“The [snow] storms alarmed Lady C. not a little, for it prevented the carrier going to town in the first instance, and in the second she began to fear the King might not be able to come, after all the preparations made for him. The Milners were so anxious about it that the General, who commands at Colchester, ordered five hundred pioneers to clear the road from that city to Bocking. On His Majesty’s approach the Bocking bells proclaimed it, and on driving up, the full military band which Lord C. had engaged for the occasion struck up ‘God save the King’ in the entrance passage. In His Majesty’s coach were Monsieur [the Comte d’Artois] and the Dukes d’Angoulême and Berry. [They arrived a little before five o’clock, and Lady Charles handed His Majesty from his carriage into the drawing-room, and introduced the illustrious guest to those friends who were invited upon this interesting occasion. His Majesty in the most affable and engaging manner entered into conversation with every individual present.] “All stood,” continues Mrs. Mitford, “till dinner was announced, when our cousin handed His Majesty—Lord C. walking before him with a candle. The King sat at the top of the table with Lady C. on his right and Lord C. on his left. Mrs. Milner’s and Mrs. Pepper’s French butlers were lent for the occasion. The bill of fare was in French, and the King appeared well pleased with his entertainment. [The French nobility, who compose His Majesty’s suite, were in full dress and wore the insignia of their respective orders.] [Illustration: WHERE THE KING DINED] “The company were three hours at dinner, and at eight the dessert was placed on the table—claret and all kinds of French wine, fruit, etc., a beautiful cake at the top with ‘Vive le Roi de France’ baked round it, and the quarterings of the French army in coloured pastry, which had a novel and pretty effect. The three youngest children then entered with white satin military sashes over their shoulders (upon which were) painted in bronze ‘Vive le Roi de France—Prospérité à Louis dix-huit.’ Charles, on being asked for a toast, immediately gave ‘The King of France,’ which was drunk with the utmost sensibility by all present, and one of the little girls came up to His Majesty and, with great expression, spoke the lines in French, composed for the occasion.”