We met at last with Mhaughendorf, and Miss Planta eagerly desired to be conducted to the princesses’ rooms, that she might see if every thing was prepared for them.  When they had looked at the apartments destined for the princesses, Miss Planta proposed our sitting down to our tea in the Princess Eliza-377

beth’s room.  This was extremely disagreeable to me, as I was sensible it must seem a great freedom from me, should her royal highness surprise us there; but it was no freedom for Miss Planta, as she had belonged to all the princesses these nine years, and is eternally in their sight.  I could not, therefore, persuade her of the difference ; and she desired Mhaughendorf to go and order our tea upstairs.

A hasty introduction To lady Harcourt.

Miss Planta, followed by poor me, then whisked backwards and forwards, from one of the apartments to another, superintending all the preparations; and, as we were crossing a landing-place, a lady appeared upon the stairs, and Miss Planta called out “It’s Lady Harcourt,” and ran down to meet her.

They talked together a few minutes.  “I must get you, Miss Planta,” said she, looking up towards me, “to introduce me to Miss Burney.”

She then came up the stairs, said she was glad to see me, and desired I would order any thing I wanted, either for the queen or for myself.  Cold enough was my silent curtsey.

She talked again to Miss Planta, who, already knowing her, from seeing her frequently when in waiting, as she is one of the ladies of the bedchamber, was much more sociable than myself.  She afterwards turned to me, and said, “If there is anything you want, Miss Burney, pray speak for it.”  And she added, “My sisters will attend you presently;—­you will excuse me,-I have not a moment from their majesties.”  And then she curtseyed, and left us.

We returned to the Princess Elizabeth’s room, and there the tea followed, but not the promised sisters.  I never saw Miss Planta laugh so heartily before nor since; but my dismay was possibly comical to behold.

Apparitionof the princesses.

The tea was just poured out, when the door opened, and in entered all the princesses.  I was very much ashamed, and started up, but had no asylum whither to run.  They all asked us how we did after our journey; and I made an apology, as well as I could, to the Princess Elizabeth, for my intrusion into her apartment — confessing I did not know where to find my own. 378

The princess royal, eagerly coming up to me, said, “I thought you would be distressed at first arriving, and I wanted to help you; and I enquired where your room was, and said I would look at it myself ; and I went round to it, but I found the king was that way, and so, you know, I could not go past him; but indeed I wished to have seen it for you.”

There was hardly any thanking her for such infinite sweetness ;-they then desired us to go on with our tea, and went into the princess royal’s room.