At the table occupied by the paladins, Mme. Edmond de Périgord is seated by the young Comte de Trauttmansdorff, her knight. As remarkable for her beauty as for her tasteful dress, she captivates everybody by the charm of her remarks, both animated and clever. The other feminine glories of the tournament vie with each other in keeping the conversational ball rolling. After the banquet a move was made to the ball-room. More than three thousand invitations had been issued. All that Vienna contained in the shape of illustrious personages, whether in virtue of their birth, rank, or functions were there forgathered. No memory could recall so many names celebrated in this or that respect. No pen could adequately describe all those statesmen to whom Europe had confided the interests of her destiny. Here, the Comte de Loevenhielm, M. de Bernstorff, and the Prince d’Hardemberg[71] calmly discussing the claim submitted to the Congress by the deposed King Gustavus-Adolphus--a claim supported by Admiral Sir Sidney Smith with more perseverance than success. There, M. de Humboldt, the Duc de Dalberg, the Baron de Wessemberg, familiarly debating the problems connected with Saxony and Poland. Further on, the Commandeur Alvaro Ruffo and M. de Palmella speculating upon the fate reserved for Italy. Still further on, M. de Metternich and M. de Nesselrode in lively conversation with Lord Castlereagh, and, to judge from the seriousness of their faces, not commenting on the joke just perpetrated by the Englishman [Irishman?] in connection with the temporary transformation of the Garter into a tiara. While the fate of Naples, Sweden, and Poland is apparently hanging in the balance, waltzing and dancing are going on, without the least concern about all these questions. The quadrilles had been arranged beforehand. In the centre of the principal ball-room, the quadrilles of the ‘forty-eight’ notable figures formed the chief attraction. The sun had appeared on the horizon before the last guests left the Burg. CHAPTER IX Recollections of the Military Tournament of Stockholm in 1800-- The Comte de Fersen--King Gustavus IV.--The Challenge of the Unknown Knight--The Games on the Bridge at Pisa. During the next four days the whole of Vienna seemed engrossed with the accounts of the magnificence of the _carrousel_. Every particular was eagerly caught up, the names of the knights and their dames were on everybody’s lips. There were frequent allusions to the accident to Prince Lichtenstein, whose life had for some time been in danger. In short, the _carrousel_ was the inevitable subject of every conversation.