When we all adjourned to Mrs. Schwellenberg’s room up-419

stairs, for coffee, my new guest again poured forth such a torrent of thanks, that I could not resist taking the first opportunity to inform him he owed me no such strong obligation, as I had simply obeyed the commands of the queen.

“The queen!” he exclaimed, with yet greater enchantment; “then I am very happy indeed, madam; I had been afraid at first there was some mistake in the honour you did me.”

“It might have seemed a mistake indeed, sir,” cried I, “if you supposed I had taken the liberty of making you such an invitation, without the pleasure of knowing you myself.”

Mrs. Schwellenberg, just after, calling me aside, said, “For what have you brought me this man?”

I could make no answer, lest he should hear me, for I saw him look uneasily towards us ; and therefore, to end such interrogations, I turned to him, and asked how many days he should continue at Windsor.  He looked Surprised, and said he had no thought of leaving it.

It was my turn to look surprised now; I had heard he only came upon her majesty’s commands, and was to stay but a day or two.  I now began to suspect some mistake, and that my message had gone to a wrong person.  I hastened, therefore, to pronounce the name of Mithoff, and my suspicion was changed into certainty, by his telling me, with a stare, that it was not his.

Imagine but my confusion at this information !-the queen’s commission so ill executed, M. Mithoff neglected, and some one else invited whose very name I knew not!—­nor did he, though my mistake now was visible, tell it me.  Yet he looked so much disappointed, that I thought it incumbent upon me, since the blunder must have been my servant’s, to do what I could to comfort him.  I therefore forced myself forward to talk to him, and pass over the embarrassment but he was modest, and consequently overset, and soon after took his leave.

I then cleared myself to Mrs. Schwellenberg of any voluntary deed in " bringing her this man,” and inquired of John how it happened.  He told me he had forgot the gentleman’s name, but as I had said he was a German clergyman, he had asked for him as such, and thought this must be the right person.  I heard afterwards that this is a M. Schrawder, one of the masters of the German language to the princesses.  I jDacle all the apologies in my power to him for the error. . . .

The queen, at night, with great good humour, laughed at the 420

mistake, and only desired it might be rectified for the next day.  Accordingly it was ; and M. Mithoff had an invitation for the next day, in proper order:  that is, from Mrs. Schwellenberg,

The PRINCEss ROYAL’s birthday.