was rather pathetic to see the worn-out and weary farmers dragging their tired limbs slowly and ponderously down the avenue with a look of “Why all this?” depicted on their faces.

MONZA, October 17th.

After luncheon to-day we went out on the terrace to drink our coffee.  The sun was warm and the air deliciously cool, a typical Italian autumn day.  As we sat there we heard some mysterious noise which came from the side of the park where the avenue terminates and is divided from the deer-park by a large iron gate.

Looking down the avenue, we saw a man peering through the bars of the gate.  He had a bear with him.  Her Majesty was curious to see them and ordered the gate unlocked and the man and the bear permitted to enter.  The man was quite young, with soft black eyes and dazzling teeth.  He led the bear by a heavy iron chain passed through a ring in its nose.  The Queen went down the steps and talked with him.

“Will he bite me if I pat him?” she asked.

“No, signora; he is very good” ("E molto buono").  He hesitated a moment, and then said, “Signora, will you tell me which of the ladies there is the Regina?” The Queen was immensely amused, and answered, “I am the Queen” ("Son io la Regina").  The young fellow was quite overcome, and threw himself on the ground and kissed the hem of her dress.

“How did you tame the bear?” inquired her Majesty.

He answered in a very agitated voice:  “Maesta, it was very easy.  Bears are not difficult to tame.  One must only be kind and patient.”

“You look,” said the Queen, “as if you were very kind and patient.”

The young Italian passed his hand lovingly over his companion’s shaggy head, and as he looked up at the beautiful and smiling Queen his eyes filled with tears.  “I love him,” he said, simply; “he is my only friend.”  We, who stood near enough to hear, were trembling on the verge of weeping.  He added, “We never leave each other; we eat and sleep together, and all I have I share with him.”