On the other side of Madero was that anomaly, a Mexican _vieille fille_, whose name I did not get. I supposed she belonged to one of the two or three elderly military men present. N. suggested to Madero his falling in with the views of the United States in the regulating of claims, and he said the following in French, "You Americans always act on the presumption that we Mexicans are always in the wrong." N. said this was _à propos_ of his remark, "Now, Mr. Madero, you are going to be President, and I know when your government gets in you will clear up all matters pending between the two countries, and let us begin with a clean slate." There had been some discussion among us all as to how Madero should be seated at table. He was the undoubted next President, the leader of the _Ejército Liberatado_, but actually at the moment he was without official status of any kind, and could not be placed above plenipotentiaries with their definite ranking. Von H. cut the Gordian knot, rather informally, by putting him next N. "so that they could have a talk," which they did! Handsome young De Weede turned up yesterday, having made the ascent of Orizaba, a great feat. He came down in a dreadfully burned condition, however, and spent some days in bed attended by a physician. He is the son of our friend, the Dutch minister in Vienna. He returns there as first secretary with his father, regretting Washington very much. He had seen the Hitts in Guatemala, and showed me photographs he had taken of their house with its lovely _patio_, fountained and flower-planted. The roughly paved street gave the outside a desolate look which it doubtless has not really got under that sky, as blue as this. It was so nice to see De W. again, and the "welkin rang" with reminiscences of the _Kaiserstadt_ and the happenings of our mutual friends. _July 12th._ Von H. has been criticized for having had Madero at a formal dinner, where he could not have the first place at table, being the _Liberatador_ and more than all the others put together. However, I imagine it is those who were not at it who felt critical. I inclose the menu. Apart from the _huachinango_, the wonderful Mexican redsnapper, the fish that Indian runners used to bring up on their backs from Vera Cruz for Montezuma's delectation, it might have been a handsomely presented dinner anywhere in the world.