against Germany, and one of the principal instigators of the present war. If the Orleans believe that their prospects are improved by their connection with Austria, they ought also to know that for that very reason they have nothing to hope from us. After Bucher, Keudell and myself had been for some time at tea, we were joined by the Chief, and afterwards by Hatzfeldt, who had been with the King. He said it was intolerably dull there. “Grimm, the Russian Councillor of State, gave us a variety of wearisome particulars about Louis Quatorze and Louis Quinze. The W. worried us, and me in particular, with silly questions.” (He pouted his lips, assumed a killing smile, and bent his head to one side, imitating the Grand Duke’s affectations.) “He informed us that the students at St. Cyr all received a portrait of Madame Maintenon, and that he himself had one also. The King, who had occasionally rubbed his eyes, observed somewhat pointedly, ‘I suppose they were photographs.’ ‘No, oh no, engravings.’ ‘Well, then, what did you do with yours?’ the King asked. ‘Why, nothing, I kept it.’ The Grand Duke then asked me--he had obviously prepared the question in advance, and perhaps learnt it by heart--‘Is the _Revue des Deux Mondes_ still published? An interesting newspaper.’ I replied, ‘I do not know, your Royal Highness.’ ‘Who is the editor?’ ‘I do not know that either.’ ‘So-o-o!’ The aides-de-camp were cruelly bored, and one of them nudged Lehndorff, begging him in a whisper to give the old fool a rap on the head with his crutch.” “Yes, he is a fearful bore,” added the Chief. “What a miserable position it must be for a man whose father was a Court official to him or one like him, and who has to assume the same office himself--a chamberlain or something of that kind, who has to listen day after day to all that twaddle, and has no prospect of ever becoming anything else! The Queen is just such another. She was educated in the same school. I remember she once questioned me on a literary subject, I believe it was about some French book or other. ‘I do not know, your Majesty,’ I replied. ‘Ah, I suppose that does not interest you.’ ‘No, your Majesty.’ Radowitz was very strong on those subjects. He boldly gave every kind of information, and in that way secured a great deal of his success at Court. He was able to tell exactly what Maintenon or Pompadour wore on such and such a day; such and such a gewgaw on her neck, her head-dress trimmed with colibris or grapes, her gown pearl-grey or peacock-green with furbelows or lace of this or that description--exactly as if he had been there at the time. The ladies were all ear for these toilette lectures, which he poured forth with the utmost fluency.”