Some of the prizes were magnificent, the Grand-duke Constantine won two magnificent vases contributed by the King of Prussia from the royal porcelain works at Berlin. He offered them to our charming hostess. The King of Bavaria won a handsome box in mosaic, which he begged Princesse Marie Esterhazy to accept; and the Comte Capo d’Istria drew a casket beautifully worked in steel, which he presented to the Princesse Volkonski. Two small bronze candlesticks fell to the share of Emperor Alexander. He gave them to Mlle. L----, to whom, it was said, he had become very attentive. ‘His majesty’s love affairs are not likely to entail any considerable draft on the imperial treasury,’ some one whispered close to me. ‘He had just made Mlle. L---- a present, by means of the candlesticks, of a few louis. This must be accounted as a piece of tremendous generosity, for as a rule he receives more than he gives. All the linen he wears is from the deft needle of Mme. Narischkine; he not only accepts the workmanship, but he always forgets to refund to her the cost of the material. The charming favourite makes no secret of it. Louis XIV. frequently crops up in conversation in connection with his fêtes at Versailles. Our sovereigns would do well to imitate them. However artistically chased those candlesticks may be, Mlle. L---- will not be prepared to think them as valuable as the diamond bracelets the Grand Monarque won at Madame’s lottery and which he offered in such an exquisite manner to La Vallière.’[54] ‘All this,’ said Prince Koslowski to me, ‘is certainly in excellent taste, but these fêtes are absolutely nothing in comparison with those given by Potemkin to Catherine in the Taurida and after the taking of Oczakoff. Our mothers are never tired of talking of them. There was also a kind of lottery, but skill instead of chance presided at it. In the ball-room there was a long row of marble columns, positively hung with garlands composed of jewels and trinkets. The dances were arranged so that every gentleman passing near these columns could detach from them some precious ornament which he offered to his partner. As you may imagine, that courtly fashion of offering presents was intensely relished by the fair sex, and Catherine herself discharged their debt of gratitude by heaping still greater riches on her favourite. That’s what I should call amusements fit for sovereigns. After all, we are becoming very mean.’